TILE OMAHA DAILY BEE: MONDAY. FEBRUARY 18, 1007.
II
Tim- Omaha Daily Belv
FOUNDED tlT EDWARD ROSE'.VATEtV
VICTOR RiSE WATER, EDITOR.
Entered at Oftiab.a postofflce ootid
clftna matt4. .3
, i
t termp "on jscbscription.
Dellv B wltnnu. Sunday) one year $4 00
lH arid fcumlny, one year .00
Pun liny B". oue rear 2 f0
Saturday ltV. Bnl.'ynir I. DO
iDELlVEKD BY CARRIER.
DatlBee (Influ-lln Sunday), per week ISc
Dallr Bee twltflnut Kunriay), per week 10r
fcveulng Bee (without Sunday), per week. 8o
Evening Bee T1th Sunday), per week 10c
Address complaints of Irregularities In
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Correspondence.
Communication-delating to news and
editorial mileT.'-should be sddressod:
'Omaha Bee, Editorial Department.
REMITTANCES.
I Remit by'drnf. express or poatal order,
I payable to Thw'Be Publishing -Compnhv.
Only 2-cent st a rtip received In pay merit-ff
mall account . .personal check. except on
Omaha or eastern exchanges, not accepted.
THE BEE FUBUSHINQ COMPANY.
8TATEMEHT OF CIRCCLATION.
State: of Nebraska, Douglas County, aa:
Charles C. Hosswater, (reneral manager
of The Bee Pilbllsritng company, being riulr
worn, says tnat tbwactual number of full
nd complete capias -of The Dally, Morning,
Evening- and Sunday. Bee printed during the
month of January, 1907, ai as follows:
l........,'.30;fKHI
17
II
81,970
31,080
81.T80
30,300
31.800
aa,o5o
I ...... . 33(480 .
I... '-.91419 A
... 81,840 "
I... 8i.ee
SO.C0O ,
f .i,9no j ...
,83,800 J J
X: ,89 !
10. 32,040
II 31,870
II 38,090
It 30,400
14 31,730
II.
A
ii.
ii.
It.
24.
II.
,31,640
.31,780
.31,709
f"
It 31,830
17 30,300
II 31,630
It 31,650
10 31,390
18.
II.
81.630 41 31,i
.7 . 33,180, ' '1 "
Total . 4 . . . .. l.K-1 .883,'
,630
480
Less unsold and returned copies.
6,134
Net total 673,846
Dally average 31,388
CHARLES C. ROSE WATER,
General Manager.
Subscribed In my presence and sworn
J0 before methla; aiJnajr Of. January,
(Seal) ROBERT " HUNTER, .
v Notary , Public.
WHEM OUT OF TOWN.
Babarrlbera leaving the rlty tem
' porarlly ahoald have The Bee
mailed to them. Addreaa will be
" aa oftca aa reqaested.
Omaha 'cad ('tt1 alonit Wry- nicely
without a street car s(,rik9.
t
The chfef Thirfthafthe newly pro
poaed primary election bill needs la an
editor to boll It down.
k The Pulajane tribes have burned
I two t more towns. General Leonard
I Wood must be asleep at the switch.
It is high time .I'that .Annual an-
nouncement that the bicycle Is going to
be more popular than ever next sum
mer.
A debate is on as to who is the poor
est senator- in Washington. It is a
difficult question now. Senator Clark
of Montana was.. .
Senator Bailey Is evidentiyJ mTghtv
well acquainted In'iTfal. '11$. knows
the men he may call liars without pro
Toklng a gun play.
There were 1,362 volumes of fiction
printed in this country last year, not
counting (the democratic congressional
campaign text book.
The Dutch Parliament has rejected
the appropriation for the support of
the army. The Dutch must take this
peace talk seriously
Another genuine Stradlvarius violin
has been ''found' Ini Wow'YorR. " The
factories making genuine Strads must
be working overtime.
A scheme of storage reservoirs
onght to be popular right now in the
flooded districts of the upper Loup
and the lower Platte.
Japanese in Honolulu are demanding
the right to engage in the saloon busi
ness, Just , to show that they are' no
better than white meq.. . ,
Japanese authorities, .pre not ksatls
fled with the immigraUon bill pending
In congress. The Japs seem determined
to act like the democrats.
"War is vicious," says Senator Bev
crtdge of Indiana. General Sherman's
definition was three letters shorter
and three times as forceful.
Mr,k Twain "has' adopted a dress suit
made of white broadcloth. Mark evi
dently does not intend to accept any
Invitations to social functions in Pitts
burg. Some legislature may yet make It
self famous by passing a law prohib
iting 'the plumber from charging time
yntllet he goes back to the shop after
him tiols. f " 4 . -': j"
Jeff1- Davis of Arkansas says he will
6how ,the United States senate it can
not bluff him. HftIIl be lycky Jf'h3
senats does noi'sbt4r hini how it can
ignore him. M t-
Mr.j Rockefeller will doubtless give
up trying to satisfy the people. He Is
being censured almost as severely for
letting go of his mosey as. he was for
holdlag on to It. ' "
The Omaha Commercial club can 'be
a helpful and useful institution for
Omaha, but ita, usefulness tlll.uer.er
be lnci eased by" making it aHender'to
a railroad loccjuotlve. ' ' j
j 'I L! l'
It 16 said to be a part of Ambassa
dor liryco'a duty to make thJg country
bettet known to England. He'reiakl
put new and revised edition of "The
American Commonwealth" on the Eng
lish aook stalls.
rr.J tr.yr rASSKXQXBjzA&Xi.-..
OMAHA, Feb. 17. 11?.-To tlia Editor of
The Bee: Where do you stand on the
J-cent paaseojrer fare bill? 1 hava notj sef
anything In your editorial rolumna c
thla subject, fchk'h la now excB, so mu
dlac
union. I bell IMTh lae would
apeak
ik out It waafH hevef e4isldf rsl'e
fluence with' fie memlxf
xs l.f the Scal-
lsture. 4
The BeS has already ipoken out er-
eral tiroes on thla subject. Referring
to the increasing demand Tub reduced
passenger fare In Nebraska two weeks
go, we said that "the necessity for a
reduction Is folly realized by Ahe legis
lature, the only 'open questions being
how far, and In what way." In the
same article we reviewed and ex
plained the -varloua plans, prpposed.
Including a flat 2 tent' rat, a .1 -tent
rate with power in the railroad com
mission to increase the same on a
showing where not compensatory, a
2 M -cent rate with power . In the. .com
mission try'jednce aVa showing, une.re
more than compensatory, end still fur
ther a graduated rate according to
the average receipts per mile. We at
that time added:
Whatever plan should be finally adopted
for Nebraska, the legislature should not
make the mistake of promulgating- an In
flexible rate without provMlruttaome means
of adjusting; it by revlejv or appeaji to. the
peculiar conditions that may" exist oK. par
ticular llnea or roads. I'nlesa this la done
the whole law will be In danger of being
upset In the courts to which the railroads
will have no. hesitancy In appealing.
The -position, ot The Bee ip'n. this duea
tion has not changed. The "flefe 1 tiot
In favor of a flat 2-cent rate unleKS
coupled with a provision permitting of
adjustment to varying corditlou. of
branch lines and small ioaJ.. Iiecai'se
without Jhls provisloa the' lr-.wovM
be in'too great danger of JudlcttU bhI
llfleatlon. The Bee would favoV a"lnw
establishing a S-centnla.xlmA, sill-"
Ject to Increase not' to exceed! 3 cents
upon proper showing by t'ae railroads
lacfore the, state rallroad omnvilonj.
and subject also to reduction below
2. cents oa,proper -ehowljrlW" nij 'JiK
sen.- This-1 plan-would-it the" ' 2-ct?iilf
n axlmum Into effect--at-one-f the
great bull 'ot passenger j traiie,,,!! Nft J(
braska, If not for all of It. ''and the
Lrailroads would be able to makMeuc-
ce&sful showing for a raise in only a
very few. cases." On the olaV" h'Bdhe
people would be In position, should
put population and railroad, fravli Con
tinue to grow, to force still further re
ductions wlth-jut 'ligaln -(fllangng,' Jhe
law.
i ': . - .j , .
THE BAtLKY iNVESTtQATIOSfiOj ;
The Texas' systom of' electing" a
United States senator "under grave
charges and investigating yiem. after
ward Is ' not working out '-more' 'satis
factorily for Senator Bailey himself
than for the people of the state. With
his election certificate in his pocket,
the investigation goes on, "and . it . has
no been" 'Vermftted;'td labp'fe ,'lnjto ' .(
mere form. Not -only has he to face
the old evidences of suspicious-relations
to Standard OH .and other tor.
yuraiiviio, wnicu uau yrutcu du unuiag-
Ing. to him aa a public character, but
,ijap,y' new and equally orioii6 'specifi
cations arq .being producedj.eyety one
of which reqnires explanktlonapology
and disproof., . ..'......-..-...-.
The rtirrtiTlatlve effect -bears) haivllv-
against Bailey because'-ni" does np'tl
sqnarely meet the l38ueow "that the
Investigation is on, aiiy more than
when he and hia friends staved It off
till after he was securely landed In his
peat In the senate. What' he' nasmdohe
has been a series of (: aegatjojaal
threats of assault and battery' ngaitist
witnesses who have, gljrnlncrjmj
nating testimony or agftJJi.lB.xisr'.s
and persons bringing them forward.
On a 1 alf dozen occasions within the
last. two or. three week,B.aUejfJ..hA8
thus yelled "Liar!.".apdttenipledw atJ
nt.ude'prelonse of gttei(ipM;rAnl.
vfolenc-e, . without, however, meeting
the real, polat, which j foarse la ia
truth of the charges ftgajlnhlrdj
"This melodrama has been over
utralned, 'and'the net result- has-been
to deepen the. unfavorable jmpresslon
that had tetn created 'befrji Vhe rVxaa
lelMaluro.met. . The p)ea,of partisan
and sectional antmosjty whleQI3alley
suaaent.nl when incriminating rumors
wero first Inuited no longer serves.
The tide-rif donbt anff 'ronderaHatloh
has 'suicJlly 'rUeu jrV.'hU, 9'jl Btjwp,!
amort ,his own former' friends" and'
iuttiaana. A" l' "-?.". "PSPBJ1?
protestation without the backing of
facts ai6. vain to Ptop .l.t-aad, ttis
quertioiir whether he eon Id now be
elected If the UtvestlgatkAn bd pre
ceded the action of the legislature.' '
"AKORetlifr, tbo cwe-4s-firll -of-slg-nlBor;e
!,oI llu-,, hlRher .standar'' 'Re
quired in the i'ubllo"ervlee and of
the increasing actlonpuhllcjien
tlment, especially with reference to
corporation Influence and connections,
l and It Is safe to say nviewjot the
Eailey casy that hereout- Jn rase of
doubt election ce'rUffcitte will not be
given on mere faith In the Ixne Star
state. . .
- j. i f ;
It Omaha Is to reachv the-coveted
200,000 population nirk by 1910 It
must. In addition (o brlfigliig about
consolidation of Omaha and South
Omaha, keep after new factories. The
prime 'basis of 1 population' "growth Is
employment for wage workers Wage
earners in turn' rtnl' houses for their
families, buy food and clothing, and
circulate their money generally. among
local trades people. . '
'' la binding up Omaha' as amanu-!
nate between any part of the com
munity, It would beJust as inipor
t&utf:fo ;"iU'de(Hof new -feieera
at South Omaha to work up the by
awotUioia VUetiitildukry!.
ready there aa to start a new mill In
Omaha-lo- staady the grain market
here with a demand for local consump
tion. As has been pointed out, the
natural direction for manufacturing
activities, at this point lie along the
tranBforjr.atlin jnlo finished products
of the ra materials of the farm and
ranthUhal nsty'rally flod this a", mar
ket outTet. "Success Is fairly assured
for Industries drawing their raw ma
terials close at hand without long car
riage or heavy freight expenses and
selling the output at comparatively
close range, where they would hare
the better of outside competitors.
The steady growth of business
everywhere and the Increasing de
mand for all sorts pt manufactured
articles arid food products s forcing
the enlarged facilities to supply
them. No point in the western, coun
try is better situated than Omaha to
take care of new, factories designed to
Buppfyr western" trade, and with rea
sonable effort" and co-operation on the
part of pgr public spirited cjtlr.ens,
Omatia's 1 list of Important manufac
turing Institutions should receive note
worthy additions during the present
year.
' TH'K JaPASUSE AXD IMMIGRATION'
'' The Imm'lgraflon bill in conference
since the last session of congress has
finally been passed by the senate, and
Its acceptance assured in the house,
a'.ihough the provisions contained in
tne original measure have been .made
incidental to a clause promising a
peaceful solution of the Japanese labor
and school questions which have been
causing bo much' trouble on the Pa
cific coast, ! The California delega
tion in congress. backed-by a com
mittee of the San Francisco Board of
Education, , has been in Washington
for several weeks endeavoring to agree
with the administration upon a plan
tit settling, i he -Japanese question so
tnr as It affects the schools of San
t Francisco and the labor question on
the Pacfftt ' coast. ' ' 'V .' ' " '
,At the suggestion of Secretary of
State Root the delegation finally
agreed to secure the rescinding of the
order for oriental schools in San Fran
cisco If congrebs would enact legislation-
excluding ' foreigners who use
their passports to sccire admission
to -the United States "to the detriment
of labor conditions In this country."
7 he senate, after a debate of several
days, has accepted this amendment to
the immigration bill, which now goes
to the hong' with every assurance of
.meeting favorable action. The effect
.of .the amendment will be to give the
president power to exclude Japanese
or other tfartign laborers from the
United States at his discretion.
. , While Agreeing oh the clause aimed
directly at the coolie labor Immigra
tion, the conference committee has
Web,' compelled to abandon one. of the
chief sources of contention between
the- house and the senate, the amend
ment providing ..fpr.j an educational
test ibv Immigrants." whfle a compro
mise was . reached on the Increase of
U.e head tax from 2 to ISby pMacihg
It at $4.. The, opposition to the ad
mission ' of illiterate . Immigrant is
overcome by the fact that the children
of, these foreigners have always been
utck to ln.r.iove themselves through
the 1 educational advantages offered
here, relieving any serious danger of
Increased Illiteracy of the country by
(he admission of foreigners. The rais
ing, of the hnd tax, in our opinion,
finds small warrant. The United
States does not need to "resort to such
methods of increasing Its revenue, par
ticularly at the expense of . people of
such limited means as the immigrants,
and for-any -other purpose the tax Is
worthless.
Other amendments proposed to the
jaw: have been held up, pending the
investigation authorized in the com
promise bill by a commission to be
appointed to go into the whole qaee
tlon;of immigration and to report to
some subsequent session of congress.
Perhaps this Is the best disposition of
the vexed problem of immigration that
can be made at this time. With an in
sistent; and growlpg. demand for la
borers in every branch of commercial
and Industrial activity In, the country,
congress Is wise in refusing to require
qualifications In an immigrant other
than honesty, energy, health, Industry
and a determination to adopt the
American aplrtt and support our In
stitutions. flKVr.VO AN OLD TRICK.
' 'Congressman Overstreet of Indiana,
chairman of the house postoffice com
mittee, has uttered a timely protest,
ra the course of the debate in the
house against attempts being made to
stampede the congress from following
the recommendations of the commit
tee for a radical reduction in the allowance-
for railway transportation of
niall. for the "ensuing fiscal year. The
protest was calle'4 outby the" discovery
that many members of the house were
j being deluged with telegrams, presum
ably from constituents-, asking that no
reduction be made In the appropria
tion for mail transportation ; and al
leging that such reduction would Im
pair the postal service and cause the
railroad companies to reduce the num
ber of trains to the detriment of the
public, service.
. "There has not been a telegram re
ceived by the members of this house,"
said Mr. Overstreet, "from a business
concern or a commercial body that has
not been prompted by the railroads,
and for one I refuse to be stampeded
bythelr threat -or deflected by-their
entreaties." This declaration simply
grea voice tOj 9. conviction which must
tiaWWA Mi by most of his col
leagues. . This plan of manufacturing
'tublitv sentiment Is not new and many
attempts have been made to influence
congress by It. The scheme has boen
worked upon legislatures and munici
pal councils, In the form of telegrams,
letters and petitions, ' nearly always
emanating from the headquarters of
the railroad company or other corpo
rate Interest that would be most seri
ously affected by the legislation under
consideration. 80 common has the
practice become that all large corpo
rations now have regularly established
systems of procuring this brand of
pressure from business concerns and
commercial bodies. They have Tarried
the process to such an extent that
legislative committees are continually
suspicious of all forms of telegraphic
and petition protests that do not bear
prima facie evidence of genuineness.
The railroads, accepting Mr. Over
street's charges as true, are playing
for a big stake In the bill now pending
In congress. For the fiscal year ending
June AO, 1907, the government has
provided for the payment of over
$41,000,000 to the railroads for car
rying mall. Investigations have been
held, with a resultant showing that
the amount Is largely In excess of a
reasonable compensation, and the
pending bill provides for a reduction
of nearly $5,000,000, with a promise
of further reduction at future ses
sions. In the course Of the hearings
the railroads were tot able to refute
testimony offered showing extrava
gance in the use of this appropriation,
and evidently they are now attempting
to prevent the Iors of this large sum of
money by bringing pressure, through
hints of discontinued trains and im
paired mall service, upon members of
the congreaa. The plan, however, has
lost ,lt8 effectiveness through being
overworked and congress will doubt
lesfe also heed Mr. Overstreet'a warning
and refuse to be stampeded. "
If the Nebraska supreme court will
only declare that fre6 house rent for
the governor Is not a perquisite
within the meaning of the constitu
tion, the way may be opened to an
swer the demands, of all the office
holders who protest that . the salaries
fixed for them by the constitution
framers have become utterly Inade
quate. This would open the way, too,
without submitting a constitutional
amendment to the people for their
ratification as is usually done when
the constitution Is to be changed.
The complaint that our British
cousin lacks the sense of humor has
its exceptions. In the recent world'B
postal congress at Rome, Great Britain
lost two votes through Its acquisition
of the Dutch republics in South Africa
and gained one voteby the segregation
of the . postal administration Of New
Zealand from that 6f the rest of Aus
tralia. And yet the British govern
ment officially.' congratulates itself on
this notable achievement..
v-,., ' ; . . - ...... v ..
Railroad men .Vty litfyear were
denouncing thei usurpation of congress
in undertaking lofegula.te interstate
traffic are how-6penly expressing the
wish that congress could regulate
Intrastate, traffic as well and -relieve
them of the necessity of dealing with
forty-five separate law making bodies
In that many different states.- As adept
rapid change artists the railroad bunch
should be in demand for' the vaude
ville! staae.j
Mike Harrington's Public Ownership
of Railroads league Is eald to be buBy
organizing .brancheV In various parts
of Nebraska that re to servo as the
bridge to take its members over into
the column of Bryanf supporters. Har
rington, however, presumably contin
ues to call himself a' populist "for the.
good of the cause.'.'
The Minnesota Editorial association
has resoluted in favor of the eviction
of Third Assistant Postmaster General
Madden from President Roosevelt's
official household.. ' It ia to be hoped
the Nebraska editors'; when they meet
here the coming week, will be more
solicitous of Mr, Maiden's tender feel
ings. .. ,'"
President Baer of the Reading rail
road says the government has no
right to do more than "prevent un
reasonable discriminations" In rail
road rates. . The shjpper will persist
In claiming that any discrimination
against him comes under the "un
reasonable" classification. -
The banquet of the Iowa society of
New York at the Waldorf Astoria sug
gests the possibility that Nebraska
may some day contribute sufficiently
to the population of Wall street and
Fifth avenue to pull off a Nebraska
banquet in the gilt room of some high
priced New York hotel.
Announcement is made that the new
fixture factory to be located In Omaha
la the only one west' of the Missouri.
This conflicts with the general Impres
sion that a fixture factory is in opera
tion in each 6f the ' state capitals of
the west. ;
That halt yearly Q per cent dividend
on Union- Pacific stock comes at a
very Inopportune time for the Union
Pacific lobbyists and tax agents, who.
are trying to ward off terminal taxa
tion with a poverty plea.
Lieutenant Governor Hopewell has
had a chance to cast a vote, to break
a tie in the state senate. Such an ex
traordinary event is not often pulled
off on the legislative boards.
.When it comes to redeeming plat
form pledges several unliquidated
planks still . remain In the document
on which our democratic mayor and
council rode Into the city hall.
BITS OF WAHIHf)TOV t-iric.
Mlnnr ftceara tail Ineldeata SKetcbrd
oa the Spot.
The controversy raging at the national
capital over the Japanese school queatlon
In San Francisco brought into the lime
light the compromising position of the
I'nlled Ptatet caused by the acquisition of
the I'hillpplnes, and developed widespread
sentiment in favor of getting rid of the
encumbrance. The Washington correspond
ent of the New Tork Press, a staunch re
publican paper, says the question whether
the Philippines are worth keeping has been
discussed more than once In recent White
House conferences. "The president," says
the correspondent, "was surprised to find
that many of the moat conaervatlve men In
his party had changed front on the ques
tion within six months. They believe some
plan should be framed by the republican
party that would let the 1 'nlted States get
out of the Islands at a not remote period.
"The granting of Independence to the
Filipinos and the payment by them of our
expenditures In" the Islands Is the plan
most favored. There Is objection to any
protectorate, it being held that this would
eventually Involve our government In
trouble with some other nation.
"A western senator McCumber has sug
gested to the president that the United
State should take two permanent coaling
stations In the Islands, that two should be
given to England and that for these con
ces "ions the two nations should ' jointly
guarantee the territorial Integrity of the
Islands after Independence. There would
be no guarantee of protection In case' of
war. but simply a pledge of nationality.
With this pledge. McCumber thlnka. no
nation would have much pretext for war
Japan, for Instance and the Filipino
could work out their own national progresa.
"The United States could keep control of
the customs houses until all debt to this
country had been collected consequent upon
the surrender of the Islands to the na
tives. It is agreed by all the leading re
publicans hero that the retention of the
Philippines will mean the expenditure of
mllllors In fortifications, the employment
of a good -l zed army and frequent ad
ditions to our navy. All the republican
leaders are desirous of settling the ques
tion so as to get It In concrete shape In
the platform of the next republican con
vention." Senator Foraker "was called out of the
senate Into the Marble rooro'lo meet two
unknown, but Influential, constituents, re
ports the Washington Herald.
"We hope," said one of them, "that the
people of Ohio will not treat you as badly
as they have treated old Charley," re
ferring to General Qrosvenor's defeat last
year for nomination. ' .
Senator Foraker' exploded like a stick
of dynamite.
"I will say to you," he exclaimed, with
his face flushed, "that I am not so badly
stuck on this Job aa to sell my manhood,
my Independence, my cltlxenshlp, my all
for It, and you can say that, to the people
of Ohio, If you care to. I hold that a man
fit to be a United States senator has Ideas
and .principles of his own. If he yields
them he no longer should serve In the
senate, and his constituents ought not to
want him to serve. As long as I am here
I expect to be governed In my conduct
and vote by the dictates of my Judgment
and conscience. If I should have to
swerve from them, I would very gladly
give back to the people of Ohio the com
mission with which they have honored and
trusted trie. So you can"
But before the courageous and fiery
Buckeye statesman had finished the lust
sentence his two visitors had slipped away.
Their reception was warmer than they had
expected. They had touched a live wire,
and they were glad enough to let It go.
- There Is a suspicion In the minds of public
officials In Washington says 'the "Brooklyn
Engle correspondent, that the railrondc of
the country are attempting to hase the
Interstate Commerce commission. The law
requires the filing of freight tariffs with
the commission and the railroads are filing
them with a vengeance. They are coming
In at a rate which threatens to swamp the
commission.
t'ntll the law went Into effect members
of the commission had no Idea of the
rapidity with which freight rates could be
manufactured and altered. But they are
finding out now that freight managers are
mighty quirk on the trigger when they
want to be. Since August. 27, when the rate
law went Into effect, "freight schedulos to
the number of 1,000 a day have been fired
Into the offices of the commission hero.
The notices some times convlst of merely
a single sheet of paper. More frequently
they embrace a book with thousands of
claastflcatlons. The other day the N.-w
York A New Haven road died a new sot
of schedules covering 1,300 printed pages.
The force of the .commission la hardly
large enough to receive and stow away
these documents before a. new batch comes
piling In. The quarters set aside for the
storage of freight schedules are chock-a-block.
The records have spilled out Into
the corridors and all the nooks and crannies
at the headquarters of the commission are
Jammed full. Congress has been appealed
to to provide a new building for the com
mission, in order .to accommodate the flood
of freight tariffs.
. Albert Douglas, who will succeed Con
gressman Qrosvenor of Ohio In the next
house, Is not weighted down with worldly
goods,, and was ruther startled by an ex
perience he had while looking - around
Washington for quarters. At one of the
good hotels he was shown a suite consist
ing of bed room, parlor and bath room. On
Inquiring the monthly rent he was in
formed "only $1,000 for yourself and wife."
Recovering his breath, which he managed
to do without showing a tithe of his
astonishment, he said with great calmness:
"I'll write my wife all about the rooms
and let her know beforehand what com
forts we shall have when we come here to
live. So until I hear from her you need
not mark me for this suite. She may think
from the price that your hotel Is not the
kind we ought to live In."
If Corporations Do Net Bekave.
North American Review.
Industrial corporations grew up Into
power because they nirt the needs of the
past. To stay In power they must meet the
needs of the present, and arrange their
etbiea accordingly. It they can do it by
their own voluntary development of the
sense of trusteeship, that la the simplest
and best solution. But if not, one of two
things will happen: Vastly Increased legal
regulation or state ownership of monopo
lies. Those who fear the effects of in
creased government activity muat prove
by their acceptance of ethical duties to the
public that they are not blind devotees of
an Industrial paat which has ceased to
exist, but are preparing to accept the
heavier burdens and obligations which the
Industrial present carries with It.
A Balas tow Troebl.
Cleveland Plain Dealer.
In Omaha they are discussing a plan for
paving children to go to school. This msy
have a tendency to lessen those violent
pains that frequently afflict boyhood before
the morning school hour.
A SaaTebrask Tfclrat.
Washington Post.
A clerk In a store at Shoshonl, ' Wyo.,
put out what threatened to be a serious
blase with thirteen bottles of beer Which
Is Just about the quantity generally needed
to quench a Wyoming thirst.
SKBRIMCA rWF.88 t OwwF.TT.
IJncoln County Merchant: It t reported
that the walls of the state capital building
are crumbling. 'Spect It's the pillar that
wes extracted during Job Hartley's ad
ministration as state treasurer that caused
It. Perhaps Joe's got It htd away In "that
cigar box."
Crofton journal: No, sir! We won t go
to Omaha to the press meet and pay cash,
with no chance of ever getting our money
back. We told "em last winter who would
get the advertising. We never advocated
any such Idea as appointing a commission
to dictate what kind of advertlslngcon
trscts we should make and we don't care
a cuss Tor the commission anyhow.
Stanton Picket: Those members of the
Omaha Commercial club are a cute lot
of fellows. At a meeting they adopted a
resolution against a l-cent passenger rate
law in Nebraska, contending that it would
work a hardship on the railroads. Does
the fact of most of these men being exten
sive shippers have anything to do with the
interest they seem to bav In the welfare
of the railroads T ,
Beatrice Sun: About aa foolish a species
of amusement as congress can Indulge in
is dividing Nebraska into federal districts
in order to create offices for the superan
nuated attorneys and busted politicians of
the state". There Is no necessity for the
proposed increase and change. Nebraska
really had more litigation In the federal
court during; the earlier settlement of the
state than she. has now.
Newman Grove Reporter: Amen to the
Burlington Missouri's refusal to give
transportation to editors to attend the
state association. It Is humiliating that
the secretary of the association ever asked
for IL Speed tha day when editors will
insist upon being regarded as plain, or
dinary business men. not as plain ordi
nary grafters. The circular letter of the
secretary, too, leaves the Impression on
the mind that he regards the whole pas
business as a huge Joke.
North Platte Tribune: The Nebraska
Editorial association meets in Omaha tho
latter part of thla month, and the secre
tary, very foolishly, asked the railroad to
carry the members free. Of course he was
turned down. Just as he deserved. Under
existing conditions there Is not one editor
In twenty-five who would accept the
courtesy of a pass from the roads, and
the secretary Is receiving pretty warm
roasts from the newspaper men for his
action, which was of his own motion.
North Platte Tribune: On the ground
that a 2-cent fare would be unfair to tho
railroads the Omaha Commercial club has
passed resolutions opposing the reduction.
The club believes that greater facilities in
the movement of traffic is more to e de
sired than a' reduction of passenger fare.
Another argument advanced by the club
is that with a maximum rate of I cents
the roads would abolish special rates, and
as a result cheap rates to Omaha on occa
sions like the Ak-Sar-Ben would not be
given. It will thus be seen that in this
matter Omaha has an ax to grind, but how
about the rest of the state?
Newman -Grove Reporter: Our politicians
are slargejy responsible' for the grotesque
way In which the cause of temperance has
been handled In this country. The leader
ship usually has been turned over to women
and fanatics. Since the days of Lincoln
no statesman has dared touch It with a
ten-foot pole. Which is cause and which
Is effect Is of no particular Interest now.
Now this great Question demands the best
thought that the best brains we have can
give it. The emperor of Germany, the
prime minister of France, discuss It aa they
would any other great question of state;
the American statesman Is afraid to
whisper an opinion about It outside of his
bed chamber. The statesman of tbe future
must show more courage than the states
man of the past.
AN ADMiHABLB MESSAGE.
Preservation of tha Pnblla Domain
for the People.
Springfield (Mass.) Republican.
President Roosevelt's message on the
natural resources of the country still left
In the public domain Is one of the soundest
and most admirable he has ever written. It
is a plea for the conservation of the re
maining mineral deposits for the -public
good rather than for coporate dividends
under private monopolistic exploitation. He
presents unassailable doctrine, however
socialistic some may regard It, in saying
that "mineral fuels, like the forests and
navigable streams, should be treated as
public utilities."
To treat coal and Iron lands as publlo
utilities would mean that they should never
pass under a private ownership, and If such
a policy had been inaugurated In this coun
try sixty tears earlier, there would be to
day fur less agitation over the dangers of
concentrated wealth and the power of glgan.
tic corporations. It Is one of the most exas
perating themes, In retrospect, upon which
one's mind ran dwell, to consider the man
ner In which the vast mineral treasures of
the earth within our national borders have
been allowed to slip from the ownership
of the whole people Into that of a few In
dividuals, without the 'slightest compensa
tion Worthy of the name.
The Idea that when a man takes up a
section of wild public land he becomes the
possessor of all the possible mineral wealth
underoeuth the surface soli has never had
an lota of reason or equity In it. Yet on
this wanton principle of disposing of the
national domain has the government pro
ceeded generation after generation. "Al
ready," aa the president says, "one-half of
the total area of the high-grade coal lands
In the west has passed under private con
trol." The question now arises whether
what Is left of that priceless material her
itage shall also be turned over to private
monopoly.
The . lease system which the president
proposes has been sufficiently tried In other
countries to warrant Its careful consider
ation by our own. Whatever Its defects
may be. It has the merit or preserving the
ownership where, ownership should alwsys
be veatedln the whole people, or their
government. : The time has come when the
United States must adapt Its policy. In
dealing with what remains of the publio
lands, to the publte utility principle.
Oriental Traao Not So Mneh.
San Francisco Chronicle.
We talk a great deal about the impor
tance of the oriental trade, but it doea not
cut a very great figure 1 nour exports,
cut a very great figure In our exports,
aggregated 11.717.863,882 In 1908. and of this
sum Asia's share was 8104.804,871, a little
more than one-seventh of the whole. Per
haps the oriental trade Is not to be sneesed
at, but It Is certainly not entitled to be re
garded as of overshadowing Importance at
present, nor Is It ever likely to be In the
future.
Prematura Activity.
Chicago News.
Many persons are trying to pick out a
job for President Roosevelt after March
1 1908. It doea not seem to have occurred
to them that Mr. Roosevelt after thai date
may want to alt by tha stove In the Oyster
Bay corner grocery and whittle and criti
cise tha new administration. ,
rely Uaosswork.
Springfield Republic.
His admirable candor must command at
tention, for it Is candor that Impels Secre.
tary Taft to say that It la Impossible to
estimate the cost f building the Panama
canal. Many have said so from the start.
We now have the official confession that
estimates are nonsense.
PRKf KPT ASH PRACTICE.
Railroad Preachments nntrii.tel
with Aetaal Condition.
Washington Post.
If all the railroads of the United RitP,
had only practiced what President ).a, r
of the Reading preaches,- there would hai,
been no railroad problem, no rallrna.l com
mission national or state no rebate, 0
rate bill. The railroads Would have haJ
friends and champions everywhere, til
enemies and assailants nowhere. Mr. H,r
tells us that the only way the roads ' -,
get traffic Is to fix rates which .will ennM
the manufacturers, merchants and prn.
ducers of every kind to sell their products
In the markets of the world."
But that Is what the roads have not
done. They have Juggled rates and given
rebates In order that some producers might
have access to the markets of the world
and have contrived that rival producers
should be shut out from the markets of
the world. Thus the roads were run on
the twofold plan of making millionaires
and making paupers.
That is the way the roads we.re operated
for forty years Nobody could compete
with the Oil trust,, or the Meat trust, or
the Steel trust, or the Sugar trust, or the
Salt trust, or the Whisky trust, or the
Tobacco trust, or" the Coal, trust, or atiy
other trust that the roads gave the ad
vantages and privileges of rebate. All
over the west and southwest are towns
and villages made busy marts by the rail,
roads, and there are In those sections, also,
towns and villages same somnolent by tha
railroads. It la only an arbitrary fixing of
rates advantageous to one community and
adverse to another, and the thing Is done.
A rebate of 10 cent on a barrel of sugar,
I cnts on a barrel of salt, a trifle on a
carload of household furnishings or farm
machinery, and thua a town Is frequently
given a boom for tha reason that railroad
officials own corner lots within 'Its limits.
Railroads are creations of law and capi
tal; the government furnishes the law
and the stockholders furnish the capital.
It Is the office of the law' to ffqulre the
roads to mete to every customers the same
treatment they' accord to every other cus
tomer. If the mads had held to this rule
and never deviated from. It, the govern
ment would have given them ho more
concern than the grand Jury ' gives the
good cltlsen Innocent of offense.
But the roads would' not." They violated
the law, they outraged Justice, and now
the octopus-chasers are after them. They
have theli own greed and their own wrong
to thank for It, and unless they mend
their manners tha discipline, will he made
much more severe.
PERSONAL lfOTES.
i '
Perhaps the attempt to establish prohibi
tion In Washington Is Intended to let con
gress see how It feels to have a canteen
abolished. .-..
.Ex-Queen Lllloukatani Is still trying to
get payment from the United States for
the crown lands taken from her at the
time of the revolution In. Hawaii. It Is
Just like a woman to be so persistent when
she sees that congress wants to forget
all about It.
After, sixteen years of continuous servlco.
during which he has never taken a vaca
tion. Prof. John Sterling Klngsley of Tufts
college has been granted a year's- leave of
absence, which he will pass In scientific re
search In Italy. He is one of the most
widely known authorities on soology In the
country. ,. i
Everett H. Barney, a 'millionaire,' has
deeded a fortune to Springfield, Mass., for
the purpose of beautifying the city. His
principal bequest Is his estate at Pecouslc,
consisting of 176 acres, and his splendid city
residence on Laurel Hill. The offer Is made
to secure a boulevard and park 'system
for two miles along the ConneotloUt Hver.
Herr Bebel, perhaps the most Impressive
orator In the OermanRetehstag, usually
speaks without notes of any kmd, thinking
as he goes. Not even well off, he leads the
simplest of lives, shunning society and find
ing his chief recreation In the ' cultivation
of flowers. He told an interviewer one
that when he wanta to get ready for a
speech he goes Into his little garden and
trims the rose trees.
Since politics went wrong ' with him In
South Dakota Richard Franklin Pettlgrew,
formerly senator from that state, has lived
mostly In New Tork. where, It la said, he
displays about as much sagacity In the
stock market as any of the most seasoned
bulls and bears and has accumulated a pile
of money, behind the ahelter of which ho
feels much more comfortable than he wns
ever able to feel while serving his flck'e
publlo In the senate.
MERRY JlXfil.ES.
"The views I express about religion,"
said the tiresome controversialist, "muy
seem rather too broad to most people,
but"
"Not at all." replied the candid man.
"To most people they seem not so broad
aa they are Hat." Philadelphia Press.
"Miss Stebblns" Is from Boston, Isn't
She?"
'I think so. I heard her refer yesterflny
to a swestshop as a 'perspiring 'establish
ment.' "Chicago Record-Herald.
Miss Ascutn I hear your daugbtsr has
given Mr. Hunter his conge.
Mrs. Nurltch "Con Jay?" That's a good
name for him. Anyway she thought ho
was somethln' like ttfttt and so she shook
him. Philadelphia Press.
Sweet Girl Papa, why aretherc so many
jokes about a lover's being kicked out by
bis sweetheart's father? . . '
Fond Papa My darling,, it la beraune
when a father Is asked to give up his pet
daughter, he naturally feels like kicking,
Baltimore American. t
Tuffold Knutt (with his mouth lull) I'd
like t' arsk ye a questiun, mum. Are they
layln' any stone pavements .la thst.-next
town?
Farmer's Wife I don't know. Are you
trying to get work?
Tuffold Knutt No, mam. I'm' not tryln'
to get It. I'm tryln' to locate It. Chicago
Tribune. ,
Wife Dearie, what dos "to have and to
hold" mean In the wedding ceremony?
Hubby pacing floor Willi baby, i a. m.V
I guess It must refer to the kid. Phila
delphia Press.
"Why did old BlUyuns.go baK ' on Ms
promise to give 40,0u0,0u0 for the establish
ment of a pension fund for people who had
broken down after being forced out of
business?"
"One of the newspapers referred to It as
a conscience tund." Chloago .Hecord-Har-aid.
The pompous Judge glased sternly over
his spectacles at the tattered prisoner who
had been dragged before the bar Of Justice
on a charge of vagrancy.
"Have you ever earned a dollar In your
life?" he asked In fine scorn.
I es, your nunur, was uiv rMwni i
voted for you at the last election. Judge.
. 4 r
"comb oi'T or IT."' '
S. E. Klser In the Record-Herald.
Oh, I am glad that it is Lent
And that she's feeding penitent;
She's given up the world's delights
for forty days and forty nights;
She's hung her finery away
And promises to fast and pray.
i '
Oh, I am glad that aha Intends
To hide herself from all her frlanda.
To keep away from concert halls,
To shun the dinners and the ball:
Her voice Is few, her look Is grave,
tthe is no longer fashloa's slave-
i
Oh. I rejoice, for now I'll get '
A chance to wriggle put of debt;
Because of her sweet penltenoe
I II cut off half of my expensej
She'll not go out to shop at all,
Our meat bills will be few and small.
Oh, I am glad that It Is Lent -. '
And mat my naning" iromnn v
ill now catch vp n sleep again. . -nd
do some reading now and the;
1 U cease to hpok her up behind,
And thus gsln mueh ln peace of miod.
I
X
fer . w
i '