ft THE OMAHA SUNT AY HKK: OCTOBER !. 1010. Mexico in the Centennial Year of Its Independence IV. (Kditorlal Correspondent e ) SA UNA CTUZ, Kept. M.-tSpectel -Whlle the TTnlted States been building the ranria canal to meet the certain de mands of the near future for world com merce. Mexico ha not been Mind to the situation r.or neglectful of It opportunities to contribute to the solution of thin blg geet transportation problem. In its Isthmus rf Tehauntepeo Mexico possesses the nar rowest atrip of land separating the At lantic and Pacific with the exception of Panama, that exists between the two Americas, and to utilise this great natural advantage It baa constructed, and la now operating, a transcontinental railroad con necting Atlantic and ' Paclflo porta and activity competing for oceanic traffic. Thla great undertaking la not, strictly speaking, one of the public Improvr-tnents commemorative of the centennial year, having been finished and dedicated with due official ceremonial In 1307. yet It la the most striking example of Mexico's ef fort to keep abreast of twentieth century progress exemplified in the various cen tennial demonstrations, and It Is but nat ural that as guests of the Mexican govern ment, sur editorial party should be In Yiten to inspect tills acmes-Mexico route and Its terminals, although it Is not on the beaten path for tourists. The Isthmus of Tehauntepeo lies In al most the extreme southern part of Mexico, reaching aa far south aa sixteen degTeea nnrth latitude, which is about L100 miles north of the equator. At its narrowest part it la approximately 126 miles wide as the crow files, but to make the trip by rail one must travel a distance of 190 miles. This, because of the in and out windings of the road to ascend and descend the steep grade required to cross the divide, the back of the Cordilleras, which here at its lowest Is 760 feet above sea level. The country through which the railroad passes is thoroughly tropical on the Atlantic side. When it reaches the high levels the vege tation thins out and on the Pacific side, except along the rivers, the vegetation seml-srld because of the rare rains and high winds. We had a delightful trip from Mexico City south through picturesque valleys and Inspiring mountain scenery with glimpses here and there of three snow-capped peaks, Popocatepetl and Ixtacclhautl, und still further southward Orisaba, all of them lifting their heads above the clouds and plwdng the sky up to from. 16.000 to 18,000 foot The sight of white-capped mountains utjv a summer sun was not entirely new to me, I having been photogrsphed on the top of Pike's Peak In July and have slept on the Alpine Rlgl In August, but the novelty of a single view embracing tower ing palms, delicate on hide and tropical flowers at the base, our well known trees and familiar vegetation In the center and perpetual frost al tho trip indeed strik ing and must prove memorable. The Junction of the Tehauntepeo railroad was made at Santa Lunrecla, whence we continued to a little station called Mina tltlan, which la the site of a largo oil re fining plant, with 6.000-barrel capacity, put up by 8. Pearson & Hon, limited, who get the crude oil from their own wells In the oil fields at various points on the isthmus. We departed from our special train here and boarded a steam tug which was to take ua down the t'oatxacoalcoa river to the harbor at Its mouth, which Is twenty-four miles distant, and which used to be on the map by the same name Coatzacoaleoa but which now In deference to the diffi cult)' foreigners might have in pronouncing snd Spelling It, has been relabeled Puerto Mexico. ' ' The (Vatxacoalcos river Is a typical trop ical stream, such as we reud about and see pictured In hooks of travel. It Is wide, placid ntd limpid. It Is bordered on both sldea with dense tropical verdure, showing widely separated shades of gteen. Here and there are open spaces that have been cleared, sometimes with cattle gracing and now and then & building or a cluster of huts peeps out from the higher ground. Water fowl are plentiful, chiefly black and brown birds of Die parrot hawk variety and only: occasionally wore gaudy plum age, and whole flocks of blue and white heron. Two or three crocodiles were ac commodating enough to show themselves for our benefit. Small floating Islands of water hyacinth, all. in purple bloom, let ua pass them, highly colored butterflies flitted by, but wild beasts and tree-climbers were conspicuous by their absence. Although the .temperature was torrid a refreshing breere came up from the water. The sky was almost rlrrhdless and we could not have hoped for a better day. Down the river we went past the docks and wharves, nosing the steamerB loading and unloading with busy electric cranes, past Puerto Mexico and out through the breakwater Into the Atlantic ocean, or rather that branch of It which Is called the Gulf of Mexico, where the swelling waves notified us that we were floating on the open deep. But not very far. Hack again we came to the wharves to Inspect the harbor works and warehouse equip ment. As we were informed, the Mexican government has here constructed wiv.i sttel wharves each with a warehouse -) fuel long by 110 feet wide capable of stor ing 10.000 tons of freight each and equipped with the moet up-to-date lifting machinery. all operated by electric power. Vessels of the deepest draught can come right up to the pier, and we saw big ocean steamships, German, British and American, taking on or giving up cargoes. Puerto Mexico Is an ancient town which Is said to have been completely rebuilt by the installation of a modern drainage sys tem and the filling In of awamps and made a special object of concern for the gov errment sanitary corps with a view of re deeming it from Its former bad reputation as a sink-hole of filth and disease. Pre sumably the Improvements mentioned are real and noticeable, ' but there hi room for a whole lot more. If the tewn has a new drainage system, it has not yet discarded Its old scavanger department, the bux sards. for I counted fifty-two of them roosting at dusk on one roof, with other roofs similarly burdened. The mosquitoes there are big and black, and the fleas par ticularly active and efficient. I do not be lieve any of our party bought anything there, barring a couple of Jaguar skins, which appealed to the man representing a ruapuzine devoted to out-door sports. From Puerto Mexico we retraced our way by rail to Santa Lucrecla and then on up the slope by a serpentine line thai could be best described as tho double twist. At Rlncon Antonio, the crest of the ridge, are located the shops, general of fices and hospital of the Tehuantepec rail way, all new, clean and attractive looking buildings, put here because the place Is high, dry and healthful snd abundantly' supplied with pure water. It doubtless costs the Mexicans quite a little money, which could otherwise be saved, to plant the repair shops and offices way up here, where every pound of material and sup plies must be transported from one coast or the other and lifted up 760 feet, and for this consideration for the comfort and convenience of the employes, the Mexican government, which Is responsible, -should, at least, have a few credit marks. Not far beyond Rlncon Antonio is a station called San Oeronlmo, which has a claim to notice In that It Is the point of connection with the Pan-American rail way, the one in which a Nebraska fellow cltlxen, D. K. Thompson, Is Interested as promoter and chief proprietor. From the train window wo could see the switch track that led to the Pan-American, which runs eastward to the Guatemalan frontier and which It Is expected will eventually be built on through the Central American states. P-y way of parenthesis. It might be Interesting for me to say that the re cent report that this road had been sold by Mr. Thompson and his associates to the Mexican government ia staunchly de nied by those who ought to know down here. I was given the positive assurance by C. R. Hudson, who is In charge of the Mexican national railroads, that no such purchase had been made, and that the only deal so far consummated with the government ia a, contraot for operation. Tha next atop was at Tehuantepec, the largest and most important town on the line, after whose inhabitants the whole isthmus deserves ita name. Tehauntepec has an almost exclusively native population and is a picturesque gem among Mexican cities. We reached Tehauntepeo In the af ternoon and remained there over night und well into the morning, and our experiences and observations would make an Interest ing atory, which I may yet write. That, however. Is a story of a different kind and has nothing particularly to do with trans Isthmian transportation. The Pacific port of the Tehuuntepec Na tional railway Is located at .Salina Cruz, sixteen miles further on, where a deep water harbor has been constructed with a second Inner harbor, by the erection of break-waters of solid concrete masonry along a coast where previously it waa prao tloally impossible for a ship to make land I ,' , ' , . ' ' 1 t $ , ( , f - "V. , i 1r I 1 v. j .... I - I s umr, v 1 i -4 vr.-t ' r I i gA " " '" J- . . ilk U( ii (( L - V in safety. We wslked out on on side of this break-water, which extends half a mile from the shore line like an artificial stone sld'-walk ten or twelve feet wide buttressed with big reinforced concrete slabs weighing forty tons apiece. The walk was long and hot with the tropical sun beating down upon us, leaving Its mark, as I afterwards ascertained, In sunburn and blisters. It would have been much more comfortable to have traveled that sea wall in an auto mobile, and It could easily have been done, if only the auto were provided. Salina Crux is equipped with four wharves and warehouses of the same also, capacity and construction as those of Puerto Mexico. The warehouses and yards are connected with trackage forming prac tically a bolt line, crossing a bridge be tween the Inner and outer harbors, which automatically rises like a railway gate to let the boats go through. There Is also a dry dock for ship repairs. In one of the warehouses 1 saw in transit, sewing ma chines, rocking horses for tho Christmas trade, farm nntchlnery and barrels of printers' ink consigned to Mr. Hearst's San Francisco lxamlner. Ships were loading and unloading here and the docks presented a busy scene. The agent In charge of traffic, H. E. Moore, who accompanied ua, assured us that the business was steadily growing. HI x teen different steamship lines are making one port or the other either occasionally or regularly. "We make traffic wherever we can get It." says Mr. Moore, "meeting the condi tion! w'th which wro have to compete. No, we UO not cut rates, but our regular rates are fixed with a view to getting the busi ness. They are a little lower between New York and San Francisco, for example, than rules exacted by the overland rail roads, and we beat tho railroads In time right along. . We sometimes take freight under guaranty of twenty-alx days, which Includes transportation by boat to and from our ports, transportation across the isthmus and safe delivery at destina tion. "Will the Panama canal destroy our business? Emphatically no. I hardly think It will seriously Interfere, al though that ' will depend ' somewhat upon the caJial tolls which are Im posed. If the Panama tolls are on the same basis as the Sues tolls, the canal will not trouble us except for shipload consignments. But full cargoes are . not the rule. You see, a vessel can get to gether a cargo for Puerto Mexico, parts of which are to go to a docen different points on the Pacific coast, and we break it up and reshlp at Salina Cruz in different vessels going to the desired destinations, We can do that as cheaply. If not cheaper, here than they can at Panama. We are under less expense and have a smaller 1n vestment, and can also make better time In moat cases because we save an average of 1,300 miles and three days on the route by reason of being so much further north.' From Salina Cruz we crossed tho con' tincnt by rail to Vera Cruz and again hud a boat ride arouond the harbor and out Into the Atlantic ocean. We crossed the great divide twice. Wo had in two days waved at steamers bound for the orient and steamers bound for Europe. We had sailed one day on the Pacific and the next day on the Atlantic VICTOR ROSEWATEB. ! Another South Dakota Temple I CUTICURA CURES nTiwniinrn . . MAlUHtU t - - FIRST BAPTIST CHUBCII. SIOUX PALLS. SIOUX FALLS, S. D., Oct 8. (Special.) credit to a city several times the else of The City temple, the name conferred upon handsome new Ftat Baptist church a handsome new building which waa dedicated on Sunday with elaborate exercises. Is one of the fines edifices of Its kind In South Dakota. It adds one more to the fine church buildings of Sioux Falls, and as shown by the accom panying Illustration, the building would .do 1 Sioux Falls. This new structure, complete, represents an expenditure of about 155.000, and the fact that It was dedicated practically free from debt reflects credit toxtho encregy of Ucv. II. R. Rest, pastor of the church, to whose personal efforts largely Is due the erection of the new edifice, and to the generosity of the members of the church and other resi dents of Sioux Falls who contributee' to the fund for the erection of the building. first Father is Cured of an Erup tion that Burned and Itched Day and Night. Then Baby is Cured of a Distressing Rash. Neighbors Pleased to Find a Sur Cure for Skin Afflictions! "I sufTerr.1 fer richt years with wht the doctnin csl'e 1 fie ,wn jesr Itrh.' This was like n! ,11 led pltnnles such as form oe the fare hut Hmv burned and itched, dr "d bight. Tlv-r pi;ii Irs from my snklee tip, but imom'v on t.iv tliitjhn and rm. I tried doctor afle- ! tor . ;it their mrdlclnes broiler.! no r. -'. Met t last I struck Ihe richt treulin tit - tie t'utlcurs. t bought a set of ti e I'uiicuia Remwlles Cn tlcnra Snap, Ointment ami Pilh snd a few appllcstiotu bionxlit relict. Vi heh I hd uied shout half the set I was nesrly cured and sfter uslnc two full sen 1 was well and bent of all, I he tyed cured. "About four months aso. our baby becaa to be coTered with a ra?h and his head with a spreading sore. Back of the ears, the flesh cracked open aid the poor baby would arratch till it bled Me worried, cried and could not sleep. Then we bought a set of t'uttrura and with a few applications the burning and itching ceased, baby stopped worrying and could sleep. When this single set aad gone we had no use for any more aa baby ss. never troubled with the disease again. The neighbora who saw the ceeidltleai of the baby all asked what cured htm aad when we told them, they were surprised and pleased to find a sure cure for these shin afflictions. Kdward H. Carter, JS North 87la St.. Camden, N. J., Mar. 6. 1910." A elnfle set of rtlcur 8op and omimrn la eftee .nirfleient. rendering It the most eeonomtsaJ treatment for altertions ot the akia ana seals. Sol thmuKhoat lb world Potter lruf Obesi. Corp. Sol Trops. 1.1,1 Columbus A., Hnstoa. Msaa. ge-Msli4 tree. tM ctiilrura Book ca Traa Bleat ol Bkia aad bcalp AScstloas. S,..!?""1.1 e asfsa) h XiLd JlJLL FOR ose lanos- THE BEST EVER Co. ton "&. Uamliii P tvt TTa Tvrr ttt. THIS KE hi 111 IL- I WE ALSO CARRY THE Kranich fic Bach, Kimball, Krakauer, Bush 8c Lane, Cable-Nelson. Hallet-Davis and the Pianos Selling for $175.00, $225.00, $275.00, etc. $5 Per Month Pays For One 15134515 Douglas StreeK C BBLB AMERICAN NEWSPAPER MEN IN FRONT OK THE OFFICE OF THE MEXICAN HERALD, CITY OF MEXICO. From a Photograph Taken During the Recent Celebration. Defects in Nebraska's Taxation System Old Tubal Cain was man of might in the daya wncn tne earth was young; By the fierce, red light of his furnace bright The strokes of his hammer rung. Hut we are told that after Tubal Cain had apent many years fashioning the sword and the spear, he paused and looked upon the destruction of life and property wrought with the Instruments that he had fashioned, and Ills heart relented and he laid down his hammer and took It up again only to produce the plow share and the plow. Likewise the writer was for some time "Trouble Man" In the treasurer's of fice, having charge of delinquent personal taiea, and In this rapacity he was sutd to be a man of might. With Icy fingers and flinty heart he gathered In delinquent tases with accumulated Interest, over the protest of the taxpayer that It ' through no fault of bis that the tax had not been paid when due, and he did thli without a quiver or outward sign of coin passion. But it soon became apparent t tne that the enforced collection of persona taxes could not be made sat'afactorily pro ftlable to the city and county and begat to study the cause of the delinquency o taxpayers, and soon became convlnre that in the majority of cases the fault was due more to our tax system than to the fault of the people. It is not necessary to say to a taxpayer In Omaha that our method of creating and collecting taxes Is confusing and unsatis factory, for you need only to consult your own experience, and If this does not con vince you. Juat listen to the cry ot your neighbors. In ray capacity of trouble mar it was my duty and privilege to hear oom lelnta and explain certain troubles that SMI a la the minds of the taxpayer, am! but for my private opinion that our tax system waa one of the worat that could br imagined. I would have been astonished at the number of people who are ufterly at sea en the subject of their taxes. I need not enlarge upon this fact, for how many are. there who have not been called uion to pay taxes after having fuly believed all taxes ere paid, or had real estate sold for taxes when It was supposed to be clear? If there waa only an occasional person eonfuaed on thla subject, we could presume that the fault was his, but when the confusion Is common to practically all the people, it Is evidert tuat the fault is In the system. As soon as I became convinced that the fault was In the system I began to look for a solution. I was in position to study tha neods of the office and my contact with people who had complaints, either Imaginary or rel, gave me an opportunity to study tha subject from the taxiayers' view point, and, combining tb's with the study ef the tax laws of other states, soon made me an enthusiast for a revision of the tax ' laws for Omaha and Nebraska. One day, after relieving a friend's mind of a mass of confusion on this subjoct, he said to me: "Dysart, if you Want to do something useful for your olty, for tlod's siike f gure out a common sense system of taxaton for Omaha." I replied that I waa sure I could do It, but was not sure I could make any one else think 'so. He re plied: ' "Start aomethlng that haa merit in, It and you will see how well you will be supported, for there Is bo one thing that the people of this city are more anx ious for than for an Improvement in thla particular thing." This conversation was the beginning of a thought that resulted in the production ef thla series of articles. My purpose in publishing these letters is to give the people an opportunity to ex press themselves and make suggestions. It ia needles, to say that we expect ts propose a solution, gathered partly from our own experience and partly from a careful study of the laws ot other states, but we des re to get your suggestions and ideas, so that when our work ts finished It will be as near what It should be as our combined efforts can make It. We desire your suggestion, and your criticism is especially solicited. In speaking of the faults ot our tax sys tem, I shall speak only of those faults that are Inherent In our system and avoid all mention of faults peculiar to any par ticular administration.. In fact, 1 shall as sume that each administration has been the best that could have been given under existing conditions, . for I SJn convinced that the most efficient administration can do nothing more than minimise ths evils that become abominable under less effi cient administration. The treasurer's office ' ia peculiarly the people's office. It Is the one public of fice that practically all the people must visit. The On office where the people are directly Inconvenienced by Inadequate service. It is the office where the rights to their property snd the title to their homes are Involved. Of all the offices within the gift of the people, thla should be the office where the people could re ceive the most painstaking attend n and most courteous treatment, lAnd yet, it is not true that this 'is practically the only put 11c office where the people are obliged to stand In line and work up to a position at a wlndo, and then be ground through with about as much dispatch aa cattle In a loading chute, oftentimes receiving what seems to them a stinted explanation of the troubles that are on their minds? This condition la never altogether due to the administration, aa many appear to be lieve, but Is largely due to tha fact Mat we have so many differed kinds of taxes, due at so many different Uoiea, that people are obliged to keep going to the office over and over again each year, instead of being able to ascertain at one time what their tax for the entire year would be. The person who owns simply a small home Is obliged to pay four items of tax each year two on his real estate and two on his household effects. If any special taxes are levied on his property for street Improvement, etc., theae will constitute additional Items. This not only makes It necessary Hor people to make repealed visits to the treasurer's office, but brings them there In such numbers during tax paying periods that It is almost Impossible for them to be waited upon. It frequently happens that taxpayers stand In line with out being able to get waited upon until they become discouraged, or other duties call them elsewhere, and they are obliged to go away and return at another time, with perhaps no better result. It was this condition, that first convinced me that we T.ere working at the wrong end in the col lection of personal taxes. The time to col lect taxes Is while people are In tha office for the purpose of paying them. Under our present system, by our service at the counter we literally drive people out of the office and then send collectors out to try to drive them In again. If It were made possible for people to pay taxes with any degree of comfort and certainty, the amount of delinquent taxes would bs greatly re duced. It Is the common cry of the de lligjuent taxpayer (and in most Instances true) that he has tried to pay his taxes, and thought he had, and It was through no fault of his that they were not paid. Two of the most Important principles of taxatton should be to collect the tax at the least cost and with the greatest con venience to the taxpayer. We certainly are as far from both these principles as we could well be. We are practically duplicat ing our tax records, and doing almost double work In preparing and Collecting taxes, all to no useful purpose, and by so doing are causing thla inconvenience to the taxpayer in the kind of service he receives. Naturally It Is the small taxpayer who suffers most from these conditions. The large taxpayer learns to systeiuUe his work so ss to save some of this snnoyance. But the small home owner, the laborer and professional man who attempts to go In person and pay his taxes becomes right eously Indignant when he finds that he nust atand In line while perhaps a dozen others before him are being waited upon, and we cannot blame them If they learn to dread the thought of paying taxes. It la the duty of every government to give the greatest assistance to those who need t most. Ill this particular we are falling short, to a degree that will surprise even ourselves. If if Is possible for us to re form out tax system so aa to make It possible for people to pay their taxe. with certainty and convenience and at the same time save the county and city thousands of dollars, a year in the way of expenses and loss on account of faults which will be explained later, It certainly is our duty to do so. To this ' end your co-operation Is asked. Address suggestions or Inquiries to me at io Omaha National bunk building, or telephone, or call In person. BOYD DYSART. KILLEN BOOSTS OMAHA AND ALSO FOR BEATRICE Says People of the State Are Proad f the Progress of the Metropolis. D. J. Killen of Gage county, who some months ago came very near running for the republican nomination for governor, is among the Ak-Sar-Ben visitors who came boosting his home town. Killen has Just removed from . Adams to Beatrice and opened a drug store. "Beatrice is booming," said Killen, "and It seems to me that every merchant is do ing a big business. We have an automo bile factory which Is working over time. The Lueben Hay Baler company has re cently increased its facilities, and the Kces Hardware Manufacturing company has erected a new building to care for its In creased business. In fact, In all lines of busineaa there la a big Increase over the previous year and the growth of the city la gradual and aure. "Our growth, however, Is nothing com pared with that of Omaha. I am a pretty frequent visitor here, and every time 1 come I see some new buildings going up. Omaha Is a wonderful city and the state Is proud of It." . Discussing politics, Mr. Killen said dago county would roll up a big majority for Charles II. Sloan, republican, for congress man, p The Key to the rJltumton Bee Want Ada. The Ultimate Car A Real Leader The Stearns 15-30 Model .Mew Minister from swredrsi. STOCKHOLM. Oct 8. Count Ehrenavard. Swedish minister to Belgium, was ap pointed today minister at Washington In succession to M. Lagercrantx, resigned. The 15-30 H. P. Stearns model sprang into instant popularity when it was first placed upon the market and it has stead ily gained in public opinion with each suc cessive season. Proportionate Equal of the Larger S t earns Many motor car owners, intent upon securing the utmost in motor car construc tion, yet not desiring the carrying capacity of the larger Stearns models, have sought the 15-30 type. In every quality it is the proportionate equal of the larger Sterns cars. Rated at 15-30 horse power, the motor develops full forty, giving speed and power far in excess of that ordinarily re quired. Ability P Us Comfort The ability of the 15-30 Stearns to negotiate rough and tortuous country roads and its worth as a. hill-climber can not be bettered, these qualities proving the correct balance of weight and power, The 116-in. wheel base, compact power plant and double-prop frame permit the mount ing of bodies of ample size with exceed ingly low hung doors, while the long and flexible springs smooth out the roughest roads. The 15-30 model is a Stearns in everything that the name implies power, speed, flexibility, ease of control and quiet ' ness in operation. Well balanced and high ly efficient, the car is ideal either as a touring car, toy tonneau runabout (with removable tonneau) , limousine or landaulet. Vestibule Bodies Regular Equipment The latest style vestibule bodies are offered as regular equipment, optional with the open style. The new series cars are now here, ready for inspection. De livery dates are being allotted as orders are received. Send for catalog. 13-30 11. P. Touring Car $3,200 Sarsaparilla Eradicates scrofula and all other humors, cures all their effects, makes the blood rich and abun dant, strengthens all the vital organs. Take it. Oet It today In usual liquid form er ' Chocolated tablets esOled --s-iats a Wallace 315 30-50 H. P. Touring Car $4,600 Automobile Co., South 24th Street Vestibule Type 15-30 X. F. Touring Oar Agent wanted in unoccupied territory. Open Type 15-30 X. V. Touring- Car