TIIE OMAHA DAILY HUE: SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, ' 1004.
14
Tie Omaiia Sunday Bna
ES. ROSEWATER, EDITOR.
PUBLISHED EVERT MORNING.
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8TATEMfT?rr OT OTtfTLATTON.
State of Nebraska, Donglas County .!
Oaorge B. Trhuck, aecretury of The i"
rhliahin Company, being duly, "ror"i
saya that the actual number of full and
complete copfea of The Dally. Morning,
Evening and Sunday Pea printed during the
month, or July. JP04. wii aa lonywa
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13 ,60
14 tt,70
15 S,.20
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19 ....S9.WO "
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Less unsold and returned copies.... 10,JO
Net total aalea 81T.0CT
Pally averags .. WVT.s
GEORGE B. TZSCHViCK.
Subscribed In my presence and sworn to
taioro ma this 1st day of August, A. p. ISOi.
(.Seal j I L B. HUNGATE.
' ' Notary Public.
That fearful battle at Llao Yangls
still imminent.
Tbe brisk demand for political straws
has aent tbe price of wheat orer tbe
dollar mark. v
There was a good deal 4nore truth
than poetry lu Tom Watson's arraign
ment of Wall street.
Mr. Gassaway Davis,' is already deny
ing charges, and the Rational campaign
only three days old
Omaha may be sadly- in need of a
juvenile court, Jbut It will have to get
a Ions withoutone at leaBt until next
summer.
Venezuela is Just now finding out that
if Uncle fianiuel Is to play the guardian
uncle, he will insist ou decent behavior
from, Ills turbulent wards.
General Miles little slice of eloquence
bout the "bow of promise and the star
of hope" is his only contribution to the
Parker campaign that baa been reported
In hKS-'-. ; t -r;
The CTikago-OfnabA trunk lines are
about to ngage In a sugar rate war with
an Immediate reduction of B cents pet
hundred iVom Chicago to the Missouri
river. Now if the railroads would only
engage in a coal rate war with a cut of
1 cent rei' hundred, Omaha would make
no remonstrance.
f.t Louis has managed to monopolize
rtiost of the conventions this year, but
there Is one national gathering that
gave Chicago the preference. The As
sociation of American Cemetery Super
intendents will convene at Chicago in
sad, solemn and melancholy- conclave
during the present week.
The Wisconsin Postmasters' associa
tion hns endorsed the Hubbard stamp
certificate syBtem of postal currency
and recommended its adoption by the
Postofllee department Whether con
gress will heed this recommendation is
problematical. Postal fractional cur
rency would become almost as popular
as rural delivery if tbe Hubbard plan is
followed out
John N. Baldwin, generalissimo of all
Unto Paclac dependencies, has re
turned from his vacation on the sea
shore to assume personal command of
tbe forces that are being recruited and
conscripted to move on tbe republican
primaries la the Second congressional
district in the interest of bis "logical
candidate." Nothing else could have
been expected.
Up to the latter end of the present
week the military expenditure of Russia
in the war is reported to have been
$12S,723,000. If these figures are cor
rect, war in the Orient Is a very cheap
diversion. The little spat between the
United States and Spain, that only
lasted ninety days, cost Uncle Pam over
$250,000,000. but then the Russians only
pay their soldiers and sailors about 4
cents a day.
It does not always happen that the
man who surrenders his scat in a
crowded street car to a woman receives
bis reward here on earth. It did hap
pen, however, in Chicago recently,
where, it bus been alleged, people are
not always so susceptible to little cour
sl s of this kind. In the cullttdon of a
trolley tmla and passenger express a
woman who oct-ujilwd a front seat In the
forward car was killed lu tho. wreck.
It was a choice seat, but it hud Un
surreudered to the woman Jutt a moment
l.fore tho accident by a man who
Luuti'd up another place In the rear of
t!ie r. The lUUe set of pollteiiens
ajiw-.l t!;8 man's l!fn, for he ettipt'd
wiitj h f w ttHgtit injuries. Tlx Incident
i,!.'. a trt:tlo Icf-min la pollient art, but
tt U a f jfvlUe It. -Ma uerthelfa
TIKLBIXO TO COMrtTITIOX.
The Steel trust has been forced by
ctnipetitlon to change Its policy. Since
Its orgnnlr.atlon the corporation has
fought for stubiUty of prices at a rela
tively high level. Created to control the
Iron and steel Industry of the United
States and to compel tbe public to pay
prices high enough to yield dividends on
heavily watered securities, the trust now
ackpowledges itself 'defeated by a rela
tively small but relentlessly aggressive
Independent interest. It has surren
dered to its competitors and the steel
consumlng public. Organized scarcely
more than three years ago to monopolize
the Iron and steel industry, and having
failed In Its purpose to maintain prices
necessary for dividends on watered se
curities, the corporation has been driven
to a point where It must meet prices
made by others.
A few days ago the management of
the Unlfed States Steel corporation,
after mature deliberation, decided to
meet the existing conditions, which re
quires a reversal of the sales policy it
has until now sought to maintain. It
Is stated that the tniBt in order to bold
business against competitor", bas au
thorised its sales departments to maka
prices that will bring back business that
Independent manufacturers have taken
by cutting under the trust's fixed fig
ures. For some tlma the iron and steel
trade has been quiet and It appears that
the Independents have been making th(
most of the opportunity to undersell the
big corporation. It is thought to be
probable that a further demoralization
of the buslnesa will result but if so
there will be some compensatory bene
fit to consumers. It Is not questionable
that the trust prices have . been too
high and -if it shall not be able to pay
dividends at a lower range of prices It
will simply Incur a penalty that Is In
evitable sooner or later to such over
capitalized corporations. Nobody who
feols any concern for the large amount
of labor employed In the iron and steel
Industry will wish to "see the Industry
demoralized. It contributes very ma
terially to the country's prosperity. Yet
there are few who will regret that the
trust bos been forced to abandon an un
justifiable policy and stop bleeding con
sumers. 1 j
That such is the case Is significant as
evidence that not only has competition
still a place in our industrial system,
but Is a force which even so powerful
a combination as the Steel trust has
found to be Irresistible. That corpora
tion, with vnst capital at Its command,
has made a persistent fight to maintain
Its policy and gain control of the Iron
and steel Industry of the country. It
has been compelled to yield to the ag
gressive competition of Independent
manufacturers and very likely will not
again adopt the policy that Is now aban
doned. This capitulation of the Steel
trust Is a mntter In which tbe general:
public can find a good deal of satisfac
tion. . " 1 t
AXTI-LUPERIAL1ST8 SILENCED.
It would seem that the anti-Imperialists,
so-called, had concluded that their
cause is not an issue in this year's cam-
palfn and therefore had decided to ob
serve silence. They received some en
couragement from the tricky and com
promising politicians who controlled the
St Louis convention, in the declaration
thai the Filipinos should at once be
given the promise of independence, but
whatever hope this may have raised
In the anti-Imperialist bosom must have
vanished when tbe position of tbe demo
cratic candidate for the presidency was
made known and found to differ in no
essential respect from the republican
attitude.
The democratic platform says: "We
insist that we ought to do for the Fili
pinos what we have already done for
the Cubans and it Is our duty to make
that promise now." Judge Parker, in
his speech of acceptance, made no ref
erence to Cuba, perhaps realizing the ab
surdity of drawing a parallel between
our relations toward that island and to
ward the Philippines, nor did be give
even qualified approval to the demand
of the platform. He said: "The Occi
dent of war brought the Philippines into
our possession and we ar not at liberty
to disregard the responsibility which
thus came to us; but, that responsibility
will be best subserved by preparing the
islands as rapidly as possible for self
government and giving them the assur
ance that it will come as soon as they
are reasonably prepared for it" This
la essentially the republican attitude.
It Is the position announced by McKIn
ley and adopted by his sudcessor. Ia
bis speech of acceptance President
Roosevelt said: "We are governing the
Philippines in the interest of the Philip
pine, people themselves. We have
already given them a large share in
theij government and onr purpose is to
licrease this share as rapidly as they
give evidence of Increasing fitness for
the task. We have established
In the islands a government by Ameri
cans, assisted by Filipinos. We are
steadily striving to transform this into
self-government by the Filipinos as
sisted by Americans." That is to say,
what the democratic candidate for the
presidency urges should be done the
government is doing "preparing the
islands as rapidly as possible for self
government.,' and the Filipinos could
have no better assurance tharTls con
tained lnthls of tbe purpose to give
them self government when they ore
fitted for it
Secretary Taft has recently said that
the problem before this government Is
how best to educate the Filipinos for
solf-Koveriinif ut and that the process of
education should b continued long
enough under Ainertcttn auspices to in
sure its continuance under the auspices
of the Filipinos if they should see fit to
establish an independent government.
No rational bum vill qut-gtlon that lu
thla we sro meeting our reeponhtblllt
and doing a service of ln"ot!euit.l value
ta the I'UUi i Lie ijtlw- service wtJcb
a very large mSJorlty of them-have
already learned to appreciate.
It appears evident thst "iinperlsllsid"
cannot be made a live lasue in this
year's campalcn and certainly so far as
the so-called anti-Imperialists are con
cerned their guns have been spiked.
They bad undoubtedly expected some en
couragement from the democratic presi
dential candldnte and it has not been
given them. It Is probable they will
remain silent throughout the campaign,
for they can no longer doubt that the
practically unanimous sentiment of the
country Is agnlnst them.
i
THE BALTIC FLEET.
It Is stated that the RuHsIan fleet In
the Baltic Is ready to sail for the far
east but there appears to be a difference
of opinion among naval officials at St.
Petersburg as to the time when its de
parture should be made. Some urge
that it should go at once, while others
are of the'oplnlon that it should wait
for a clearing of the situation at Port
Arthur. It is a long voyage from the
Baltic to the scene of hostilities and It
Is easy to understand the position of
those naval officials In Russia who are
opposed to delay. On the other hand
there Is res son to doubt If It would be
wise to send th fleet to the far east
This, It appears, is the view of naval
experts at Washington. They point out
that with the fall of Port Arthur, which
Is regarded as certain to come soon,
Russia will have no base but Vladivo
stok and that place must bo reached by
sailing through the Corean straits and
the Japan sea, or by going around to the
east of Japan and entering through the
Tsugarii strait In either case, the
whole Japanese fleet in the meantime
put Into first-class fighting trim and al
most as strong as at the beginning of
the war, would be at liberty to oppose
the progress of the Baltic fleet After
an extremely long sea voyage that fleet
would have to engage and defeat the
Japanese fleet before reaching a base.
or If it should Vlude the Japs it would
have to depend In Its operations on an
Ice-bound base reached only by tortuous
routes. An American naval officer is
thus quoted: "The fall of Tort Arthur
will mean the destruction of the remain
ing available battleships which Russia
has in tbe far east, and the fleet which
it can send from the Baltic will be no
more powerful alone than the Pacific
fleet which it had ready for service at
the beginning of the war. In the light
of recent battles, the Japanese would
probably be able to defeat that fleet also,
even If It could get Into the radflc In
fighting trim, which Is doubtful."
The advocates of sending the Baltic
fleet to the far east will doubtless pre
vail, but It Is evident from the opinion
of disinterested experts that It would be
a most hazardous expedition, with the
chances very Btrongly against the fleet
escaping destruction. It seems certain
that Japan Is securely In control of the
Asiatic waters.
It is reported that American consuls
In the wine-producing districts of Eu
rope are getting themselves into all sorts
of trouble through their obedience to the
orders of .the State department to make
minute reports regarding the wine
Shipped to this country. In Germany
and France tbe laws against tbe sole of
adulterated wlues ore stringent arid
manufacturers and dealers have been
forced to devote their arts to the liquors
Intended for export to this country.
It is said that tbe extent of the adul
teration and doctoring of foreign ex
port wines has never before been appre
ciated and naturally the adulterators
are worked up to a high pitch of In
dignation at this new and unwonted ac
tivity on the part of the American con
suls. In the operation of the United
States antl-adulteration act the for
eigners are beginning to see an Inter
ruption to a profitable feature olf their
export trade which they have worked
unmolested for- a long time. No
wonder they make wry faces and stren
uous objections to this Interference on
tbe part of tbe "meddlesome Ameri
cans." A message from Washington states
that despite the protest of the Christian
Endeavor societies of Connecticut tbe
traditional bottle of wine wlTl be broken
across the bow of the battleship Con
necticut when it Is launched next
mouth. The objection raised in this in
stance Is no different from others raised
from time to time, but the rather apt
reply of Acting Secretary of the Navy
Darling to the petitions will cause a
broad smile to sweep across the country,
He closed hts reply in these words:
Finally, permit ma to sug-geBt that you
and the 1,000,000 people you repreaent ought
to And comfort In tba thought that wins
thua expended can neither Imperil the
oul nor contribute to the cup of human
sorrow.
Mr. Darling Is ntterly devoid of even
the suspicion that perhaps it Is the
waste of the wine which Is threatening
all the distress.
The most numerously nominated man
In Nebraska Just now Is A. A. Worsley.
He is a populist nominee for congress
In the Sixth district, was nominated far
commissioner of public lands at the re
cent fusion state conventions and is,
moreover, the candidate of the popu
lists for state senator in Boyd county.
If any old party is hunting for an all
around candidate here Is their man. But
one office for one man at one time has
been the unwritten law of the land, and
the same principle should govern In tbe
matter of candidates. This should ap
ply to fusion reform parties as well as
to pur ties making no professions of re
form. Heady Article la Stuck.
Chicago Chronicle.
"Someone almuld explain why the porta
la called tubllme," eaya a. contemporary.
That a eaay. liecause of its effrontery.
. Itou't Heattata. ,
Bomervlile Journal.
When opportunity Anockk at your door
go and open It qulA, and don't atund Still
entering at her beenuse aha wasn't up to
daie cuoufcb to tfiig the electric bull.
AS STK OPE.VEl UX TBE WATER WORKS
When R, B. Howell presented himself
to the people of Omaha as a candidate
for state senator two years ago I was
dazed at bis sublime audacity, because
I did not believe it possible that the
citizens of Omaha bad forgotten his dis
creditable performances In connectlob
with the water works deal only six
years previously. Here was a man who
had received a splendid education at the
expense of the government In tbe United
States naval academy, disciplined with
the highest Ideals of hohor and integrity,
and Above all things Imbued With the
sncredness of the word of honor. And
yet this man, occupying the office of city
engineer, bad so far forgotten the les
sons Inculcated at the naval college as
to be guilty of deliberate deception and
falsification as a public officer.
The incident to which I allude has al
ready been pointed out editorially and
I would not have again referred to It
were it not for the attempt of R. B.
Howell to once more impose upon the
credulity of a large section of this com
munity that seems to be oblivious of his
unenviable record. A clear conception
of the water works problem by which
Omaha is now confronted and the dema
gogy by which R. B. Howell seeks to
curry popular favor by advocating a
reduction of water rates to private con
sumers requlres'a brief review of water
works history.
The Omaha water works were con
structed In 1880-81 by a syndicate of
Omaha business men under a contract
by which the water works company
obligated Itself to erect works in com
pliance with plans and specifications pre
viously adopted and the city obligated
Itself to pay for not less than 250 fire
hydrants at a fixed rental per annum,
and Incidentally granted to the company
the privilege of supplying water to pri
vate xnsumers at a schedule rate em
bodied In tbe ordinance granting the
charter. Tbe contract with the water
company was limited to 'twenty-five
years, but the city reserved Itself the
privilege tp purchase the works any time
after twenty years In tbe following lan
guage: The city of Omaha shall have the right
at any time after the expiration of twenty
years to purchase the city waterworks at
an appraised valuation, which ahnll be aa
certalned by the eotlmate of three en
gineers one to be selected by the city
council, one by the waterworks company,
and these two to select a third providing;
that nothing shall be paid for the unex
pired franchise of said company.
Although this ordinance was approved
June 11, 1880, the official acceptance of
the works did not take place until Sep
tember 4, 1883. Consequently, the right
to purchase the works under the arbitra
tion clause did not accrue until Septem
ber 4, 1903.. ,
The original Omaha Water Works
company sold out Its plant and franchise
rights to the American Water Works
company, which was capitalized for $11,
000,0004,000,000 In bonds and $7,000,
000 In stocks. In 1803 the American
Water Works company was thrown Into
the bands of receivers and in 1800 the
water works were bought by a syndicate
of eastern capitalists and recapitalized
and Incorporated in New Jersey under
the name of the "Omaha Water com
pany." At this Juncture a contention
arose as to whether the new company
bad acquired the franchise as well as
the plant and proceedings to test that
question were instituted by the city in
the federal court. While this case was
pending the managers of the exposition
endeavored to negotiate a compromise
by which they would be enabled to se
cure water for the lagoon on the exposi
tion grounds at a nominal price, and a
proposition was submitted to the council
by the company to lay the necessary
mains at its own expense, supply the
water for the lagoon and give the city
150 additional hydrants free of rental on
condition that the city would contract
to extend its right to purchase the
works ten years, or to the year 100T.
Now appears tbe Iago in the play In
the person of R. B. Howell, then occupy
ing the position of. city engineer. At
bis Instance a public meeting was called
by Mayor Broatch, of which the World
Herald of December 15, 1800, made the
following report:
"One of the largert, most Interesting and
exciting 'town' meetings' in. Omaha for
many years was held in the council cham
ber yesterday afternoon. . From 1:90 until
6 o'clock tho resolution phased by the city
council accepting the proposition from the.
Omaha Water company for the placing of
HO additional fire hydrants by it at a
nominal cost, a-nd. the extending of the
tlma, on the part of the city', at which the
city may purchase the waterworks plant
from 1900 to 1807, tha. pending ordinance) to
carry out the proposition, and many thing
directly and Indirectly connected with litem
were discussed, a
"E. Rosewater disputed and dlmnlKSed la
two sentences, as foolish and not according
to law, the contention of the city that the
present company has no franchise. Tba
question was simply on the acceptance of
the proposition, 'which, he eald, was not 1
a good one.' Mr. Rosewater then eald ho
wanted to have a little talk with the city
engineer, which he began by asking him
who had written, for him the report which
he had read, or If ha had written it him
self. Mr. Howell answered that ha had
himself written every sentence of It, moat
of It after 9 o'clock at night. Mr. Rose
water repeated his first question In dlt- j
ferent words, asking whether the Ideaa
were original or whether they were In. !
spired and prepared by Interested parties, j
"Mr. Howell again answered that he, and
he only, had written the report; that ha
was solely responsible for It and htid not
been Inspired by any one. He detailed
his conversation with the mayor when
the matter flirt came up, the difficulty In,
obtaining tha clroulars, etc., sent out by
the bondholders' committee and tha re
fusal of the water company to let him
aee papers.
"Mr. Rosewater fald he tcok the responsi
bility of contradicting the statement Just;
mad, by the city engineer, and was pre
pared to prove his (Roeewater'e) state
ments. "Continuing, Mr. Rosewater said, In sub
stance, that ha hod it from a reliable'
source that the city engineer had gone
to an employe of the waterworks com
pany and made tha preposition that if the
company paid Mr. Solon I... Wiley luO per
month there would be no trouble about
Ita proposition going through. Mr. Rose,
water tmld that ha mid tha statement
and would prove lu Mr. YVl;y, ho aUi,
had a claim asalnet tha waterworka which
ho had been Trying collect for yrar.
nd was behind thla movement asalnst It,
Mr. Rosewater then, began reading from
the city engineer's report
"Mr. Howell Interrupted and wanted to
get back to Mr. fto-ewater char thst
bo 'held up" the waterworks company.
Mr. Rosewater snJJ It was not Mr. Hunt
but Mr. Blerbower who had told Mm. Mr.
Ulerbower was not present"
An Investigation by the clTy council
followed and the majority ef tha special
committee made these findings:
"That Mr. R. B. Howell, city engineer,
was an applicant for ths position ot gen
eral manager of tha waterworks company;
that ha did not demand but did suggest
that Mr. 8. I Wiley should be appointed
a director of tha waterworks company at
a nominal salary of $100 or H50 per month,
and that It would be to th Interest ef
this company to take this action In view
of certain legislative matters It would re
quire, The testimony fixed tha data of
such suggeatlon as c-n or about October
, 18SS, and that such request was made
to General Manager Blerbower and Su
perintendent Hunt. Also at an early date
to Treasurer Stockton Heth.
"Wi believe from tha testimony that Mr.
Howell, city engineer, la entitled to the
benefit of the doubt a to the suggestion
being a friendly one to Mr. Wiley, and that
his action, although under the circum
stances Indiscreet, jeas prompted by ths
desire to do a friendly thing for Mr.
Wiley.
"All the meetings of ths committee were
public and every witness whose name waa
furnished the committee waa summoned
to appear and give testimony. V'.
"Tour i committee finds and submits to
the city council that Mr. R, B. Howell,
city englheer, under all the circumstances
of his application for the position of gen
era! manager while holding tha office of
city engineer, made his request for Mr.
Wiley's appointment aa director, an act
of such indiscretion aa a man cf hla years
and experience should have avrldrd, and
such actkm on his part placed him In an
embarrassing position, so far OS his sub
sequent reports and duties were concerned
In his official capacity with reference to the
waterworks question and tbs city's in
terest. Signed W. W. Bingham, Cadet Taylor
and Car Axfofd, majority of the com
miuee. -
Embarrassing position! Indiscreet:
Those were mild words of censure for
a former United States naval officer who
had deliberately been convicted of down
right deception and prevarication on "his
word of honor." Would he have played
the despicable part he did play at that
time as pretended champion of Omaha's
rights and Interests in contention wltb
the water works company if his ambi
tion had been gratified and his request
granted by the water works company?
Howell's latest performance Is in keep
ing with the indiscretion that prompted
him to Indulge In downright falsification
eight years ago. In bis latest screed he
has the temerity to assert that he "suc
cessfully opposed a proposed extension
of the franchise of the Omaha Water
company and thus defeated Mr. Rose
water's plan to saddle upon the city of
Omaha in perpetuity his vastly profit
able water works tenant together Avlth
Its excessive water rates and" hydrant
rentals." Habitual falsifiers ought at
least to have good memories. Mr.
Howell surely knows that 'there
was no s attempt made to . extend
tbe franchise of ' the water ! com
pany in perpetuity. He certainly
knows that It was simply a proposition
to postpone the city's right to purchase
the water works plant until 1007. He
knows that the franchise could not have
been extended a single day without a
vote of the people, if Mr. Howell had
even the smallest element of truthful
ness In his makeup he would not have
charged me with trying to snddle a plan
upon the city of Omaha to extend the
franchise, nor would he have claimed
credit for the defeat of the proposition
In the race of the report of the commit
tee of his friends and political associates
that censured him. My attitude on the
proposition to extend the time of pur
chase was embodied lu the .following
editorial which appeared In Tha Bee of
December 2. 1S9C: . .
The proposition to extend tbe water
works contract for a period of seven years
calls for careful consideration before final
action ahall bs taken by 'the mayor Snd
council. The public interest should ba
guarded at avery point and no loopholes
left for further misunderstanding and con
tention. If an extension of tha contract
Is to be made, let It be on conditions that
will give the taxpayers the full equivalent
o fthe value of the benefits conferred on i
the company. e
The vital question to the taxpayera is,
"Are the condition under which It Is pro
posed 'to extend ths water works contract
such as ths city has a right to expectf
Doea the city need 100 more hydrantAT If
he company Insists on Its present hydrant
rental, why should not some concession be
made to private consumers, which were
originally fixed on the basis of a town of
80,000 population t Bhould not the practice
of requiring a royalty put In operation in'
the last gas franchise be also applied to
the water company T . i
On December 4. 1800, The Bee pub
llshed an open letter over 'the name of
John D. Howe, protesting against the
proposed e;rt?nsion of the contract, from
which the following pointed extract is1
quoted: ,
The right ef the city to purchase the
water worka In 1900 shourd not be postponed
at all not even aa long as It took to
run that electric light contract through,
to wit, alxteen minutes. If Omaha noVer
does another thing, It should own these
worka. It should lay the foundation for'
It at once. .
On December f, the next day, nn open
letter appeared in The Bee over tbe
name of W. 8. Poppleton, embodying the
following extracts:
The proposition to postpone until 1907 tha
city's right to purchase the water worka
plant Is, Indeed, one that should be most
carefully coneldered before final action la
taken. The concessions which would
be an adequate return for the benefits
yielded to the water company and which
the city government should demand are,
(1) a royalty on the gross receipts of tha
company to be paid into the city treas
ury; and. 3 a substantial reduction In
the ratea to private consumers.
The. meanest and most contemptible
part of Mr. Howell's screed is" Ms Inti
mation that my course In the discussion
of the water works problem Is purely
selfish and inspired by my anxiety to
keep tbe company as one of the tenants
In Tbe Bee building. It Is scarcely
necetisnry for ine to declare that the
policy of The Bee on any public question
has never been shaped by the business
omee or Its effect on the rental Income.
Tbe original lease for the quarters occu
pied by the water company was made
while tbe building was In course of con
struction. . Mr. Underwood, then its
president. Insisted upon a ten-year lease,
though I only wanted to give a flve-yenr
lease. At the expiration of that period,
on August 27, 18S0, a new lease was
drawn up by Mr. James M. Woolworth.
the attomey of the company, and exe
cuted by Theodore 8. Woodbury, presi
dent of the water company, and W
Stevens, its secretary, but that lease
was never executed by Tho Bee Build
Ing company. I declined to sign the
lease because I did not want to be placed
In a position that would enable Just such
disreputables as Howell to charge me
with being worked when the water
works purchase came up for final action.
The water works company has had no
lease of Its quarters In Tbe Bee build
lng for these five years, and is at liberty
to move out any day. Whenever It docs
move I expect to be able to survive the
shock as I did when the army head
quarters were
moved from The Bee-I
building. It was current talk among
personal and political enemies that the
rental exacted from the government for
Its army headquarters $3,000 a year-
was outrageously excessive. Last year
the rental collected for the premises oc
cupied by the government amounted to
$8,400 and this year they will exceed
$8,500.
. R. B. Howell's appearance lU) the role
of Iago in the fourth act of the water
jvofks melodrama took place two years
ago. The owners of the water works
had become apprehensive that the city
under pressure of public opinion would
attempt to acquire their property by
"eminent domain" condemnation process.
This would have given the city the right
to appoint all of tbe appraisers and taka
possession of the water works at the ap
praised value If satisfactory, leaving tha
company to appeal to the courts for any
excess that it might claim above the
appraisement This was a serious situa
tion and an Ingenious stratagem was
therefore resorted to by which the city
vns forced to avail Itself of the arbitra
tion clause In the water works contract
that gives the water cduapany an extra
ordinary advantage.
With this end In view tbe services of
former President Underwood were en
listed In conjunction with those of the
father of R. B. Howell, a lawyer, form
erly from Detroit, now associated with
Underwood In New York. Incidentally,
the president of the Omaha street rail
way, in which the owners of the water
works have several very large blocks,
was also enrolled to help the movement
for municipal ownership.
In order to elucidate my points I will
venture to ' propound a few pertinent
questions:
1. At .whose instance did Mr. Under
wood, former president of the water
company, come to Omaha two years ago
to confer with R. B. Howell 1
, 2. At whose Instance was the Howell
compulsory water works purchase bill
framed and In whose Interest wag It rail
roaded through the legislature?
3. Who Inspired Representative Gil
bert, engineer of the Omaha Street Rail
way company, to introduce the same
bill, word for- word, In the house on the
same day on which Howell Introduced
his water works purchase bill In the
senate?
4. If the water wortts company was
opposed to the compulsory purehnse bill
why did they not lay a straw in the
way of its passage through the legisla
ture? 5. Was the water works company, or
any other public utility corporation, ever
known to allow any bill, charter or ordi
nance to go through the legislature or
city council that was inimical to its in
terest or objectionable to Its managers
to. go through without strenuous opposi
tion? . .
0. If the Howell compulsory purchase
bill was objectionable to the water
works company why did no lawyer or
lobbyist representing that corporation
appear to protest against Its enactment
before the legislature or against Its ap
proval by the governor?
7. If It Is true that eminent attorneys,
lrcludlng the lawyers of the water com
pany In Omaha and New York, regard
the compulsory purchase bill as full of
boles as a skimmer why is it that they
have not made the slightest effort to set
it aside, and why, on the contrary, have
they complied with all Its provlslous?
P. It Is a matter of notoriety that tha
water works company has always had
a sufficient lnfluonee in Omaha ctty coun
cils to Btall anything It did not want
even when it could not push through
everything that It did want How did
it come, therefore, thst the council
nifched through without discussion the
ordinance declaring tt.at the city would
avail itself of the three arbitrators
clause of the contract and asking the
wster company to name Its appraiser?
9. Last, but not least, It Is a matter
of notoriety that the water works board
SBjsnAaa a-fsw
r-"n Jj
A If.
t-ZZZZ., ; .S -" ---"r
Is not unfriendly to tbe water company
an1 would take no action thst waa serV"'
onsly objectionable to It How did It
come thst the water board 'tccted
Howell to fill the vacancy created by
Guy Barton's resignation?
Is it not patent to all men tb.t Mr.
R. B. Howell Is only a "stool" plrwon
playing bis part for the water worn
owners, who have been anxious to sell
the works at their own price? Is It not
patent that Howell Is only throwing
dust In the eyes of the Oninhs tax pay
ers and water consumers In order to be
In position to make,blmself useful and
take advantage In case the city should
acqrlre the works?
It Is a deplorable fact, but nobody
can truthfully lay the blame at my door
that the wnter works company under
the manipulation of Howell and his pals
has the city by the throat and its own
ers can afford to laugh at Howell'a
grandstand play, asking for a reduction
of water rates, to private consumers.
They know that if tbe appraisement of
the works, which will be completed
within the next two or three weeks,
runs up to $(,.,000,000 or $7,000,000. the
people will In their resentment vote
down the water bond proposition and
the defeat of the bond proposition will
be followed by a proceeding In the fed
eral court asking Judgment against tha I
city for the amount awarded by the ap
praisers. As soon as that Judgment Is granted
the company will simply say to Omaha
"You must either pay this Judgment or
give irs an exrension or our contract on
our terms." Mr. Howell will, of course,
shed crocodile tears and prate about
Dennlson and the machine, but down In
his heart he knows that he Is playing
the most despicable part in a community
that once honored and trusted him.
E. ROSEAVATEtt.
SERMONS BOILED DOWN.
Prayer Is the parent of perseverance.
No man Is so rich he can afford to lose a
friend.
It is easy to mistake gas worka for good
worka
Sacrifice determines the value of any
service.
Only those who face their sins find their
forgiveness.
The religion that makes good will make
people good.
The pessimist always bites the spots on
ths apple first
We are all willing to admit the depravity
of our neighbors.
God's lovs was not meant as a cushion
for oar laziness.
The Master never dwells In the same
heart with malice. Tto
Man who expect to die like doga are
likely to live like hogs.
The man who trlea to cash flattery al
waya finds it a forgery.
It la hard to be popular with pigs and to
keep out of tho trough.
The man who puts his head Into a barrel
does not eclipse the sun. ' '
Many a man would be rich if he did not
try so hard to appear to be.
It's a good deal eaaier to sit up straight
In church than it la to walk upright in the
world. .
Where the feathers of vanity fly there 1s
always a good mark for the gun, but never
enough birds to pay for the shot. Chicago
Tribune..
DOMESTIC PLEASANTRIES
"A husband Shd wife never renllv know
each other," mused t'ncla Jerryv Peebles,
until he's seen her In curl papers and she's '
p,en him ebavln' hlmcelf at the kitchen
window." Chicago Tribune.
"Jones and his wife are forever at odds
With each other, aren't they?"
they're always trying to get even
with each other." Philadelphia Ledger.
Wlggs Never make love to a married
woman.
Biggs Why not?
Wigga She'll think you are serious.
Town Topics.
"Old man Growler has found a great
schema for doing away with any necessity
for dying rich."
"What is Itr
"He hns Just married a woman who isn't
S third of his age." Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Lot's wife was leaving the doomed city.
'Oh my gracious I" she exclaimed, "did
you notice the outlandish dress oa that
woman, we Juat passed?"
Then aha looked back. Cleveland Leader.
"Do you think your dkughter and that
young Mr. Singleton will ever be married?"
"I can t aay. If they don't he's going to
miss a fine chance to work hla way up In
my husband's bank." Washington Star.
TownTou never get tired telling about
that exploit of yours the other night, do
yout
Browne Oh. I haven't told the half
Towne Well. I wouldn't advise you to
tell the Better Half. Philadelphia Press.
Young Borreltop Then you utterly cast
me off, Esmeralda?
Miss Ksmeralda (With great gentleness)
Why. no. Sylvester; but but It would ba
ao silly for a girl to say yes the ttrst time.
If if you are of the same mind you might
ask me again some day, you know. Chi
cago Tribune.
TUB APOLOQY. ..
. 1
Ralph Wdo Emerson.
Think me not unkind and rude
That I walk alone in grove and glsn
I go to tba Opd of the wood i
To fetch hla word to men. 1
Tax not my sloth that I .
Fold my arms beside the brook:
Each cloud that floated In the sky
Writes a letter In my book.
Chide me not, laborious band, -
For the idle dowers I brought;
Every aster In my hand
Goes home loaded with a thought
There was never mystery
But 'tis figured in the flowers;
Was never aeeret history
But birds tell It In the bowers, .
One harvest from thy field
Homeward brought the oxn strong;
A second crop thine acres yield
Which I gather In a song.
Cant Shake 'Em
Off
HUTESON'S
Never Wiggle"
niPPAr 77A n
and
up.
Fitted
HUTESQN . OPTICAL CO.,
EXCn'SIVIS OPTIflARI,
313 S. loth BI.,Psstoa Block,
OMAHA.
Wholesale snd Retail.
fc8TAULlSljllJJ lw. '
Factory on tits I'remlaaa