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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 8, 1909)
UMAJiA UA1LX lifcfc: -FRIDAY. JANUARY . IM. Shallenberge r Sends His First Message New Governor Urges Passage of Bank Deposit Guaranty Law by the Legislature Without Any Delay. ONE-FOURTH OF ONE PER CENT Amount of Tix to Be Levied on Bank , en for Porpoie of Creating the t Fund ii Fixed, Tentatively at ThatTifnre. jy the Senate' andvHods ; of. Jlepresenta tlvca of tha Thirty-First ,8lon of the Nebraska Jjetfalatiire: L'. 1 I congratulate you upbn being called to erre In ytJur legislative capacity at a time when "th tat ta .enjoying Tpenarai pros tierRvv. Nature, Ja keen kin arid her. field bountiful, On" te?plei ar -Industrious and the dewiand , and' prtcear for their products satisfactory. Our population la not dense, '-probably leaa than 1,600,000 of people dwell within our border. A study of the record of our bureau of statistics will show how marvelon haw been the achievement of theee later year. So rich our anil, so matchlea oar climate, ao wonderful' the Industry of our people that here upon Ne braska aoll American civilisation In It highest development pllea up eaah year a larger aurplua of uaeful product than a like number of people can produce upon any other apot on earth. With s clearer of vlalon and under atandtng aa ta the- purpoaea and poeslblll t.Va 'of legislative enactment, a ateadfast and rucoeesful people will not expect of you Impossible things or unreaaonable law. Having wrung year after year great rtche from a generous soJV they now know that they oan compel prosperity to abide- with f them always. They will,' However, expect of ,the party whose' member control thla senate and the house, the apeetflc leglsla- tlon pledged In the platform upon which you are elected. . i To stamp thea promise upon the statute books of our state aa written law ahould be the purpose, the constant purpose, and I sincerely hope the accomplished purpose, of thla legislature. ,,'X Wish to Imprest .upon both houses the strength and directness with which this mandate for certain legislation comes from ' the people. After Belong period of con tinued and complete control of state affair . bjr one party, the cltlsenahlp of this com monwealth has placed another political or ganisation In tower in'; the' legislative and executive branches of our government. For myself. J do not feel that there Is any personal victory In this change. It Is rather triumph of Ideas; a verdict In favor of better , laws, a condemnation, of certain unsatisfactory methods, a demand for amendments of legislation already enacted nd against which' the people complain. i .Cirtilt the Legislature The basis tvt thla Opinion Ilea. In the . significant fact that while the executive branch of the 'party placed In power re ceived a very jmodest plurality, the legis , laUve majority of the sejne party, la over whelming. The electorate of Nebraska la "-!lln!y Jnt,1Can4;independent, as Ihai 'of any other state, in the republic. They know that the executive can' put' en force your edict., tha legislature must make the laws. Understanding this, they gave em phatic endorsement to. the legislative de partment of tha party now responsible with power. Tha party, whose platform promised the legislation which I shall urge and the ' people gave their approval with a force that can neither be misunderstood or dented. , Governor Sheldon baa detailed to you the result of his administration of atate affair and you have listened to his recommenda tion. I urge that you give earnest and careful consideration to all he has said. I a hall not go further Into a dicuslon as to the needs of the different state lnitltu- . .tlon and department, but refer you to the reports and recommendation made to the governor by tha superintendents and heads of departments for yeur Information and guidance. v. ' Work for tha Lawmakers. - I shall briefly call your attention to leg islation, the proapect and hope of which. In my opinion, ha brought about this change In the control of the executive and legislative department of state govern ment. It la first to be noted that' "no new or radical legislation Is asked for. Every suggestion la but to amend, correct, or im prove soma existing law. As a general rule, we already have too many law Incumbering our atatute book. Many are good, aome Imperfect, a few bad. The good ahould be let alone. . the Imper fect! one cured, tha bad repealed. What I needed, la my Judgment, I an honest and fearless enforcement of the laws that we now have, rather than a constant cry for new kvwa and new laws aa an excuse for ' Inaction and delay: While upon this sub ',. Jsct, I would recommend the appointment . of at qualified commission to revise and Improve oar present, code of law,' so that Jutloe may be more' easily and rapidly ob tained in our court. That this Is sorely needed Is a point upon which all our best legal author! ties agree, and I recommend It to your careful consideration. , The matters to which I wish to call your especial attention are not numerous, but I believe thtm to be Important. , I shall present them 'to you under aepar. ; fcte heads.. Impravemeats la Banking; Law. Andrew Carnegie has said. "America has tha worst banking system in the world." I scarcely think the fact warrant such a statement, but will venture the opinion that wa hava not the beat system that it is possible for us to obtain, and nothing but tha beat ahould be good enough for the people of Nebraska. Our present law is very much In advance In all that perulna to safe and proper banking to the law whick preceded It. No. one a 111 venture le maintain' that tha one now in force, ia perfect. ' therefore, we are warranted In aaking for still further Improvement. The primary purpose for the establishment of bank ao far tha public ia concerned, is first that tha people ahall have a safe place to depoeit their money, and second, that those who need money may conveniently obtain funds , upon proper security.: after the money abaA have been gathered to gether by the banking vorporatlon. i The Ideal system of banking will guar antes to depositors the absolute certainty tf the . return, of 'every dollar ' itepoiited, and -thla will insure the greatest possible volume of loanable fdnds in banks for the needs ef business. The state and - nation should ace to It that . vry aafeguard snail be provided for the severity of the depositor, since Uy permit -and authorise the re ceiving of- cVtpoeila under the sanction of a' charter granted by the state -: ftecogalelBg thla Implied obligation, the state baa alreadr provided Jn, many wae by useful lawa lor the Insurance and guaranty- as the laAe-of 4epoanore. whe place their money In banks operating under it laws. leases Very Slight. From time to time these guaranties hava been Increased until tosses to depositors ar rare Indeed. The report of the comptroller of the currency for 1908 shows that a tax of one twenty-sixth of 1 per cent levied upon, the deposits in national banka dur ing the forty-five years thst that system Has' been in existence would have raised a sufficient sum so that no person who had trusted his money to a national bank would have lost, a cent. 'A study of the figures of our awn state banking department 1 shows even a more satlafaetorv condition. Onlv iriirina- the last eight years has the law provided for a complete report from receivers of failed banks. During this ferlod a tax of less than one-thirtieth of 1 per cent levied upon the deposits In our state banks would have raised a sum sufflcent to hava Insured every depositor against any possible loaa With these facts before us. I do not hes itate to say that it is a reflection upon our American civilisation and business math ods to longer fall to provide an Insurance guaranty fund and banking law which will make every dollar deposited In a Nebraska bank absolutely sure of being returned to lta lawful owner upon demand. Certain deposits are now secured In state and national banks by safeguard in addi tion to the guaranties which the lsw ex acts of the banker to protect his individual depositor. The county, the atate and the nation having found by experience that the securities which the law provides for the ordinary depoaitor are at times in sufficient and therefore required that the banks shall at their own expense deposit bonds a additional security to protect them against any possibility of loss. There can be no rule of business ethics which makes It Just to secure the state and the nation and deny the same protection to the individual depositor. The only ques tion ' for you to decide, It seems to me, Is, aa to whether or not the proposed ad ditional guaranty fund can be created with the certainty that It will provide absolute security to the depoaitor and not place an unfair burden and responsibility upon the banker. Hew It Can Be best. I believe that the desired security can be obtained by levying a light tax upon the capital stock of each bank transacting business under our laws, thus providing a guaranty fund to pay promptly any pos sible loss to a depositor by reason of tha failure of a atate bank. The amount of such tax to be a certain per cent of the average deposits as shown by the repbrta of the department of banking, and pay ment to be made at stated periods and for a fixed amount. , The volume of money supposed to- be In circulation In the United States on October 1. 1908. according to the latest report of the . National Banking department- waa I3,S78KI0.000. . Lese than one half of this esormous. sum Is accounted for 'by report ing bsnks of every description, or aa on deposit in tha national treasury. Not one tenth of that Portion which la nnainiiifH for ja serving any useful purpose In the economy or modern business methods. If one-half of It were returned to the bank it would enormously expand the business ana wealth or the atate and nation and raise the banking Dover of the TTnit i States until it would exceed that of the rest of the civilised world. To bring this great tdle fund inlo active channels of trade Is the problem for the bankers and legislators to solve. If loss of bank deposits is made a thing of the past, I believe a great step in this direction will have been accomplished. Experience la Insolvency. The reports of the comptroller of ths currency and of our own Department of Banking furnish us with data which ahow that the coat of an adequate Insurance fund would be e very small charge upon the profile of the bank. A totat of 4 national banks have become Insolvent dur ing the forty-five years that the national system haa been in existence. Against these banks. 1175.068.171 In depositors' claim have been allowed.' Four hundred and one Insolvent national banks have been liqui dated and the receivers discharged. There has besn $182,182,31 collected from the as sets and stockholders" liability of thea lanea institutions, or more then 100 per cent of depositors' claim Th. ......,. of liquidations and the payment of claim. omer man tnose of depositors, has reduced the amount collected until nniv atw 7a per cent of the amount due depositors ha .uiu.uy ueen returned to them. In later years, under better condition, tki. centage of loss haa been greatly reduced. aouneen national banka became insolvent during 1908 and have been HmiM.t.H per cent of their deposit hava been re- lurnea to meir creditors. Our state department of hanki. t... . complete record for the last eight year showing-the result of receiverships of in solvent state bank. Thla record shows that since 1WU a total deposit of il6,264.:t ha oeen pieced In Jeopardy by reason of the failure of atate bank. From the aassts of these Insolvent Institutions depositors' cjaims. bave been liquidated until the bal ance unpaid for the entire period of eight yeara is liw.w.w. 0r .n average annual Joss of about to depositors. Credit able as this showing is. 1 feel quite cer tain that with a number of Improvements which can. be mads in our present law, the percentage of loas can atlll be mate-' rially reduced. The minimum eanltl re quired for the incorporation of a stat bank ahould be increased to at leaat til.. 000. Bank examinations should be made twice a year inatead of once, as now re quired. Kxamtnera should be assigned to a certain territory and tbua eventually would become familiar with conditions and se curities In that locality and would acquire the neoessary knowledge aa to the worth of the bill receivable of the banks which they would examine, which la the essential thing in determining the aolvtncy of any banking corporation. B altera ghoala Share Ceatrel. Under a guaranty p,n which would make the banka of the state sustain the losses ef the entire system, the bankers should be given a share In the control of ths depsrtment. The present banking board, which le composed of tfc-e officers elected for sn entirely different purpose, should be abolished aud a nonpartisan, board as. tabllahed to be composed of three member appointed by .the governor, each of it members to have had at leaat five years' practical exptrlence in banking and at leaat two or thm to be actively engaged in, that business at the 4!me of their ap pointment, a bank commissioner should be appoints by the governor with ths p proval e banking board, who should have hid an experience In the banking business equhaient to that required of a member of the board, and he should select the necessary number of examiners with the approval of the board of control. The banking board should sit In seselon st Lin coln at stated periods and be paid for the actual time In session. They should hare complete control of the Issuance of char ters and the general administration of the banking laws. It ha been urged by critic of the guaranty of deposit plan that It would lead to the establishment of too many banka This would be a serious ob jection If auch were the result. It would greatly strengthen our banking system If the banking board were empowered to exer cise a proper censorship over the issuance of bank charter. Tha possibilities of profit to be made in taking other peoples' money on deposit, loaning It to the public and keeping the In terest thereon Is ao alluring that at times the number of bank increase more rapidly than the need of business require with consequent overloading, hasardous risks, extravagance In buildings and expenses, with the result that In lean years failures occur and Innocent people suffer. The over tssuanoe of charters can be In a great meas ure overcome by Increased requirements as to the amount of capital stock necessary to be paid In by the stockholders before a charter ahall Issue. The amount re quired In each Instance should bear a proper proportion to the population of the town or city In which the bank is to be estab lished. As an example, showing the man ner In which requirements as to capital effect the number ef bank charters issued, 1M2 national banka have been' organised since 1900 when the requirements of capital atock waa reduced to $36,000 as the mini mum. This 1 812 more bank than the en tire number In exlatence when the law waa changed In thl respect The reduction of the minimum capital atock requirement to $as,000 haa doubled the number of national banks In eight years. A substantial In crease In the amount required as a mini mum capital for the establishment of state banks would have a salutary effect In keep ing the number of banka within a satisfac tory , limit and also provide greater se curity to the depositors. Compared ta Oklahoma. It haa been claimed that In the state of Oklahoma the guaranty of deposit law ha led to the Issusnce ef an excess of bank charters and the establishment of too many banks with the minimum capital. I have examined the last report of the comptroller of the currency as to the organization of national banka In that state to ascertain If there might not be general causes which have led to a rapid Increase In the issuance of bank charter In Oklahoma, auch as are incident to the settlement and development of a new state, and having no relation to thla guaranty law. I find by way of com parison that whereaa since 1900 there have been eighty-five national banks chartered In Nebraska, eighty-four In Kansas, forty three In Colorado, twenty-four In Wash ington and twenty-six In Oregon. In Okla homa during the same time there have been established 812 national banks, 2o3 of which have the amallest capital which the law permit. Details of the Plan. As to the smount of assessment to be levied In order to provide an adequate fund for the prompt payment of depositors of Insolvent banks, I would suggest that one- fourth of 1 per cent be levied upon the de posits aa, shown at the last statement pub lished prior to the commencement of the operation of the law, and this assessment to be followed with additional levies in like amount at periods of six, twelve snd eighteen month t'neresfter.. After the ac cumulation of t guaranty fund equal to 1 per cent of tiio average deposits In the guaranteed banks, an annual tax of one- tenth of 1 per cent ahould be levied, because it Is necsesary under a proper system of Insurance that the prosperous years should pile up a surplus fund to provide for the inevitable demand of less fortunate times. As an additional security against any pos sible emergency, such as extraordinary de mands upon the fund, the board ahould be empowered to levy an assessment of not to exceed X per cent of the average de posits In any one year. While tbla aasess ment might never be levied, the power to use It would have a sustaining effect in times of possible panics. Buch provisions would result in accumulating In eighteen months, with the average of deposits re maining In state banks aa at present, a guaranty fund of 6.351. This would be 1137,097 more than the entre amount of deposits Involved in bank failures in this tt In the last nine years. It Is three times the amount that would have been neceasary to have paid upon demand all the money due depositor in failed bank during the year with the heaviest failure of any In the last decade. It ta seven tleins aa much as would have been required to pay Immediately all of the deposits tied up In state banks during any one of the last even year. With the additional amount that would be contributed to such a guar anty fund during the yeara when no fail ure would occur and added to thl the power to raise in sny one year by txtra ordinary aasrasment six times aa much as haa been placed In Jeopardy during the worst year that we have experienced aince the preaent law was established. It Is my Judgment that such a system would be a rock of refuge for the banks and for the people In the fiercest financial storm that may come. These comparisons you will ob erv are based upon the experience de veloped under our present law. With the additional safeguards and requirements, which I have indicated, the demands upon a guaranty fund ahould be still lighter In deed, your first purpose should be to so urround the banking business with safe guards and practical regulationa aa to make our system '.he safest and best In the republic aside from any sustaining force of a guaranty fund, and thus you will make the demands upon your guaranty sys tem so light thst It csnnot fall. At this time I want to congratulate aud commend the management of our present banking department for the splendid results it has eeured under the present law. it is the showing of exceedmgly ,msl! losses sus tained under our present management and system which give us confidence to be lieve that with Improvements In our laws as to capitalisation, management and con- IuLVu!LbtHtr "how,ne c"n be "- iMIshed. The proposed guaranty fund un- ?hn,!,.UC!! V,,em " hM bten IWW hould be d.po.ited with the t.te bank. under regulationa imi1ar to our present UU depositary law. or. with uch add" tlon.l aecui-ity a the hgl.i.ture may re quire. The propo.ed law .hould provld. tnat national bank, m.y ,V.U them.elve. of ths advantages and proteciion ef tl !n!r"n!r Un1 U''drr UUW 'vision, and .atiafaetory .Lowing ., to , ,.,. tlon Of auch bank, to the banking ijo.rd The banking board should be en,poW. lH fl ,he of interest- "be paid depoaitor. by h.nkin corporation, operating under the guaranty of depo.it, law. or. if thl, be thought too great a power to confer upon them, tie rate ahould be fixed in the statute by the leglalature. I ba. .one Into the m,er of these proposed thungea in our banking law somewhat fully, bee. use the legi.le tlon a.ked for la new la oert and tliara. for has met with aome opposition. A a ls.t word upon thla, subject I w ant to Impress upon you to the utmost the re sponsibility placed npon you in dealing with thla question and te urge you te re member that In whatever you may do, you must be fair alike to the banker and the depositor, and the law enacted muat stand the severest tests of business experience. Law. Our present revenue law should b amended Insofar a la necessary to re store to the people the right to elect the precinct assessors and to limit in part at least the arbitrary power which the present law give to the State Board of Equalisation and A.aessment, so that the people shall have restored to thm some voice In determining the amount of taxea they shall be compelled to pay to sup port the etate government. It appear to me too great a gift of power to give to the atate and county boards the right to determine the amount of the levy which shall be laid upon the. property of the citizen and at the same time empower the atate board . to determine through lta mandates to the county assessors snd their deputies the valuation that shall be placed upon the property of the tax payers. - When we consider that the mem bers of this all-powerful Board of As sessment, acting In their official capac ity aa the heads of different state depart ments, are authorised to spend the money taken from the pocket of the people by the force of thl same law, the dan ger lurking in this excesa of power be comes more apparent. It ia to be er marked that different state department have commended the preaent law because It provide much money for their use. It I generally to be noted that those who pay out money which others must pay in view the magnitude of the amount to be expended with greater equanimity than those who have to provide it. The cost of our state government has Increased enormously In recent years. I wish to Impress upon you that funds ahould be provided to meet every legitimate demand of the government, our different state In stitution and our schools, but every dol lar that come out of the treasury must have been paid in by some taxpayer and the great bulk of the state' Income Is dug out of the aoll by the unremitting toll of tboae who can ill afford to pay for extravagance or; unneceasary expense. Rallroaa Cammlasloa. The railroad commission should be au thorized and empowered to appraise the physical value of the public service cor porations of the state, and to control their debt making power. If they have- that power now, as some maintain, the legisla ture should provide the meana with which to pay the cost of such an appraisement, A determination of the actual value of the property of these corporations must be the starting point of any effective attempt at rate regulation. I believe that adequate funda can be provided for this purpose by requiring all corporations doing business within the state to pay a small annftal li cense fee into the state treasury. The right to Incorporate and operate under our laws Is a valuable consideration and the power and protection given entitles the state to a proper report aa to the condi tions of auch corporations, together with a fee commensurate with the privilege granted. Such a law in other states brings a sufficient revenue, to warrant its enact ment by thla legislature and the devotion of so much of the fund, so provided to the purpose of obtaining si proper appraisement of public . service corporations would be entirely proper because In any event cor porations ahould be required to pay for the expense of examination and valuation Just as a bank or Insurance company Is now required to do. Home Itale for, Both Omaha. The cities of Omaha and South Omaha should be given complete local self-government under charters satisfactory to them and to you. First, because It Is unamerl can to deny thrm the right to rule and govern themselves In all matters pertain ing to municipal affairs. Second, it is to the best interests of their cltixenship that they ahould have placed upon them serve the responsibility of the proper conduct and administration of their own affairs. It is Inconceivable that theae two metropolitan cities, whose progress and devolopment Is the pride of the state, are the only com munities within our commonwealth that muat be ruled in some of their principal departments of municipal government by an abaentee overlord. I am satisfied that you will carry out the will of the people of these two great cities a expressed through their representatives In this legis lature. Primary Lav L'aaatlafactory. Our present primary law I. unsatisfactory and unfair in many of ita provisions. The expense to the state in holding a alate-wlde primary la enormous, and unless the elec tion results In registering the will of the party majority of those voting ond placing better candidates before the people than the convention method, the benefits of the kiw cannot be aald to warrant lis cost. Under the present law, the accidental al phabetical position' of the candidates named upon the ballot Is at times more potent in obtaining nominations than merit or abil ity. The number of namea required upon the petition of a candidate for a state of fice. Is grossly insufficient. The cost of elections both to the candidates and the state is greatly Increased, It la doubtful If the average elector will ever have the required acquaintance with the long list of candidatea for the different office upon the ballot In a state-wide primary to In sure intelligent selection. I would suggest to you - a county primary to nominate county officers and delegates to a atate convention. The state convention to select two or more names for each office to go upon the primary ballot, and to make the party platform, which ought to be Issued in advance ofthe primary, Inatead of sub sequent to it, aa at preaent. Tbe plan of the preaent law for organizing the parly machinery, ia not particularly calculated to produce good results, nor 1 It fair In It provision to the different counties. In the lest analysis, no law can be con sidered satisfactory unless It accomplishes the things it waa framed to do, and I cannot believe tbe present primary law has public approval Judged by this standard. It should either be amended materially in it provisions, or repealed. Administration of State laatltetlons. I would suggest that the constitution be so amended that a nonpartisan board of control could be created to be appointed by the governor and have conferred upon U the entire management of our various state institutions. The slate Institutions should be removed from politics aa far aa may be done and merit alone ahould determine the right of any peron to eerv the state in the different departments inuOe subject to the board of control. This board. In my opinion, should consist of three members and have at Its command the atate account ant and a qualified purchasing or bdlneaa agent, w no ahould have a general knowl edge aa to machinery, material and con iru lion contracts and of all matters of business coming before tit boerd. This bosid of control should purchase the sup plies for all the slate institutions by open competition among thoae desiring tu sell le the state. Tbe. piaciKs ui niainiamiut is mow ta (2im)i Matters of great moment to the people of Nebraska will be discussed You should be in daily touch with them It's your business. It is not a private affair of the members. H. H. PHILPOTT and G. F. FIS1EH Two of the best pasted newspaper reporters in Nebraska ; are daily writing the history of the Legislature for. The Omaha Bee You cannot keep thoroughly posted on what is happen' ing unless you read an accurate account each day i The Omaha Daily Bee, Omaha. N. It will be mailed you three months for $1.50 a cash fund at the various stat lnatitu tlona ahould be abolished and the business of the state so far aa It appllea to the gen eral conduct and administration of the dif ferent state Institution should be thor oughly eystematlxed. For the first time in a number of years the state Institutions and departments for which the governor appoints the officers and employee have passed into the hands of an executive of another party than that of a number of the preceding executives, who have been responsible' for them. In making what changea I contemplate I have urged upon those whom I have selected certain salient things. First, that they shall accept their positions with the understanding that they hold them only upon the condition that they render to the state satisfactory ' service. That no salaries are to be Increased nor new offices created, unless authorised by the legislature. To employ no one not ac tually needed and to exact full time, cheer ful and effective service from every person In ths employment of the stata Salary Instead of Fees. The clerk of the supreme court and all other officers of the stat and county gov errn.ents who ijow receive and retain the feea paid them by tlo public should be plsced upon a fixed and reasonable salary and all fees and moneys received by them should be cover -d Into the state or county treasury. The fees charged In every In stance ahould be sufficient, so that no loss would be sustained by the state or county by reason of litlgition upon the part of private parties. I would suggest that a proper appropri ation be made to assist in the worthy and patriotic purpose of erecting a suitable monument In thla city to the memory of the martyred president, Abraham Lincoln. Both the time and the place seem espe cially appropriate, a. the one Is the cen tenary of his birth and the other beara hi. honorable name. In the nu.tter of appropriations, 1 urge you to proceed with caution and to act upon your verv best Judgment. The ex penses of the state must be kept within Its Income. Those responsible to you for esti mates of expenditures for the blennlutn for which you must provide the necesaary funds ask for more money than the ex pected total income of the state. Do not forget that the men who have sent you here have to pay the bills of expense snd expenditures which you shall allow. Be generous to our schools, but not extrava gant. Large appropriations or Increase of salaries rarely if ever bring better service. There are doubtless other matters which this legislature ran take up with benefit and profit to the people who have Bent you here, but I feel confident that If you pro vide satisfactory legislation relating to the questions to which I have referred, you can go home with the certainly that you will meet a satisfied constituency. With a firm reliance upon the wisdom and Judg ment of this legislature and a hope that with your assistance we may together In some fair measure fulfill the hopes and meet the expectations of the citizens of Ne braska who have trusted us with power, I submit these questions to you, gentlemen of the hoi'se and senate. LECTURE BY BISHOP M'INTYRE Falr-Mard Audience Braves the Cold to Hear the Distlngalsbea Dlvlae. Bishop Hubert Melntyre of the Methodist Episcopal church addressed a fair sized aud highly appreciative audience at ths First Methodist church Wednesday even ing on the subject, "Buttoned-L'p People." A more conventional topic for the lecture than the quaint phrase from Dickens would be "The Philosophy of Human Happiness," which Bishop Mclntyie says is clouded and warped by the buttoned-up-ness of the world, known a selfishness in the home, excluaiveneaa In society, prejudice in busi ness and blgtory In religion. Touching hardly at all upon Intimate matters of doc trine and theology, the address waa never theless religious in nature, although keen wit and choice humor enlivened it at all times. More than once the speaker was stopped by hesrty applause, specially in recognition of novel snecdotrs and clever illustrations. or after one of those periodic and highly tense and vivid hits of oratory that put Bishop Melntyre among ths great speakers In the American pulpit today. He spoke for fully two hours, with remarkable vigor and power of holding the attention of his hearers. In spite of the fact that he ha grown elderly In the work and ia remem bered by older citiaetis sa a strong speaker over twenty years sgo. - With a vivid description of the famous Chicago fire, and following with minor mention of the other great catastrophles of recent ear. including tit Italian aeismia disturbance,- and the story of how people In all parts of the world rr'ond with help and sympathy for the suffering of tnclr' feiloW bviiiss. liiahou Melntyre duclnred that the castrophtse wer worth all they coat because they brought people together and made all mankind one brotherhood. COUNTY BOARD'S GOOD RECORD Flalahea Year with All Bills Paid ana Cash Balance la Every Fa ad. With sn all-afternoon and all-evening session the old Board of County Commls slonera finished up Ita business and made way for the new board, which assume charge of the affair of the county today. Resolutions of commendation for the re tiring member, A. O. Harte and W. O. Ure, were passed, aa waa also one for Chairman Kennard, who reaponded by say ing that this waa the first board which had ever retired with every bill paid and with money In every fund. The $1,000,000 bonda for the new court house were sold at private sale, $800,000 worth going to the Board of Educational Lands and Funda at par and accrued in terest and $200,000 worth going to N. W. Halsey & Co. of New Tork and Chicago at par and accrued Interest and $2,01t.66 premium. The school money will be available when wanted on sixty day' notice and the $200,000 will be available at once. O. w: Hoobler. the Omaha rep resentative of N. W. Halsey ec Co., rep resented that firm. The bonds are at 4 per cent and the board congratulated Itself and Douglas county on the alxe of the premium. The board overruled the remonstrance of E. E. Thomaa against the granting of a aaloon license to W. H. Warner. Forty sixth and Q afreets and granted the license. Mr. Thomaa gave notioe of appeal. Architect John Latenaer aaked advice of the board on the matter of furnishing blue prints and specifications of the new court bouse to those requesting the earns, that they might bid. Although the advertisement ha been running but three day Mr. Laten aer said that he had over thirty applica tion. The notice says theae will be fur nished to contractors who send a certi fied check for $50. and aa the blue print are quite extensive and the electric print ing machine can print but one set a day Mr. Latenaer wanted to know what to do. He estimated that at the rate they were being requested over 100 applications would be received, and aa they coat $20 apiece, he wanted to know what to do. He was in structed to us his own judgment and to furnish to the contractors fast they could be prepared. The board bought a high-wheeled auto mobile from the Holmea-Adklna company of South Omaha for $900 for the u.e of the county surveyor. The paving on the Calhoun road, th Iverton road. West Q street and West Leavenworth was accepted from th. con tractor and the final eetimate of th con tractor waa allowed in each case. BRIAN'S BOND SECURED HERE National Fidelity aa Caaaalty Cam pany Gives fl.OOO.ODO Seearlty for KTew Stata Treaaarer. L. G. Brian, who waa sworn in today aa state treaaurer haa secured a bond for $1,000,000 given by tha National Fidelity and Casualty company of Omaha. This company haa reinsured th bond in ten other companies, the granting of such rein surance being held by the local corporation to be a testimonial to its standing In the home offices of the other companies, whtch, with the amount taken, ar aa follow: Fidelity and Deposit Co. of Md $315,000 U. 8. Fidelity and Ouaranty 1SO.UO National Surety Co lOO.Ono Lion Bonding and Surety Co 7S.OO0 American Bonding Co 76,000 Rankers' Surety Co CO.OuO Federal T'nlon Surety Co SA.Ono Illinois Surety Co t , sO.OO American Fidelity Co 26000 Umpire State Surety Co Uf,000 National Fidelity and Casualty Co.. 100,000 HOW TO BAKE BREADTAUGHT High Srheel Department at Dentestle Seleaee Haa First Seasloa Weaaee 4Ur Vader Mtae Tarae. The natural history of th pi, th pliil osophy of tbe coda blacult and tha itrata of the layer cake ar now among th sub ject in which the young Omaha High achool Idea will be taught to ahoot from now on. The domestic science of ths achool sprang into formal being Wedqeiday morn ing with. Miss Turner a precepirea of pudding nd profejsor of pie. The room equipped for the department I one of the largeat In the new build. ng and ha teen furnished with compleie ventil ating apparatus. The main table la con structed to accommodate twenty-tour girl, each uaing a separata kitchen outfit. A unique ayatern of gaafitting for Single hot plate burnen, which are supported tpon a steel framework and connected by metal Diumg. make piolecliou againii flic at.j. lute. Th table are covered with a perm anent xlno plate, and each contafna a com plete outfit of practical uten.il. All uten aila are of moderate alse and of substantial material. A demonstrating board Is fur nished for the Instructor. The work in domestic -science will be taught systematically and school credit will be the same as for the gymnasium work. At present the work will be taken up In five perloda, making a dally total of 120 pupil.. Besides cooking, special attention will be given to the study of buying and serving. A complete dining room to accommodate four persons has been fitted up. and guest will be welcomed by the young hostesses as soon aa they are a little more advanced In the new study. There Will be no feea ' for the course. CLAIM OF FREEZE-OUT MADE William I,. Hoffman Claims W. It. Hoanaa and A. 8, Averr Tilted Him Oat ef Company. William L. Huffman filed in ilUtrret tKc.l Wednesday a petition for a, peremptory writ of mandaroua against the Huffman Automobile company, a corporation, and William R. Homan and Asbel 6. Avery to compel them to turn over to him $1,000 of stock in the company, which ho claims to own. In the petition Mr. Huffman sets forth that he wa engaged In the automobile buelneas at 108 Famam street, transacting business for himself, until October 1& last, when the Huffman Automobile company was formed and incorporated with himself, W. R. Homan and Elmer H. Farnaley as stockholders. Homan paid In $2,400 to the corporation arui Farnaley turned over the building in which the business was located as his share.. Each of the stockholders waa then given $4,000 worth of stock. No vember 15 Abel 8. Avery bought for $ti,0flt cash $,000 worth of stock and Farnaley retired. When the company wa originally organ ised the plaintiff was elected ' president. After Avery became a stockholder the com-! pany wa reorganised and Avery elected, president and Huffman vice president. De-' cember 18 the plaintiff, subject to permls-1 Ion granted by tha directors of .his com pany, went to Indiana for a couple of weeks, partly on business for the company. He returned on December ft) to be told, lie says, that he wa no longer an officer or director In the company and further that be bad no Interest in the concern. FUND NEAR THOUSAND MARK Glfta hy Mats and Kra Brewing Companies Largest Received hy Italians Wedaeeaay. Tare hundred and aeven dollar was the amount subscribed yesterday to the Italian relief fund. Of thla contributions of $100 were made by the Met and Krug Brewing companies. The list is now as follows: Amount previouslv reported.... $ 710 1 n Met Brewing company lOO.'ou C. O. Campbell William O. Brommei . , ,J .loe Oratalano ..w...-. . ' j'oo Fred Krug Brewing company..., 100 00 Total .". 9t10 Contribution will be gratefully "and cheerfully received by Peter Rocro, treas urer of the relief committee, 511 South Eleventh atreet. A Hellgleaa Anther's aieteaseet. For several years I waa affMcted with kidney trouble and lat winter I was sud denly stricken with a severe pain In my kidney and waa confined to bed eight day unable to gat up without aeelatanc. My urine contained a thick whjt sediment ui I passed earn frequently day and night. I commenced taking Foley Kidney Remedy. nd th pain gradually abated end finally ceaaed and my urine became nor mal. I cheerfully recommend Foley' Kid ney Remedy. For sale by all drugg1t. WATER BOARD VOTES SALARIES Ha Other Baslaeea Treasaeted,', hat Little Matter ef Campeasatlea KTet Overleokea at Meeting. Th session of the Water board last night was ahort and. no bualnee was transacted except allowing a few bllla and the regular aalertea. Char 1 a R. Sherman, th new member of th board, waa preaent. aa wa alo th retiring member, Joba r. Code. There la no other change In the peraonnl of tha board, aa Iaaae E. Congdon w re elected. I Death frem Bleed Pol sea waa prevented by Q. w. Cloyd, Tlunk, Mo., who healed hie dangeroua wound, ' with Bucklen' Arnica Salve. 25e. For aal ' by Beaton . Drug Co. . . Bigger. Better. Rueier-That "wht d varttaiiv p t w your nesa.