10
THE OMAHA DAILY BEE: SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 1007.
The Omaha Daily Dee
FOUNDED BT EDWARD ROSE WATER.
VICTOR ROSEWA'TBR. EDITOR.
Bntere-d at Omaha postofrio as second
class matter.
TERMS OF (SUBSCRIPTION.
Dally Pe (without Hunday) on year..t
Dal I it irn and Sunday, one year J-
Bunday Hm, one year J ??
Biturday bev one year
DELIVERED RT CARRIER.
Dally Pee (Including Sondsy). per wt,c'-l!
Dilly !'. (without Bundav). per week... too
Kvenirg Pee rwlthout Bnndsy). par wpeK-,
Kvenlnir I'.r (with Hundoy). per week....!
Acldrr m complaints of Irregularities In de
livery to City Circulating Department.
OFFICES.
Ornshn The Bee Building.
otith Ornnha Cltv Hell Rulldtng.
Council liluffs H Pearl Street.
'hlrnfo-iGia t'nltv Bulldlne;. .,
New York ISf. Home I.'f In. Building.
Washington SOI Fourteenth Street.
CORRESPONDENCFJ.
Communications rletlng to news and edi
torial matter should he addressed: Omaha
Pea. Kdltor'al Department.
REMITTANCES.
Remit hv draft, express or postal nrfler.
parable to The Pee Publishing Company.
Only :-rent stamps received In payment or
mull accounts. Personal checks, except on
Omaha or enstern exr.hsnges. not accepted.
THE BEK Pl'BLISHING COMPANY.
STATEMENT Of CIRCULATION.
B'ate of Nebraska, Douglas County. ss:
Chnrlc C Roswnter. general manager
cf The Re ruhtiehfng company, being d'iiy
STvorn, savs that the actual number of full
and romplete roplea of The Dally, Morning.
Evening nd Sunday Pee printed during the
wonin or December, l:i06, wa as ionow.
I 81.870
17 33,870
J 81,760
II 31,760
1 80,980
81,010
si.no
t 31.T00
. 81.690
7 81,880
t 83,080
30,630
10.. 81,750
11 88,150
11 83,050
It 81,680
J 4 81,690
II 88.170
If 30,400
Total
20 38,670
tl 31,680
ft 31,900
tt .10,880
14 31.710
It 31,600
2 12,120
IT 81.770
tt 31,610
it ., 31,880
SO 3000
II 31,810
. . .988,380
Leas unsold and returned copies.. 9,841
Net total 973,149
Dally average 81,391
CHARLES C. R08EWATER,
Oeneral Manager.
Subscribed In my presence and sworn to
before ma this Hit day of December, 100.
(Seal.) M. B. HUNQATE,
Notary Public
HHE Ol'T Or TOWS.
Subscribers leaving; the city tem
porarily ehoald ksvt The Dee
mailed to them. Address nlll be
chanced as often as requested.
Chief of Police Donahue will soon be
able to write a thrilling novel on the
subject; ''Between Two Fire's."
The disaster at Kingston may induce
the Danes to put their West Indian
islands on the bargain counter once
more.
8t. Petersburg reports an earth
quake, but may later admit that it
was only the wrong man finding the
powder magazine.
The Ohio river Is now demonstrating
the fact that It is no better than the
Missouri, but It will with difficulty con
vince Chairman Burton.
That New York Judje who fined
liquorice dealers for forming a monop
oly can depend upon popularity with
the American small boy.
While Attorney Jerome declares that
legislators can be driven like sheep,
"Andy" Hamilton knows that It is
easier to lead them like lambs.
It Is to be hoped the prohibition of
the use of opium by Chinese officials
will be reflected In the news sent out
by oriental pipe-line correspondents.
Major Hersey's expectations of
reaching the north pole thlry-slx hours
after leaving Norway should not deter
him from taking provisions for at least
a week's trip.
The child labor law advocates have
Bwooped down upon the legislature.
The invasion is to be described not as
"a petition in boots," but as "a peti
tion in petticoats."
When the Interstate Commerce com
mission is given power to punish un
necessary delays in the transportation
ot freight the express companies may
lose a little business.
The more our people read about dev
astation by earthquake, volcanic erup
tion and tidal wave, the more the geo
graphical Jocation of solid states like
Nebraska and Iowa must appeal to
them.
The endorsement ot Colonel Bryan's
railroad views by Governor Vardaman
Indicates that the governor Is resolved
that centralization of power is not to
bo dreaded as much as loss of popu
larity in Mississippi.
It Harvle Jordan's remarks on the
cotton situation are correct, the sooner
the south brings the spinners to the
fields rather than sending the cotton
to the mills, the better it will be for
consumer and producer.
The Kingston disaster has proved
the advantage of wireless telegraphy
over cables subject to terrestrial ague;
but as "high finance" has not taken up
the system seriously it may still be
considered an experiment.
While the government's cancellation
ot coal land entries may work hard
ship upon some Innocent parties, the
bill to give persons la possession pref
ere nee seems to be in the nature of a
reward tor questionable practices.
The assertion that W. R. Hearst
seeks to overthrow John Sharp Wil
liams as democratic house leader is
chiefly Interesting from the fact that
fee was unable to accomplish the job
during his membership in the house.
DAtiQEROUS MILL LKV1F.S.
The lower bouse of the legislature
has made a, special order for the dis
cussion of the resolution presented by
Representative Tucker- declaring
against appropriations by percentage
mill levies, except so far 88 already
provided for. The Bee has gone on
record several times In opposition to
this method of appropriating money
out of the state treasury. The per
centage mill levy Is fraught with dan
ger because it Imposes a perpetual tax
eure to increase from year to year with
out limiting It to any definite amount.
This, of course, Is the real reason why
those who are lobbying for special ap
propriations for different institutions
favor the plan.
Once a percentage mill levy appro
priation Is made It runs indefinitely
until some future legislature stops it.
In other words, the legislature Impos
ing such a mill levy commits all suc
ceeding legislatures to repeat the per
formance by acquiescence, and It would
take an unusual effort to secure a sub
sequent repeal. Instead of presenting
to each legislature the needs and re
quirements in definite figures for which
appropriations are asked, the levy
scheme enables the lobbyists to point
to so much money In the treasury,
present or prospective, "which belongs
to us" and which cannot be used for
any other purpose.
Each legislature is Judged by the
extravagance or economy of Its own ap
propriations and each legislature
should be responsible for the amount
of those appropriations. To provide
for continuous mill levies for particu
lar state Institutions increases the state
tax rate without relieving the menace
of overlap and Increased floating debt.
If there Is no good reason why the
tax rate should be Increased the legis
lature should amend the law fixing the
levy for the general fund, raising the
maximum to 5 or 6 mills instead of
5 mills, to which it Is now limited.
This would provide ample funds to
take care of all the legitimate demands
without going' It blind or putting a
premium on extravagance.
THE SUBSIDY BILL'
The form of subsidy bill that a ma
jority of the house committee has
agreed to report Is Open to attack for
falling in some of Its most important
features to promote the central pur
pose on which the subsidy movement
has been advocated. It has been urged
mainly for the expansion and improve
ment of communication and closer re
lations with South America, to promote
which Secretary Root made his mem
orable southern tour last year, and
which President Roosevelt has never
ceased to urge with respect to the navy,
to Panama and to every other oppor
tunlty.
It Is therefore discovered with no
small surprise that more than one
third of the total sum proposed to be
paid from the treasury under the bill
would go to steamship lines now plying
In the Pacific ocean, not to South
American ports, but to oriental ports,
and that, too, without special safe
guards for new or improved service
there, or even for naval reserve exi
gencies. If the complaints made by
competent authorities, not at all hos
tile to the subsidy principle, that the
effect for the most part would be
merely a bonus to existing lines, not
necessarily related to South American
trade and travel, instead of a stimulus
to new and better steamship service,
are at all warranted, then the whole
subsidy Bubject had better go over to
a congress disposed to prepare a meas
ure In accordance with the only pur
pose on which such distribution of pub
lic funds can be even plausibly con
tended tor. ,-
HUOIIES AND THE LKQL1LATURK. ,
It is the universal testimony that
Governor Hughes looms larger in the
use of power than he did as a candi
date before the people. For, the prac
tical difficulties that have crowded
upon him since he took the oath of
office have been incomparably greater
and more numerous than those of the
campaign In which he acquitted him
self with singular ability and judg
ment. No sooner was he in the ex
ecutive chair than he was confronted
with an appointive state service and a
legislature officered, organized and
controlled by the same machine of his
own party, the most elaborate and
powerful In the country, which had op
posed his nomination and which was
inspired by every motive of self-preser
vation to thwart or wheedle him. The
test was crucial and unescapable, be
cause Governor Hughes had plighted
faith explicitly, though without dem
agogtsm or vainglory, with the people
for true and independent service.
It is now admitted, even in hostile
quarters, that Governor Hughes has
avoided the moat dangerous rock, on
which ill-wishers sought to steer him,
by refusing to enter Into irrelevant
contention and bickering with the leg
islature o'n the one hand or on the
other to attempt to coerce It with pa
tronage bargains and tricks on the
plane of typical machine methods. He
stands his ground as chief executive,
declaring when the pinch came that if
the legislature should defeat him on
that score and fall to fulfill the pledges
of the campaign, he will simply take
an appeal to the people. Positive re
forms thus are put in the true and sig
nificant relation of an, Issue, not merely
between the legislature and the gov
ernor, but between the legislature and
the people.
Governor Hughes baa at the outset
emphasized tie vital point to be ob
served in the two score states whose
legislatures are now sitting: Broken
promises need by no means be conclu
slve If the chief executives. Immedi
ately elected by the whole people, poa-
sens the discretion as well as the cour
age and Integrity to clinch the Issue of
responsibility. For this every gov
ernor, with the right to call extraordi
nary sessions and other prerogatives,
has ample power.
the railroad stock sitcatios.
The status of the slock market
shows that the cumulative disclosures
regarding railroad management and
finance has not been without effect
upon "the public," which In final an
alysis Is the real price factor. The re
turn of funds from the interior re
flected in increasing bank reserves and
sinking call loan rates not only does
not stimulate general stock buying as
normally occurs In the latter half of
January, but the tendency, especially
among stocks of the roads to whoso
manipulation public attention has been
directed, is still toward lower quota
tion levels. In the face of unparalleled
pressure for transportation far exceed
ing facilities for service we have the
extraordinary fact that the average of
stock prices Is lower than it was a year
ago. '
Indubitable evidence Is also at hand
that Investors and that section of spec
ulators whose, operations are most In
timately adjusted to Investors' senti
ment, are deeply suspicious 1 of poten
tial influences over transportation and
related properties, although they may
not go to the length of Stuyvesant
Fish, who. In a recent notable state
ment, positively affirmed that these
stocks are now wholly at the mercy of
manipulating cliques. The average in
vestor stands aloof from the uncer
tainty and hazard of Such a situation,
leaving the market to the gambler In
chances as to what the hidden powers
may do. But this frame of mind, pro
duced by the operations of professional
gambler and financial manipulator,
affects not only the whole list of pres
ent stocks, but also the proposed new
Issues imperatively required if funds
for immense needed new construction
and betterments are to be forthcoming.
This identical point Is even more
conspicuous in the minds of foreign
critics and investors, who are empha
sizing it In a manner, perhaps exagger
ated, but certainly extremely hurtful
to our business Interests in general.
The London Times, when it declares In
editorial comment on the disclosures
before the Interstate Commerce com
mission and like facts concerning our
railroad management, that "the whole
Interests of the shareholders, even In
the largest lines, are mere gambling
counters in the hands of possessors of
enormous wealth, amassed by down
right plunder," may distort an evil
phase, but It does not outdo expres
sions by other critics, both at home
and'rfbroad.
J. J. Hill Is therefore wide of the
mark when he blames the popular pub
lic control movement for the attitude
of Investors. National and state legis
lation, on the. -contrary, 1b aimed for
abatement Of those evils which have
produced the distrust now widely man
ifest. And unless it Is to spread fur
ther and have still more serious con
sequences, those who are responsible,
the manipulators of "high finance" and
Jugglers with the great transportation
properties who "think in billions,"
cannot too quickly mend their ways.
The railroad lobbyists and political
agents are working night and day un
der cover by misrepresentation to pre
judice the legislature against Omaha
with a view to heading off terminal
taxation. The railroad spokesmen pre
tend that terminal taxation would take
away from the outside counties and
school districts some of the money
they now receive as taxes from the
railroads and give it to Omaha. If
terminal taxation meant simply the
transfer of taxes from one place to an
other the railroads would have no ob
jection whatever. They would just as
soon pay the money to the city treas
urer at Omaha as to the county treas
urer at Broken Bow. The , truth is
that terminal taxation would not di
minish the taxes ppld by the railroads
to;any county or school district in the
state, but would compel them to pay
city taxes, which they have been chron
ically evading. It is because terminal
taxation would make them pay taxes
now shirked that the railroads are,
against it.
Readers of The Bee will take notice
that the supreme court has given this
paper the decision In the case made
over the payment of its bill for adver
tising the legal notices required by the
scavenger tax law. Malicious compet
itors had undertaken to spread the Im
pression that The Bee was trying to
gouge the county by a padded bill,
when. In fact. The Bee's bill was ren
dered at the precise legal rate. The
publication of these notices was an es
sential part ot the proceedings by
which the scavenger law was put Into
iorce aud resulted in the collection of
thousands upon thousands of dollars
of back taxes that the county would
otherwise have lost, to say nothing of
the impetus which the clearing up of
tax Hens has given to real estate trans
actions and building improvements.
i
Congrees appears to be disposed to
appropriate the munificent sum of
$100,000 for Missouri river work be
tween Kansas City and Sioux City, this
handout coming from a total distribu
tion of ISO, 000, 000. It the Missouri
river were only some little mud creek
passing the back door of an obscure
southern town lesa difficulty would be
had in securing recognition for Im
provement money.
. J
A bill has been Introduced at Lln
coin to prevent foreign Insurance com
panies from removing to the federal
courts suits brought by citlxens of Ne-
kraska to recover on claims, which
practice is said to be a favorite one
with companies that want to escape
their obligations and wear out the
claimants to the point of compromise.
The Idea would invoke favor If It could '
be applied to nonresident railroad cor
porations that appeal to the federal
courts to help them escape paying their
taxes. Nonresident corporations that
take the benefit of special privileges
under Nebraska laws ought to be com
pelled to submit to Nebraska courts.
The World-Herald sfcHl Insists that
Senator-elect Brown may not "fairly
be said to stand as the choice of the
rank and file of the people of his
state." This Is Indeed amusing. Mr.
Brown received his nomination In re
publican state convention1 and sub
mitted' his name for endorsement by
vote of preference at the polls. Had
the democrats won a majority of the
legislature and elected "Billy" Thomp
son, whose candidacy was put through
the same form, the new senator would,
of course, "stand as the choice of the
rank and file of the people of his
state."
The Honorable Mayor "Jim" has
gone to Denver to attend a cowboy
meeting and so extraordinary does the
expedition appear that the local demo
pop organ heads the news Item "The
Mayor Pays His Fare." This must be
the first time the Honorable "Jim" has
been up against such a proposition
since he secured a strategic position
as secretary of the State Board ot
Transportation some ten years ago.
Compensations of Defeat.
Philadelphia Press.
Colonel Brynn has eighty-six engage
ments to lecture the coming summer at
15CO a lecture, which shows that It pay to
ran for president and not get there.
One Marked Difference.
Portland Oregonlan.
Practically all the Immigrants from Eu
ropean countries become Americans not
only in form but In heart. Immigrants
from the orient never do. That's one dif
ference. Not Seeking- Tronble.
Baltimore American.
The tTnlted States, not bnlnr on nf ihn
signatory cowers. Is disinclined to Inter- !
fere In the Congo affair. Perhaps Uncle
Sam Is getting a trifle tired of being the
big International policeman to whom all
the other powers and nations Insist on
telling their troubles.
Depends on Point of View.
Kansas City Times.
Differences of opinion regarding the
Brownsville riots hive caused republican
members of the senate to explain that
President Roosevelt Is a fine man, but for
once he's wrong; and the democrats in
sist that while the president Is a most un
safe and exasperating official, for once he's
right.
Let l l Kill the Heir "
Wall Street Journal.
A holding company which holds another
holding company, and so on ad Infinitum,
seems to be a device by which the hold
of the stockholders on the one end of tho
series Is so fe.r from the office holders at
the other end that the Investor has little
chanca of locating the seat of responsi
bility, If Indeed he can perchance find any
body that is willing to acknowledge that
he has any responsibility whatever to the
stockholder. Who will be strong enough
to hold the holding company which has
succeeded In removing Itself to the ninth
degree of distance from the stockholder?
Is it not another case of killing the heir
In order that the vineyard may be ours?
Hoosler Ileforin Ideas.
Springfield Republican.
Governor Hanly of Indiana, who receives
a salary of $8,000 as the chief magistrate
of a, great state, evidently cannot see why
the officers of life Insurance companies
should be permitted to receive much mors
He recommends In his annual message that
life company officluls be limited by law
to salaries not In excess of $10,000. This
would not be an unreasonable restriction
for all companies save the larger ones
with headquarters In New York City. But
It Is a clumpy way of getting r.t the mat
ter of restricting the expense extrava
gances of the business. That can better
be done by placing a hard and fast limita
tion upon premium loadings and compelling
the companies to keep their expenses
within the loading.
Excessive Rates for Mall.
' Philadelphia Record.
Tha house postal committee must,
In-
deed, have been astonished to have a sec
ond assistant postmaster general admit
that the railroad compensation for carrying
the malls mlrht be shaved a little he said
S per cent, and the committee made It 10
and that there was no such loss In tho
transportation of second-class mall matter
as the department has been accustomed to
represent. The department carries an enor
mous amount of government mall for noth
ing, and It Is rapidly extending the rural
free delivery service. Either or these
would account for the deficit But in addi
tion to this, the railways are paid on a
schedule fixed a generation aco, and the
pay for carrying scaond-class matter Is
pretty good compensation, considering that
very little of It goes to a considerable dls-
tnce.
CVSHION FOR A FALL.
Pathos of Colonel Bryan'a Tumble
Into a Snowbank.
St. Louis Globe-Democrat.
With Interest not unmixed with awe we
read that William J. Bryan has been
thrown into a snowdrift. A part of the
significance of this great event is snld to
be found In the fact that Mr. Bryan at
the time was riding behind a runaway
team. We are not pursuing analogies,
although we are prepared to agree with
thore who will say that such an adventure
Is not new In Mr. Bryan's experience.
While It may be true that he has beeii
thrown Into a snowdrift more than once.
the fact that he was given the chanca to
be thrown into a snowdrift the second time
la the fact which sets him on a higher
niche in the temple of fame than that of
Alton B- Parker, who was permitted to be
thrown Into a snowdrift once, but who
will never get the chanca again, because
the snowdrift was so high and Mr. Parker
struck It with such force that he ha
never alnce got out. and all hop of his
resurrection Is now abandoned. Nobody Is
digging for him and his presence In the
snowdrift congeals It to the point of Im
pervlouaness. Being thrown Into a snow
drift Is not. It is true, a new experience
with Mr. Bryan. He was so well seasoned
to It that thla experience at Spokane,
though the third In consecutive order, may
not deter him from taking another ride
behind a skittish team next year. As for
the fact that this latest flight and descent
was behind a runaway team. It offers
nlhlnv In I h. mAV At V r I tl V lfla nlh.f
elnerlente. cam, ,n lh, .me ,,,,
I bis next one.
OTHER LASD4 THA Ot RS.
In spite of the feet that the liberal ma
Jrlty In the British House of Commons
and the conservative majority In the
House of Lords have failed to reach a
compromise in regard to ma eaucawon mn,
the nonconformist churches are rallying
their forces to fight out the question to the
bitter end. A correspondent of the New
York Times, In outlining the plan of cam
paign, says the nonconformists are deter
mined to starve the church tchools out of
existence and couple this with an agitation
for the radical reconstruction of the
House of Lords. "With them," says the
correspondent, "It Is really a matter of
life and death. From their beginning. In
the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries,
they have had to fight for their religious
liberty even against tolerant Anglicanism
Intolerantly applied and If the present
campaign has done one. thing. It has cer
tainly unified and welded together thi
churchmen and others who arc not commu
nicant of the Established Church. An
other thing Is certain: A future election
will reveal the fact that the Church of
England has lost Immensely by Its refiunl
to accept (he very liberal terms offered by
tffe education bill of 1906. In the circum
stances It Is not singular that enlightened
continental publicists should be amazei at
the failure of the House ot Ixrds to reach
a compromise with the government, snd
should express their sympathy with the
1 latter. Among the many manifestations
from this source Is the following note from
Dr. Max Nordau: 'May the liberal admin
istration In the coming year succeed, In
spite of clerical and aristocratic opposi
tion. In establishing the laic school, whlc'i
will bo able to form generations of Eng
lishmen free of dogmatism, with a scien
tific bent of mind, and trained to the use
of their critical ptfwers." "
The indications of growing popular dis
content In India are closely watched In
Europe. Tho Paris Temps has a significant
article on the Indian National congress.
After giving a sketch of Mr. Dad ibhal
Naorojl'a career and a short history of the
rationalist movement. It remarks that the
annual congress was not taken seriously
until just recently. India was still for
English politicians the ideal colony, abound
ing in riches and full of literary and ar
t i-tlo emotions. But now the situation N
changed. A Justifiable anxiety has taken
the place of the former general optimism
and confidence in the security of Brlti ,h
power. There Is not a mutiny to fear, but
the situation Is serious none the lees. A
few administrative mistakes and an un
popular measure the partition of Bengal
soon showed how greatly tho Indian ml id
had changed 'during the last twenty years.
The Temps criticises Sir Bampfylde Ful
ler's way of dealing with the nationalist
movement. The speech of Mr. Naoroji, It
thinks, was really academic, but the na
tionalist party, it points out, recruits all
the disillusioned and discontented together
with most of the well educated Hindus,
and the hold of Ihe party on the mass of
the people la the stronger, because the
proportional number of politicians among
the Hindus Is low. The Temps also refers
to the Mohammedan list of grievances re
cently printed In this Journal and remark
that It does not help to make the situation
more easy.
Stephen Owynn, the poet and the new
member of Paillament for Gal way, proves
himself a practical business man and a
political economist of the right stripe In
his articles on "Town and Country" in
the Dublin Free Press. He says the Ire
land of tomorrow must not be simply an
agricultural country. No purely agricul
tural country la ever progressive. Farmers
are not good customers of each other, and
need artisans and manufacturers as neigh
borsthe nearer the better. The town and
the city are as natural and needful In the
plan of human happiness and the social
economy of the nation as Is the farm. "I
believe In agricultural organization," he
says, "and I see the necessity of It as much
as does any man In Ireland, but the fore
most need Is the development of town llf
I would rather see one new cloth mill than
ten or twenty creameries, and the most
logical man In Irelund today Is Captain
Ottway Cuffe, who, promoting a woolen
mill In Kilkenny, has promoted also a local
theater. The duty of all who wish to keep
men and women in Ireland Is to take
I thought for everything that can strengthen
the Irish towns to the fostering of those
Industries which make town life neces
sary." Chinese gods are liable to' be harshly
treated In the future, as their worshipers
have Just discovered that It Is cheaper
and better to beat an Idol with a club when
they desire a change In the weather or
other gifts than to load It with Jewels
and costly attire.
Chlfu and the surrounding country had
been suffering from a drouth which threat
ened to ruin the crops and bring on a
famine. The devout Chinese farmers lav
ished money, Jewels, chickens, rice, roast
pigs, eggs and all kinds of dainties upon
their rain god and clad him In silken, rai
ment. All their worship was of no avail.
The sky remained cloudless and the earth
was still parched. One day the farmers
became strenuous. Something had to be
done and soon.
In sheer despair they went to the temple
and took the rain god Into the streets.
There the farmers stripped him of his
choice farments, threw him Into the mud.
spat upon him. beat him with a club and
kicked the luckless image through the
streets all day. Late at night the god
was carried back to the temple, washed
and restored to his clothing and former
dignity. Early next morning tha rain
began to fall heavily and continued sev
eral days.
Public notice of comprehensive increases
In the postal, telegraph, and telephone
charges has been gives In Austria, Rates
cn local letters In Vienna and changes for
money orders are also to be raised con
siderably. Telephone subscribers will have
to pay rates from V) to ln per cent h'ghcr
than those recently in force. The govern-
j mP"t asserts that these increases sre
necersary In order to provide funds for the
j maner pay wmcn is 10 o graniea n posiai
viiiviam saiiva ainu a ri iiib a i i i ij ii ui iiiv
telephone system. Notwithstanding the ex
planation tha Increase has a-ouiei much
Indlvwition, especially among the commer
cial classes, which point nut that at a time
when all civilised countries are endevcr
ing to provide cheaper pnstal facilities
the Austrian government ouTlii not to bo
j making Its own postal system more ux-
pensive.
In official Russian circles It has been
denied that any s-rtous disagreements
have murked the negotiations with Japan
concerning the new commercial treaty and
fishery convention. No difficulties hive
arisen lit connection with the proporel re
vival of the commercial treaty of 189S, in
accordance with the provisions of the
treaty of Portsmouth. Furthermore, the
Russian government Is milling to cc needs
extensive right to Japanese fishermen In
the way ot drying, salting, and cannlnz
facilities. The debated points are the
opening of the Bungs rl river to navigation,
which .Japan demands for Its own vessel
and which Russia stands prepared to grant
to all nations, and the appointment of Jap
anese consuls at Vladivostok. Petrorav
lovsk. and Nlkolaievak. In return for which
the Russian goverrtnent would ask ilk
privileges in Japanese porta.
POLITICAL DRIFT.
A railroad collision and a. pitch Into n
snowbank gives a touch of variety to Mr.
Bryan'a preparations for the battle cf
lKt.
Governor Hanly of Indian recommend
that the salary of a life Insurance official
be limited to 110.000. This Is $2,000 more
than he gets for running the whole state.
Members of the New York legislature
have received the usual courtesy from
the Pullman company. To evn.le the law
the passes read. "Mrs. Blank and one.'
Members are expected to slip In under the
"one" blanket.
William R. Hearst's friends ardently In
sist that Mr. Hearst without the rightet
doubt Is to have the seventy-four d legates
and the four delegates at larre from New
York stnte for the democratic national con
vention cf lng.
The Kansas legislature has raised the pav
of the higher court Judges, and his not
been very rsdleal about It st t!t. The
pay of the supreme court Justices has been
raised from HOOD to $4,000, while the dis
trict Judges sre to be paid $3 000 a year In
stead of 2.t0.
Kentucky republicans arc becoming ex
ceedingly active In the Interert of Bcretary
of War Tnft for president. Eleven news
papers In the state. Including one I.ouls
vllle dailv, are carrying the secretary's
name at the head of their columns as the
state's choice for president In 190S.
8enntor Tillman, apenklng of the preju
dice against the negro north as well as
south, snld: "The negroes In the city of
Washington are not permitted to drink at
the bars of the Wlllard, the lUlelnh and
other hotels, and every servitor knows It."
whereupon there was a ro:ir of liughter In
the senate, which Mr. Tillman could not
understand a: first.
The chaplain of tho Tennessee Ugis
lature, at the opening session, Ins ead of
praying for the numbers, prayed fir the
people of the state. The skypllot of the
Colorado senate opened proceeding w.th
this sentence, "we thank thee that we
are alive; that wo uie sober and out of
Jail." The wisdom of the Tennessee
preacher Is self-evident and there afe no
flyspecks on the ci.urage of the Colorado
pulpiteer.
WORLD'S IlKtoniJ WKALTH,
Material Achievement Worthy of aa
Enwle'a Seream.
Cleveland Leader.
A government report soon to be Issued
shows that the United States is so far
ahead of all other nations in wealth that
there Is really no second. It deals with
facts which are In themselves one huge
eagle scream of material achievement and
opulence beyond comparison.
It seems that the American republic
stands now for more than twice the wealth
of any country In Europe. It surpasses
Germany and Great Britain and lrrland
together. It makes the riches of France
and Russia combined modept by contrast.
The value of the property of the Amerl-an
people Is nearly four times as great as the
prodigious sum . which represents the na
tional debts of all the nations of the
earth.
This country has more gold and more
money, more railroads and more Internal
commerce, more manufacturers and more
mining, more farm products and more
banking facilities and resources than any
other in the world. The United States
beats any other nation in the multitude
of Its forehanded and comfortable wage
workers and In Its prosperous farmers. It
leads all other lands In exports and In
the balance of trade in Its favor. No other
country spends so much money or has
so much to spend.
There is more gold In the United Btates
treasury than In any other place on earth.
There Is more money In that treasure
house and more evidence of national
wealth.
American millionaires are richer by far
than old world kings. They have the great
est fortunes the world ever saw and the
largest Incomes. And their countrymen
live better and save more than the people
! of "" European state.
Many wlao siuaenis 01 win "
tendencies of the times believe that these
vast fortunes are far too biff. The presl
dent struck a popular chord when he ad
vised that they be cut down and held In
check by progressive Inheritance taxes.
But what revenues that system would
turn Into the coffers of thu nation! Then
what might not be undertaken and carried
through the complete success in the way
of Internal Improvements and engineering
teats for the betterment pf the nation's
domain and the enrichment of generations
yet to come! What might not be essayed
In the educntlon and equipment of man
kind to fit the new environment created!
NEIGHBORLY GOOD WILL.
Exposition of th Conatrfa Policy
Toward Other Republics.
New York Tribune.
Secretsry Root has enriched the lltera
ture of American statecraft with an epi
grammatic exposition of this country pol
icy toward Us weaker neighbors at the
south, which Vlll be remembered and cited
by the side of his predecessor s character
isation of American foreign policy as a
combination ot the golden rule and the
Monroe doctrine. Speaking of the smaller
countries around the Caribbean and of the
.Am. nr mem are hbvuib
.w... ,fer ft, maintain stable and decent
.,--nts he said: "First, we don't
want to take them ourselves: second, we
don't want any foreign nations to take
them for themselves, and. third, we want
to help them, and we will."
n-.. . mud nOl De uencr put.
is not aft Hem In the statement which Is
not In accord wltn me ion
our rovernment. There Is not one
which Is or can be construed as mewicing
in anvbody. There Is not one
..tui, .hnuld not receive the hearty ap
proval and support of every thoughtful
American cltlxen.
And for a starter, why not apply that
admirable policy, practically, to our very
near and very needy neignoor, im
can Republic?
TO THE PUBLIC!
The nurchase of a piano Is one ot the most difficult problems to solve.
Reding the advertisement, of different makes only add. to the
nule as many ot them claim to make the best piano. How can
a layman decide for and satisfy himself that he Is obtaining the
Sei? value for hU money? His only safeguard will be to depend upon
S word Mi 1 reputation ot a particular make, regardless of blar-
,nK haTKoln once said: "Yo cannot fool all the people
all the time " The truth of this assertion has been positively dem
onstrated by the Knabe Piano, which ha. stood the limelight of pub
licity for over sixty years, and to the possession of which at the
nresent time 60.000 satisfied purchasers point with pride and affec
uon The public could not have been fooled continuously for over
half a century, and this vast army of patrons certainly woull not
hve invested upwards of FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS In Knabe
Planoi unless they were convinced that the Knabe Is the best piano
and that one cannot go wrong in buying a
KNABE
A select and complete stock of Knabe Pianos may be found at our
warerooms. and an inspection Is respectfully Invited.
Piano of all makes taken in exchange. Time payments If de
sired. Also Planoe for rent. v
KNA1JK CABINET GUAND FOB 4SO.
A- Hospe
ah i !sritKCicnF.Trn ootRRHon.
Farewell Balate to Peanaylvaala'a
Retlrlna- Chief Rxeratlr.
nttsburg Dispatch.
The retirement from the governor's office
of Pennrylvanla to the privacy and ease
with dignity of Sohwenkvllle of bo unlrti
a public character as Samuel W. Penny
packer mu!t not pass without notice of lila
unexampled chsrsoterlstlos. It c.'.n be
averred with confidence that Penn'vlvanl
never hnd a governor llle him before; and
the assertion can be added, perh.ips w tn
less confidence but ccrtilnly buoyed up by
the bright llltmlnns of hore. that we never
shall look upon his like again In that ofTVe.
In the four esr of hi public rerl
Governor I'onnypacker achieved the emi
nence of presenting the most remirl;)hl
plexus of Inconsistencies ever dlsjlayrd be
fore rt dasiled public. Personally honest,
he could torn n blind eve to xonie a mating
exhibitions of political dishonesty while
sternly suppressing othrrs. He snuelched a
scheme r.f influential politicians for a grand
grib of water rights and quietly permitted
an absorption of slMill-ir rights for the
benefit of n great corn iratlon. He Indlc
nHntly renrohated porscnnl denunciation of
pub'.'.e men by the press, but extolled the.
Htntpsmanshlp of a senator who publicly
branded the "dnllar-mnrk" on the fore
heid of a cltlien of Philadelphia and then
made perfect the self-contradiction by ap
pointing the branded cltlxen to in office
of responKllillity under hi administration.
He protested that the advise verdict of
the people In the election of j was
Wave of miKled popular feeling. Hnd made
haste to call the legislature In sprclal ses
sion to redeem the bad record which he
denied.
nut of nil his unique manifestations that
contributed to the Joyousness of p..l'tlcs we
shall always maintain that the climax m
reached when tlfls historical student em
balmed In a state psper the desertion that
In England. In the year of gruce 1S)3. after
Gllray. Wilkes ar.d Francis had had their
day. any one who libeled or e-arlcatimd
public characters "would have been drawn
and (;uartered and his head stuck upon a
polt! without the pates."'
Farewell to Ptiinypacker! The valedic
tory on his official career Is ml com
pletely und tersely expressed by the com
ment of John McDonald Clarke when iwir
nutn hnd Invited him to a private view of
his working model of Niagara Falls: "It's
wonderful! I never saw anything like tt
before and I never want to see nnythlng"
like It agnln."
LIKES TO A LAIMI1.
Jones has given up Scotch and drinks
rye Instead."
"What tor"" . ,
"He said he could stand snakes, but not
plaid on;s." Haiper's Weekly.
He said he would blow his brains out If
I refuhed him."
"Did you accept him?"
"No; 1 knew he rasn't a good eriougtt
shot to carry out his threat." Cleveland
Plain Dealer.
"I tell you. John, many a man never
knew happiness until he was married."
"That Is so, my dear, but on tho other
'"'o) you mean thing!" Washington Times.
"Did your discomfort result from eating
too much preserved fruit?"
"No; I felt all right until I accidentally
lead the confessions on the labels."
Washington Blar.
"He warmed up considerably In his ar
guments." "Yes: hut I think that was partly owing
to the hot air In them." Boston Tran
script. Chlmer I'm surprised that you should
speak so unkindly of Miss Gusch; she
speaks well of you. She was telling ma
that you loaned her a book of your verses
und she thought them lovely.
Klmer ies; so sue tola me, uui wnen sua
returned the book the pages were still
uncut. Philadelphia Press. (
"That Bcroggsby girl Is Very fond of
animals."
uoes sne own nutuy . .
"I should sav so. She hns a canary blrdJ
stuffed crane and a Teddy bear.'-;ClevaS
land Plain Dealer.
"I don't give money to tromps. What
do you do for a living?"
'Please, mum. I work for the 8oclety for
Tsvchlcal Keaoarch."
"Indeed! And what work do you do for
the society, pray?"
I help In the Investigation of material
spirits." Baltimore American.
"Fxtry! Extryl" yelled the newsboy.
"Why, I don't see anything unuauul 1st
this," said tha customer.
"Yes, there la," said the boy. "There a
an unusual scarcity of news. Extryl
Washington Herald.
"The good die young."
"What mnkfl VOU think SO?
"You have paased the middle age, haven't
you?" Houston Post.
"I know a man." averred Vncle Allen
Sparks, "who belongs to six secret societies,
and attends the meetings of all of thorn, in
fact, 1 presume I know him a great deal
belter than his wife does." Chicago Trib
une. Cltlman What's the matter with all you
Swamphurst fellows? You don't seem to
like my friend Backlots.
Sububa No; he's selfish.
Cltlman Oh. come now.
Sububa That's what he Is. A barn near
him caught Are the other night and he put
It out without waiting for the rest of u
members of the Bwamphurst Hobs to reach
the scene Philadelphia Public Ledger.
MY t'ICICOO CLOCK.
I'm smoking my pl,w and blowing rings
The clock ticks on the cuckoo slug
The knell of every hour.
At Intervals a passing car
The nearuy winaow seis
An engine whistles from ut'ar;
it i . i i. . i . . i. ,i.a 1 1 r . L i w , a i n ir
Alls liucn. livivw wii ' " . " -
And marks another hour.
I'm smoking my pipe and blowing rings
And thbugnts come trooping on sephyr
wings.
Ot kindred far away.
The stars send down their gleaming light.
The moon looks from her lofty height,
I hear soft voices of the night;
The clock licks on the cuckoo sings,
An hour has passed away.
No fire In my pipe no circling rings.
But etlll each hour the cuckoo sings,
Quite steadfast as before.
A silence falls o'er all the earth.
Hushed now the Joy of voice and mirth.
Till dawn shall mark the morrow a birth;
Still ticks the clock and softly sings
The cuckoo as before.
FRANK B. THOMAS.
Omaha. January, 1M.
Co.,
1513 Douglas
Street
