Trrrc omaha daily bee: Monday, may 25, inos.
I'
I
.a Daily Dee,
EDWARD RO8EWATE8
.OR ROfl CWATER, EDITOR.
nlerrd at Onihv poslofflc aa second
class mutter.
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Only 1-eent atampa received in payment of
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STATEMENT OF CIRCULATION.
State of Nebraska, Douglas County. ee.t
George B. Txnchuck. treaaurar f The Be
Publishing company, being duly sworn, says
that tha actual number of full and complete
copies of The Dally, Morning, Evening and
Sunday Re printed during tha month of
April, ltot, was aa fallows: -
1 30,840 it 3,95
1 38,900
t 3fl,TS0
4 37,01
a 36,800
37,580
7 37.840
1 07,040
37,140
10 87,060
II 37,090
11 87,060
II 37,340
14 87,360
It..... 37,130
sa,aoo
ST.140
It. . ,
20... 36,830
H 38,930
12 ,
29
80
36,460
38,660
86,860
36,550
36,600
36,760
36,960
36,690
36,970
Totala
. .1,108,660
Loss unsold and returned copies.. 1L341
Net total.
, 1,097,1 76
66,673
Dally average.
GEORGE B. TZSCHUCK,
Treasurer.
Subacrlbed- In my preeenca and sworn
to befoie tut this 1st day of May, ittOS.
(Seal. : . ..ROBERT HUNTER,
Notary Public,
WHEN oot or TOWN.
nbscrlbera leaving; the eity tem
porarily should have Tha Baa
mailed to them. Addreaa will he
cbaunrd aa otto aa toaneato.
The Aldrlch currency bill has been
denatured.
The west hae a warmer welcome tor
the home seeker than (or the office
seeker.
"Just for that," said Winter to the
early-plucked Panama hat, "I will eUy
a little longer.1
A 3-cent piece and a brickbat are
all that 18 necessary for a street car
ride in Cleveland.
These million-dollar rains would be
worth even more If they were only
rpread out a little more evenly.
Indications are more promising than
ever that there will be a 6tampede In
the Chicago 'convention to Taft.
The motto hae been restored to the
coins, but no report haa been made
ct anyone refusing either brand.
Governor Johnson run8 well by
spurts, but has failed to show the per
slstent speed that wina long races.
A congre88lonal commission is going
to inquire how boys may be kept on
the farm. They'll stay it the girls will
Many congressmen are anxious to
get away from Washington, but more
of them are worried about getting
back.
Congress will have to adjourn be
for3 another week to let Its members
keep their engagements for Memorial
day uddreeses.
A witness at the coroner's jury at
LaPorte testified that Mrs. Qunness
was lively and vivacious. A regular
village cut up, as It were.
"No woman under 35 years of age
should wear a merry widow hat," says
a leading New York milliner. Guess
that will send the m. w. h. to the attic.
'The Japanese have not been
alarmed by . Congressman Hobson's
war talk." says the Toklo Gasette.
They must know him over there, too.
"FiddUn' Boh" Taylor ot Tennessee
haa made his maiden speech la the
senate. He naturally attacked the
president' "big stick" policy with a
fiddlestick. .
Denver Is arranging a provisional
hospital . tor the democratic national
convention. Denver knows what to
expect when a democratic crowd gets
mixed up.
Senator Piatt has decided that he
will not attend the Chicago convert
tion. Tha senator haa accumulated
enough trouble by traveling, without
a chaperone.
Colonel George Harvey of Harper's
Weekly haa returned from Europe to
find that bis Woodrow Wilson presl
dentlal boom is justs as strong as It
was when he went away.
The name of Streeth does not ap
pear In the new city directory, but
maybe Mr. Pollard's pessimistic cor
respondent was busy securing ma
terlal to sustain his preposterous as
sertions when the directory man was
around.
When they ask, In the Chicago con
vention, what state he hails from tha
reply will b, "from Ohio, Manila.
Y'uam, Porto Rico, Cuba, Panama, Ha-
Jll, tb District ot Columbia, and
rr other section of the country that
Unsympathetic newspaper reporters
throughout the country, particularly in
the east, bsve acquired the disagree
able habit of asking Colonel Bryan,
In recent interviews, if he has changed
his attitude on the question of gov
ernment ownership of railways, so
earnestly advocated by' him In his
speech at Madison Square garden on
August 30, 1906, Just after his return
from a touf of the world. These inter
views are causing Colonel Bryan more
or less embarrassment, particularly as
he has allowed his answers to conflict
with bis recorded position on the sub
ject. The latest illustration is fur
nished by an interview with Mr. Bryan
In Baltimore last week, Just prior to
his lecture before the general confer
ence of the Methodist church. After
admitting that he had announced his
willingness to be a candidate for the
presidential nomination at Denver the
interview continues:
Will your advocacy of government and
ttste ownership of railroads be prominent
In the campaign?"
This Is not a pressing issue, and I do
not intend that it shall bo leading Issue,
because the people who will press It are
trylr.g to sidetrack the real Issue, which
la the regulation of railroad, rates," . said
Mr. Bryan with emphasis and determina
tion.
This answer comes far from clearing
the situation, because Mr. Bryan is on
record as expressing the conviction
that all attempts at government regu
lation of railroads, including, of
course, the regulation oi ranroaa
rates, which he now declares to be
"the real issue," cannot succeed. In
the Madison Square garden speech Mr.
Bryan said:
I have reached tha conclusion that thera
will be no permanent relief on the railroad
question from discrimination between Indi
viduals and between places and from ex
tortionate rates until tha railroads are tha
prrperty of the government and operated
by the government In the Interest of the
people. t
In fairness to Colonel Bryan it must
be stated that he has since modified
his expressed views on railroad regu
lation before the storm of indignant
protest from democrats throughout
the country, particularly from the
south, by declaring in a speech in
Connecticut a few dayalater that his
pronouncement was a personal opinion
and not designed to be made a party
tenet until the country had been edu
cated on the subject. However, in a
speech at Louisville a few weeks later
he drifted back to the original proposi
tion and declared:
Observation haa convinced me that gov
ernment ownership can be undertaken on
the plan Indicated with less danger to the
country than la Involved In private owner
ship aa we have had it or as we are likely
to have It.
It must be remembered, too, in this
connection, that Mr. Bryan's MadUon
Square garden speech was not his first
essay of the kind. In July, 1904, he
called on the democrats of the country,
through the Commoner, to "consider
a plan for the government ownership
and operation of railroads." In an ad
dress before the Iroquois club In Chi
cago on Jefferson day, 1905, he elabor
ated his plan and proposed that the
government should own the trunk
lines, while the states should own and
operate the railroads within their
borders.
While admitting that the "real is
sue is the regulation of railroad
rates," Mr. Bryan believes that this
cannot be accomplished by congres
sional action, but can be brought about
only by government ownership. Both
In and out of the democratic party
Mr. Bryan has made this an issue,
which will be more or leas prominent
In the coming campaign, with- or with
out his aid or consent.
WHO OWtiS TBS BA1LRQADS1
Discussion has been renewed re
cently over the question of real owner
ship of the railroads and other big
corporations of the country. It Is a
common belief that Mr. Harriroan,
Mr. Morgan and a halt dozen other
captains of industry practically own
the great railway systems ot the na
tion. This opinion la as general as
its companion that the majority of
American bonds and railroad stocks
are held abroad and that a big share
or their earnings goes each year to
swell the coffers of foreign holders.
Recent publications, particularly of
the Steel trust and several of our big
railroads, have served to throw a new
light and to dissipate some ot the old
opinions and Impressions.
Soon after the recent financial
slump In New York statements were
published that the number of Indi
vidual share holders in the great cor
poratlons had largely Increased and
that the American Investors of moder
ate means were securing stock In eatab
Ushed industrial enterprises. The ex
tent to which this change has been
made is shown by a report Just pub
Ushed by the officials of the Fennsyl
vania railroad, whose dividend checks
are now going to 59,415 separate share
holders, an increase of more than
6,000 over last year. Twenty years
ago the en, tire stock of the Pennsyl
vanla was owned by fewer than 10,000
persons. At that time two-thirds ot
the stock was owned abroad. Today
less than one-eighth of the stock is
owned by foreigners. Where 65 cents
of every $1 in profit was formerly
sent to foreign holders today only 13
cent Is so paid.
The situation la the most effective
answer to the charge ot railroad polltl
cal managers that the legislation by
the federal government and by the
states is frightening investors. The
record show that more Americans
than ever are making permanent In
vestments in railroad securities, evl
dently encouraged in so doing by the
assurance that the nation and th
states may be depended on to protect
their interests and prevent future
manipulation for the personal benefit
of frenzied financiers.
riKTf ASH TH E TORCH.
Numerous American travelers have
furnished delightful entertainment by
pen or lecture on the peculiar and
nusual habits and characters ot
strange people in India, Afghanistan,
Darkest Africa and other out-of-the-way
corners of the globe, while appar
ently overlooking a most fertile field
for their work in acquainting us with
the queer fplks that people Kentucky.
We know the Kentucky as the home
of fine horses, beautiful women, the
alluring julep and gallant champions
and preservers of personal "honor,"
but we seem to know but little of the
real spirit of a people who can hold
prayer meetings while they burn the
tobacco barns of their neighbors. We
seem to have, wholly missed the In
struction that would enable us to
understand a people who can use the
prayer and the torch, the Bible and
the rifle, with equal dexterity and em
ploy them simultaneously in arson
and murder. Yet here is a dispatch
from Lacenter, Ky.:
Kneeling on the ground In the moonlight,
with their heads bowed, while their leader,
his masked face turned toward heaven,
offered prayer, a band of "night riders"
last night destroyed the big tobacco barn
II. Q. Maddox. Flint Randall and
Maggie Tate, returning from a party, in
advertently Intruded Upon this assembly
nd were kept prisoners until the devotional
exercises were concluded and tha fire had
been well started In tha barn, when they
were permitted to go on their way, and as
they left they heard the strains of "Nearer,
My God, to Thee," floating through tha air
to the accompaniment of crackling timbers
and the roar of the flames.
The first Impulse would be to brand
this as the output of an unconscion
able liar, but the derails of the affair
have been fully verified by later re
ports. The "night riders" have on
several occasions flogged farmers who
persisted in planting tobacco in de
fiance of the order of the clique that
seeking to reduce production in
order to get even with the Tobacco
truBt, and have prayed with a farmer,
after burning his ""warehouse and
maiming his stock, to repent and see
the error of bis ways. It la a strange
combination of alleged piety and ad
mitted criminality. The psalm singing
night riders," while conducting their
revivals, continue to wear masks, evi
dently thinking to deceive the record
ing angel as well as the state con
stabulary. Such a situation is without
parallel In American history.
SHIFTING TALUKS.
Whether the county assessors have
adopted the correct basis for arriving
at the value of property for taxation
purposes, the notable feature of the
present year's returns Is the shifting
In values. In Douglas county the as
sessor has adopted the plan of valuing
the real estate and improvements sep
arately. This has had the result ot
moving the highest-priced lot two
block further along on Sixteenth
street. Another significant fact is
that It is an adaptation of the single
tax theory and is expected to result, if
sustained, in the Improvement of some
properties that have been allowed to
Igo practically idle because the owners
could anora to let them lie unused.
This shifting of values has more
than a sentimental basis, but Its sig
nlflcance is in a large measure dla
counted by the business men. Down
town values are based almost exclu
sively on earning capacity and earning
capacity depends entirely on business
done. The advantage of a location Is
its accessibility from the route of
greatest travel. The application ot
these principles brings from time to
time a change in the location of the
most valuable lot. If the program of
the assessor in taxing lots and im
provements separately will result In
better buildings the effect will be for
the general good.
Dr. Miller takes much pardonable
pride in the fulfillment of certain pre
dictions he made many years ago
Whether the doctor .was actually In
spired by his faith In Omaha or was
merely "flying his kite" matter not
He did prophesy much that ha actu
ally taken place, and now finds his
pleasure in seeing the fulfillment of
his visions. This is a satisfaction not
given to many men, and no one will
begrudge it to the good doctor.
The dedication of the new Temple
Israel again calls attention to the pros
perity that has been shared in by all
religious denominations alike In
Omaha during the last few years and
emphasizes the strength and growth
ot the spiritual life ot the community
These Bplendld edifices dedicated to re
Uglous worship are the best possible
answer to the allegation so frequently
heard that Omaha Is the "wickedest
city in the world."
Logan creek la to be surveyed. This
may or may not be a triumph for the
Inland Water commission, but Con
gressman Boyd knows what he
is
about. Now, if Congressman Kinkaid
will only get the Dlemal and the Mid
dle Loup properly charted and Con
gressman Norrls gjve Crooked creek
reeded attention, the Ship of Stato
may feel sate when It enter Nebraska
waters.
The duke ot the Abruzzl will Bend
his brother over to present his plea to
Mis Elkln. It would be cheaper for
the duke to have the young woman go
before a notary and make her affl
davit ot Intentions.
The New York Central ha photo
graphed 125 Idle engine and proposes
to use the picture as an argument for
an increase of freight rates. Th shops
t Schenectady are working Overtime
on a rush order for 135 new engines
for the New York Central, In anticipa
tion ot summer and fall traffic. The
photographs should be printed as com
panion pieces.
The latest fatal shooting in South
Omaha as a result of a holdup was
perpetrated by men who had been in
the city barely twenty-four hours, ac
cording to their own confession. This
fact should be remembered when the
inevitable assault on the police force
Is made.
While the grand jury is in session
It might pass a resolution commend
ing tho police of Omaha and of South
Owahu for the good and efficient work
done in prompt apprehension of the
perpetrators of recent murderous
holdups in the two cities.
The Douglas County Telephone com
pany 1 permitted to lower Its rates
in three rural communities, if the sub
scribers will pay six months In ad
vance. This 1 a rule that cuts both
ways.
'Senator Robert Love, Taylor's
speeches are always worth the price
of admission," says the Washington
Herald. Just about. There is no charge
for admission to the Ben ate galleries.
The school boys who have been tak
ing part In the athletic competition
during the week show that Young
Omaha is lusty and 'lively, and that
muscle is growing as well as mind.
Hew ta Live Long.
New York Mall.
One way to live long Is to purchase an
annuity. One of the factors In longevity
la the will to live. An annuity gives a
venerable cltiien an object in life. Threat
ened men, pensioners, and annuitants live
long.
Vain of Experience.
Kansas City Times.- '
Secretary Cortelyou is said to be "not
averse" to being a candidate for vice presi
dent, "though he is In no sense an active
candidate for tha place." Mr. Cortelyou
didn't run the last republican campaign
without learning the political vernacular.
Neglected to Whisper It.
Indianapolis News.
,Any accusations by one member of
congress that another member has Intro
duced a pension bill "for buncombe and
political purposes," Is not only discour
teous and unprofessional, but It sounds
very much like giving the snap away.
In tho Short Oraaa.
Cincinnati Enquirer.
The democrats and republicans both have
few presidential candidates who were
cavorting and diverting In the rich pasture
lots a few months ago, but now thay are
niDonng wun ground teeth at little tufts
of grass in tha fence corners of the high
ways. Pole-Flshlng for Coin.
Chicago Inter Ocean.
Commander Robert Peary declares that
he la aure to find the pole on his ninth
trip. ' Me haa come so near finding Its sev
eral times that ha ought to have tha funds
which are necessary, to help him to coma
near finding it again, even If ha does not
do any better. "
Tho East Catching Om.
St. Louis Globe-Democrat.
Tb senate haa voted to allow 15,000,000
for an Appalachian forest reserve and,
If the house agree to it, tha states east of
the Mississippi will make a start In a field
In which the transmisslaslppl region is
well advanced. Congratulations are due
from tha west with Its fifty forest reserves.
Eastern Forest Reserves.
New York Tribune.
It is encouraging to observe that the
United States senate on Saturday passed
without division a bill appropriating 5,
000,000 for the acquisition of landa for the
protection and regulation of navigable
streams In New England and the southern
States. Tha measure la one which the presl
dent has urgently recommended, which the
governments of the states interested
heartily approve and which publio opinion
strongly supports. It la hoped that tha
house will quickly pase tha bill and that
it will become a law at this session of
congress.
Bank Receiver Achieves Fame.
Springfield Republican.
There cornea from western Kansas the
remarkable story of a bank receivership
which did not prove aa bad1 or worse than
a forced sale of the bankrupt asset on
the spot. Tho receiver In this case wound
up the receivership within three months.
He returned to the depositors all their
money, and to tha stockholders pearly all
of their Investment, and he put In a bill
for $260, part ofwhich was for expenses.
The name of ,Jhls receiver Is not given
possibly to save him from violence at the
hands of tha receivership fraternity In tha
east, where tha prevailing clalma for
wages are at the rata of $100,000 a year,
mora or less, generally more, for terms of
several years.
STREET RAILWAY DECISION.
Right of Municipalities to Exact
License Fee.
Pittsburg Dispatch.
An important decision was rendered by
tha United States supreme court yesterday,
opinion by Justice Day, affecting the right
of cities to exact compensation from street
railway companies. The caae was ona
from St. Louis. Tha decision la not di
rectly opposed to that of the Pennsylvania
supreme court In the Pittsburg linear foot
tax case, but haa a bearing upon It. The
supreme court austalna the St. Louis
ordinance, which 'Imposed upon tha St
Louts Traction compajiy a license of 1 mill
upon each passenger carried during that
period.
The lower court held tha ordinance to be
void. It argued that the power to take 1
mill from the companies. If granted, would
Imply tha power to take more, and. as
serted "the contracts made when the char
ters were issued could not be altered by
the city alone." Justice Day's opinion re
verses this finding of the lower court.
In effect, U.tn, the decision of the su
preme court of the United States asserts
the right and power of a municipality to
exact a license fee, based upon the num
ber of passengers carried, regardleas of tha
omission of such a provision from the
charter ordinance. It holds tha city may
Impose this tax wlthouj. the consent of tha
street railway companlea affected. It does
not fix the limit of such an exaction, .but
It Is plainly of tha opinion that I mill for
each passenger la not "confiscatory" in the
case of the St. Louis company. It might
draw tha Una against 1 cent on each pas
senger, ot on I mills, possibly, for the su
preme court rules on no matters that ar
not before it. It la probable, however,
that various councils will becom activ tu
OS PRESIDENTIAL FIRISa LINE.
Goaatp anal Comment on Prospective
Candidates.
Taft aa n Party Leader.
Brooklyn Eagle (Ind. dcm.).
William H. Taft la among the foremost
men of the day. Full use ha ben made of
hla energy and capacity. In time of peace,
the head of th War department Is not
supposed to be bereft of a moment to spare,
but It has been otherwise with Taft, who
haa had Cuba, tha canal and the -Phlllp-plnes
on hla hands. They hava kept him
going. I They have called for the exercise
of patience, firmness and Judgment. Either
of thrm would have ben sufficient to strain
the resources of a mediocre man. Not
all three combined have been too much for
the aecretary.
So, the republican convention will adjourn
with the consciousness that It haa made
tha best of the republican situation. It will
have the consolation of knowing that the
party has it best foot foremost. For
nothing la. surer than that Its case will be
presented with great ability. Nor Is any-
hlng surer than that Taft, the candidate
will make the best of all his opportunities.
He Is the reverse of frothy. Resonant
platitude are not Included In his platform
stock In trade, but he Is none the less an
effective pleader. And, Just as It Is certain
that ha will address himself to the highest
intelligence rather than to the emotions,
so It la aura that he will create lasting
rather than momentary Impressions.
Sara Bryan Ifaa Changed.
Torn Watson, In Jeffersonlan Magaalne.
Now, aa to Mr. Bryan what has he said
or done that was to extraordinary?
Tha only thing that he ever said, In all
of hi oceans of talk, that people remem
ber was a quotation. The "crown of
thorns" sentence was borrowed, without
credit, from Rome one else.
In all hi voluminous writings, where
did you find the expiesslon or the thought
that will llveT HI 'letters" from foreign
countries, syndicated by tha newspapers,
were In many Instances not much more
than transcripts from guide books.
Let any man who would sixe up Mr.
Bryan aa a thinker, statesman, and leader
study his book, "The First Battle."
In 1904 h did tha very things which in
that book ho most hotly denounced; and
be utterly failed to follow th patriotic
course which he marked out for himself
in tha book. Between his present position
and platform and that proclaimed In "Th
First Battle" tha difference Is radical, ir
reconcilable. The Bryan of 18M wii a bold, brilliant.
enthusiastic tribune ot the people a Rlenzl
In eloquence, courage, and devotion to
lofty ideal. In that year I could stifle my
own feeling of humiliation, subordinating
self-interest to patriotism, and stump Ne
braska for Bryan, successfully, addlt to
th glory of Bryan, adding nothing to the
credit given Watson.
But th Bryan ot 1P04, It was Impossible
to defend, follow, or admire. The tribune
weakened Into the party hack. The patrt
otic reformer shrank into tha calculating
politician. "Party regularity" had to be
maintained, for Bryan's own future Inter
est. Popularity, eloquence, magnetic pres
ence, personal Influence, all had to be given
to a causa which Bryan himself had said
was unworthy; and thus God-given talents
and a glorious opportunity were misused In
order that personal ambition ahould keep
lta feet in tha beaten road of political pro
motion.
The time may come when ome dauntless
ana consecrated leader of the people win
have to wear a crown of thorns but It will
not be W. J. Bryan. The time may come
when a heart-broken following may look
through the mist of weeping eyes and see
their beloved champion nailed to tha cross,
but the victim will not ba tha orator of
Nebraska.
. A Blar Man Needed.
Pittsburg Gasette (rep.).
It is no easy matter to convince the peo
ple at large that a serious attention Should
be given to th selection of a candidate
for tha vice presidency a for th first
offlca in the gift of th nation, They are
usually willing to leave the second place
on the ticket to tha delegates. The im
portance of naming only a man of first
rate ability for the vice presidency has
been demonstrated on a number ot occa
sions in American history. Th wisdom of
doing so was proven in tha nomination of
Roosevelt on the ticket with McKlnley,
thought he had asserted he wouldn't ac
cept. And that precedent may dispose
candidates for the highest national honor,
all men of first rat ability, to look more
favorably on a nomination for second place
after th premier prlx haa been awarded.
Bryanlsm in Pennsylvania.
Kansas City Btar (lnd.).
The loss of the Pennsylvania contest la
one of tha hardest blows received by Mr.
Bryan In hla present campaign. Th Im
portance of the Pennsylvania issue seems
to hava been fully realised by th Bryan
managers, for they made a most deter
mined fight to secure the Instructions. If
the unit rule should be applied at the Den
ver convention, the big Pennsylvania dele
gatton would probably be controlled in
favor of Judge Gray of Delaware, but cer
tainly against Mr. Bryan. The result is
the more humiliating to the Bryan man'
agers because of the derision with which
they treated claims that the Pennsylvania
democrat would not Instruct.
Impressions Will Keep.
Philadelphia Record (dem.).
It Is gratifying to' note that John A
Johnson' of Minnesota, made a strong Im
pression at the Washington conclave ot
governors. He 1 a growing man trusted
and esteemed by his own people, and be
coming belter known to other well-wisher
day by day. There Is a great future for
tn democratic party, ana an aemocrats
should hall their Minnesota brother as a
dependable man who Is rip enough In
1908. but who will be all the mellower in
1912.
Mathematical Wondera.
New York Tribune (rep.).
Governor John A. Johnson has aome won
derful mathematicians on his staff of
boomers. Twenty-two delegates those from
Minnesota hava been instructed for him.
But hi pad-and-pencti experts flgur out
that he has 3S9 delegates In sight and
chance to get 162 more. This is equal to
the best work of those historic forecasters
cx-Chalrman "Jim" Griggs and Jamea K
Jones.
What's tha I set
Brooklyn Eagle (ind. dem.).
The Eagle la not seeking to convey tha
impression that there ia much ot a chance
for a democratic triumph thla year, but
the Denver convention might as well ad
Journ without making a nomination a to
place the Nebraskan in the field again
Johnson might not be a winner, but Bryan
ia a sure loser. It Is mora than desirable
that competition for the presidency should
be real, rather than nominal. One way to
insure a walkover la to nominate Bryan,
With Johnson, It will be at least a little
different.
Tarn On the Light.
Baltimore American.
Secretary Taft is In favor of full pub
licity for political campaign contribution.
H Is right. Publicity la the panacea for
the majority of publio Ills. If the light Is
turned on In tha beginning, there la small
danger of exposures coming to view later.
COMMAXDRR OF" THB FLEET. .
Admiral HBrry slonliamtlone foe
Important Taaat.
Park Benjamin In New Tork Poet.
By general consent. Admiral Sperry is
tho best naval tactician we have. II has
filled tha office of president uf the ar
roiiM with notable ability, ha Is a thor
ough student of th science of naval ma
neuvers, and a man of strong Intellect, ex-
rellent ludament and broad Views. For
these reason h was sent a delegate
to th lat peace conference t Tha Hague.
uia nmmt naval record, wholly free irom
anything akin to tha spectacular, has been
distinctly creditable. H ha undertaken
no work which ha not been dona well, ana
quietly. Ha ia a hater of display and news
paper notoriety. He Is keen, shrewd, the
possessor of a mordant wit, which some
mistaka fo cynicism, and a sharp dis
ciplinarian. He Is exactly th tonlo which
the fleet needs after lta recent debauch.
But tha task which he haa undertaken 1
far from an eaav ona. Unfortunately, h
Is approaching Si years of age, and henco
has less than two years of active service
befora him. Nor Is his health especially
robust. No one knows better than h the
extreme Importance of th practice of bat
tle tactic tha maneuvering of quadron
train antiarirnn. and how grossly It has
been neglected. How he la to do anything
of tha kind and st the same tlm meet
tha requirement of a Junketing expedition
! nroniem for him full of trouble, and
one which most men, especially when
forced for the first t!me at tne ciosa oi
Inna- anrl arduous career Into a world-wide
publicity, might well shrink from attempt
ing It. It will be interesting to watcn ntm
tackle it for tackle It he certainly will
and there will be result Just in proportion
to the extent that the Navy aepanmenw
leta him alone. There la now In that in-
tltntlnn nn nn at all comDetent tO tell
him how to do anything. Nor is there any
publio aervlce at prerent which th secre
tary of the navy can render of more value
than minimising th time to be wasted
by tha fleet in further "entertainments,
preventing possibilities of Interference by
the bureaus, and I'mpllfylng tho routln
relation of admiral and department.
CONSUMPTION OF LUMBER.
Dnty on Common Lumber sa4 Em
bargo on Home Building.
, Washington Post.
Returns from 21,077 sawmllla in th United
States show that for the year 1904 tha out
put of lumber, latha and shingles amounted
to 87,910,087,000 feet board measure. How
many mills mad no return of their product
nobody knows. In addition, railroad sta
tistics compute that they laid the forest
under contribution for 103,000,000 croastles.
How much fuel th forest upplte the
hearthstone is a thing of Impossible con
jecture. Th effect of our prodigal con
sumption and vandal wast of timber 1
shown In a loss of 1100,000,000 In the Ohio
valley alone In a Single year, due to flood
that devastated cltie. towns, villages, ham
lets and granges.
Canada has Immense virgin forests, es
timated as ct eight times greater area than
ours; but tha tariff on lumber tends to
shut that supply out ot our markets. Only
a few days ago a single Issue of a great
New Tork dally newspaper consumed ma
terial that required tha denuding of many
acres of forest before th paper was pro
duced. We ought to get all our wood pulp
from abroad, mostly from Canada, and the
Paper trust ahould ba required to compete
with all th world when given free raw
material. v
Tha wood schedule of the Dlngley law
ahould be revised "up" and "down." Cab
inet woods ebony, grandllla, lancewood,
mahogany, roaewood and aat in wood now
on tha free list, ought to bo heavily taxed
for ih revenue they would yield. On the
other hand, boards, planks, deals, laths.
shingles, posts, railroad ties, pickets, pal
ings, staves, barrel, boxe and other tlmllar
article, now heavily taxed, should be ad
mitted free, and In respect to them the
Urlff should be revised "down."
Many a man who builds a cabin on the
prairie haa little money with which to pay
taxes. Every man who buy mahogany or
rosewood furniture has money in both pock
et with which to pay taxes.
Congress can do mora in two hpura to
'conserve" our forests by the revision of
th lumber schedule as we have here sug
gested than twenty convocations of all the
governors at the summons of the president.
IGMTAR1ES AND PUBLICITY.
Proposed Organisation of Governors
Not Taken Seriously.
fit. Louis Republic.
Th proposed organisation of the gov
ernor of states holding annual meetings
and assuming to represent all the states Is
not likely to be taken seriously by the gov
ernors themselves. Probably the name of
"The Houae of Governors." already given
derisively to such an organization, comes
from some one of them with a sense of
humor.
Of coure they have th right to meet as
often as they please and can afford it.
They can attend conventions In any part
of th country or hold conventions of their
own. They can organise and have their
private benevolent organization recognized
as publicly aa that of other useful private
organizations of a benevolent character.
Such organizations are not outlawed by
the tenth section of article on of the Con
stitution of the United States, which de
clares that no state shall without the con
sent of congress enter Into any agreement
or compact with another state. On the
contrary, thla does no apply at all to lh
private actions of anyone, not even to
governors of states. It would apply only
to outlaw any action which governors or
other state officials in league, conference
or convention might attempt to give the
appearance of being an official agreement
or compact. It would outlaw a house of
governors. As notablea and dignitaries,
however, they could still go on acting pri
vately in the interests of publicity without
waiting for the consent of congress.
DID FLEUT HELP THE TREATY.
Naval Influence In th Gam of Di
plomacy. Detroit Free Press.
"Ready for a feast, a frolic or a fight,"
said Admiral Evans of th battleship fleet
when It left Hampton Roads. California
has provided th feast In abundance for
the officers and the frollo for Jck Tar.
Two-thirds of tha Evans forecast has been
verified.
What of the other third?
Fortunately, the danger of hostilities Is
less than it was last winter. There were
ugly rumors then ot Impending trouble
with Japan. Michigan audiences heard
from government officials in February how
anxloua the days had been at Washington
during tho voyage around South Ameilua.
Possibly wa were nearer a war then than
many people believed. That peril ia paat.
While California was greeting the fUet an
arbitration treaty was being signed in
Washington with the mlkadoa representa
tives, which seems to hava put all such
rumors at rest.
How much did the fleet contribute to the
signing ot that treaty?
Perhaps Admiral Evans was not talking
at random when he used that trinity of
expressions on the Atlantic. The game of
diplomacy la not one of those In which the
onlooker aeee the most It Is Just poslble
that the voyage of the battleships was the
move which enabled th American govern
ment to call check.
COURTEOUS EMrLOTES.
Valuable Asset In Every Walk t
Life.
Kansaa City Journal.
In th guise ot an official circular ot
Instruction the Lackawanna railroad ha
Juat published to Us thousanda of em
ployes a splendid sermon upon the value
of courtesy. The sam document without
alteration ought to be In the hands of
every man and woman who comes In con
tact with th general public In a business
way, and If Its suggestion were heeded
most of the rancor snd discord of the
world would be eliminated and tha dawn
of 4ha millennium would be hastened.
One of the first and most irritating
problems confronting public service tor
poratlons is that of securing courteous
employe who will make friends and not
enemies of thosa with whom business is
done. Th urly, boorish and hot-tempered
employe is not only as a rule a poor em
ploye, but h la a posltlv detriment to th
cornrany that hires him. On t"he other
hand, a man or woman representing a
company increases In value as h or she
smoothes the rough placea of business In
tercourse and leaves a pleassnt Impreaalon
Instead of a client or customer Inflamed
with anger and resentment.
After pointing out that the golden rule
ia really the true rule of courtesy, tho
Lackawsma circular continues:"
In a hlshly complex and technical busi
ness such aa that of the railroad there
are rreny things that you, with your train
ing and dally experience, understand with
rerfct famOlarltv, but which the public
do not undtrstanrt: therefore, do not as
sume that the public should comprehend
them without asking questions, but when
they make inquiry of you give them the
courtesy of a reply Just as full and Clear
as you can make it, and without any ug
estlon of superiority born of a greater
knowledge.
Words are only one means of expression
rnd manner V quite as Important: there
fore, remember that a kindly and gracious
manner Is not only the sign and mark
of a self-respecting man, but Is to your
worde what oil is to machinery In making
thorn mcve effectively to their purpose.
PERSONAL NOTES.
Thaw's belief that "his chances for free
dom are not good la about his first symp
tom of sound mind.
Senator Stephen B. Elklns of West Vir
ginia, 67 years of sge, speaks Spanish
fluently and ha more railroad stock thsn
any other senator.
Miss Jean Reld's bridesmaids, on the
occasion of her wedding with John Hubert
Ward, brother of the earl of Dudley, on
Jun 28, will Include Miss Bessie Crocker
and Miss Mills and Mr. Ward' niece1.
Lady Gladys Honor and Lady Morvyth
Lillian Ward, th daughter of Lord Dud.
ley.
Mrs. E. L. Teape and her daughter, Mr.
Vara McKelvie of Sand Point, Idaho, hav
begun what probably will be the most
remarkable automobile run of the year
In th United State. Their objective
point is Portland, Ore., and with favor
able weather conditions they expect to
complete the trip in eight weeks.
Rev. William W. Wilson, rector of St
Mark's Episcopal church, Chicago, and
preeldent of the Chicago chapter of tho
Actor' Church Alliance, between th
acts at Tuesday night's performance "of
"Th Man from Home," at tho Chicago
Opera house, stepped to the front of tha
stag, and In a brief speech expressed
his appreciation of the play as an ex
ample of the clean drama. The perform,
ance was the 800th consecutive on ' in
Chicago.
On on occasion when Timothy Nichol
son, who has recently retired from char
lty work at tho age of 80 years, was
heading tha prosecution of illegal liquor
selling in Richmond, Ind., tha defendant
was put on the witness stand and was
sakait unnnr other Questions, if ha wti
acquainted with Mr. Nicholson. AnswerJ(
Ing In the affirmative, he was asked what
kind of a man Nicholson was. Ha said
he was "a pretty good man, taking him
altogether, and he would ba a first-class
fellow If he would only leave liquor
alone."
SMILING LINES.
They had been married aeventeen years.
"If there ever Was an utterly worthless
travesty of a man you're It," she told him.
Six months latnr she was suing the rail
way company whose train had run over
thla worthless husband for 825,000. Cleve
land Plain Dealer.
"Have you availed yourself of the priv
ilege of leap year?"
"No," anHwered Miss Cayenne. "I don't
care to have a man tell me he. will be a
brother to me." Washington Star.
Man with the Bulging Brow How do you
get so much satisfaction from watching a
baae ball game? It's no fun to me.
Man with the Bulbous Nose It's be
cauae I have a judicial temperament I
don't care a darn which aide wins. Chi
cago Tribune.
"Queer, wasn't It, that Samson's power
should have been in his hair?" ,
"Oh, I don't know! Juat a case of ' man
strength." Baltimore American. .
"You can't buy happiness," exclaimed
the sentimentalist.
"No," answered the man who Is sternly
practical. "You can't buy happiness. And
at the same time that fact doesn't Imply
that your comfort is enhanced by being
broke." Washington Star,
"What do you think? Btnks Is ss crooked
a politician aa ever got on the inaide, and
he declares there ia no suspicion of graft
In hla office."
"Well, he's right. Nobody does suspect
there is graft In his office. Everybody
knows It' Baltimore American.
Maude Did you hear about the society
that is to be formed to keep women from
kissing other women?
Gladys Is there anything which tha
selfish men do not want to keep to them
selves? Baltimore American.
"O!" sobbed the young wife," "George
doefn't love me aa he did."
"Nonsense!" said the mother. "Only
this morning I heard him call you 'th
deareat girl in the world.' "
"Yes. but he used to call me 'the dear
est girl that ever lived.' "Philadelphia
Prass.
"Your honor," said the burglar es ba
faced the Judge, "think of my family. I
have a wife and two daughters."
"And were they in need?'"
"Need? Why, your honor, not one In the
bunch had a Merry Widow hat."
The prosecuting attorney perceived that
there was nothing doing. Philadelphia
Press.
THE BOLD BOY AND THE GIRL.
St. Louis Times.
It was August the Id,
And quite soft were her eys.
Which it might be Inferred
That the girl was likewise,
But In fact at a show for spring chickena
Hhe would never have taken a prise.
Which she played a small game.
And the boy took a hand
He murmured her name " i '
Rather fearfully, and
At last got her off in a corner
In exactly the way sh had planned.
She sighed as girls can
When conditions are fair, -And
thrilled the young man.
Who coord unto her there
He hsd something he wanted to tell her,
As tha maiden, perhaps, waa aware.
In a casual way.
She exposed to his view
A locket. Dismay
Filled her eyes, and she-drew
It away from the boy,- who had clutched it
And threatened to break it in two.
They were there a:l alone.
And he lunged to possess
Her all as his own:
And he said, "Can't you guess
The atory m longing to Ull you?"
She fell In hla aims aud said "Yes."
He Is wondering yet
Why the fates were a kind
How ha happened to get
Her alone. He's Inclined
To think he waa clever and crafty,
And ha a fcsppy, au 1st a voir is Ind.
aitueeded bU service,
4. T,
ud
IttfrlUuat