Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, January 29, 1907, Page 4, Image 4
HIE OMAHA DAILY BEEi TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 1907. Tiie Omaha Daily Dee FOUNDED BT EDWARD HOSE WATER. VICTOR ROSEWATBR. EDITOR. Enter A at Omaha potofno as second class matter. TERMS OF it'BSCRIPTION. Dally Be (without Ihinday) on T"-!? Dally Bee and Sunday, on yar Pundsy Bm, on year f 25 Saturday Hee, one year 1 DELIVERED BT CARRIER. Dally Fee (Including Bunday), rr wt - ,S Dally Bee (without Sur.day). per WMk-1;-,22 F.venlng Re (without Sundayf. P XI Evening Bee (with--Sunday). V Address complaint of lrrrularttla In a llvery to City Circulating Department. orncEU. Omsria The Bm Building. South Omshs City Hal' Building. Council Bluffs 10 Pearl Street. Chicago 1S40 Cnlty Building. , New Tork-lS Ham Life Ini. tfulldlng. Washington Ml Fourteenth Street. CORRESPONDENCE. Communication! relating to new and edl (oiial matter should be addressed: Omana Bee. Editorial Department. REMITTANCES. Remit by draft, express " P""' 0,!Z' payable to The Bee Publishing Company. Only 2-cent stamps received In payment or nail acrounta. Personal check. "ceP Omaha or eastern exchanges, not acceptea. THE BEB PUBLISHING COMPANY. STATEMENT OF CIRCULATION. State of Nebraska. Douglas County. : Charlc C. Rosewater. general manager of The Bet, Publishing company, be I -ig "u,7 worn, says that the actual number or iuii and complete coplea of The Dally. Morning, Evening and Sunday Pe printed during tn month of December, 1H06. waa a follow. 1 31,870 IT 88,870 1 30,950 '.II 8lTe 1 31.610 II 'Te0 4 31.710 1 31,700 1 31.890 1 31380 I 33,080 I 80,630 10......... 31,760 11 33,160 12 33,060 11 . 31.680 14 31,680 16......... 2,170 1 30,400 ft 33,870 Jl.. 81,630 If 31,800 30,860 14 81,710 31,600 16 33,130 17 31,770 IS 31,610 31,830 10 80,800 II 31,810 Total.. .88,360 Lea unsold and returned coplea.. 8,841 Net total.... 873,149 Dally averag 31,391 CHARLES C ROSE WATER, General Manager. Subscribed In my presence and sworn to before m this Sat day of December, 1906, (Seal.) M. B. HUNQATE, Notary Publio. WHK!I Ol'T OF TOWM. Ssbscrlbcr Irarlnar the city leas, porarlly should have lb Be mailed to tbeaa. Address will be changed as often' aa requested. If It la true that Governor Swetten lam has resigned, the rest ot the country will be. ' The vote In Germany strengthens the conviction that the civilized world la not yet ready for the red flag. . Dorothy Russell, daughter of Lillian Russell, is exhibiting hereditary traits. Bhe has secured her first divorce. Morocco authorities are making every effort to trap Bandit Raisuli. They might try baiting the. trap with a missionary. It worked once with him. Christian scientists may cure j faith, but they are taking no chances on curing the legislature of its an tagonistic hallucinations by the faith method. Chicago ia said to "be harboring 20,000 tramps this winter. Chicago ought to explain whether it la prepar ing for a municipal census or a city election. Unexpected results were shown by the elections in many districts In Ger many. It la evident that Germany has no General Grosvenor to forecast Its elections. Theodore Shonts is still chairman of the Panama Canal commission, but it will be noticed that another Theodore 1b issuing the orders and awarding the contracts. It Is asserted that 1,473 more Phil ippine islands have emerged from the ocean. If so, that will reduce the per Island proportion of that $20,000,000 originally expended. Minnesota would not oppose Uncle Jim Hill's proposition to build 5,000 miles of new railroads if he would agree to locate the terminals of some Of them at producing coal mines. Nothing contained In the report and recommendations of the postal com mission will prevent congressmen from continuing to frank their laun dry and household effects through the mails. ' ' - The fistic'' contests with which Omaha has been celebrating the ad vent of a cowboy mayor are now to be followed by wrestling tournaments. Isn't It pretty near time for another buii fight : ' - It Is doubtful if James McCrea, the new president of . the Pennsylvania railroad, will achieve any great suc cess. ' None of his biographers clalma that be started in the business as a water boy. - The' local democratic organ la al most hUarloua; over , what . It thinks foreshadows; a break between Gov ernor Sheldon and the officers of the republican state organization. Drown ing men grasp at straws. The Omaha grain market haa man aged to get apace In the congressional record, Admission to that staid old Journal' should entitle It to recogni tion by" all the other newspapers when ever the occasion demands. John Sharp Williams denies that he is opposed to Colonel Bryan, but says he waott h I a) laminated on a" plat form' that .wljl insure hU election.. It e difficult' to Tbow 'VilllaniYca'.i' figure out that ho la supporting Br an. PROPOSEDPVSTAL REFORMS. The Joint postal commission, au thorized by congress to Investigate and report ita conclusions on the oper ation of the existing law relative to second-class mail matter and what changes. If aay, should be made, has submitted its report with a number of recommendations that 11 adopted by the congress, will cause at least a radical revision of methods by many of the publications and periodicals that now enjoy the second-class mail privileges. The abuse of this privilege has long been little short 'of a Bcandal In the Postofflce department, but the pres sure brought to bear by publishers of the offending class has thus far pre vented remedial action. The purpose of the commission was to probe these abuses and offer suggestions for leg islation to correct them. Some of the recommendations ot the commission promise relief In this respect, while others appear to be rather far-fetched, or at least based upon an Imperfect understanding ot the methods employed In the modern dally newspaper, that furnishes the bulk of second-class mall. The com mission's recommendation that no newspaper shall print any section or part of its Issue on flaper of a different weight than that used In the main sheet would affect' nearly every daily paper of the nation. Nearly, all news papers, particularly those with Sun day Issues', use a finer quality of paper for their magazine and half-tone sec tions than ia used for the news sheets. This is In response to a mechanical de mand, and the attempt to change It would be as unsatisfactory to the newspaper aa to Ita readers. The recommendation that all inserts of postal cards, cut out pictures and features not Identifiable as a compo nent and necessary part of the paper be prohibited will meet the general approval of publishers who do not need nor desire to resort to such .clap trap methods to secure circulation. The magazines are clearly aimed at in the recommendation of the commis sion that no newspaper or other peri odical shall carry advertisements that occupy more than 50 per cent of the superficial area of any Issue of. such publication. The enactment of the recommendation into law would bar most of the magazines of the day, that carry two or three times as many pages of advertising as of reading matter, from participation In second class mall privileges. It would also reject frcm such privileges many weekly and monthly publications that now use the guise of a news publica tion to circulate advertising matter ot a certain class. In the main, the com mission has apparently aimed to re store the second-class mall privilege to Its original purpose," that of fur nishing a means for disseminating In formation at the lowest possible cost. In order that the people' of the conn try,' through the newspapers and other publications, might be the best ln- formed In the world. Apparently the commission has no desire to restrict the operation of the law except In pre venting abuses that have grown up un der lax enforcement of it. The com mission has made a wise provision, also, In recommending the creation of a postal appeals commission . In the Postofflce department, one of whom must be an experienced publisher and one a lawyer, with final authority to pass upon disputes between the pub lisher and the Postofflce. department. Recommendations are also made for a radical revision of the syBtem of weighing the malls and fixing the compensation of railways for carrying them. These contracts have been a source of trouble for years and re sponsible. In the opinion of many ex perts on the subject, for the heavy de ficits in the postal aervlce. The recom mendations of the commission are, for the most part, in accord with the best opinion of publishers and those enti tled to the benefit of the second-class mall privileges. Thejr enactment, with certain modifications. Into law would, It Is believed, result In a large Increase In the postal revenues by the rejection of publications that should, by their very nature-, be required to pay a higher rate of postage. ALQlll AltD il'KIXLEY. It is unfortunate that a Milwaukee editor, the associate and Intimate friend ot the late- -General Alger, should publish a long-suppressed in terview reflecting bitterly upon Presi dent Mckinley's part In the. general's resignation as secretary of war. The reasons, which were ample, for sup pression since- 190C of. such an obvi ously colored and unfair, version, .are tenfold stronger now that the author is dead. General Alger In hU history of the war with Spain gained some commendation for at least an effort to be fair toward McKJnley, and he cer tainly excluded therefrom the depre ciatory and personal .matter, which now appears in the belated interview.! It would have been incomparably better for the general's memory to have left the subject there, because the attack on McKinley Is a challenge to his friends to set forth emphatically the truth, and the fall truth will, not redound to the credit of his secretary ot war. It is well oQwn that, what the latter stigmatizes in. the post-humous interview as "lack of backbone" waa really McKlnley's excessive kind-, ness. He showed: back none enough In protecting Alger and bf resisting pub lic clamor and tbj' l4altence of Closest friends that he sfcoUld, be ousted from the cabinet. McKinley woufd' have been Justified to refuse, and most presi dents would haw Refused to- smooth so patiently to his own hurt the way for t h secretar $'-. , reU rement , bef ore inr ui in ui nuuiii. , maul. ' The general verdict la sow, as the informed opinion waa then, that the calling of Alger to the head of the War department waa a mistake. He waa not equal to the place. It there had been no outbreak of war at a time when the department had fallen into notorious inefficiency and dis organization, Alger might have gone out as a mere perfunctory secretary. In all the formidable difficulties that developed from utter unpreparedness for an International war a really great executive chief like Ellhu Root would have found only opportunity. The emergency brought humiliation to Al ger and harm to the national Interest, though corruption or evil motive Is not seriously laid to his charge. General Alger had an enviable rec ord aa a fighter In a small cavalry com mand during the civil war; and he la ter achieved notable success In busi ness. The public would now at hla death have been disposed to forget the fiasco of his connection with the War de partment with the same kindness with which McKinley treated him. If this untimely publicity sdoes not prevent this it will be because McKlnley's friends are as forbearing aa Alger's have been indiscreet. THE PUBLIC AbD THE "SALARY ORAB-" While the public press generally ex presses only one opinion of the evasive and underhand methods by which congress has brought about the In crease of the salary of its members from $6,000 to $7,500, and that opin ion is strongly uncomplimentary, there is no sign of such revulsion of sentiment as followed the famous "salary grab" a generation ago. Its especially offensive feature waa the "back pay," the law being retroactive as to more than half the term already expired of the congress which passed it, as well as applying to the future. Public clamor was so great that most of those who voted negatively and even some who voted affirmatively re turned the back pay to the treasury. A great number of the latter were de feated either for renomlnation or re election, and the act was hastily re pealed nine months after Its passage. In the present case the increase ia at least free of this obnoxious pro vision. Public feeling is perhaps also somewhat affected by the higher scale of salaries now in force in private oc cupations, and undoubtedly the cost of living and the expenses customary and in a sense unavoidable for a congress man at Washington and elsewhere by reason of his office are greater now than they were then. But when all possible is said on this side ot the question, there ia manifest a distinct public disappointment and disgust that congress should refuse in such a matter- to take the country into its confidence and trickily contrive to cover the truth of the record. The lose ot dignity and Impairment ot public faith through, such .unworthy methods are greater than the dollar gain to to the authors, even though they hon estly believed themselves entitled to It. DIVKRTIXQ THE SCHOOL FUNDS. The discussion at the last meeting of the Board of Education ot the ap proaching need of another wing to the new high school, for which bonds would have to be voted, serves to call attention to the methods of the board with respect to the erection of school buildings, which are decidedly ques tionable to say the least. The board recently advertised for proposals for the erection of a new Vinton Bchool and rejected all bids be cause the lowest approximated $90,000 and exceeded all the esti mates. The purpose plainly is to un dertake to construct a new school house costing at the lowest $75,000 to $80,000 without submitting a bond proposition to the vote of the people. No such expenditure of school funds is contemplated by the law, which in so many . words prohibits the use of more than $25,000 out of current rev enues for permanent Improvements in any one calendar year. The School board, however, haa repeatedly ex ceeded this limit of $2 5,000 a year In construction work and has also at tempted to whip the devil around the stump by spreading the expenditures for constructing a building costing more than $25,000 over two or more years. The intention of those who framed the law must have been simply to per mit the school board, when It had available funds, to Invest its surplus not over $25,000 In a school Bite and buildings, while buildings costing more than $2 5,000 should be paid tor by the proceeds of bonds on which the people of the school district should have an opportunity to vote "Yes" or "No." The erection ot a $75,000 or $80,000 building piecemeal, paying $25,000 out of funds available in sep arate years, works out in practice to be the expenditure by one school board of money cot yet tn hand or in sight, and the obligation of the suc ceeding board by' its predecessor to carry out plans which it might not ap prove. The Bee does not want to be under stood as opposing the erection of the new Vinton school or ot any school building which may be required to meet the growing demand for school facilities. But it believes that these buildings should be authorized and paid for by the voting of school bonds in the amount required and not by the Illegal diversion of school funds that should be devoted to other purposes. Another hole in the Nebraska in heritance tax law, which ought to be plugged up, relates to the time when the tax becomes due. Under the pro visions of the law the tax ,1s delin quent six months after the death ot the deceased, while the time for filing claims against his estate extends six months after the probate of the will, which is always at least a few days longer. In.6lher words, the inherl-. tance tax Is payable before It Is possi ble to find out definitely how much must be paid.. Either the time before tax delinquency should be extended or the time for filing claims against es tates curtailed. The Civic Federation in Its rejoinder to the answer of the chief of police to the charges filed against htm makes some remarks with reference to the lawless example Bet by the members of the police board, themselves, which border close upon lese majeste. If a lpyer filed a document like that in a case triable before Judge Sutton we would expect contempt proceedings, it not a disbarment commission. a All three of the political parties In Nebraska republicans, democrats and populists alike made platform pledges last year to abolish free passes, to enact statewide primary nominations and to give the people relief from oppressive passenger and freight rates. Under such conditions there is no possible excuse for draw ing party lines in the legislature on any of these measures. An Indiana man has secured a di vorce, with the provision that he may not marry anyone but his former wife until thirty years from the date of the decree. Rulings of that kind would have a tendency to check the divorce evil almost aa materially as a decree preventing a divorced man from mar rying anyone younger than his first wife. ' The Young". Woman's Christian as sociation Is starting out to complete its building fund for the new home it is about to erect in this city. There are hundreds of people in Omaha well able to contribute to this worthy ob ject who have not yet done bo and who should respond voluntarily with out further -urging! ' No mayor and council should have the power to issue bonds and use the proceeds for current expenses. The issuing of bonds, except to renew ma ture obligations, should not be author ized unless by vote of the people, and then only for permanent improve ments not properly paid for out of current revenues. ,;. Iowa Bblons are up against the same proposition . which ' besets our Ne braska law-makers, namely, requisi tions from state institutions far in ex cess of all possible state revenues. The only thing to do in such cases la to use the pruning knife, and to use it vigorously. Sir William Crpokes promises . to cheapen food by tmrrrse of nitrates ex traeted-frorn the 3Jr. ' ' That- sounds good, but the consumer will probably have to spend his savings In getting air from which the nitrates have not been extracted. Young Mr. Rockefeller has told his Bible class that the country will be all right If the young men will only look out for the pennies,' He still has'con fldence, apparently, that Father Rock efeller will be able to look out for the dollars. A Legal Necessity. , Minneapolis Journal. Some lawyers are opposed to the elimina tion of technicalities aa a basis of appeal in criminal cases. Of , course. What would the legal profession amount to without Its dearly beloved technicalities? Material for Defensive Purposes. . New York Tribune. The United States, according- to the War department's figures has 13,CO0,COO men available for military service. But let us hope that we shall always have better uses for them than turning them Into soldier. Vn warranted Indlarnatlon. Baltimore American. After all, the senate need not b so In dignant at being called a minstrel show. It can be said for the latter shows that they are always popular, and that as a rule they glv the people their money's worth. ' Roosevelt's Bsepess. Pittsburg Gazette, Meanwhile It Is still true that not In our day have we had In th White House a man who, single-handed and a,lone, could fight I quite as gallantly and, with as unvarying ! success against great odds aa Theodore Roosevelt! ' Gotham's Tribute to Art. New York Evening Post. In time past we allowed our musicians, philosophers and inventors to starve and die unrecognized. Last night thousands of dollars were raised for a public benefactor who has fallen on evil ways. Hut he was a prize fighter! So Different, , t'o-a Kaow. Chicago Record-Herald. Evidently the German have a good deal to learn about higher civilisation and po litical freedom. They have Just had a gen eral election with no policemen on duty at the polls and not a shooting affray or a stabbing case anywhere. Hard Crack at the Croakers. Baltimore American. The current prosperity has deprived the professional pessimists of many . of their favorite themes for walling, but the fact that congress has declined to give an ap propriation to the new Industry of raising frogs ought to supply some material for the croakers. Get D'Gravcs' Tooth Powder. Use it twice-a-daj and you will have white teeth, hard gumr clean mouth, pure breath, good digestion and good health. Just -k your dentist about it. ' Is kae'T bmM cw sr WUUi, Ih. Dr Graves Toolh Powder Co. BITS OF -WAlllttTO LIFE Mlanr treses and Incidents Sketched osi the Spot. Tresident Roosevelt's messages to con gress. In number and variety, leaves all former records away -on the back benches. The total for this session to date, regular and special, Is twenty-six. Bo far results of presidential recommendations have not been In proportion to the energy and In dustry of the president. Individuals move quickly, grent bodies hesitate and feel their way. A correspondent of the Boston Transcript says the house of representa tives "gets along more with the president than does the senate. It still has greater respect for his recommendations, and through Its committees will continue to give them due consideration. Speaker Can. non and the president do not always agree as to whnt should be done, but the speaker still shows a disposition to listen attenta tlvely to every suggestion from the White House. "Apparently the senate does not Intend to pay the slightest attention to the numer ous messages the president has sent to It since this session began. It has listened to their reading respectfully, has properly re ferred them, and that ends It. It means to rely on Its own Judgment from this time on, senators say privately. Every observer of the trend of events about congress must realize that If the president were not so strong with the people the senate would undertake to 'teach him a lesson.' The quiet talk about 'clipping his wings' has been going on for years, but when an op portunity comes to do the clipping senators remember how strong the president Is with their constituents and decide to put oft the clipping business until another day. Long ago there would have been a fight between the senate and the president If the chief executive had not had the support of the people. "The president, of course, has been ac quainted all the while with the attitude of the senate toward him, and yet he has gone right ahead as If he believed he had the loyal co-operation of the body. He has never shown any coldness toward those republican senators who were plotting to embarrass him. When they call at the White House he tells them frankly what he thinks should be done, and If they show a disposition to argue with him he goes In for argument. Unquestionably there are members of the senate who hoped and ex pected that constant nagging would cause him to lose his temper, but he has disap pointed them on this snore. While the senate Is looking for a way to discredit htm he continues to insist that certain legislation shall be enacted. He will not relax his fight for the passage of the bill lowering the duties on Philippine products entering the United States; he still Insists that the senate shall pass the bill confer ring citizenship on the Inhabitants of Porto Rico; ha tells senators dally he cannot understand why the body does not pass his bill giving the government the right to ap- j peal on questions of law In criminal cases, and he Is Insistent that the government shall continue to build battleships and big ones at that. The Benate has abundant cloak room courage, but It dodges a fight in the open with the president." Nicholas Longworth, an honorable law maker from the state of Ohio, and Sher man Boutell, an honorable law-giver from the state of Illinois, were discussing the origin of the expression, "He handed me a lemon." It was a very learned discussion. Bou. tell insisted that it came from the song about the fruit In the garden of love. In which one of th men drew a lemon. Long worth was more cautious. It was evident that what he most desired was to draw out the Illinois man-And get his Ideas with out Imparting many of his own. At first Boutell was enthusiastic In the discussion and gave out ideas as fast as William Jen nings Bryan ever produced words. Finally he noted the fact that he was not getting anything In return. That made him sus picious, "Say, Nick," said the Illlnolsan, "have you been commissioned by the White House to find out where It originated, op Is It merely your own curiosity T" Longworth protested that he waa doing it for himself alone and that, notwith standing the black battalion episode, he would talk to Foraker and George B. Cox about the expression before he made an end of his Inquiry. Frogs are responsible for the abolition of the biological survey of the Agricul tural department, which spends annually about J6RO.00O. When the appropriation for It waa reached In the agricultural bill the committee wanted to know exactly what the biological survey was. "It Is now engaged In establishing a new Industry," one member of the committee answered. "What Is this new Industry that has been going on at $50,000 a year?" Representative Lamb of Virginia asked. "It is studying the zones In which frogs are most prolific, in what kind of water they prefer to live, and how they can be raised," Representative Brooks told him. "It doesn't take any $60,000 8 year for me to tell where frogs live and In what kind of water," Mr. Lamb said. "What does this government care whether frogs should be kept Indoors in cold weather and fed from a silo or left to run loos and forage?" "But the frog Industry bids fair to be an Important one," Representative Brook In sisted. "Frogs' legs are a delicacy served at restaurants." "Only Frenchmen eat frog legs," In sisted South Trimble of Kentucky, "and I'm opposed to raiding frogs for our French population. If they must have frogs let 'em bring 'em with 'em. It's clas dis crimination." 'I've eaten frog legs and found them mighty good," Chairman Wads worth said. "Well, I wouldn't tell It," Scott Field of Texas interrupted. "Frog legs are articles of commerce," Representative Hasklns of Vermont said. "They ar taxed tn the Dingley bill as dressed poultry at I cents a pound." "If that's all the tax there Is on them th frog industry should be (topped," Mr. Lamb said. "W can raise all th frog the people can eat la the Dismal swamp In Virginia." A majority of the committee agreed with Mr. Lamb and the appropriation was not put in. It Is said with authority that Congress man Wadsworth, who for twenty years ha been a member of the house from the Oeneseo district In New York, has defi nitely mad up his mind to retire from all active participation In politics with the expiration of his present term next March. Apparently this veteran legislator's defeat by Peter Porter has crushed his ambition longer to serve his district in Washington and it Is said that h Is anxious to step aside and make room for his promising son. James W. Wadsworth, Jr., who Is now speaker of the house at Albany and whos wife Is a daughter of th lata John Hay. Young Wadsworth Inherlta much of his father' taste, and temperament. Th Kspirt Slat. ' New York World. One good reaaon why New York Is n- tltled to be called the Bmplre Stat Is found In th report of the commissioner of edu cation just transmitted to the legislature. It shows that ilS.tJU,0J0 was expended on ele mentary schools, li.Uiu.Wju In teachers' sal aries, lu.is i In school libraries. There ar 1.812,114 children in attendance at th pub lic schools, and It costs on an avra IK.S0 a year to cducat Uieio. , The United States Government Report SHOWS Royal Baking Powdor of maximum strength, pure and hoalihful HOVAl BAKINO POWMR CO., MEW VORK. Nebraska rnmn commkst. Schuyler Free Lance: If Mickey would look over our exchanges and see the edl torlal opinions expressed as to hltn he would not think he was such a wonderful governor after all. Grand Island Independent: Ex-Governor Mickey is quoted as saying that If the Ixird will only forgive him, he will never run for office again. . It Is fclated In but We hesi tate to quote the. scriptures to Mr. Mickey, Pierce Call: The first thing Judge Boyd should do after donning his congressional suit is to pry off the lid In Thurston county and see what's rotten on the Winnebago reservation. Those high minded reform ers (?) down there at Pender certainly wouldn't object to A little house-cleaning. Kearney Hub: -At the recent meeting of the Formers' Co-operative Grain and IJve Stock association at Lincoln it was charged that the Omaha grain market Is dlscrlml nateil against in favor of other markets by means of false gradlngs, and It is proposed to investigate the matter with a view to Improving the Nebraska home market. Omaha is growing as a grain center and, with an equal show In the matter com plained of, would undoubtedly within a few years become the leading grain market In the west, with a vast Increase of elevator facilities and the creation of an Important milling Industry. Fremont Tribune: The Nebraska supreme court has Just rendered a decision that may prove valuable for those who are In sisting on Mr. Roosevelt standing for another term. The statutes of this state provide that no county treasurer shall hold his office more than two consecutive terms. In Saline county Treasurer Bowlby was first appointed to the office. He has been twice elected since and his contestant for the place In bringing suit maintained that he was on his third term. The court held that he Is serving on his second term and that the term for which he was appointed was not a legal term. There Is no law ex cept the unwritten law with respect to pres idents. In the light of the Nebraska decis ion it can only be claimed that Mr. Roose velt has had one term. This precedent may come handy and should not be overlooked. PERSONAL, AND OTHERWISE. Newspaper paragraphers cheerfully turn from Swettenham to the uplift of art In Omaha. Another uprising Is threatened In Cuba. A distinguished general has been fined for promoting a cock fight. . , - - A member of the Missouri legislature makes a strong bid for a hero medal by persistently refraining from Introducing bill. One of the conundrums now perplexing inquisitive minds is why Washington weather Is not dried UP by the hot air so abundantly on tap. Governor Vardaman of Mississippi Inti mates that a man of his size and vocal capacity would cut a large swath on the tall of the Bryan ticket In 1908. New York undertakers, following the example of the Ice men, propose to raise the price of tholr goods to discourage con sumption. Surely this should make life worth living in, the metropolis. Justice takes a spurt In Ohio occasion ally and soaks a sinner enthusiastically. A life sentence tor a man who stole a side of bacon Is the latest proof of what Buckeye courts can do to a crook without a pull. As a means of reducing th mortality record in Massachusetts a bill has been Introduced In the state legislature requir ing hotel and lodging house keepers to equip their establishments with automatic extinguishers. It is reported in knowing quarters that the warmth of the gulf stream now lapping the Atlantic coast has been increased sev eral degrees by the exclamations tossed overboard by Admiral Evans when he heard from Swettenham. States are ungrateful. Ther is Minne sota, for Instance. Magnate Hill desired to Irrigate bis stock with som of the surplus waters of the state, but the state objected, fearful lest the precious fluid would be piped Into th dividend tank of th ast. The senate of Massachusetts resolved to exclude lobbyists from the floor of the senate and also from the cloak room, read ing room and corridor. There are many places in Boston outside of the capitol where business may be transacted without batting the eye of the sacred codfish. In the Name of Sense. that good common sense of which all of us have a share how can you continue to buy ordinary soda crackers stale and dusty as they must be when for 50 you can get Uneeda Biscuit fresh from the oven, protected from dirt by a package the very beauty of which makes you hungry NATIONAL BISCUIT COMPANY 0F CAISE OF CAR SHOHTAC1B. Tricks of the Trade Is the orthr4 Hrouaht I nder the l.laht. Pittsburg Dispatch. Testimony In the Harrlman merger hear ing at Seattle discloses the Northwestern equivalent for the eastern system of dis tributing cars to those concerns which knew where to distribute their stork to thn best advantage. Charles K. Pstton, president of a lumber company, was testifying tn cases' ot discrimination that had come under his notice. Asked by Commissioner Lane to account for the discrimination, he replied that he supposed somebody was "buying cars." Further examination brought out that the common salutation among lumber men was "What Is the price of cars to day?" the price running from tl to IS a car paid to railroad employes. Mr. Pat to a said that when he Issued orders that no more cars should be bought by his com pany they did not get the cars. Thus the northwest, In Its direct, blunt way, has reduced the eastern rlroumlocu tlon to dollars and cents. Instead of In teresting railroad men in seeing that car were supplied to companies In which they had received stock the northwest cuts out all subterfuge and buys what It wants. The principle Is, of course, exactly th same, but the effete east Insists upon cov ering the transaction with th veneer ot stock transfers where th bluff west eomos down to business at the Jump. In each case the man or company who refuse to be held up has to suffer, the stockholders lose In order that their employes may profit, and the public pays the freight through the power of monopoly thus established. WHITTLED TO A POINT. "I would dearly love to be married secretly," said the romantic girl. "Hut you know the divorce couldn't be kept secret," resronded the man, being of common clay, and, albeit, having- cut his eyeteeth. Philadelphia Ledger. "Miss Bright refused to marry me last night." ' Too bad, old man!" ' "Oh, I don't care. I wouldn't want to marry a girl with such a lack of good sens, anyway.' Denver Poat- "It Is deplorable to see the way Ameri can millionaires are buying our works at art," said one European dealer. "Yes," answered the other, "and the worst of It Is that we are occasionally so careless ss to let one get away that Is genuine," Washington Star. "Be sure you're ahead "Well?" "Then Jump the gam." Louisville Courier-Journal. Languid Launcelot (with a grievance against society) You get a great deal more out of life than I do. Btrenuous Stephen I ought to. I put a great deal mor Into It. Chicago Trib une. Correspondont How much do you want about the erection of a pillar in the new square? Editor It ought to make a rood column story. Baltimore American. Rtlnlnv fnlnvlnr hnit "rwll . - " J. 1 ......... 11VW, what do you think of that cigar?" ...".... . . " n r .i a.nn length): "Well r-in't you first send ur who nui vi Tne room on soma pre text or other? " Catholic Standard and Times. THE RAILROAD FIREMAN. 8. El Klser In th Record-Herald. With tireless hands he' feeds th coal In the thundering monster's maw. And hour by hour he trust his soul to th God whom he never saw. And hour by hour his life depends on th care of the other man Who, scanning the track where It slopes or bends, keeps vigil as best he can. Swiftly the miles go flitting away as th tireless monster speeds, And bravely he labor" - s best he may, giv ing the food It needs. And if dangers rise wo..e his eyes are dim as he looks In the llery glsre, H must trust to the skill and the car of him who watches beside him there. III. He may not alt with his arms at rest and watch for the danger sign, He may only hope that they do their beat who are guarding along th line; Hour by hour hi work Is don and hour by hour hla fat Deends on the care and the call of on who may glv him th word too lata. IV. The hiss of steam Is the sweetest song that ever he hears or knows. And In every throb as they rush along th worth of hi tolling shows; With tireless hands he feeds the coal In th thundering munster'a maw. And hour by hour he truts his soul to th God whom ha never saw. f4 It!