n TIIF. OMAHA DAILY I!. SATURDAY. JULY 4, V.m. Tiik Omaha Daily Bee Ki.it. ND ED BY KJJWARD nOSEWATER. VICTOR RUBEWATER. EDITOR. Kntere.1 t umaha poetoffice as second class matter. TKK.M9 OH" HLHSfRIPTION: I tally Hee (without Sunday), one yaar..M ") 1 tally Hw anrl Hundsy. one year 0 Sunday Hee, one ytar 2 Sl' haturday lire, one year I W DELIVERED BY CARRIER: lallv Hee llncludlng Sunday I, per week.. 15c Daily Hee (without Sunday), per week..Pc Kvenlng Pe (without Sunday), per week tic Evel ina- Hee (with Sunday), per week. ...10c Address all complaints of Irregularities In delivery to City Circulation Department. , OFFICES. Omaha The Bee Building. South Omaha City Hall Building. Council Hluffs 15 Scott Street. Chicago 154ft Marquette Building. Nw York Kooma 1101-1102, No. 34 West Thirty-third Street. Washington 726 Fourteenth Street N. W. CORRESPONDENCE. Crtmmunlratlona relating to news and edi torial matter should be addressed: Omaha Bee, Editorial Department. REMITTANCES. Remit by draft, express or postal order payable to The Bee Publishing Company. Only 2-cent stamps received In payment of mall accounts. Personal checks, except on Omaha or eastern exchanges, not accepted. STATEMENT OF CIRCULATION : Elate of Nebraska. Douglas County, is : Ue'irre B. Tsschuck, treasurer of The B'-e Publishing company, being duly sworn, savs that the actual number of full and complete copies of The Dally, Morning, Evening and Sunday Bee printed during the month of June. 19. was as follows: 1 80,830 16 38,490 8 38,740 16 38,490 3 38,030 17 35,990 4 35,800 18 39,110 5 35,760 19 36,460 0.... 35,860 80 35,890 7 85,900 81 36,760 8 35,960 88 36,480 6 36,910 83 36,099 10 85,970 84 38,340 11 36,350 85 36,600 18 ...36,080 86 36,070 13 36,890 88 , 35,830 14 38,060 89 36,500 15 36,080 30 36,330 Totals 1,089,090 Less unsold and returned copies., 9,677 Net total 1,079,313 Dalley average 35,977 OEOROK B. TZSCtfUCK, Treasurer. Subscribed In my presence and sworn to before me this 1st day of July. 198. M. P. WALKER, Notary Public. WHKSf OtTT OF TOWIf. Subscriber leavlo tne city fan porarlly afcealaj have Tkt Bee walled to these. Aaareae will be changed as oftea aa ree.aesfea. The day we mutilate. Mr. Dell of California will toll the keynote at 'Denvei". Now, all together, for a nonmani aral Fourth of July. Aa-a' hi'atter of fact, the original cbeath skirt was worn by an Indian woman. Two big borseahoe mills in Pennsyl vania have resumed work on full time. Good luck. The man who is "a little hard o' heurtn' " may look upon his affliction aa n blessing on .luly 4. An Atlanta man dropped dead while making fun of a Merry Widow hat. These hats are killing. New York has furnished nine vice prrtldents of the United States. Mr. Sherman will le the tenth. Mr. llryan says he Is going after the Rootevit vote. He will probably be fis far eftcr it as he was In 1900. The campaign will not begin to by warm up. much until Mr. Taft gets menconifortahly settled at Hot Springs. "7 i j for Roger Sullivan .is annoyed at the J rrentlon of his name in connection witb the vice presidency. So Is Mr. Rrynn. . Mr. Hope has been nominated by the prohibitionists for governor of Kansas. It promises to be another case of Hope deferred. While on (he subject of railway leg islation it might not be a bad plan to past) a law against taking straw ballots on a train. Theodore Hell, slated for temporary chairman of the democratic national convrptlon. ha also been twice de tented for office. Mr. Taft will doubtless be surprised to learn that about a million men in the country remember that they went to school with him. Among his other claims to recogni tion as a vice presidential possibility "Jerry" Sullivan has been twice de feated for governor of Iowa. It transpires that the late Grover Cleveland drew his own will. It is to be hoped that be did a better job than did the Iat Samuel J. Tilden. About half the planks of the demo cratic platform of 1904 will be omitted from the Denver platform. Very few democratic issues live for four years. President Castro has been suffering from insomnia ever since he woke up to the fact that Mr. Sleeper, the Amer ican legation secretary, bad left Venez uela. Mr. Bryan saya that Mr. Sherman's nomination is "a distinct advantage to democrats." Mr. Sherman has long contended that Mr. Bryan's no ruin a tlon ia always a distinct advantage to republicans. Acting on the Biblical injunction to return good for evil. Mr. Bryan tells Mr. Hearst that he ought to support him notwithstanding the throw-down which Mr. Hearst encountered at the bands of Mr. Bryan four yearn aeo. BIO AFD LITTLE. Colonel Hryan, through bis Com moner, qualifies his demand for pub licity of campaign fund contributions by advocating an exemption for all such contributions not "above a reasonable minimum." In other wprds, campaign fund publicity in Mr. Dryan's opinion Is a good thing for the big fellows, but a bad thing for the little fellows. If ten men give $10 apiece the law should enable them to "keep It dark," but If one man gives 1100 his generosity must be subjected to suspicion. The peculiar line of argument by which Mr. Bryan would Justify his dis crimination is that exposure to the public view of small political contribu tions might involve the donors in harassment, especially if they were wage workers differing In politics from their employers. Dut he would have the contributions of employers heralded forth from the housetops so that he might array one against the other. He wants a law that will ena ble him to point out to the employes the position of their employers and persuade them that their divergent Interests make it necessary for them to vote the other way. Mr. Bryan thinks that the same argument that is made In favor of the secret ballot applies In favor of secrecy as to small campaign contribu tions. Mr. Bryan's illogical logic would Justify withdrawing the secrecy of the ballot from employers and prop erty owners and restricting its protec tion only to men dependent for em ployment upon others who might seek to Influence ther votes. It would justify one law for the rich and an other law for the poor in all the vari ous obligations of citizenship. If publicity of campaign contribu tions is desirable, how can there be a half-way station where publicity should stop and secrecy begin? The untenable position which Mr. Bryan has Just taken on this subject is a fair sample of the contradictory inconsis tencies In which ho constantly trips himself up. THE ABUSE l)F ASYLUM. The federal authorities have insti tuted the first case, under a law passed two years ago, to deprive a naturalized citizen, now living abroad, of his nat uralization papers. The law provides thivt-any foreigner who takes out nat uralization papers in this country and then elects to live in a foreign country may have hla naturalization cancelled, unless he takes the precaution of reg lsterlnn with the nearest American consul. The law was enacted to stop the abuses of American citUenshlp by foreigners who came to this country merely to become naturalized and then returned to" their native land, claiming the privileges of American citizens and the protection of our government. In the case in question, ADranam Moss was naturalized in this country In 1892. He left In a . few months after securing his papers and has since been living in Pretoria, South Africa. He became involved 1n serious trouble with the South African government recently and promptly appealed to the State department at Washington for protection. The authorities; after ln veBtiBatlns: the case, began suit in the Pennsylvania district, where Moss has been admitted to citizenship, for tna cancellation of hW naturalization pa pers. Abuses of this kind have been numerous in the last few years ano the government has made the com mendable decision to put an end to them. THE HEARST FABTi rLAKS. Official announcement is made in New York that the national independ ence party is to hold its convention in Chicago on July 27 and 28 and put a ticket in the field, regardless of what may be done by the democratic con vention at Denver. This program was formally announced some time ago, be fore Mr. Hearst went to Europe, and is now repeated by Melvln G. Palliser, the manager of the party in Mr. Hearst"s absence. In his statement Mr. Palliser saye: Besides putting a national ticket in the field there will be Independent tickets named In every state In which our party is organised. The Independence party will poll more than l.OOO.OHO votes at the next election, and that mean that Bryan will not have a ghoot of a (how of winning. He Is a hackneyed candidate, and if he Is nominated it will mean not only the break ing up of the solid south, but the break ing up of the democratic party. I don't mean by that that the democratic putty will lone its name, but It will mean that It will be reorganized by the adoption of new principles. This reiterated statement of the Hearst plans does not bolster up those who have been talking possible fusion between the Hearst and democratic forces. Mr. Hearst has denounced fuBlon and says he has been a "sullen and reluctant convert to fusion in times past" and will have no more of it. He proposes to make this fight without entangling alliances and convinced that the democratic ticket will be third in the running in several eastern states. In that event, he nat urally hopes to take a seat at the head of the council tables of democracy when reorganization comes, as it would come after Mr. Bryan's third defeat. The Hearst strength must not be un derestimated. When he ran for mayor of New York in 1905 he polled 124. 929 votes, being defeated by a small margin. In 1906 he was defeated by Governor Hughes by 67,898. but all the other candidates on the Hearst ticket were elected. This was in a fu sion deal with the democrats, in which the Tammany faction knifed Hearst. Mr. Bryan's strength In New York has always been below the normal demo cratic vote. He ran 23,000 below the 'tate ticket in New York in 1896 and 25.000 below it in 1900. Mr. Bryan has also failed in each of his cam paigns to poll as many votes In New Jersey as were cast for the democratic candidate for governor at the same elections. Afr. Cleveland carried New Jersey in 1892 by 15,000. Bryan lost It in lS9fl.by 8S.000 and in 1900 by 67,000. Judge Parker lost New Jersey In 1904 by 81,000. In New York, New Jersey and perhaps in some other states in the Atlantic coast group Mr. Bryan's chances of success at the polls In November will be decidedly below par with a Hearst ticket in the field. THE tUTUBE HEAT SUPPLY. Secretary Wilson of the Department of Agriculture has dispatched a special agent to Europe for the purpose of securing, If possible, new forage plants that will grow in the semi-arid regions of the west. The secretary Is con vinced that some forms of the grasses that grow in Siberia and other parts of northern Europe can be trans planted successfully and used to im prove the ranges in western Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana and the Rocky mountain states where the rainfall la limited. The secretary has for some time been urging upon the stock growers and the experts In his department the necessity of further protection and im provement of the ranges. Unless this Is done, he contends, the time will be not far distant when meat will be a luxury to be habitually enjoyed, here as In European countries, only by the well-to-do. The statement would ap pear to be much exaggerated were it not supported by statistics showing the constant increase in the price of meat, the actual decrease in the number of meat-producing animals in the coun try, the constant reduction of the range area and the rapidly increasing demands for home consumption. The United States Is stfll an exporter of meat and meat products on a large scale, but can continue to export only If something is soon done to Improve the ranges. The price of meat naturally de pends largely upon the cost of grain and forage. With ample ranges of good quality beef could be produced at prices much lower than now prevail, but there will be no lessening in meat prices so long aa cereals continue to rule high. With corn at 60 cents a bushel on the farm, the stall-fed beef comes very near being placed in the list of luxuries. Farmers hesitate to raise much hay or other forage while grain crops bring more lucrative re turns. The ranges are steadily deteriorating and their capacity to sustain animal life growing less. The west and the entire country will be greatly benefited If the search ordered by Secretary Wilson results in the dis covery of some grass not now grown here which will increase the country's output of forage. A VOTED JOURNALIST GOXK. The death of Murat Halstead takes away another noted Journalist of the old school. While Halstead fell short in newspaper measurement of Greeley, or Dana, or Medlll, he yet achieved a rank as a special correspondent and editor that placed him in the forefront among the best-known and influential newspaper writers of his time. He was, possibly, a little more prolific in literary output than he would have been had he kept up to the standard of his best work nil the time. For many years the name of Murat Hal stead was as generally recognized by newspaper readers as that of any other active journalist. His death at the advanced age of 79 accentuates the rapid extinction of the generation of brilliant men brought into prominence and power during the period of the war of the rebellion. ThE WEST AKD THE OR1EKT- The detailed review of American commerce for the fiscal year 1907, Just issued by the bureau of statistics, con tains further, proof of the fact that the Atlantic seaboard cities are gradually losing their trade supremacy so far as foreign commerce Is concerned. For many years the bulk of exports to Asiatic countries has gone through Atlantic ports, but the last few years this commerce has been shifting from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast. Prac tically 60 per cent of the shipments to oriental countries in 1907 went from Pacific coast ports, as against 40 per cent carried by that route in 1901. In the meantime tho exports to Asiatic countries have about doubled in the eight years. Exports to all of the Asiatic countries were larger in 1907 than for any year in the national his tory, with the exception of exports to China, where a marked decrease was noted, due to smaller Chinese demand for American copper for coinage pur poses. A big increase is also shown In the exports through Gulf of Mexico ports. The only occasion for surprise is that this change in routing has been so slow in accomplishment. Habit has evidently been followed in commerce, and for years the grain and live stock of the great west have been sent across the contlneut by rail for water ship ment from Atlantic coast points, accu mulating heavy freight rates, which might have been saved by using shorter and more direct routes. In creasing trade following fuller devel opment of the resources of the west and middle west will cause a greater demand for better and cheaper trans portation facilities to tidewater. Through this will coma a potent im petus to the movement or the improve ment of inland waterwayg and the les sening of the burdens on shippers and producers. Nebraska and other west ern states are deeply concerned in every movement of this kind that is calculated to open new channels of trade and give the producers and ship pers the benefit of the competition that conies with choice of routes. Roger Sullivan is said to be plan ning to offer a plank for the Denver platform favoring government owner ship of railways for the purpose if having the convention vote it down by such an overwhelming majority that Mr. Bryan will not have the nerve to dig it up again. That is a great scheme of Sullivan's, but the Joke would be on him if the convention should take Bryan at his word and adopt the plank instead of voting It down. V- -- The new president of the National Educational association Is said to owe his position to the activity In his be half of the agents of the so-called School Book trust. The National Edu cational association has more than once been charged with being a Teach ers' trust, so that merger with the Book trust would not be out of the ordinary. It is to be noted that "the only democratic congressman from Ne braska" has issued no bulletin enumerating what he has achieved in the national legislative halls. He Is on record with a confession of lm potency to do anything except to dis tribute garden seeds. The Denver ticket will not be Bryan and Johnson, because Mr. Bryan has traveled enough to know that the ten der should not be placed in front of the engine. "Truth Is mighty and must prevail" everywhere except In Idaho, where the self-confesBed monster has had his death sentence commuted to life im prisonment. "Corns That Kansas Farmers Have" Is the title of a pamphlet issued by the Kansas department of agriculture. No real cure has ever been found for the plural of corn. Democrats enroute to Denver are duly warned not to lay over at Omaha or at Lincoln on Sunday unless they have brought their bottled refresh ments along with them. It is well to take out an accident Insurance and reserve a cot in the emergency hospital before granting little Willie's wish as to the kind or fireworks he -wants today. Senator Gore of Oklahoma is blind, but he thinks he can see the true in wardness of the eulogistic resolution on Grover Cleveland which Alton B. Parker proposes to present at Denver. Something of a Root. Pittsburg Dispatch. Trie odds are certainly as much aa 16 to 1 that the sacred ratio will not be affirmed at Denver, .vyont that be another "re .... ' - ' Santa Old Game. Washington Herald. We auppose we shall have the aame old unsafe and Insane Fourth of July, not withstanding; the friendly warnings handed out by the physicians and surgeons of the country. An Old Friend Mlsslne;. Loulslville Courier-Journal. During the excitement in Mexico our old friend, Geronimo. may be wondering why the white man s brand of civilisation is called superior to that of the cactus plains variety of Indian. "This fa So Sadden." Washington Star. The manner In which a nominee receives the notification committee should never for an Instant betray the fact that he has been Ittlng for days and nights with his ear at the telephone receiver. A War Dear in Danger. Indianapolis News. Considering the condition of the national finances which would confront the demo crats if they were successful at the No vember election, It seems barely poslhle that Richmond Pearson Hobeon may fall to get Ills greater navy plank Incorporated In the Denver platform. Torchlights on Life's Hlaaway, Wall Btreet Journal. Let us not delude ourselves with the thought that, when a strong man lays down this mortal burden, we have really lost anything of the actual man. The real man lives on in the few or the many with whom his career In the flesh has counted most. We partake of one another's nature aa a lit torch passes on Its light to an unlit one. Vnlqae Symbol of Peace. Baltimore American. The first Spanish warship to enter the harbor of Havana since Cuba passed from the rule Ot Spain was preceded by a flock of doves released from the vessel. The symbol of peaces so prettily suggested was heartily responded to. and the Spaniards found themselves greeted as guests aa they had never been as masters. So happily has ended one Important epoch In the his tory of Independence In the new world. CONCEHMXO KX-FHKSIDENTS. Retired Kaeeatlvea Grow Scarcer as the Hepabllo Ages. New York Evening Post. The question of what to do with our ex presidents Is never so pressing as it mlgtfit be, owing to their scarcity. In the earlier days of the republic there were more; for instance, in the beginning of John yulncy Adams' administration there were alive John Adams, Jefferson, Madison and Mon roe. During Taylor's brief administration, there were for a time three ex-presidents, as undur Pierce. There were, again, four during the administration of Buchanan, but the high-water mark was reached dur ing the beginning of Mr. Lincoln's first administration, when there were alive Van Buren, Tyler, Fillmore. Pierce and Bu chanan. Van Buren and Tyler died In 1SW2, so that when Johnson took office there were but three ex-prestdents. At the be ginning of Mr. Cleveland's administration, Hayes. Arthur and Grant were enjoying thtlr retirement. Since that time the num ber has steadily decreased. Only ten presi dents have survived their retirement from office longer than Mr. Cleveland. Millard Fillmore was an ex-president for twenty, one years. Madison and John Qulnry Adams for nineteen. Van Buren for twenty, one. Mr. Cleveland's death leaves no ex. president a situation that has arisen twice before, on the deaths of Washington In Ki and of Johnson In July. 17. During Mr. Cleveland's second term there was but one ex-president. Mr. HairUou. FW STAR IX THE FLAG. Old f.lory as It Looks Today and Its K.arly History. The forty-sixth Mar In the field of blue of the American flag, representing the statehood of Oklahoma, today becomes by law a fixture In the Stars and Stripes. The event Is another milestone In the develop ment of the union of states and the trans lation of a large area pf the progressive west from territorial childhood to the ma turity of statehood. There remains now only three territories which may eventu ally become states New Mexico, Arizona and Alaska. It Is only a question of time and political expediency when these terri tories become states, each adding a new star to the field of blue, a total of forty nine, leaving I'orto Rico, Hawaii or Cuba candidates for the honor of the golden star. One hundred and thirty-one years ago last month the congress then In session In Philadelphia officially designated the flag as we know It today. The field of blue contained thirteen white stars representing the thirteen original states. A bulletin Is sued by the War department a few yean ago states the origin of the flag as follows: The American congress, In session at Philadelphia, established by Its resolution of June 14. 1777, a national flag for the t'nlted Slates of America. The resolution wag as follows: Resolved, That the flag of the thirteen t'nlteil States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation. Although nearly a year previous, July 4, 1776, these thirteen t'nlted States had been declared Independent, this resolution Is the first legislative action recorded relating to a national flag for the new sovereignty. The use of thirteen stripes was not a new feature, as they had been Introduced (In alternate white and blue) on the upper left hand corner of a standard presented to the Philadelphia Light Horse by Its captain In the early part of 1778. and, moreover, the union flag of the thirteen united colonies raised at Washington's headquarters, at Cambridge, January 2, 1778, had the thir teen stripes Just as they are this day, but It also had the crosses of St. George and St. Andrew on a blue ground in the cor ner. There Is no satisfactory evidence, however, that any flag bearing the union of stars had been In public use before the resolution of June, 1777. The flag remained unchanged for about eighteen years after Its adoption. By this tlmo two more states. Vermont and Ken tucky, had been admitted to the union, and on January 13, 1791, congress enacted that from and after May 1, 1795, the flag of the United States bo fifteen stripes, al ternate red and white, that the union be fifteen stars, white in a blue field. This flag was the national banner from 1795 to 1818, during which period occurred the war of 1812 with Great Britain. By 1S18 five additional states, Tennessee, Ohio, Louisiana, Indiana and Mississippi, had been admitted Into the union and therefore a further change In the flag seemed to be required. After considerable discussion in congress on the subject the act of April 4, 1818, was passed, which provided: "First That from and after the 4th day of July next the flag of the United States be thirteen horizontal stripes, alternate red and white; that the union have twenty stars, white In a blue field. "Second That on the admission of every new state Into the union one star be addd to the union of the flag and that such addition shall take effect on the 4th day of July next succeeding such admission." The return to the thirteen stripes of the 1777 flag was due in a measure to a rever ence for the standard of the revolution, but It was also due to the fact that a fur ther Increase of the number of stripes would have made the width of the flag out of proportion to Us length unless the stripes were narrowed and this would have im paired their distinctness when teen from a distance. It is not known to whom the credit of designing the Stars and Stripes is due. It is claimed that Mrs. Betsy Ross, residing on Arch street, Philadelphia, was, the maker of the first flag containing the Stars and Stripes. This claim originated some fifty years ago, based on affidavits of descendents to whom Mrs. Ross related the supposed facts, and on the strength of these assertions the story has gone into school histories, the Arch street home has become a revolutionary shrine, and Mrs. Ross is classed among the patriotic women of the republic. But her claim to eminence In making the first flag of stars and stripes is now vigorously denied by Philadelphia antiquarians, and a pretty quarrel is the result. There seems to be no question but that Mrs. Ross made some flags In the early daya of the revolutionary war, and a treasury record shows she was paid for "making flags for the Delaware fleet," in May, 1777. But these flags were not the Stars and Stripes. A Philadelphia com mittee engaged In determining and making historic sites preliminary to a celebration planned for next October, has denied the claim of the Betsy Ross home on Arch Street. The chairman of the committee, William J. Campbell, says: "The story Is nothing but a foolish tra dition. Betsy Robs never had an Interview with George Washington: she no more planned a five star flag and. in fact, prob ably never gave a thought to how many stars were on any flag. Betsy Ross was no more than an ordinary seamstress, and no doubt was glad to get a day's work sewing on any flag, five stars or other wise." John 11. Fow. a local historian of repute, supports the conclusions of the committee. He says: "The Betsy Ross claim la a fake, pure and simple. In all of my researches, aided by others, have we failed to connect her either by documentary or record evi dence. The house on Arch street now claimed to be the flag house, where she resided. Is not the house; she was married three times and lived In a number of plaree The reason why state, municipal and na tional authorities have not recognized the claim la for reasons furnished by myself to the committees having the matter In charge." Another local historian. Martin I. J. Griffin, who lias devoted his life to re searches of early American history. Is equally emphatic In declaring there is no evidence to support the Betsy Ross claim, as the maker of the original Stars and Stripes. He states the case in these words: Mrs. Ross made flags. That may be Con ceded. Washington, on January 1, 1776, on the establishment of what was at the time called "the new army," raised over the camp at Cambridge a flag of thirteen stripes. The canton was of the English ensign. We have nil been made fsmlllnr with this form of flag since the enter ntal of 1876. It la sometimes railed "the flag of Washington," or "the Union flag." It did not. however, get Into general us. Flags of various design continued to be used by military detachments and naval forces. Preble's "Origin of the Flag" gives Illustrations of fifteen devices used as flags. On Ftbiuary S a rattlesnake flag was pre. sented to congress as "a standard such as Is to be used by the commander-in-chief of the American navy." But when Com modore Ilupklrs sailed the following month he carried as the standard of the fleet the Union flag, or flag of Washing ton. Mrs. Roes was paid for some of these fUs. None of them, however, was the Stars and Stripes. There la a widespread error concerning the flag. Now It Is hon ored, almost worshiped. It Is generally be lieved that the crflonlsls after Its adoption were enthusiastic over It. that Its use be came general and that the revolution wns fought under It by regiments and com psnhs carrying It Into battle and ship flying It. Just as In our time. That's all Imagination. The flags of the army that have Come down to us are not the Stars snd Stripes, but state deflsns and other devices. But one flag with stars and stripes, one carried by a Maryland rent ment. Is known the solitary Instance. The war was not a national war in the e-nsc we now understand national. It was a war of states, free and Independent, agalnnt Great Britain. The Idea of a nation and of Its flag had but little force on the publ c mind. That waa one great weakness which prolonged the war. We have got to to love the flag, especially since the war between the states, that We have built up a lot of romancing "stories" about it. this Betsy Ross tale being the foundation." However, the great and Imposing tact re mains unchanged: They flag Is "still there.' THOIGHTS OF THB DAY. A line ot "first aid to the Injured" helps some. A bomb in the bush Is safer than one In the hand. Distance lends enchantment to the voice of the cannon cracker. A lacerated hand Is fine reminder of the day for some time after. If you must make a noise, shoot off your mouth and pound a tin can. Do not monopolize the noise. There are other patriots on the beach. The giant firecracker that falls to go off 'phones to the physician all right. The pistol and the dynamite blank cart ridge expose the vacant upper story. Small boys learned their part from the elders. Fathers have no klok coming. Go forth late and come home early. You will twitter with the birds next morning. A line of accident and fire Insurance policies often serve as a balm for burned patriotism. Telling "Johnny, get your gun," Is need less. Johnny is onto his Job every minute of the day. Sense and sentiment lasts through the year. The patriotism of punk sputters and dies in a day. ! If not for your own, be carefu! for the doctor's sake. He wants a day off and doesn't need the money. The evil that men do oft lives after them. The Chinaman who Invented flrecrakers never achieved a monument. NEW FORMS OF REBATE. Co arts and Grand Jarlea Looking Into the California System. Philadelphia Press. Trials and Investigation on ' railroad rebates on California fruit and lumber, oil and export rates mark not a relapse, but the advance made in giving all shippers equal rights in transportation. Not one of these rebates la of the sort once In vogue, where a favored shipper was given special rate or received part of his freight back as a rebate. These graver forms of discrimination have almost wholly disappeared. The successive ac's for equal rates from 1TW7 to 1908 have driven out what was once the rule. The freight rate sheet waa once only a basis for bargaining. It waa the point from which shipper and road reckoned their final agreement The new form of rebate takes the published rate as the end of controversy, accepts It and adds to It or takes from it by special charges. In California, where a federal grand Jury has Just found Indictments against the Southern Pacific, concessions were made by the railroads on a "State rate" in "assembling" eastward shipments at a central point and then the Interstate rate came into play on fruit and lumber. The export rate merged rail and ocean charges from Chicago to English ports and the rail rate waa so low as to raise question whin published separately. These are all survivals of the past. It will be long before It Is clearly understood that no allowance can be made and no concession granted. The habit of rebates waa pretty well established by a generation of constant practice. The main stem is cut away. There remains only evasion and doubtful concessions. In time these will be cut away and no one will expect a concession on a freight rate any more than on a postage stamp. This la the only Just method and the Interstate Commerce 1 commission makes ateady progress in securing this by its in vestigations, decisions and prosecutions. HONESTY OF PRESIDENTS. "Personal Integrity Has Ever Bees a Distinguishing Trait." New York World. Grover Cleveland waa reputed to be a very rich man when he left the White House. It was charged by populist and Bryan orators that he had accumulated a fortune of fully tf.OOO.OOO while In ofdee. That he died comparatively poor effectively refutes a slander as persistent as It was malignant. Personal Integrity has even been a dis tinguishing trait In presidents of the United States. There have been twenty-six oc cupants of the high post, but against none of them has an accusation of dishonesty been preferred which had a more substan tial basis than wild rumor. The charges were rung on Grant's alleged connection wtth the gold ring, but the evidence as sifted by historians acquits him of any complicity 'in that attack on the nation's credit. From Washington to Roosevelt the line of succession In unswerving Integrity remains unbroken. Presidents have been Intemperate, they have not been exempt from human weak nesses and they have committed number less mistakes In executive policy. Party calumny has not spared their morals. But that they have used their position for per sonal profit la yet to be proved. Not one was ever shown to have added a dollar to his fortune by the illegitimate exercise of powers for influencing legislation such as reside in no other chief magistrate. Their record in this respect is unparal leled In any other nation. It Is particu larly In contrast with that of the execu tives of other republics, elevated ofttlmes, as with us, from obscurity and poverty to high place, but less fortified by charac ter against Its temptations. RAILHOAU STATISTICS. larreased Mileage and Capitalisation far Past Year. Philadelphia Record. Poor's Manual, which appears rather earlier than usual this year, shows the total mileage of the steam railroads of the United States to have been 228.12a on De cember SI, 1907. representing an Increase of trackage for the year of t.38? miles. The total capital liabilities at the date mentioned amounted to tl6.til.41S.aj9. showing an Increase of 1907,864,112, of whr-h S-161.717.K) la represented by stock. The bonded indebtedness, which generally rep res'nts actual borrowings, was Increased, therefore, by about rtt.000,00uan amount 10 per cent greater than that which James J. Hill declared the railroads would need to borrow every year for ten years If their equipment should be brought up to a stand ard comformabl to the requirement of the country's trade. Most of this is now an old story; the confirmation theory by so high an authority as Poor Is a matter of Inter est, however. FINNY FIZZES. " 'Mrs Irons." complained the boarder SI the foot r tii table, "this mutton has woolly taste." "I tu Kind It ha." snapped the landlady, "The Ust time 1 gave you mutton yov said It whs horse meat." Chicago Trlbuna "You marry my daughter!" cried the rlrr, old nwn, "why vou're a beer gi'rsler. sir." "Yes. but after my msrriHio I d stop alt that. I expect to be able to afford wins then." Philadelphia Press. "Can ynvi work this graft V aked th master hand "It s a peach." responded hi assistant. So thev went to wurk. but as thev were only gardener, the police ilid not Interfere with the srlf-ronfessed gratters. Baltimore American. "Why Is It that American youth Is so Iscklng In reverence for mature people? ' "Perhaps." answered Mis Cayenne, "It I because mature people permit themselves to be lured Into trying thene new munch which youngsters play so much better." Washington Star. "Old chap, where are you going for your vacation? ' "All over the country In fact, I'm tak ing it now readlnir summer resort litera ture." Chicago Tribune. Mrs. Dash I can remember the day when you begged me to nay tlie word that would make you happy for lite. Mr. I'axh-1 know but yog said the wrong word. Brooklyn Life. "Some of us crltteis here below," sai.i Uncle Eben, ' prides ourselves on de hi : ness of our voices an' some of 'is in ,1 purposes In w'llcli dey is applied. i'.it one cliff reife leiween a inula ait' a niock ln' bird." Washlngtcn Star. "Jim's boy Is home from college and he s that smart nolhtn' or nobody flustrntes him." said the boy's aunt, adminiiKU . 'The other day when old Mrs. Fluster avked him whai caused such unusual he.n. he said right off It was due to a aurplua of caloric In the atmosphere." Ualtlmore, American. "What do you Intend to give to our cam paign fund?" u.'ked the political expert. "It's hard to decide" answered Mr Dustln Stax. "The amount must, of course, be big enough to help the cause, and at the same time small enough not to start a scandal." Washington 8tur. THE DAY WE It 1,1; 11 II ATE. T. C. llarbaugh. Old Glory is waving on land and on sen, The hope of the nutlon, the pride of tna free; Our tleets bear It outward to harbors afar. And dear to the eye Is the gleam of each star; In beauty It floats over hemlock and pint Adown to uur orange-fringed tropical line. Our fathers beneath It were willing to die, And new luster it gets on the Fourth of July. The Old Continentals! mcthlnks that the come Out of the past at the tap of the drum, Their swords are aloft and their bayonets shine And Washington rides at the head of the line; There Sumter and Schuyler are fighting again, And yonder la charging "Mad Anthony" Wayne! They fought and they fell 'neath the un ion's blue sky, And gave to Columbia her Fourth of July. We reach out from ocean to ocean afar, A nation of freemen all matchless In war. Our eagle's a-wing, of his grandeur un shorn, For never by foe has his plumage been torn; And woe to the hand that would fetter his flight, Or sully the banner he guards In hla might; He watches our land from his eyrie or high. And our flsg waves for him on the Fourth of July! . Our forefathers gave us this home of tho free, And tenderly guarded young Liberty's tree; Undaunted In battle heroic thev stood And nourished the soil with 'the best of their ' blood; Blow, blow the wild bugles, but not for the fray, The morning has dawned upon Liberty's day ; Unfurl the proud emblem that kisses th sky For this is the world's only Fourth of July. The rollicking drums! let them sound In their might. And rally the people, but not for the fight; The land Is aflame, and the rocket's fierce fire Will show where our eagle mounts higher a n ,1 h I.S'r m ' And listen! o'er Brandywlne's historic plain The Old Continentals are swarming again; With the tread of the brave and the) sol dier's true eye. They march, as it were, to our Fourth of July. The Past Is our pride and the cycles of fate Await us .Inside of the Century's gate; We dress to the colors that flutter snd shine. While Liberty stands at the head of the line; Look up at the Flag that will never grow old As long as the tale of our fathers Is told' As long as our land Is our home may It fly To crown with Its glory each Fourth of July. fntense Itching Eczema Drove Him Nearly to Despair Chief Surgeon of a London Hospital Called It Worst Case He Had Ever Seen Got Little or No Relief Until CUTICURA STOPPED HIS UNBEARABLE TORTURE "About four years ago. In London, I was troubled by a severe itching and ary, scunr skin on mjr ankles and feet. The same, in a few days, was the case with my arras and scalp. I o o u I d hardly keep from oratcblna. which. 1 need hardly ) say, made it 'worse. Then large red patchea appeared, with inflammation and soreness. After ten dars. thousands of small red pimples formed. On beooming dry, thns caused Intense itching. I waa advised to f o to the hospital for disease of the skin. I did so and waa an out-patient for a mouth or more, the chief surgeon saying: 'I never saw sue? a bad ceae of ecaema.' But I got little or no relief. Then I tried many so-called remedies, but I be cam so bad that I almost gave up la despair. Co oomtng to this country I beard so many accounts of ourea by Cuti cura Iteinexiie that I resolved, aa a lait resource, to give them a trial. This waa after suffering agonies for twelve months, and right glad am I that 1 did so, for I waa relieved of the almost un bearable itching after two or three applications of Cuticura Ointment. I continued it use, combined with a liberal use of Cuticura Soap and Cuti cura Resolvent Pills and am mora than thankful to say thai after uatng three sets of the Remedies, I was completely cured. I can only add that, should any one be suffering as I did, I hope that tbey will do as I did, and I am sura ot the reaulu Henry bearle, 3023 Cross U.L I it IU Unfit Ark .. tint. It asisi IO '(IT OoBriat Ciwrsst sse Istxrnl T -siirl I Brrarr buwir of lot&uu. I.tit4in. mmm aouns nwra m lunrori v ' vm I to hmmmm l a. VMieur tricioiMit u.i 10 Heal H skia vvuew luaoiraai itu i, (or is im dm oirv Caolot! Mil, Uc par MI ol SO I u uf'ty lL cms throush.! um aona. rtwr iMiaj a I n " Prooa.. Smib Mam. arsUiMd ttm. Cutwwa sal aa I FOLLOWED 1 0 AIM I 1