TriE OMAHA DAILY DEE: TUESDAY. AITOTTBT 8. 1005
3S
The Omaha Daily Bee
K. HOSE WATER, EDITOR.
PUBLISHED KVERT MORNIN'l.
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Sunday Bee, on year 2 V1
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OFFICES.
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and M street.
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CORRESPONDENCE.
Communications relating to news anil edi
torial matter should be addressed: Omaha
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REMITTANCES.
Remit by draft, express or postal order,
Fayable to The Reo Publishing Company.
nly J-rent stamps received In payment of
mall accounts. Personal checks, except on
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THE BEE rURLISHINO COMPANY.
STATEMENT OF CIRCULATION.
Stat of Nebraska, Douglas County, ss.:
C. C Rosewater, secretary of The Pee
Publishing Company, being duly sworn,
says that the actual number of full and
complete copies of The Dally, Morning,
Evening and Sunday Ree printed during tho
month of July, 19u6, was as follows:
1 111,810 17 5SS.430
2 S.2M lg UM.OSO
I SO.eHIO 19 M.B10
4 ItO.lOO 20 StSS.lOO
6 St,7ftO 21 2,3m
0 2,BflO 22 2,H70
7 2N,00 23 aH,B0
1 SO.OOO 24 StH.OTO
SS.ino 2B 2H.170
10 2.H.UOO 26 2H.10O
11 2R.A40 27 JW.1SO
12 2,HOO 28 28,1(10
13 2,IM0 29 5H,40
14 2H.710 30 2S,4,t(
15 21,8SO 11 2T,ttlO
16 2H.1SO
Totals Mltt.Kiu
Less unsold copies l,M15
Net total sales 8K2.41B
Dally average 28,400
C. C. ROSE WATER,
Secretary.
Subscribed In my presence and sworn to
before me this Jim day of July, l!Mx.
(Seal) M. B. 11 UNGATE,
Notary Public.
whex out or TOWK.
Subscribers leaving tit city tern,
porarlly should bat Thai Be
Mailed t tkeaa. It la better (has
dally letter from bow. Ad
dress will b cuaused as often as
requested.
Cannot the Hoard of County Coiu
lulgHiouers cut down ttie tux levy for
1W5 a few notches?
South OiuuIju policemen, have plenty
of work, but the trouble Is there are not
enough policemen to go around.
With both strikers and employers ask
ing for police protection iu New York, it
would seem an If the police force were
really doing Its duty.
Now that New Orleans is using the
name "mosquito fever" for yellow fever,
it may be necessary to tiud a new term
for "yellow Journalism."
Here is a hint to investors: Unless all
signs fail, choice real estate In Oinutm
will never be ou the market again at
as low prices as are now asked.
It is to be hoped that, while viewing
that historic spot, M. Witte will also
Imbibe some of the spirit which made
Bunker Hill monument possible.
Inasmuch as Mobile has taken the
fruit trade from New Orleans, the Cres
cent City laughs while bananas are
placed on the "unfair" list all over the
south.
If that investigation in the Agricul
tural department goes deep enough, re
sponsibility fpr the false libels pre
sented to the grund jury at Omaha may
be discovered.
An account of the action of Chinese
highbinders in that New York theater
Sunday should be sent to Peking as a
counter irritant which may allay the fer
vor of the boycott
The local democratic orgau won't even
give the democratic assistant city attor
ney credit for Inaugurating the bond
liquidating policy of the city. Memories
of the Success league must rankle.
The fog which delayed the arrival of
the plenipotentiaries at Portsmouth is
nothing to the fog which envelops their
. conference, and it is to be hoped that
the latter will pass away as quickly as
the former.
The letting of the street lighting con
tract seems to be a question not how
much money can be saved to the tax
payers, but how shall the lighting fund
be divided between the gas company and
the electric lighting company.
In announcing a plan of campaign to
continue to December the marine hos
pital service shows its intention to fight
the mosquito until frost arrives with
overwhelming reinforcements, if the
frost does not find an already routed
enemy.
Not only in New Orleuus, but In Coun
ell Bluffs, yellow Is Just now all the
rage; at least that Inference is to be
drawn from the announcement that the
Sixty members of the Council Bluffs
Commercial club, who are to participate
in the trade excursion through western
Iowa, will each carry a yellow umbrella.
Svipie weeks hko it was given out as
a consolation sop to Omaha jobbers,
grain men and manufacturers tbut the
Great Northern would coustruct a cut off
to Its Ashland cut off that will connect
Omaha directly with the Ureat Northern
system. Now it is proposed to utilize
port of the Union Taclflc main track
from Portal to Omaha as a cut off to the
cut off. Why not Improvise a cut off to
that cut off and give us something
irlctly exclusive!
THE FIXAXCIAL IXFLCKXCK
There is no doubt that a very wpr
ful financial lnflueuce is being exerted in
Ix-half of jH-iice in the far east. It is
pointed out that the great bunking In
stitutions of Kurope have been hoarding
gold, of which their holdings have In
creased during the past sis months by
some tiaj.WMK"). This is regarded as
one of the surest indications that a peace
agreement will be reached at the Ports
mouth conference. The view is that the
accumulation is clear evidence of a
preparation for the large financing which
will be necessary on the declaration of
peace. It is believed to mean that the
great financial institutions of the world
expect a definite and practical result
from the peace negotiations.
So far as Russia Is concerned, it Is
well known that she can raise no more
money from foreign loans for continuing
the war. When the Trench bankers pos
itively refused to consider another loan
for war expenditure that closed the
money markets of the world against
Russia. She can obtain little more
money at home and with a war expendi
ture amounting to at least a million dol
lars a day there is manifestly In the
financial situation the strongest possi
ble argument for peace. With the war
ended the Russian government can get
all the money It may wish to borrow.
As to Japan, she has had no difficulty in
negotiating loans and today the money
markets would eagerly take any amount
the Japanese government might ask for.
That the financial influence will be
more or less potent at Portsmouth, par
ticularly with the Russian plenipotenti
aries, is not to be doubted. It may, In
deed, be the consideration of greatest
weight with the czar's envoys, who must
have learned since they left Russia and
there Is reason to believe that they
have sought information on this point
how difficult, if not Impossible, It would
be for their government to secure any
money for expenditure In war.
FOR A SEW EXCLUSION TREATY.
Our government has been informed
that the former Chinese minister to the
United States, Wu Ting Fang, has been
put by the imperial authorities of China
In sole charge of the negotiations look
ing to the renewal of the exclusion
treaty between that country and this.
There have been Intimations that the
former minister has been largely Instru
mental In promoting the boycott move
ment against American goods, and this
will not be regarded as incredible by
those who are aware of the fact that
while in this country he repeatedly and
earnestly expressed his opposition to the
policy of Chinese exclusion. Being very
familiar with affairs here, especially
commercial affairs, Wu Ting Fang
would be very likely to counsel his
countrymen to strike at our trade as the
most effective means of securing favor
able consideration for the demand that
the exclusion policy be modified.
It is stated that the present situation
is causing the administration some ac
tive concern. Reports have reached
Washington that the movement In China
against Americans is spreading and that
an ugly rancor against citizens of the
United States personally is being
brought Into existence through the dis
tribution of inflammatory placards pic
turing Chinamen being pursued and mal
treated by mobs of Americans. . So far
as the administration Is concerned, It
has done all that can be done at present
to placate Chinese feeling. The exclu
sion law Is not now being as rigidly en
forced as before the president's order re
garding It to the Immigration authori
ties. But the more moderate course
adopted seems to have had little effect
upon the Chinese, If reports correctly
represent the situation.
Alt ASIATIC MOXUOE DOCTRINE.
There is in some quarters a belief that
Japan contemplates declaring an Asiatic
policy similar to the American Monroe
doctrine. It is pointed out that just before
the war there was organized in Japan
a league whose motto is "Asia for the
Asiatics," and the membership of which
embraces natives of every eastern Asi
atic race from the Indian ocean to the
Sea of Japan. It Is further noted that
there has been a widely expressed ap
proval of the declared purpose of this
league In all the oriental countries, show
ing that the effect of the Japanese vic
tories has been to arouse throughout that
portion of the world a very strong feel
ing favorable to a policy that would as
far as possible exclude western nations
from Asia.
That there should exist among the
eastern peoples a sentiment of this kind
is by no means surprising. There has
been a very great awakening in the Asi
atic countries respecting their power and
possibilities and it is altogether natural
that some of their statesmen and people
should feel that the time is at hand for
an assertion of their Independence of the
western world. But there is no evidence
that the ruling Influences in Japan are in
sympathy with this feeling or are at all
likely to countenance It The Japanese
government has shown at all times the
most friendly disposition toward west
ern nations and an earnest desire to cul
tivate their good will. It is to be ex
pected that Japan, as the foremost
among eastern powers, will exert her in
fluence to prevent aggressions on the
part of western nations in that quarter
of the world. It will not be at all sur
prising If she shall assume toward those
countries the character of a protector
and Insist upon the preservation of their
territorial Integrity. , It Is manifestly in
her Interest to do this and to also pro
mote their material development. Her
own security as well as her power will
be strengthened thereby.
It is not at all probable, however, that
Japan will interpose any obstacle to com
mercial relations between the Asiatic
countries and the rest of the world or
will encourage any hostility on the part
of those countries toward western na
Hons. She could not afford to take such
a course, since it would result in alienat
ing friendships that are of vital import
ance to her. Obviously any policy that
.should draw upon her the hostility of
western powers would place her In a
most dangerous position. Whatever ef-.
forts Japan may make to protect Asi
atic countries against foreign aggression
and to advance their material growth
will le for the good of the world. There
could be no reasonable objection to an
Asiatic policy modeled upon our Monroe
doctrine, which does not Interfere with
the commercial relations of the countries
to which it applies with other countries
and simply safeguards their territory
and their political institutions. The
United States -would hardly hesitate to
acquiesce in such a policy In the far east
WORTH TMJSK1XU ABOUT
The agitation against the Standard Oil
company which swept over Kansas last
winter and resulted in the passage of
laws designed to protect the independent
refiners and operators In the oil business
has precipitated a contest that will end
with the building of a pipe line from the
Kansas oil fields to Port Arthur. The
building of a branch line from the Kan
sas oil fields to St. Louis and the con
struction of a refinery there is also con
templated as a sequence to the battle
against the Standard Oil.
The new pipe line. It Is anticipated,
will go far toward relieving conditions In
the whole of the southwestern field. It is
the intention of the gulf pipe line people
to begin at once the construction of stor
age facilities throughout the field to the
capacity of more than 8,000,000 barrels,
so as to enable all the plants which have
been taken over by a nttsburg syndi
cate to run full time.
The pipe line to the gulf will be a little
more than 650 miles in length and Its
construction will involve an outlay of
about $0,500,000. The gulf pipe line con
solidation begins business with one-third
of the estimated production of the Kan
sas territory, but the Standard Oil com
pany will mill control much the greater
part of the output Why cannot the
Omaha Commercial club take a prelimi
nary survey of the situation and ascer
tain whether a pipe line between Omaha
and the Kansas oil fields is feasible and
whether, If it Is feasible the necessary
capital can be interested In such a pro
ject? It Is an open secret that the greatest
advantage Kansas City enjoys over
Omaha is cheaper fuel. In the matter of
coal the difference between Omaha and
Kansas City is $1 per ton, but Kansas
City not only has cheaper coal, but it
also has, or will have within a very short
time, direct connection by pipe line' with
the Kansas oil fields and with the nat
ural gas region.
With a pipe line to the oil fields of
Kansas and eventually a connection
with the oil fields of Wyoming, which
will by far exceed those of Kansas when
they are developed, the future of Omaha
as a great manufacturing center would
be assured for all time. It would seem
to us that these things are worth think
ing about
In a speech delivered ou Governor's
day before the Dodge City (Kan.) sol
diers' reunion, Governor Hoch Is quoted
as saying: "Sooner or later the temper
ance law of Kansas will be strictly en
forced. This Is no buncombe. Both Mis
souri and Kansas have a little rebellion
on Just now and the law-abiding element
will win the battle." Governor Folk of
Missouri, following Governor Hoch, de
clared that "the dram shop law Is being
strictly enforced In St. Louis, Kansas
City and St. Joseph," and it will be as
long as he is governor. That surely was
a reflection on the governor of Kansas,
who is undoubtedly doing all he can to
enforce the prohibition laws, but at best
can only promise that Kansas liquor
laws will eventually be obeyed. As a
matter of fact, the dram shop laws are
not enforced much better In Missouri
than they are In Kansas or in Maine.
Like all spasmodic efforts, Governor
Folk's crusade will effervesce In the
course of time.
The government of the United States
now owns and operates 2,300 miles of
submarine cable lines of telegraph In
Alaska and a great many more miles
in the Philippines, without trenching
upon the legitimate functions of govern
ment to furnish the people with the best
medium of communication at the least
cost without the aid or consent of the
telegraph companies. Eventually the
government will exercise the same func
tions for all the people of the United
States without seriously wrenching the
constitution.
A comparison of taxes in Sarpy county
and Douglas county is somewhat mis
leading. Sarpy county never voted a
dollar in bonds to railroads, but enjoys
all the benefits of the large railroad debt
Douglas county has assumed. Douglas
county, moreover, expends more than
$100,000 a year for its courts, one of
which, at least, supplies Sarpy county
with Judicial machinery at practically
no cost.
Ex-Governor Poynter advances In an
open letter to populists a dozen er more
reasons why the third party reformer
should maintain an Independent political
organisation, free from alliances with the
democrats. But all of these reasons ex
isted during the whole of the fusion era,
but hunger for office overcame them.
The wide scope of activity of the Amer
ican diplomat is shown by the fact that
as soon as the preliminaries for the
peace conference were arranged Secre
tary Root is personally taking up with
the premier of Newfoundland the ques
tion of bait for Yankee fishermen on
the Grand banks.
When Colonel Bryan returned from his
first European tour be announced bis
conversion to state ownership of rail
roads. When he returns from his second
European tour may we expect an an
nouncement of bis conversion to nation
alization of railroads under federal
ownership?
The report that the sultan of Morocco
fears the result of the coming Interna
tlonsl conference regarding his country
would lead to the belief that he has re
ceived direct advices as to the real basis
of understanding letween France and
Germany.
' Signs of Progress la uothaat.
New York Tribune.
Ablate with Roman candles and bravely
decorated, the last horse car of the old
Grand street line followed the well worn
tracks In the early dawn of yesterday
morning to their terminus and thence to
the Junk heap.
Peril of the North.
Detroit Free Press.
The chief danger from yellow fever
spreading northward Is that It might give
Governor Jeff Paris of Arkansas an op
portunity to make a few remarks which
would cause the efforts of Governor Varda
man to appear amateurish.
A Melancholy Change.
New York Evening Post.
What a difference the mere order of
words makes! It used to read, "'Depew
said" the very signal of mirth. But now
the attorney general puts Into a summons,
"the said Depew," and all is melancholy.
This Will Hold Iowa.
Boston Transcript.
Iowa thinks that as soon as- we hear it
has a large oversupply of men, several
thousand of New England's, "female sur
plus" will rush to Its nodding cornfields.
Thank you; New England women are best
known, we believe, for their discriminating
Intelligence.
Another Line on the Horse.
Chicago Record-Herald.
Edison announces that he has at last
completed his wonderful storage battery,
which will enable grocers, butchers and
laundrymen to run their delivery wagons
at half the cost they are compelled to
stand for horses. But the horse hasn't
gone yet.
Looking for TTonble.
Baltimore American.
Every country in Europe, even Great
Britain, seems to brood continually upon
the contingency of a great war. That
British suggestion to build vast govern
ment grain elevators and keep an Immense
supply of wheat stored to ward off fa in I no
In case of a prolonged war blockade looks
at this distance to be hunting trouble a
long way off.
SAKHALIN A TRAGIC ISLAND.
Mast Violent of Russian Prisoners
Sent There from Siberia.
Pall Mall Gazette.
Sakhalin, the island which Japan has
taken, or rather retaken, from Russia, Is
the place to which Russia sent Its violent
convicts. The convict at Siberia has some
liberty to console him for his detention, but
the convict In Sakhalin none. When a
party of convicts (having been pronounced
"violent" by the governor of the Siberian
station) Is landed at Sakhalin the proces
sion to the Jail Is as follows: First among
the prisoners come men with fetters on
their legs and linked together In pairs, the
clanking of their chains making a lugu
brious noise. Next come half a doien
men, each without fetters, but secured by
the hands to a long Iron rod. Then follow
female prisoners and after them the most
affecting part of the whole the wives and
children who have elected to accompany
into exile their husbands and fathers. Be
hind them rumble "telegas," or rough
wagons, wherein are transported baggage
and those children who are too young or
infirm to walk,
When on the march the prisoners are al
lowed three pounds of bread and one-half
pound of meat each day, and they are not
forbidden to receive alms. But when they
arrive at tbelr destination their lot Is a
pitiful one. Their cells are damp and
fungus covered, their food Is less than the
allowance during the Journey and their
work In the salt mines is most exhausting.
Many of the prisoners are very Ignorant.
Few of them can read excepting the Cau
caslons, but they are all put to the same
laborious work and In the event of their
being physically unable to perform their
allotted tasks their punishments are very
cruel. The English "cat-o'-nlne-talls" is
nothing to the terrors of the "bodlga."
In this instrument of torture the prisoner
is so fixed that he can neither move nor
cry out and wire thongs bound at the end
with pointed tin strike his back at fre
quent Intervals.
Other tortures to which prisoners are
subjected are too dreadful to write about,
and during all these tortures the prisoner
is prevented by gags from obtaining even
the poor relief of a scream. Surely the
horrors of the salt mines of Iletskaya are
nothing compared with the abominations of
Sakhalin.
KILLINGS ON THE RAILS.
Three Months' Record of Preventable
Accidents on Hallroads.
Indianapolis News.
The Interstate Commerce Commission has
issued its regular quarterly bulletin of the
railway slaughter of the country. The
figures for the first three months of this
year thus given are 1.787 collisions and
1,321 derailments a total In three months
of more that 3.000 accidents of the kind
classed as preventable. The moral that this
points Is so plain as to need no specifica
tion. These "accidents" killed 232 people
and wounded 1,713. If the country had had
a battle with such a casualty lUt It would
be the topic of the time. But this casualty
list Is received in a way that Is Illustrated
by the statement of the secretary of our
State Board of Health. In nine days six
people died In New Orleans of yellow
fever; In the same tlfne eleven died In
Indianapolis of tuberculosis and nothing
wu thought of It yet one is as presentable
as the other. Similarly, when we kill our
hundreds and wound our thousands by pre
ventable accidents In the course of railroad
travel nothing is thought of it; we accejt It
with the indifference of the oriental to
what he thinks is fate.
But besides these things the railroad's did
Others, according to the commission's re
port. In other ways than by derailments
and collisions they killed and wounded peo
ple so that the total for the three months
was 90S killed and 14,397 Injured.
It has been signally demonstrated of lata
that this awful slaughter is in large part
the result of pure recklessness and care
lessness, because one of the best roads In
the country suffering from an accident an
nounced that It had made specific changes
In its track equipments and further safe
guardssetting out at length the things
that It had done to insure safety. All
which, of course, was confession that the
unsafe condition had been allowed to pre
vail until an unusually bloody "engage
ment" suggested greater care.
It remains to be said that this record in
creases yearly; that Is, that each year we
have not only more accidents than the pre
ceding year, but more in proportion to
travel. In marked contrast with railroad
traffic la Great Britain. The difference
cannot be on account of stupidity; It must
be on account of recklessness.
The conclusion of the whole matter is
this: There will be no change In anything
until the people rise in their wrath and by
their courts Inflict such punishment that
roads will be careful. That Is what is
taught us by the history of other countries.
Punish railroad accidents severely and the
result will be a reduction of them to a
minimum. Human nature does not suffer
a sea change by coming across the At
lantic. 1.1 ke causes produce - Ilk effects
anywhere In civilisation.
NEBRASKA'S WHEAT BOOM.
An Important Kaetnr la Prosperity
of the State.
New York Tribune.
The winter w heat yield for Nebraska will
amount, according to conservative esti
mates, to Go.noo.rtXl bushels. In only one
previous season whs this total ever equalled,
but In quality the wheat of that year
would not even approach that of this. As
a direct result the tide of prosperity In Ne
braska was never before running so high
and the prospects for the future were never
more roseate.
Early In the spring the Hessian fly scare
threatened the crop In a large section of
the wheat belt, but nature came to the aid
of the wheat grower and killed the pest.
Meanwhile weather conditions continued
perfect, and the wheat, when ripe and sen',
through the thresher, was found tr weigh
sixty pounds and over to the bushel. Many
fields. In fact, were found to have yielded
wheat that weighed out sixty-four and sixty-five
pounds. It commanded top prices
Immediately from the miller or elevator
agent as No. 1 hard wheat.
The quality of western wheat for several
seasons, chiefly because of heavy rains
while the grain was In shock, has been
poor, and millers have been almost frantto
to secure the grade of wheat that the trade
demanded. The millers are now determined
to lay In a supply of the high grade article
for future use, and although the threshing
season Is less than two weeks old in Ne
braska, the demand In the west In the local
markets has already absorbed every car of
wheat sent to the grain centers of Kansas
City, Omaha and Lincoln, the chief marts
in the trade.
The movement of a bumper crop of wheat
is more of a problem than the uninitiated
might imagine. Counting Nebraska's crop
alone, only a little figuring Is required to
discover the vast number of freight trains
needed to ship It out of the state. Esti
mating the average carload of wheat at
30,0(10 pounds and figuring sixty pounds to
the bushel, It Is seen that a carload con
tains only BflO bushels. With the state's en
tire crop of 60,nnn,000 bushels. It follows that
100.000 cars would be required to handle the
total. This is almost staggering, but it
represents cold facts and tells In striking
fashion the prodigious possibilities of the
average western state in a favorable crop
year.
But the winter wheat crop, although un
precedentcdly valuable to the state. Is not
any in advance of the prospects for other
staples which contribute to Nebraska's
prosperity. Spring wheat and oats are
virtually ready for the sickle, and the
harvest promises to be as abundant as
that of wlntei" wheat. Corn, the real sta
ple and upon which Nebraska farmers place
their chief dependence, holds out every
hope of a record breaking crop, and with
another heavy corn crop, such as was
gathered a year ago, bank vaults through
out the commonwealth will be fairly bulg
ing with farmers' money.
Nebraska's advancement financially is
best described by a glance at the growth
in the deposits In Its banks. In 1896 all
of the banks In the state, both national
and state, contained only $32,000,000 In de
posits. The deposits today exceed $130.
000,000, and each quarterly statement of
the State Banking department shows a
heavy Increase over the one preceding.
Eastern bankers better than all others
are becoming aware of the financial Inde
pendence of the west. Only a few years
ago western bankers, In order to furnish
the elevators and shippers with money
to pay the farmer and thus move the grain,
found it necessary to borrow heavily from
the eastern money centers. But this condi
tion has almost completely passed away.
The western banks now have the money
deposited by the farmers, and the only
source of anxiety is as to the crops them
selves. The Nebraska Bureau of Labor has Just
completed its annual bulletin of the values
of the state's surplus products. The fig
ures are compiled from statements fur
nished the Bureau of Labor by the rail
road and express companies, and cover
only shipments that have crossed the state
line. Upward of 150 staple articles are
enumerated, but corn, wheat, live stock
and packing products make up the bulk
of the total. ,
The surplus in the principal products for
the year of 1904 was as follows:
Corn J22,96B,018.59
Wheat 16.741. 79.60
Cttle 43,010,695.00
Hogs 31,543,453.50
Packing house products 60,463,796.94
The grand total of these surplus products
for the year was $208,110,578.96. Compared
with three years ago, the figures show an
average annual Increase of $11,000,000.
PERMANENT REFORM THE NEED.
National Supervision of Life Insur
ance Business.
Chicago Tribune.
Publio supervision of the Insurance busi
ness is in the United States a function
of the state governments. The states have
officials, usually known as superintendents
or commissioners of Insurance, whose duty
it is to inquire into the condition and meth
ods of the insurance companies doing busi
ness in their respective states and to take
steps to compel amendment of their con
duct or order them off in case it be found
that they are misbehaving.
The men who have been appointed or
elected to these offices have usually been
selected, not because of their expert knowl
edge of the Insurance business they gen
erally have had none but for purely politi
cal reasons. They usually have been chosen
for short terms, so that, commonly, they
have left office Just as they were becom
ing competent. The company investigated
has to bear the cost of the examination.
The state commissioner, or superintendent,
on going to New York, or wherever the
company's headquarters are, has been re
ceived by its officials with open arms, and
any little details which might arouse the
visitor's suspicions were skillfully con
cealed, while apparently all the facts re
garding the company's condition were laid
before him with engaging frankness. No
effort was spared to make his labors light
and his stay pleasant. Usually he has re
turned home convinced that he knew all
about the company examined, while, as a
matter of fact, he was as Ignorant of the
true Inwardness of Its affairs as when he
came. T lis has not been the result of all
investlga'.ons, but It has been the result
of most of them. The consequence has
been gross mismanagement and frauds in
the Insurance business.
It is proposed now to make an Investiga
tion of a different sort. Instead of the
commissioner of one state going alone,
four those of Tennessee, Wisconsin, Ken
tucky and Minnesota Intend to descend
on the big New York life insurance com
panies in a body. They say they Intend
to make a thorough examination, and, by
working together and profiting by one an
other's suggestions and experience, they
should be able to get valuable results.
But a single Investigation by any num
ber of states, though never so thorough,
will hardly be sufficient to appease the
popular demand for more stringent regula
tion of the life Insurance business which
the Equitable scandal has evoked. A
strong sentiment in favor of federal con
trol of this business is springing up. The
best way for the states to check the growth
of this sentiment Is by reforming their In
surance departments and making them per
manently efficient branches of their gov
ernments Instead of soft berths for politi
cians. Chain of Pipe Dreams.
San Francisco Chronicle
A chain of papers Is to be started in Ne
braska to knock out Bryanisrn.
ARMY GOSSIP II WASHINGTON.
Matters of Interest Gleaned from the
Army and Nary Register.
In the fifty-nine certificates of merit
Issued by the war department this year
there was only one officer represented In
the list. Lieutenant (1. J. Oden of the 10th
cavalry, on duty at Fort Washakie, Wyo.,
who received this emblem In recognition
of gallantry In action In Lueon In Novem
ber, WW, while he was a sergeant major
in the 36th volunteer Infantry.
The nttentlon of the war department has
been called to an advertisement which ap
pears in the western newspapers and which
contains most attractive pictures of mili
tary and naval life. The subjects are such
as are likely to be regarded with favor
by youthful readers, since they show an
officer of cavalry leading a charge In one
of the scenes and a naval officer on the
bridge of a warship In another picture.
The advertiser states that young men be
tween the ages of 17 and 23 years, who have
a knowledge of reading, writing, arithme
tic and grammar may be admitted to the
military academy or the naval academy,
and he offers to furnish "further particu
lars'" on receipt of four cents In stamps.
Ofcourse, there Is some means by which
the advertiser derives a revenue from this
form of publicity. The statements are a
misrepresentation of the situation, to
start with, and the purpose of the adver
tisement has become a matter for official
Investigation.
The question of granting discharge by
purchase to enlisted men In the Philippines
Is destined to be decided adversely unless
In the Individual case there shall appear
very good reasons for making an exception
to the rule which will not authorize dis
charge In that way of enlisted men of the
staff departments or of the line, who
are serving beyond the continental limits
of the United States, until their tours of
service In the lnsulr posslons have been
completed and they have been ordered to
return to the United States. The plea was
made that the enlisted men of the staff
departments are placed In a position of
special hardship In the operation of the
order which does not authorise discharge
by purchase of soldiers In the Philippines.
The military authorities in Washington
do not take any such view of the situation,
and, generally speaking, the rule which
prohibits purchase of discharge will be ad
hered to.
An Important decision has been rendered
by the War department In the question of
allowances of retired army officers who are
on active duty. This law which authorises
the employment of retired officers on ac
tive duty permits the payment of full re
tired pay and specifies that there shall be
no further pay or allowances from tho
United States. The question came up as to
mileage of such officers who were traveling
under orders. If they were to be denied
travel pay they would be In the peculiar po
sition of standing the cost of travel upon
which they were ordered by competent au
thority. The law Is now construed as re
garding this repayment of the cost of
travel performed in the public service as a
"reimbursement" for money expended by
an officer In the performance of a duty In
stead cf as an "allowance." With this con
struction of the law, It will be possible for
retired officers who are on active duty to
escape taxation for travel of an official
character. Such reimbursement Is consid
ered by the War department to have none
of the quality of "further" or additional
pay or allowance beyond the officer's full
retired pay, or, of course, in the case of a
colonel or a lieutenant colonel, beyond the
full pay or allowance of a major.
Captain Michael S. Murray of the subsis
tence department, en duty at Fort Riley.
Kan., will conduct some further experi
ments in the field with tireless cooking
It Is the opinion of some of the commis
sary officers that while flreless cooking has
Its place in garrison administration as it
does In household economics. It is not al
together applicable to the provision of food
for troops In the field, especially those who
are on the march and in time of war. It
will be cumbersome, It Is held by these
critics, In the management of army sub
sistence in time of war when troops are
liable to change their base frequently, In
volving long marches. Nevertheless, there
are other subsistence officers who believe
that the flreless cooker, as It Is called, has
Its value under these very exacting condi
tions. It is believed, for Instance, that It
will not be necessary to carry the army
range or other usual cooking parapher
nalia, but that it will be possible to build
a Are In a trench and start the cooking of
meat and vegetables and then place the
kettles and pots in the receptacle where the
cooking may . be continued and completed
during the march with no more trouble
than that which is entailed in the trans
portation of a few articles of outdoor
cooking and the so-called flreless cooker.
At all events the experiment is deemed
worthy of a trial and It is along these
lines that Captain Murray will be in
structed to conduct his next practical test.
At present these cookers, which have been
offered for sale, cost a great deal more
than the ordinary family could afford to
pay, and the apparatus such as Is destined
to reduce the expense of cooking would
Involve an expenditure of something like
$50, although of course there can be home
made devices which would be Inexpensive.
It was at first thought that flreless cooking
was not adaptable to anything but garri
son use, and, as the problem of subsis
tence Is so far confined almost entirely to
provisioning an army In the field In time
of war, the system was not regarded very
seriously. There Is a chance, It now ap
; relying
this old standard
-si Want to
, . BP ar
EL oeoi
1N aiaiiuisutursi ui
AYVft'a "AT TIOOS-For tbs hlr.
ATSB'S CHkkBT PKCTOHAL For eocf hi.
pears, that It will have Its usefulness In
time of war, and It Is to the determlnaai vi
of tils question that Captain Murray will
apply his next investigation.
PERSONAL NOTES.
Alexander P. Williams, who was known
throughout the United States ss the
"Evaporated Fruit King." has Just died
at his home In Sodus. N. T.
Oreen bugs with rink legs and gray
whiskers are causing much trouble at Terrs
Haute, Ind. The Terre Haute highball Is
a wonder In producing a variety of color
tones.
J. Howard I.arcomhe. at one time an
associate of Thomas Scott, the railroad
iri,,r u rw4 atari nf AnHrew Carneale. Is
! now working as a clerk In the Pension
office at Washington.
. ... .1
from the unkind attentions of a gang of
small boys, Joseph Flgarl. s New York
fruit dealer. Is returning to Italy to col
lect a $.ti,ooo Inheritance.
Mrs. Ohndwlck's creditors are to re
ceive a dividend of 7 mills on the dollnr.
It Is said that Mr. Alexander of the
Equitable has lost forty pounds of flesh
since his troubles began.
Speaker Joseph Ci. Cannon has accepted
the Invitation of University of Illinois to
preside at the Federal day meeting. Oo
tober 17, in connection with the Installa
tion of Edmund J. James, as president of
the university.
Ir. Joseph Spencer Kennsrd Is to hsve
the distinction of being knighted by the
king of Italy at the next levee. Dr. Ken
nard recently removed from Philadelphia
to Tarrytown, N. Y., and his novels In the
Italian tongue have received greater roy
alties than any novelist, save D'An
nuntlo. Tho grave of William Hurry, who on
July 4. 177S. rang on the old liberty bell
the peal that proclaimed liberty through
out the land, has been found In the burial
ground of Pine Street Presbyterian church,
Philadelphia. The Daughters of the Revo
lution, Colonial Dames and Sons of the
Revolution have taken It In charge and
the plot will be put In good condition and
cared for.
Serglus Witte, the rxar's plenipotentiary
In the peace conference to be held at Ports
mouth, N. H., Is said to be the handsom
est of Russia's notable men; Indeed, he li
thought to resemble the magnificent Alex
ander HI, 'father of the present ciar. Its
is a very large man and remarkably well
proportioned. As straight as an arrow, h
carries himself with a consciousness of hit
superiority that Is most Irritating to a good
many people in Russia and Is overwhelm
ingly oppressive to the masses.
LAIGHING LINES.
"Do you think that a politician Is worse
than other men?"
"No," answered Senator Sorghum. "H
has more temptations." Washington Star,
Reporter Here's a Sunday feature giving
full directions on "How to Give a Sunday
Dinner."
Editor You go back and write another,
giving full directions how to get one. We're
running tills paper for the masses. Cleve
land leader.
"I have nothing but praise for our ne
mini; ter."
"So I noticed when the contribution plat
was passed around. Louisville Courier
Journal.
"How did this Jury compare with the pre
vious ones?" -
"It was much more ready to agree. There
was one mnn on it who Insisted on eating
raw" onions at every meal." Cleveland Plain
Dealer.
"The cashier has skipped out and his
books are in an awful muddle," announced
the bookkeeper. "What shall we do?"
"Open a running account with him at
once," said the president, promptly. Cleve
land Leader. ' - ' . '
Caller "How is your son getting along at
college, Mrs. Suddenclymer"
Motherly Old Soul "Hiram's doing flrst
rate. He taking a special study this term.
He writes me that he Is the receiving end
of the best battery in the college nine.
That's something In the electrical line.
Isn't It?" Chicago Tribune.
Aunt But I thought you understood that
George was a poor young man when you
became engaged to him.
Niece Of course I did, but I didn't Im
agine It went so far as his not being able
to get a new automobile till next season.
Judge.
"Mr. Bllgglns has the artistic tempera
ment." "Don't say that," responded Miss Cay
enne. "Whenever I hear that a man has
the artistic temperament I can't avoid an
Impression that borrows and forgets to
pay." Washington Star.
"I see that a letter suposed to have been
written by Henry VIII has Just brought
JZ.eW.
"That's nothing. A letter of mine Jui
brought 110,000."
"Indeed?"
"Yes, to a girl who sued me for breach
promise. Philadelphia Press.
SONNET TO THE Cl'Cl'MBKR.
Joe Cane In New York Sun.
Hall Cucumber! Long green, the proper
stuff.
We welcome you upon the festive board;
When I say "we" I mean tho mighty
horde,
For all bow at your altar right enough.
Beef eater and .vegetarian bluff.
k
IS.
Bucolic In your habits, O cucum-
Her, you are not the demon held by some
Riil . . l . i. tn fill m Innv fait ttran I uasn
You are so sweet and cool and crisp and1
green.
A stomach ache by any other name,
O luscious cucumber, would be the same;
Success succeeds, and so do you, O
cuke!
Though seedy you have not won by a
fliiks.
But pushed ypurself by fair means Into
fs me.
try an experiment?
en take any one of the hundreds of
new medicines on the market.
come, they go, and arc
soon forgotten.
Or icant to be cured?
Then take a medicine that
has been tested and tried,
generation after genera
tion. A medicine that has
been a household remedy
for sixty years. Ayer's
Sarsaparilla.
Intelligent, thoughtful
more and more upon
preparation.
P
AVER'S PIL18 For eonstlmttoa.
ATtB'a AuU CUE- at aulam aac if.
-