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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 31, 1906)
THE OMAHA DAILY BEE: MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 100G. I Tite Omaha Daily Dee FOUNDED BY EDWARD ROSE WATER. VICTOn ROSE WATER, EDITOR. Entered at Omaha postofnc as scon class matter. TERMS OF gUBSCRIPTION. Dally Re (without Sunday). one yr..$4 0 Dally Bee and Sunday, on year Sunday Bee, one year J Saturday Bee, one year 160 DELJYEKED DT CARRIER, pal'f Pea (Including Sunday, rer week. .ISO Dally Bee (without Sunday), per week. ..10c Evening Pee without Sunday), per week. Jo Evening Bee (with Sunday), per week... .190 Addreea complaints of Irregularities In de livery to City Circulating Department. OFFICES. Omaha The B building. South Omaha City Hall building. Council Bluffs 10 Pearl strset. Chicago o Unity building. . New York 190 Mom Lir In, building. Washington in Fourteenth street. CORRESPONDENCE. Communication relating to news and edi torial matter should h addressed! Omaha Be. Ed (to rial Department. . REMITTANCES. Remit by draft, express or portal order, payable to The Re Publishing Company. Only (-cent stamps received as payment of mall account. Personal checks, except on Omaha or eastern exchanges, not accepted. THE BEE PUBLISHING COMPANY. STATEMENT Ofr- CIRCULATION. Stat of Nehrssks, Douglas County.ss: Charles C. Roaewatsr. general manager Of Th Be PubU-ihlng company, being duly worn, say that the actual number of full and complete copies of The Dally, Morning. Evening and Sunday Re printed during th monin ot November, 1, was a toiiowa 1, 83.T40 J 81,180 I 81,800 i: 81.8S0 IMH II B0.6O0 30,500 II 11,420 81,070 10 81.TT0 88.180 11 11.400 T 36,530 tl 31,110 1 33.450 II 31400 1 31.330 14 31,610 II 33,030 II 80,450 11 8O.BS0 II 31,400 II 31,650 it 31,850 II........ 31.040 31,480 14 31,380 II 8150 11 81,880 0 81,630 Total .. 861,118 Ls unsold copl . .,. 1478 Nt total sales 843,033 bally avarag , 81,401 . CHARLES C. ROffEWATER. General Manager. Subscribed In my presence, and sworn to before m this 1st day of December. 1906. (Seal ) M. B. Hl'NUATE, Notary Public. WHEN OIT OF TOWK. Subscribers leavtasr tb city 4wi orarlly sbaald bar Th Be mailed t thesn. Addraa vrlll be No that Malaya have started a campaign against the opium habit the "little brown brother" may also be come dangerous. The street railway company's no pass order should prove a great stim ulus In recruiting membership for the Pedestrian club. President Amador of Panama will probably reach Washington In time to , see an exhibition of strength of con gressional "Insurgents." If the Sioux Indians will Investigate Lmora fully they will find that the if est place to keep thel money is in "Uncle Sam's strong-box. J Tt Secretary Shaw Is having the ex perience usual to the public man who acta regardless of special Interests and must be his own defender or have none. Milwaukee railroad stockholders who Insist on a "square deal" may find that, under proper conditions, "hlgft finance" is susceptible of court review. In confiscating the history of the Russo-Japanese war written by General Kouropatkln the Russian government is evidently resolved to teep the dis grace of that war from spreading. When It is so easy to get out of our penitentiary by the aid of the gover; nor's pardoning power, is it any won der that crooks and criminals take des . perate chances on getting Into the peni tentiary? Iowa pedagogues- have recorded themselves for simplified spelling. The agents ot the Book trust who would like to supply the schools with new sets of text books must have been busy over In the Hawkeye state. The appalling list ot pardons, com mutations and paroles' Issued over the name of Governor Mickey may afford a further explanation-of the rampant carnival ot crime from wfelch people all over' Nebraska have been suffering for some time. The Nebraska State Teachers' asso ciation has complimented Omaha by selecting Principal Waterhouse pt the Omaha High school to be Its president. Omaha will expect the new president to bring another meeting of the asso ciation to this city. It fc a' active anarchistic party la really at work among the Japanese in A America it. win do the Asiatic little Jgooi In their campaign for equal rlghU with native Americans. An archlsm, coupled with Asiatic Indif ference to death would be doubly dan gerous, ' It la not fair to assume that the speakership and presidency ot the sen ate cannot both come to Douglas county. . In the 'legislature of eight rears ago Lancaster county had both t these places at one and the' same time, ahd It Is possible for history to repeat with variations. The suggestion ot Congressman Bartholdt that Uncle Sam Issue halt a billion dollars of bonds and spend the money for internal Improvements will meet with heartier acclaim than a proposition to spend a like amount In some other ways. But the time la scarcely ripe to take up the proposi tion seriously. ...... ' i -' ' . ' ''- M UPKCVLATTOX A Mi TH Tf S Secretary Shaw does not tcruiuch emphaiiiie the fact that the; purpose of treasury operations with , surplus funds Is not. speculative, although they may Indirectly and Incidentally affect speculation. It so happens that during precisely the period when cur rency is most needed in the movement of crops, especially during a time like the present, of extraordinary com inerclal and industrial activity, tht withdrawal of money from circulation through taxation Is usually very large, so that scores of jnllllons more than is Immediately needed for government expenses may accumulate In the sub treasury as an Idle hoard. .The legiti mate need of business in the pinch has for decades been regarded, as, warrant for placing the superfluous treasury hoard at the disposal of the com munity by deposit with national banks on Indubitable security, usually gov ernment bonds. Obviously such deposit or refusal to deposit will be a factor In specula tion, the same as the question of the enactment and provisions of a tariff measure or any other capital govern ment action, or any non-government contingency affecting Industrial under takings. The memorable "Black Fri day, when Oold Room speculation so disastrously collapsed, was precipitated by General Grant's refusal to order the treasury action hoped for by the "bull" operators, but his refusal was deter mined by general business considera tions. The point of substantial criticism formerly was that the treasury opera tions, although sincerely aiming at the good of general business, were too much Influenced by the special sec tional view of eastern financial inter est. Whatever ground there may have been for such criticism ' it has been disappearing, and never so rapidly as under the present administration, which has taken elaborate precautions to secure the widest possible distri bution of treasury funds on deposit. Its success has been signalized by complaints latterly by the New Y6rk and eastern banks, that they are un able to get their fair share,' and by speculative factions according as their schemes would be promoted by liberal or restricted deposits. The essence of objections to the ad ministration deposit record really at tacks the subtreasury policy, with which the administration has nothing to do, the same having been estab lished by law for more than a. half century. But with a system that cre ates a large treasury hoard at the ttme when the cash la most needed In busi ness, public sentiment now conclu sively favors Its restoration to. circu lation within hounds of discretion. DKNATVUKD ALC011UL. UASVFACTVTIS. Pepartment of Agriculture bulletins indicate that under the Initial regula tions manufacture of denatured al cohol by individual farmers will not be practical, at least as a general prac tice. The regulations have, of course, been drawn with chief attention to pre vention of frauds on the revenue of which much toas been made In dis cussion of tax-free alcohol for the arts and which naturally would be promi nent In the minds of ' the revenue authorities In early experience under the law. How far manufacture can be local ized, even If not yet practical at small farm stills, can only be determined experimentally,, but particular pains have been taken so to draft the rules as, while protecting revenue, to favor distilleries at the smaller towns, near the sources of raw materials. But manufacture of this as of other arti cles. Is likely to be determined by gen eral Industrial forces. - The chief, public interest in which farmers, both as consumers of de natured alcohol and as producers of the raw materials for it especially share, Is that this new substitute for agents of light, heat and power al ready monopolised, shall not Itself fall under control, of , monopolising com blnatlons and trusts. 8uch a result, If It should happen, would infallibly and swiftly cause the same Irreslstl ble demand for relaxed revenue regu lationa as has Just caused tax exemp tion of denatured alcohol'. And In any event the government upon Ita own motion may be expected to - modify them as -rapidly as practical expert ence In administering the system shows It to be safe from the revenue point of view. WTKBXAL IXPROriMEXT BONDS. The scheme of a colossal govern ment bond issue, the proceeds to be devoted vaguely to "Internal improve ments and especially the waterways," will not make much headway as a business proposition. The Idea of thru promoting Internal Improvements on a grand scale. Including deep water In the main rivers, roads and high ways, and even public buildings, may be suitable for rhetorical flourish, but cannot survive the tests of cold com mercial calculation and public policy, which require certainty and consist ency as the basis tor any such meas ure as the proposed issue of a bait, bil lion bonds. Unquestionably the attention ot the business community has lately been turning mora seriously than ever to the question of Improving the naviga tion of the Mississippi and Ita main tributaries, and it la a subject the Im portance ot which, under existing and prospective conditions ot transporta tion in a broad view, must rapidly grow. But even navigation .alone tl not at present In shape for practical dealing on a grand scale. To couple It with a half dosen other phases of Internal Improvements, all of them also vague, and all Involving conflict log Interest,, under a jeneral'boadlhg efheme,' would not be business, but folly, probably Imperilling rather than advancing any one ot them. A point hat already been reached at which a rational scheme of Interior water transportation, no matter how extensive, would be earnestly and fav orably considered, and provision for It through bonding operations might even be made. Indeed, to be rational such a scheme would, from the nature of things, have to be comprehensive, and possibly might require apportion ment of the cost through bonds to an other generation, to whom most of the benefits would Inure. The practical difficulty In the way of efficient government agency at this time Is the lack of a consistent plan for river Improvement, upon which the principal Interests Involved are substantially agreed. An enormous sum In the aggregate has actually been expended by the government upon this and cognate objects, but In a sporadic, piecemeal way which has been no toriously wasteful and Inefficient. The first Indispensable step must be crys taliiatlon of public sentiment, at least of the great Interior region, upon a feasible, thorough plan of river tran sportation, whereupon financing pro vision, whether by bonds or otherwise would become neither difficult nor Illogical. The present agitation for bonds, while It may usefully serve to concentrate attention upon the subject, Is not likely to promote it in any other way. OMAHA'S POLICE PROBLEM. That Omaha's police department is deficient in point of numbers, render ing It Inadequate to cover the terri tory that requires police protection. Is not to be gainsaid. This is more par ticularly true of late In view of the spreading out of our population over a wider and wider area. While the personnel of the force might perhaps be Improved In certain directions, Omaha's police problem is to get more policemen. At the same time, with the laws governing the police fund and its expenditure as they are now, It is diffi cult to see how this problem can be solved at any very early day. It Is reported sub rosa that the po lice board is contemplating taking the bull by the horns and appointing thirty-five more policemen, leaving it to the future to find the means of en larging the police fund to meet such an increased demand upon it. Such pro cedure on the part of the police board would, In our opinion, "be not only Illegal, but inexcusable. The charter specifically holds the police board to the employment of police officers within the limits of the revenue at Its disposal, and It likewise limits uncon ditionally the amount of money which may be leyled for the police fund. While the council has in times past been known to stretch a point or two by transferring an appropriation from the general fund to the police fund, for the coming year -the general fund has been so skimped that It will hardly meet the ordinary drafts upon It and would be utterly depleted by such a transfer to the police fund were It to be attempted. More than this, under our present arrangements for munici pal tax levy the municipal tax rate Is fixed practically a year In advance, and there is no way, even with legislative sanction, to reopen the tax levy and Increase or decrease the rate. The amount available for the police force during the year 1907 is, therefore, Ir revocably determined so far as It Is to be raised by taxation and will produce no more than enough to maintain the department In lta present condition. It may be possible later to procure a temporary addition to the police fund from some other source of revenue, but until the funds are actually at the dis posal of the police board it will have no right to Increase the payroll charges by the appointment ot additional offi cers. The Bee's advice to the police board is to keep strictly .within the law and not to load the city up with any obligations to defray which there is no money in sight. The telegraphic Item from Ithaca, Nr Y.', about the city losing to the water company In the award decision of a disputed appraisement nnder which the city bought the works Is cal culated to attract attention here In Omaha. .The conditions qf water works purchase at Ithaca are doubt less very different from those at Omaha, but the (decision serves to re mind us t&at there is no sure thing for either side when a case of this kind goes Into court. Until our cltliens and the owners of the Omaha Water com pany get together the whole situation is bound to be hazardous and our water service shadowed with stagna tion, while the cry of a growing popu lation for enlarged mains and ex tended! service pipes and fire protec tion must remain unanswered. . A sidelight is thrown on the pro posed Union Pacific bridge embargo on Iowa shipments to the Omaha grain market by. the recent acquisition of the Illinois Central by the Harriman inter ests, which are also supreme In the Union Pacific. Two railroad bridges pan the Missouri at Omaha, the sec ond one belonging to the Illinois Cen tral. It la a reasonable proposition that ed long as Mr. Harriman controls the destinies of both of these railroads neither of these bridges will make any trouble for the other by cutting bridge tollj In competition for the business. Now that John Bull has been offi cially notified ot Uncle Sam's willing ness, James ' Bryce may consider his call an Invitation to study the Amer ican commonwealth at closer range. I The World-Herald says it Is against roveroment ownership of (railroads. Suppose Colonel Bryan should be noinl- nated ae the democratic presidential candidate on a publlc-ownershtp-of-rallroads platform, would the World Herald support him? Tronnle Sear Home. St Louis Olobe-Democrst. Uncle Bam Is asked for moral support In stopping th Ctrngo atrocities. Recent, ad vices from Mississippi Indicate that an African crisis nearer horn requires careful attention. Any Part In n Storm. Indianapolis News. Th oil companies call attention to "ev eral points In connection with the present litigation against them. Tn the first placed, they are not guilty; In the next, their guilt cannot be proved; In th third, the law doesn't apply; and, finally, what difference does it make, anyhow? Primitive Simplicity. Baltimore American. There Is still soma primitive simplicity left In th world. A woman, undoubtedly the victim of a soslous mistake of Identity In New York, arrested as a thief, had no lawyer In court because she was laboring under th antediluvian delusion that all Which Justice and the law reoulred was th plain telling of th simple truth. If such a preposterous theory wer allowed, j an appalling list of profits would b cut out of th ' court calendars. Frolts ( a Pat Year. New York Bun. Th Department of Agriculture estimates our cereal crop for th current year at approximately 1,000,000,000 bushels. This In cludes corn, wheat, rye, oats, barley, flax seed, buckwheat and rie. Its production Involved th cultivation ot nsarly 100,000 square miles of land. Th valu of th product Is about $1,000,000,000. It would take all th gold we hav dug In thirty years to pay for this single year's crop of cereals. It has been, a fat year. Little wonder that there Is a railway shortage! Senatorial AHralam. Philadelphia Record. Senator Foraker'a championship of th negro soldiers would be very moving If one could b sure that It was wholly gen uine. Unfortunately tber Is an impression In Washington that Mr. Foraker Is hunt ing for a presidential nomination. The nogroes of the south cast no votes, but they send delegates to national conventions, and In several northern states a republican candidate will need th votes of colored men. Furthermore. Secretary Taft Is a presidential possibilities, and Mr. Foraker must eliminate htm If he would appear be fore the next national convention as the only genuine favorite son of th Buckeye state. We regret to see that there Is little disposition to credit the senator with al truism. BARK,IS 19 WILLING. Definite Announcement of Mr, Bryan's Receptive Mood. Chicago Post. What a pity this Is not the gladsome summer time that all th little birds might carol Joyfully, and all nature put on Ita gayest garb of green.,' : Still, In spite of drear skies and frosen earth, let us heave a sigh of relief and rejoice mightily. The Suspense. Is over; the night of our uncer tainty has passed and" th glad tidings, like a glorious dawn, have, swept from Sandy Hook to th Golden Gat that William Jen nings Bryan will not' refuse a nomination for the -presidency If It 1 offered him. We had feared that the pleasant year now all but over would be distinct in one vital particular from If Brothers of the last decade; that 'Of weoefislty it would have to be laid away oh 'a separate shelf and marked "th only-ysar In which Wil liam Jennings Bryan waa Hot a candidate." No longer do wa dread th necessity of such a course. The necessity ha passed. Mr. Bryan has filled tb otherwise mo notonous hiatus between Christmas and New Year's with the announcement that he "will not refuse,'' etc.- In the mind's eye had risen a haunt ing picture of a repentant democracy grov elling in the political dust and beseeching the haughty Bryan. to accept the proffered crown. Now this nightmare of the political winter .has vanished, and w see Cltlsen Bryan bowing to the will of his people and regretfully quitting the tranquil horn circle once more to enter the lists o,s "the chosen one." No, 1906 is no different from the years that have gone before. Mr. Bryan has been a candidate In them all. No doubt with delightful impartiality he will be a candi date during many of th years to come. CORN PRODl'CTS INDUSTRIES.- Expanding Versatility of th King; of Cereals. Baltimore American. No matter how great the American corn crop may be, the world "absorbs" It and Is glad to hav it. It Is not so many years ago that th newspapers heralded In big headlines the fact that the cour'ry's corn crop had touched th round billion. Th effect upon the world's markets of such an enormous yield of this "coarse" grain, which Is not supposed to b used largely for breadmaklng, was asked with an ap parent trepidation, lest th price of corn should sink to the aero point. But the world at larg took the billion crop, and last year It absorbed approximately 2.700.000,000 bushels of the whits and yellow grain, and th crop of this year, accord ing to Department of Agriculture esti mates, will b very close to 1,000,000.000 bushels. Nobody now has much fear thnt this tremendous yield will not be taken at fairly remunerative prices to th growers, for corn Is probably put to more different uses, is changed into mora commodities that are sold In jugs, bottles, packages by ths quart, pound and ounce than any other primary product.' Corn product include a vaat variety of things that look very different from com and very different from each other. The spirits that are barreled and bottled, and that ar classed as ardent, are mad more largely from corn than from any other fruit, vegetable or cereal. The glucoss of commerce comes principally from corn, and fifty other edible products are extracted from the mall kernels. It Is not surpris ing, therefore, to learn. In connection with the statement that ths Corn Products trust la Intending to center Its manufactur ing activities in Chicago, that the plant to be erected will Involve an outlay of G0)0,0no, and conalat of as many as thlrty-thre buildings; that 1.000 men ar to b employed and that the output will amount to 100,000 bushels every day. This big plant will turn about 30,000,000 bushels of th country's an nual corn crop Into commodities that are not sold as corn. This 80,000,000 Is, of course, but a minor Item In the aggregate of a I,000.000,0t0 crop, but the distilleries that are distributed from Buffalo to Houston and from Baltimore to San Francisco will account for many other millions of bushels. Pork and beef are, of course, also to be classed largely as corn products. Th hog crop In particular Is but a transmuted form of th corn crop. It Is always a question for th farmer to determine whether It will pay him better to turn his corn Into pork or to ship It In the original form. During recent years the great foreign demand for American pork has caused a large percentage of th corn yield to vanish from the "visible S.uDply," not to reappear again except In baiis and breakfast bacon, NEW LAWK FOR NEW YEAR. Par Food, Denatnrlir l Alcohol anal Aatl-Rallroad Paaa. Two of the four su-called reform meas ures enacted by congress last spring go into effect on New, Year s day. Thee are the pure food law and thr denaturlsed alcohol law. The anti-pass provision tf the rail road rate law becomes effective on the same day. Technically the pure food law goes Into effect on Tuesday; morally It has been In effect two or three months, says the Washington correspondent of the Bri ton Trsnscrlpt. It will be the first of Feb ruary, and perhaps later, before the ma chinery that Is to be used In enforcing the food law will be In running order. This da lay Is the result of congress falling to make an appropriation for carrying out the pro vision of the act at the time th legislation wa enacted. As has been noted In the dis patches, congress only last week appropri ated tXO.OOO to be used In enforcing th leg islation up to the first of July, when the present fiscal year will end. In the estimation of Dr. Wiley it la un important that the pure food machinery Will not be In operation for a month or two after the law becomes effective. "All over this country." raid he. "the law Is now morally In fore. About 18 per cent of the persons affected by this legislation are hon. Th other I per cent now hav to be, and ar anxious to be. Many persons who were putting Impure food befor the public before this legislation was enacted hastened to make, a change In their business. They welcomed the law. In many Instances com petition forced them to do thlnga.they did not wish to do befor the law was passed. Th prospect Is that It will be an easy law to enforce; It will almost enforce Itself. Of course ther will be those who will attempt to evade It, and these ar th men our chemists and Inspectors will got after." Th manufacturers and dealer of th country have had th department's rules and .regulations under the law before them since October 16. and this has given them mple time to arrang to conform to the law. According to th government's ad vices, manufacturers' that engaged in adul terating hav arranged to stop th prac tice. Th question, of labels ha worried the manufacturers and dealers a good deal. The order of the department Is that: "The regulation regarding th principal label will not b enforced' until October, 1907, In the coae of labels printed and now on hand, whenever any statement therein contained which Is contrary to th food or drug act of June 30, 1908, aa to character of contents, shall be corrected by a supple mental label, stamp or paster. All other labels now printed and on hand may be used without change until October 1. 1907." It will be a surprise to the government officials If there Is not a distinct improve ment In the foods and drugs on th market after next Tuesday. The denaturized alcohol act does not come as close to the people as the food law. Tho day the law goes Into effect some of the large distilleries, notably those con nected with the Whisky trust, will begin the making of denatured alcohol. It Is th expectation of the government that the business of making the new fuel will grad ually grow. The distilleries will have to be guided by the demand for the new product. The prospoct that the Whisky truBt will absolutely control the output at the start is discouraging. Congress has taken notice of the situation and bills have been Introduced with the view of making It easier for the man of small means to engage In the busi ness. Internal Revenue Commlslsoner Terkes said today: "I have no means of knowing how many concerns will engage In th manufacture or how many will deal In the denatured product In any event we shall be able to take car of the volume of business, no matter what else It may be. I have sent out letter j to all' the internal rev enue collectors Instructing them immedi ately to furnish me with all the Informa tion they can gather about the manufacture of denatured alcohol as soon as It starts In their districts, and at once to cr.ll on me for whatever additional help they may need prc.perlyJo supervise the industry." The Whisky trust has not yet an nounced what the price of denatured alco hol will be. It Is assumed that it will put the price as low as possible so as to bring the product In competition with gasoline. The going into effect of th anti-pass provision of the railroad rate law marks officially an important step in the reforms of the day. Most of the railroads of th country have anticipated the provision of the rat law by cutting off free transporta tion, but a few of the great systems have continued to follow the old policy. After next Wednesday It will be unlawful for any common carrier engaged in Interstate com merce directly or Indirectly "to Issue or give Any interstate free tickets, free pass. or free transportation for passengers, ex cept to Its employes and their families, its officers, agents, surgeons, physicians and attorneys at law; to ministers of religion, traveling secretaries of railroad Toung Men' Christian associations, Inmate of hospitals and charitable and eleemosynary institutions and persons exclusively en gaged In charitable and eleemosynary work; to Indigent, destitute and homeless persons, and to such persons when transported by charitable societies or hospitals, and th necessary agents employed In such trans, porta t Ion; to inmate of th national homes or state home for disabled' volunteer soldiers, and of soldiers and sailors homes. Including those about to enter and those re turning home after discharge and boards of managers of such homes; to necessary caretakers of livestock, poultry and fruit; to employes on sleeping cars, express cars, and to linemen of telegraph and telephone companies; to railway mall scrvlc em ployes, postofllce inspectors, customs In spectors and Immigration inspectors; to newsboy on trains, baggag agents, wit nesses attending any legal Investigation in which th common carrier Is interested, persons injured In wrecks and physicians and nurses attending such persons: Pro vided, That this provision shall not be con strued to prohibit the Interchange of passes for th officers, agents and employes of common carriers and their families; nor to prohibit any common carrier from carrying passengers free with the object of providing relief In cases of general epidemic, pesti lence or other calamitous visitation. Any common carrier violating this provision shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and for each offence, on conviction, shall pay to the United Btatea a penalty of not less than 1100 nor more than 12.000, and any person, other than the persons excepted in this provision, who uses any such Inter Mate free ticket, free pass or free trans portation, shall be subject to a like pen alty." The Interstate Commerce commission says this section of the law will be enforced "without fear or favor." Movements to bave the legislation modified are under way. The day before congress adjourned for the holidays the house committee on Inter state and foreign commerce heard a dele gation that desired to have the door opened a little wider. Even If congress should amend the provi sion or even repeal It, which Is not likely, the greet railroad systems would hardly re turn to the old practice of Issuing free transportation Indiscriminately. The diy of the pusa ba passed. Hann Them PHI. Chicago News. There ar aotn people In this country who will never feel safe until Japan Is put under bonds to refrain Jruin scaring them u death. NRMt ASKt PHfUl rOSSElT. Valentin Republican: Wherein llr 'h necessity for two federal district courts tn Nebraska? Many are naturally inclined to believe th main reason for this contention Is to provide more offices, there not yet being enough to go around. Business of the one court In this state has never been congested to any alarming extent and at present appears to be grinding out grists as fast as litigants desire to fill the hopper. Columbus Tribune: It la difficult to de termine which set of lobbyists Is doing th railroads the most good. Hob Clancy and his associates at Lincoln or Mike Har rington and Kdgar Howard, wtio with their self-constituted provisional or providential or some other kind of government owner ship league are attempting to distract the attention of Nebraska legislators from the resl and difficult task of formulating defi nite and specific and effective rate regu lation for this state. Fremont Tribune: The republican party has made certain pledges. It has been com missioned to carry them out, and If It fulls to do that It Is likely to go hard with the party. The people expect that there will be legislation against political and all other kinds of passes: on freight and pas senger reduction; on a primary system of nominations. If the members of the two houses should. In caucus, select a com mittee of Ave for each of these subjects to bring In bills It would give recognition to fifteen party leaders who would Insure th keeping of the party's pledge and the faithful service with respect to paramount Issues promised the people In th campaign. Th special committee plan la manifestly th wisest on for th legislature to pursue. Tekamah Journal: There Is only on way for th stats legislature to deal with the lobbying that always menaces the most mature Judgment on legislative mat ters down at Lincoln and that is to hav It all done away with, no matter In whose interests the lobby may be working. A committee of men from one Interest or set of Interest ha Just as much right to at tempt to Influence legislation by the lobby ing method as has another. The state In stitutions have no more right to hav a man hired to look after their chance to secure a big appropriation than has the Burlington railroad to have a man to look after its Interests. When th time shall come that legislative districts will send men to represent them, wholly oompetent. and with minds of their own, then th lobbyist's business will be unprofitable. Then his salary will cease and with that the nuisance will abate. Friend Telegraph: The elans seem to be gathering at Lincoln anticipating the com ing meeting of the legislature. Already It has been hinted that if an opportunity of fers the .corporations .will have no hesi tancy In skinning the people out of th victory won at the polls last November. We pity the legislator from the bottom of our heart who goes to the session this winter pledged to his constituents and then disregards his pledges, or disregards the rights of the people who sent htm to fill that very exalted position. We have recognised the fact that these vital ques tions have been agitated so much that the people are in no mood to be monkeyed with by any one. Possibly more people will be engaged in watching the movements of the Nebraska legislature during th present winter than any similar body which has ever assembled In this state. To the legis lator who carries out his pledges faithfully there will certainly be hop in th future, otherwise none. Columbus Tribune: Senator John C. Byrnes - and Representative "Jim" Orelg will be two democratic members of the leg islature whom we are confident the cor poration Influences will not be able to use aa obstructionists. Both of them hav said frankly to the editor of this paper that they will gladly support any republican measure promising relief along the lines Indicated In both party platforms and that they will refuse to stand as obstructionists for the sake of gaining party advantage. And why should not the representatives of both parties stand together for needed reforms In this state? Both parties stood for the same reforms during th cam paign. There were influence at work In both parties before election tb defeat honest reform and the same Influences will be at work harder than vr In both parties In the legislature to defeat honeat reform. The people, therefore, will not ask whether a representative has stood with his party but whether he Is lined up with those rep resentatives In both parties who stand for the public interests. It Is to be hoped that a majority of the legislature will assume the same attitude as that of John Byrnes and Jim Orelg. PERSONAL NOTES. Postmaster General Cortelyou has on ot the finest collection of political scrapbooks in th United States. They ar Indexed under various heads, such aa "truth," "nearly truth," "almost Ilea" and ther is on upon which appear this label, "Just lies." Left Hand, chief of th Arapaho In dians, and th last survivor of th Washita battle, In which he fought Custer, Is dying of old age In Oklahoma. ' He was allotted a quarter section of land some year ag In" common with th rest of his tribe, upon which he now lives. - The Los Angeles girl who can sing In either the soprano or the baritone regis ters, and who now wants to add th basso profundo to ber equipment as a vocal trust, is tn the class with the monopolist In th old song, whose heart's deslr It was to be a whol bras band. Ths Infant phenomenon has appeared In St. Louis In a most alarming shape." It Is that of a child of B months, who talks volubly and with a vocabulary of wonder ful extent. A It Is generally felt by all thoughtful people that children have en tirely too much to say about everything in this age, a precocity of loquacity is not a development to be viewed , with entire equanimity. The distinction of being the tallest man In the United States army belongs to Er nest D. Peck, a first lieutenant in the en gineer corps. He is 4 feet ihi Inches In height Lieutenant Peck is a native of Wisconsin and was ' graduated from ths Oshkosh High school. Lieutenant Peck la now on duty at Yellowstone park, Wyo ming, and has supervised the building of a military road known as Peek's Pike. He 1 called Pike's Peak by his comrades tn the service. As a realisation of his boyhood fancies and the fondest dreams of his fifty years of life, Oeorge I. Long, for twenty-six years editor of the Manson (la.) Journal, and father of a grown son and daughter, will enter college after the holiday. He expects to go to the State Normal school at Cedar Falls for six months, after which he will enter the Iowa State university. During his absence, thepaper, which Is one of th strongest republican papers In the Tenth congressional district, will be under the editorial management of his Avery Mcllhenny, recently nom inated a civil service commissioner, though only X years old, has put two girdles around the earth, has killed big game In Africa and has fought In a real (though mull) war. Besides being a former rough iidT, he Is one of the richest men In Louisiana. HUs prppc-r farm on Avery Island, Iberia parish. Is famous, and so Is the huge factory In which he makes pep per sauce. Two years ago the Mcllhenny entertained the president's older daughter, now Mrs. Longworth, In their New Or leans home at carnival time and last year th prtsldnt himself was their guest. MBH root) LAW, rhanne for the Retter Drgla ytH the New Test. Chicago Post. One of the most Important reforms eret undertnk.n In the United States will b accomplished when the national pur food lnw goes Into effect on next Tuesday, New Year's day. What this means to the peopla of the country fw probably realise. It means thnt "If they see It on the label it Is so;" thnt at last they will know exactly what they are buying ar.d will get what they ask for. Furthermore, they will know that the watchful eye of government chern. Ists Is fixed on the manufacture, giving a good assurance that no poisonous or un wholesome coloring or similar matter has. been used in the preparation of the food stuffs. As a matter of fact, there always was more smoke than fire In the entire pure food agitation. Dyes, more or loss harm less, In small quantities, were used, It Is true, but few persons probably ever wer harmed by partaking of prepared foods, Thnt, however. Is a forgotten Issua. Th new law which will go Into force with the comlnK of the New Year will put a atop to deception. Henceforth th pur chaser of "farm sausage" may rest as sured that It Is farm snusage If th label so ststes. "Wild cherry phosphate" must be made from cherries and not from chern Icals, no matter how harmless those chem icals may be; and "deviled ham" must b made from ham and not from scraps ot various kinds of meat. One Immediate and Important result of the new law undoubtedly will be the rts toratlon of foreign confidence In American tinned foods. .The widely proclaimed "stock yards expose" did much harm to even the best of the American packing companies, but this prejudice the new law Is expected to wipe out. Indeed. It seems safe to predict far greater prosperity for the packers and other manufacturer of edibles now that their goods are known te meet th government's strict requirements. After all, honesty is tho best policy. In this connection It Is pleasant to con alder the opinion of Dr. H. W. .Wiley, chief of th bureau of chemistry. Many people, from reading sensational newspaper reports, have become Infected with th theory that the food manufacturer are the greatest of rogues. They will be sur prised, therefore, to read this statement of Dr. Wiley: "About 98 per cent of the persons affected by this legislation are honest at heart. The other t per cent ar now anxious to be honest. Many persons who were placing Impure food on the tables of the publla before thla legislation was enacted have hastened to make a change In their busi ness methods. They welcomed the law. In many Instances competition compelled them to do things they did not wish to do." Really, we Americans ar not nearly so black aa w sometime paint ourselves. PASSING PLEASANTRIES. "Does your wife take much Interest tn polities T" "I Bhould say so. She's speaker of the house. " Milwaukee Sentinel. "He seem to be a man of considerable address." "No wonder; for year he canvassed for a directory." Baltimore American, "I cannot cure you," said Dr. Fox, "un less you promise to do exactly what I tell ' you. Do you solemnly promise? "I do," replied the patient. "All right. Let me have' your check for that old account that has been standing so lung." Philadelphia Ledger. - Mrs. Strong What did you say, dear, when he asked you your age? Miss Sharp I told him the truth. Mrs. Strong You did! Really? ' Miss Sharp Yes; I told him It was none of his business. Boston Transcript. The waiter girl knew a thing or two -about table etiquette. So she (nlfted scorn fully'as she said: ' ' "It's not our custom to serve a knife . with pie." Nor' remarked the patron In surria4. "Then bring me an ax. 'Puck. The Lady What thirty-eight cents a dosen for eggs? Why, that's mor than I cent for one egg! Th Grocer Well, mum, you must remem ber that one egg Is a whole day' work for one hen. Cleveland Leader. "I hear that Our poor old friend Toper Is quite broken In spirits." "From what I saw of him lately I think his broken spirits are largely brandy smashes." Baltimore American. "Hear about th queer accident at th Robtnses' house? Little 4-year-old Willi took an old shotgun down from th wall, poked the mussle In the baby's fac and pulled the trigger." "Too bad! Bume old story didn't know It was loaded." "It wasn't loaded!" Judge. "Do you think your congressman does $6,Aoo worth of work every year?" "That ain't the point," answered Farmer -Comtosaol. "We're grateful to him for not coatln' us tso.000 or so In mistakes." Washington Star. "Come to think of it, a druggist Is gen erally opposed to the temperance cause." "What make you say such a thing as that?" "Did you ever hear of one who mad any scruples of selling drams?" Baltimore American. "Doctor," said the visitor with the fur lined collar, "there's something the matter with me." "Well," responded the doctor, "I knew that when I saw you as Hamlet last night, but I can't do anything for you. Curing hams Is out of my line." Philadelphia Ledger. "Why doesn't your wlf sing to th baby When It cries?" "She used to, until we discovered that the neighbors preferred to bear th baby." Cleveland Leader. ' DEATH OF THE OLD YEAR. Alfred Tennyson. Full knee-deep lies th winter snow, And the winter winds are wearily sighing. Toll ys the church bells sad and slow. And tread softly and speak low, For the old year Ilea a-dylng. Old year, you muat not die; You came to us so readily, You lived with us so steadily, Old year, you shall not die. He lleth still; he doth not move; Ho will not see the dawn of day. He hath no other life above. He gave me a friend, and a true true-love. And th new year will tak 'em away. Old year, you must not go; So long aa you hav been with us. Such Joy aa you have seen with US, Old year, you shall not go. Ha froth'd his bumpers to th brim, A Jollier year w shall not see. But though his eyes are waxing dim. And thouKh his foea speak 111 of him. He waa a friend to me. rA vesr. vou shall not die: We did so laugh and cry with you, I've half a mind to die with you. Old year, If you must die. He was full of Joke and Jest, But all his merry quips are o er. To see him die. across th waste His son and heir doth ride post haste,. But he'll be dead befor. Every one for his own. The night Is starry and old, my friend, ' And the new year bllth and bold, my friend, Comes up to tak his own. How hard he breathe! Over the snow I heard Just now the crowing cock. Ths shadows flicker to snd fro; -The cricket chirps; th light burns low "TIs nearly twelve o'clock. Shake hands before you die. Old year, we'll dearly rue for yoo What la It we can do for you? Speak out before you die. His face Is growing sharp and thin. Alack! our friend Is gone. Close up his eyes, tl up his chin. Step from the corpse and let him In That stanileth there alone. And waltetb at the door. There's a new foot on th floor, tn) friend. And a new face at the door, my friend, A new fac at th dour. n ns n 1