Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, February 18, 1911, EDITORIAL SECTION, Page 10, Image 10

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    10
T1IH HEK: OMAHA. SATl'KDAV. FKRRUAKY IS, 1011.
i i. -i i i
Tim Omaha Daily Bee
FOl'NDKD RT EDWARD ROSRWATfR.
VICTOR ROfiEWATKR, EDITOR.
Entered at Orrihi postofflee as unii
elaea matter.
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OFFICES.
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"mith Omaha 7 N. Twnt v-fourth ft.
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Chicago IMS Marquette RulMlng.
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New York-24 West TMrty-thlrd Ptreet
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CORREHTONI'ENCK.
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itorial matter should h addressed tmaha
Pea. Editorial I lerertment.
REMITTANCES.
Remit by draft. express of portal order,
payable to The Be Publishing Company.
Only 5-cent itltnpi received In payment of
malt account. Personal check except on
Omaha and eastern exchange not accepted.
JANUARY CIRCULATION'.
45,826
lata of Nebraska. County of Douglas. :
Dwlght Williams, circulation manager of
The Be Publishing eomnunv, b-lno duly
worn, aava that the average, dally cir
culation, leaa polled-, unused and returned
ccp'ea, for the month of Jsm-ary. 1. wnt
KJ. DWIOHT WILLIAMS.
Circulation Manager.
Rubsrrrhed In my presence and (worn to
before m thla lat dav of Khruarv, 11,11.
(S(al.) ROBERT HUNTEH.
Notary Public.
ftaaserlhere lalasr tb city tera
jaorarllr aaoal4 t Tk Be
aialleel ta them. Ad4ra will be
rkaageal aa flea aa rrqieitfil.
Jt looki m If it were up to Postmas
ter Thomas.
Open primary or closed primary
tbat Is the question.
Evidently the rain still falls on the
Just and unjust alike.
Eternal vigilance also seems to be
the price of togas In several states.
"Dr. Ceok Is to lecture in Des
Moines. On the commission plan?
Russia evidently thinks it Is a good
time to kick China while she is down.
A man of few opinions runs a bis;
risk by becoming a good story teller.
It is reasonable to assume that City
Clerk "Dan" Butler has proved a sat
isfactory alibi.
Mr. ' Bryan's new lecture. "The
Fruit of the Tree," must be real
Juicy.
1
It seems superfluous to add, how
ever, that Senator Bouane spoke with
burning words. x
Perhaps Russia is Just trying to
tease Mr. Carnegie Into giving it a
peace prize not to attack China. v
, It is now believed that if "Billy"
fheehaa'a eyes were brown instead of
blue he might have done better.
A Philadelphia woman advocates
"clubs" for girls. Men at least could
duck them better than they can hat
pins. The mention of pork barrels in
Kansas seems to make a lot of lips
smack in that good old Sunflower
state.
Captain Peary might worry more,
however, If it were some one else than
"Macon of Arkansaw" who railed him
a faktr.
If tome of those Mexican officers
could load their names Into the guns I
and shoot them the Insurrection might J
become ominous.
The president of Vassar says "col
lege girls are lovely." Huh, any or
dinary man without a college educa
tion could tell that
Still, the former mayor of Seattle
ran scarcely be expected to come out
la favor Of woman's suffrage and the
recall at the same time.
Those young "statesmen" out in
New Mexico seem to understand a lot
about modern methods of politics in
the way of making constitutions.
Mobile people are trying to figure
out why a rltlren of that town eloped
with a young woman rsshier. Could
it have been that he needs the rash?
Omaha will entertain the State Fed
eration of Nebraska Retailers next
month. All who conn are assured of
seeing a live exhibit of what a real
market town is.
Those boy scouls who met In Wash- j
Ington might have done a welcome
service by scooting around and finding
out what the senate was going to do,u ehou,d utM eitend (Q nw
on tne reciprocity p,u. , ,ne u wouUj Jugt about boU)e up th
.., ,h. Mt,onrl!"cln(,countr'r 8nst Hill, except for
I 111 Hew V ' t: m 1 'j ... " " -
Pacific will have to live In St. Louis.
We presume, however, he will be per
mitted to seek relief once and a while
by running up to Omaha on aa Inspec
tion tour.
Pelhi, Tex.. Is the place for Mary
Garden. When the mayor objected to
Salome on the stage he was tossed out
of the theater by a group of cowboys,
who could find no objection to Salome
or any of her family.
8peaking of tue Initiative and refer- j
tndum. of the thirty-two measures!
eubmUud to popular vote in Oragon
at last ) ear's election, eleven, or more
than one-third, were projiosed amend
ments to the constitution.
Annexation and Reciprocity.
Canadian reciprocity evidently hss
encountered a new obstacle in Con
gressman Bennett's resolution propos
ing annexation of Canada by the
United States. Congressman Bennett
knows, as well as anyone else, that an
nexation is a subject to which Canada
would not even listen at this time.
But there Is a possibility that agitation
of a proposition repugnant to the na
tional spirit of the Dominion might
work
fatal injury to the cause of
reciprocity. Its effect would no doubt
have been greater earlier In the nego
tiations, before Canada had committed
Itself to the Taft plan and before the
bouse had endorsed It. It is surpris
ing to find Champ Clark, after his
avowal of friendship for Tarts plan,
using the Bennett resolution as a
means of attacking reciprocity by rid
iculing It. It betrays an Insincerity
on the part of the democratic leader.
Those who favor Canadian reciproc
ity are not likely, however, to let
Canada be deceived as to the purpose
of the move for annexation. And
yet, in spite of all their reassurance
to Canada that this country Is not ad
vocating . reciprocity as an opening
wedge to annexation, they may have
a hard time satisfying the Canadian
mind on that subject. Our neighbors
to the north are a little suspicious of
our aggression, anyway, and are so
doggedly ambitious of their own na
tional development that it is not sur
prising if they become skeptical of our
unselfish Intentions. '
Before Canada entertains any pro
posal to become a part of the Amer
ican republic she Is much more likely
to undertake her own independence as
a nation separate and distinct from
Great Btltaln. At least that is the
tendency of the national spirit so
steadily growing at present. England
Is, no doubt, disturbed about that far
more than about the contingency of
annexation by the United States.
Russia's Notice to China.
Russia says nothing about world
peace In Its note to the nations regard
ing the Chinese situation. It simply
announces its Intention of making a
military demonstration on the frontier
of China, which Is tantamount to an
act of war, If that nation does not
come to time on the terms of the St.
Petersburg treaty, which Russia
charges It has openly violated. This
Is aside from the main issue, except
to remind us that we have not yet pro
grossed very far on our way to the
coveted goal of universal peace.
Russia's notification may be re
garded as : a semi-ultimatum, and
China, it It Is wise, will see to It that
the ultimatum does not come. It is
not yet certain how far outside powers
could consistently go toward requiring
Russia to settle its dispute peacefully.
It must first be determined how far
China has gone in violating the treaty,
to which the ciar refers.
But in any event artussian war
with China at this time would be de
plorable. The empire Is not prepared
for war at all. Ita arms are not ade
quate and its finances are unsettled.
Its internal affairs of state are In the
process of change. And besides all
this, it is Just now cursed by the most
appalling famine of its history. This
alone Is an affliction far too grave to
warrant It in going to unnecessary war
and It should by all means serve to re
strain Russia's aggression and arouse
a better spirit. Russia, of course. Is
not Insensible to all these hardships
and handicaps of China's and may
have been prompted to take advantage
of them. Fair play and humanitarian
interests demand pea not war, be
tween these nations. Meantime little
Japan, which is quite as ambitious in
the east as Russia, is yet to be heard
from. Its recent close commercial
affiliation with China might make pos-
slble some sort of military alliance for
defensive purposes if 11 believed itself
the ultimate good of the Russian ad
vance.
I it a Hsrriman Victory t
The overthrow of the Gould mas
tery In Missouri Pacific by the Kuhn
Loeb and Rockefeller forces looks like
a victory after a long, hard struggle
of the Harriman' allies. If it is it
means additional strength to the
Union and Southern Pacific In that
fight for conquest along the Pacific
coast and gives them a new advantage
over Mr. Hill from the south.
Here, however, enters Into consid
eration a very potential factor. Only
recently It was claimed that Hill had
formed an alliance with Gould
whereby the Minnesota magnate was
to help along with the Western Pacific,
the new Gould road to the roast. This
would give Hill new resources of com
petition with the Harriman lines.
Now, It remains to be seen how near
true this story may have been and. If
rue, whether Harriman ascendency
In the Missouri Pacific will carry con
trol of the other Gould Interests. If
the upper coast, and even there the
Harriman people have already gained
a foothold by projecting a line into
Seattle.
Another ' Interesting posslbll'ty
ariaes In the denouement of this plan,
and that la the election of Howard
Klliott- as president of the Missouri
Pacific to succeed George Gould, which
nas Deen rumorea. iwr. r.mott is now ralroau, are exerting to protect
president of Mr. Hill s Northern Pa- human life Is most eucouraglng and
clflc. Of course, all the facta will not Lhould Inspire the closest co-operation
come out until the election of the Mis- jon th. part of the traveling public,
aourl Pacific this coming month.
but It la now apparent that tbel According to the official Catholic dl-
I displacement of Gould Is to work im -
. .. v - , . 1. . . 1 .
poriani tniujr. iu me railroad woria.
That defeat has not been accomplished
without Titanic effort. Wall street
snilled at young Gould away bark tn
1882, when he succeeded his father,
snd because it failed to find tn hlra
the easy prey it thought he was It de
cided on unfriendly methods. He has
held his own in the grab-bag process
that since has ensued, but evidently
has lost at last.
Everybody's Business:
The adage that "what's everybody's
Is nobody's business" is nowhere so
strikingly exemplified as In local pub
lic affairs. The Indifference of our
business men, taxpayers and property
owners to the vital problems con
stantly arising In the city hall and
court house Is notorious, and ques
tions tbat Involve the expenditure of
thousands, and even millions, of dol
lars are passed by until the discovery
Is made that the bills must be paid
out of their own pockets.
Our people had ample warning of
the costly tangle in which the pur
chase of the water works has become
Involved, with a Judgment 6f over
t6.000.000 staring us In the face and
court orders Issued for special taxes
to pay hundreds of thousands of dol
lars of deferred hydrant rental, but It
was a rase of everybody's business
being nobody's business.
It cannot be said for certain, but In
dications bid frfir for a repetition on a
small scale in the matter of the dis
puted bills for gas street lighting If,
rather than reach a settlement, the
chances of the courts are invited.
In the pending charter changes,
too, we may see many important mat
ters tbat are everybody's business and
therefore nobody's business. 'As The
Bee has pointed out, the increased
limits of appropriations will open the
way 'to Increasing the city's tax rate
half again, with little promise of get
ting more for the money. Yet the
prospect Is treated with unconcern.
although it Is morally certain that
when the higher taxes are due a gen
eral outcry of resentment and indig
nation will be heard.
Omaha Is, we believe, one of the
few cities of Its size and pretensions
with such indifferent public sentiment.
In other cities business men's organ
izations, civic societies, improvement
clubs and similar bodies keep con
stantly In touch with every phase of
local affairs and are keenly alive to
the demands of the public In all these
matters. They make everybody's
business somebody's business and ac
complish something in time instead of
merely complaining after the fact.
Switching Again. , .:
The current issue of the Commoner
prints a message wired by Mr. Bryan
In answer to a request for "his opinion
as to the endorsement of Mr. Sheehan
for senator by Chairman Norman E.
Mack of the democratic national com
mittee, as follows:
Do not car to discuss any person' posi
tion. Am a believer In the election of sena
tors by' direct vote of the people, and re
gret that the system la not now In opera
tion. 'In Its sbsence I trust that the demo
crats will, as nearly aa possible, reflect the
wishes of th votera. Each state has the
right to such representatives aa It desires,
but In every state th representatives
ahould voice the sentiment of the whole
people, and not th sentiments of the
special Interests which have too often suc
ceeded In forcing their special agents upon
the public through their ability to control
legislatures.
This Is an interesting sidelight on
Mr. Bryan's change of position with
reference to senatorial deadlocks. It
was only a few years ago that he trav
eled all the way to Kentucky to lec
ture the democrats In the legislature
there on their duty to accept the de
cree of the caucus which had nomi
nated former Governor Beckham for
United States senator. In this in
stance the democratic Insurgents In
the legislature -refused to follow Mr.
Bryan's auvice and Beckham was
beaten by a coalition of republicans
and democrats. It is to be noted now
that Mr. Bryan is careful not to apply
his admonition to the Kentucky demo
crats to the democrats in the New
York legislature, who In caucus have
nominated, Mr. Sheehan, and that lie
Is also careful not to say anything
against Mr. Sheehan or encouraging to
the democratic bolters. On the con-
trary, he suggests that each state has
a right to send such representatives
to the senate as it desires, presuma
bly seeing no objection to Mr. Shee
han if be could only prove that Tam
many Influence controls a majority of
the Empire state democrats. Mr.
Bryan plainly does not care again to
go through In New York the humil
iating experience he had In Kentucky.
One member of the legislative In
vestigating committee, which has been
looking Into charges of election frauds
In Omaha, declares that he is satisfied
that there have been violations of the
law, but is surprised that there are
not more of them disclosed. The
reason there are no more election
frauds Is the vigilance of The Bee and
other newspapers constantly alert to
expose crookedness and throw the
searchlight of publicity on suspicious
places. Fear of newspaper exposure
prevents more election fraud than any
other one thing.
Harriman lines carried 49,000,000
passengers last year with, it is
recorded, Dot one fatality. If that Is
a correct statement It Is high time to
admit hat Intensive railroading has
made a big advance In thla country.
I A, a matter of fact that general effort
rertory the number of Catholics In Ne
: . 1. - 1 - . . 4 ... . wl l'in mKI.K
j uiasaa is "i.ul.,cU .1 ...,,. m..u
1 would fx a trifle over 10 per cent of
j the total population. Nothing vary
menacing about that W only wish J
that all of our Inhabitants made as
good and desirable citizens as the
Catholics, who are helping to build up
Nebraska.
According to his sworn statement of
campaign expenses. It cost Senator
elect Reed of Missouri $10,490 to cap
ture the Job. The successful candi
date for United States senator in Ne
braska does not swear to spending
anything like that amount, but tie
could probably match Mr. Reed's
figures If he were equally conscien
tious. Mr. Bryan's unqualified and uncon
ditional endorsement of the recently
adopted Arizona constitution, with all
its new-fangled attachments, should
be conclusive on Vice Chairman Chris
Gruenther and Attorney General For-A-LIttle-While
Arthur F. Mullen.,
rat boa of lb Parting.
St. I,otlls Republic.
Goodby. George, and take keer of your
self! Silence Promotes Safety.
Chicago Record-Herald.
Vot buying In two more counties of
Cannon's district Is to be Investigated, t'p
to the hour of going to press the suspected
voters hadn't said a word about their In
tention to stand pat.
How 1)14 They Iln.ltf
Washington Post.
Declarations by railroad officials that
passenger traffic Is conducted at a loss
make It harder than ever to understand
how th business managed to keep up when
passes were Issued.
Send Oat the Cake, Please.
New Tork World.
The Harriman lines carried more than
40.000,000 passengers In 11)10 without a single
fatality among them. Railroad manage
ment that accomplishes this Is deserving
of public recognition and generous public
praise.
An Inspiring; Trip.
Baltimore American.
President Taft's weatern trip was really
Inspiring. Here we have a president who
Is not content merely to propose measures
for the public welfare and to sit In his easy
White House chair while congress rejects
or passes them at Its pleasure: Instead,
he Is mightily concerned that the reci
procity treaty shall be made, and under-
takea a fatiguing trip to convince the peo
ple that th measure Is directly in their
Interests.
Aaotber Medical Triumph.
Springfield (Mass.) Republican.
The success of the antlmenlngttls serum
discovered by the Rockefeller Institute can
no longer be In the slightest doubt, now
that the Institute announcea that the
serum will "take Its place ' with vaccine
and diphtheria antitoxin as an approved
agency for th protection of the public
health." .It Is an Immenae triumph that
the mortality from cerebro-apinal menin
gitis has been reduced to less than one
third of what It was befor th serum was
used. nd It may be added that triumphs
of this character In the conservation of
the public health go far to counterbalance
the harsher . aspects of the vivisection
methods In. use In sucb an Institution.
RECIPROCITY MARCHING Off.
r ..T. ........ .... . .,
' Philadelphia' 'Record: .The . heavy ma
jority in the house of representatives In
favor of. the Canadian reciprocity agree
ment Is a' fair reflection of the sentiment
of the country. -". ,
Indianapolis News: What difference, Mr.
President, does It make whether the Cana
dian reciprocity agreement la put Into ef
fect by th votes of democrats or the
vbtes of republicans? None whatever, sir,
to the plain people, w can assure you.
St. Louis Republic: Speaker Cannon
dodged the vote on reciprocity, though Mr.
Taft delayed his dinner tn him at the
White House an hour and said he would
have been glad to make it a breakfast ln-
stead of a dinner to get the bill passed.
Probably he would have been willing to
make It lunch next day, provided Uncle
Joe had been smoked out.
Chicago Record-Herald: Cannon's In
fluence In the republican bouse of repre
sentatives seem to be Just about as strong
aa It will be after the democrat have a
working majority there. A few years ago
It would have' been considered absurd to
suppose that a meaaure of any kind could
go through th house against the speaker's
wish. Evidently "Uncle Joe'' has worn
out his jxwer and popularity.
New Tork Tribune:.; Although Senator
Brlntow of Kansas la talking about the
dubious value of the Canadian reciprocity
agreement . and Representative Calderhead
of the same state voted In the ways and
means committee against reporting the
MeCall bill favorably, sentiment In Kansas
sterns to be agamst them and with th
preaident. The lower branch of the Kan-
as levislatllre ndnrttAjf m ..., !,,tl.. . 1
other day "instructing" the two aenaWs
to vote to carry the agreement Into effect
and "requesting" the representatives from
th state to da llkewla.
Political Drift,
Arizona approved the new state eon-ttl-tution
by a four-fifths vote. "
Francis K. Pendleton. Just appointed to
the bench In New York. Is. the son of
George II.. Pendleton, known W the middle
west aa "Gentleman Gcorpe." '
With one eye centered on Albany,
the
other on Oyster Bay, the New York Post
exclaims, "The old guard does not f.le. and
the' man surrenders who said he never
would."
The number of sspirania for navor of
Chicago Jumps from seven to eleven four
democrats, three republicans, two social
ists and two without pure party labels. A
great free-for-all scramble Is assurotl at
the primaries.
Baltimore plans a hustling but patmlng
campaign to raise a fund of 100,U) and se
cure the democratlo national convention
next year. The Oenver prize purse Is no
the democratic minimum, and the Monu
ment city expects to reach if not raise M e
limit.
The legislature of Pennsylvania la giving
favorable consideration to; a bill for a law
Imposing a fine of not more H an t", Oon
and Imprisonment not exceeding five year.
i where a promoter la convicted of iiiisr-pi-'-
sentailon. The measure alms at gt-rtcii-duick
swindles.
"P'ggy O'Biten'" Is moslng around the
senaf rial deadlock in New Yolk, and the
fact forecasta a change for the better.
Piggy ta the girl who last fll campaigned
through the coni aclonal district in whlih
Uv'rr !; " if:t ' . ai l t u nt a re-
publican majority Into a democratic sweep. I pear Impossible for these disappear e
rending her husband. Martin W. Littleton, to take plaie; yet people vanish as com
to" ccn;fe. Rven Rocs-velt. wh-n h j pletely though they never existed. All
j v1p.fd ,h. republican upset :n vtr
iiAy. lad to admit that Ptttr a political
J peach.
In Other Lands
Id LlgM em Wis t Traas-rr"la.-
a msaa- ta Hear aaS
a-ar Vatlo f ta arta.
Th unequivocal deliverance of the Brit
ish prime minister regarding the purpose
of the government to grant "full self-gov.
ernment" to Ireland aa soon as the ob
structive veto of th House of tords Is
removed, carrlea an overflowing " measure
of cheer and satisfaction to the legion of
Trlsh home rulers at home and abroad.
Similar high hopes were entertained .on
many former occasions, only to be dashed
ere the win of liberty touched the eager
llpa. But the present situation more eloaely
approachea a cinch than any previous bat
tle for Irish self-government. Th cottn
try hss simken decisively for a restricted
veto of the lords. One that restriction
becomes a hv, the sole obstscle to horn
rule Is removed. Close observers of the
situation In Iondnn are practically unani
mous In asserting that the peers cannot
save themselves from tb fale they In
vited by resistance to progress, and must
consent to reduced powers of legislation
or be overwhelmed. Indeed, there would
be little opposition to horn rule at the
present moment if the torles peers and
commoners could square the concession
with their past Implacable opposition. Tbat
they are preparing for the Inevitable out
come of the sesssion Is evident In the
moderated tone of party organs. One of
the powerful Influences supporting the
mandate of the electors Is the desire for
closer relations with tb United States.
Practical politician on both sides of th
water realise that such an understanding
Is Impossible while th unsettled Irish
question keeps alive the enmity of Irish
Americans. "There Is no Ideal tn politics."
says the Manchester Guardian, (speaking
of an unlimited treaty of arbitration be
tween England and the United States),
"comparable with It for nobility and gran
deur, none with such splendid promise for
the future of civilisation, and the first and
most certain step to Its realisation would
be the settlement of th Irish question."
Immigration has become the most profit
able Industry developed In Italy In th
last decade. The lamentations heard In
former years over the country's loss have
turned to rejoicings, and Immigration
agents are welcomed where formerly they
were hooted out of the country. All this
because golden sunshine has healed the
wounds of broken home ties. Statistics of
the Italian emltrratlon bureau shows that
a stream of 1100.000.000 a year Is pouting
back Into the country, part of th fruits
of Italian Industry In North and South
America. That sum Is definitely traced.
Much more conies In ways other than
through the postofflce and banks, swell
ing the total, according to other authori
ties, to $250,000,000 a year. A surprising fea
ture of the report Is the statement that
70 per cent of the emigrants return home
within a year! and the remainder, with
few exceptions, within five years. This Is
particularly true of the emigration to the
Argentine Republic. The same authority
I places the number of Italians In North
America at 1,730.000, and In South and Cen
tral America at 1.600.000. Th savings of
the home-comers range from $200 to $2,000.
According to this official showing, Italy
has stumbled on a source of wealth far
more profitable .than the tourist craft. ,.
' - a . a. :, . .;' '
Insurance can. be had in Greet Britain on
almost any proposition, from a lordly
back down' to "the weather on coroftatlon
day. Th government believe, there is
room' for more and has Included.' In Its
legislative program two propositions sup
plementing th nrarnt old age pension sys
tem. On is Insurance against unemploy
ment. The other la Mr. Lloyd-George's
proposal of compulsory universal Insurance
against invalidism for all wage earners
whose income Is less than th Income tax
minimum of tSOO a'year. This, w ar told,
will apply to about 10.009,000 persons. It
will cover all ages between It and 70, th
old age pension system coming Into fores
at the latter age. The minimum amount
of Insurance, which will be fully guaran
teed by the state, will be 12S a week. All
risks will be accepted by the state on all
Uvea, good and bad. Th contribution re
quisite to provide th benefit will be com
puted by government actuaries, and will be
assessed one-half against th person In
sured, one-fourth against the employer and
one-fourth agatiuit the state. In this re'
spect the system will radically differ from
that of old age pensions, under which tli
beneficiary makes no contribution.
Discontent and criticism are the chief
signs of welcome for the French work
men's pension law which goes Into fore
next July. Th stat and the workmen
Jointly contribute ta th pension fund, and
the contributions of the latter ar to le
collected by the employers. Pensions be
gin at the ag of . Both features ar
tharply coademned. Owing to th strained
relations existing between large employers
and their workmen, the collection of the
contribution by th former Is likely to In
creae the friction, while the ag limit la
considered too high for the multitude of
employes engaged In hazardous occupation.
Efforts are being made In th French
chamber to reduce th age limit to H
years, but the ministry la not disposed to
consider changes until th law has been
given a practical test.
For some time to come the tomb of the
famous Ananias, three days' Journey by
donkey from Bagdad, cannot be reached by
other than primitive conveyanrea. Th
Turco-German railroad to Bagdad Is halted
j n tne
1
distant Arabian desert, while th
powers quscuhs wno is 10 control ine pro
loet when it is completed. Germany and
Turkey are financing the road. Rubs!
fears that Turkey Is going a little too
far to the east, while England la aald to
have partially blocked th enterprise by
obtaining control of the most available
terminals on the Persian gulf. Another ele
ment of fear la the probability of the main
line, or (he proponed Kusaiaa Dranch, get
ting too near the borders of India. With an
oversupply of nath nightmares In India,
England "views with alarm" the possibility
of an Imported one, th result of which
would be the diminution of sea power as
the controlling factor in the east. It Is rea
sonable certain, however, th diplomatic
talkfest ends, that the road will be built
to Bagdad In due time, pasalng th tomb
of Ananias on th way. Th prospect af
ford some comfort to members of th dis
tinguished order who ar eager for a vleat
of the shrine of th great dissembler.
Where Mor Facilities
Kail.
Baltimore American.
This seema to be the age of missing
people so many of late have been ao re
ported. With all th facilities of the day.
the niarveloua extent to which the wizard
power of electricity lights up and searches
every corner of the globe, th qulcknea
of news and transportation. It would up-
human invention has yet been unable to
ktp pave with th ingenuity of human
ertane ar human self-latereat
Malic3 the moct nutri
tious food and tha moat
dainty and delicious.
r r NYi n r? r va r v
x Absolutely Puro
Th only Baking Powder made
from Royal Grape Cream of Tartar
No fussing or fretting over
the biscuit-maldng. Royal
is the aid to many a
- cook'a success.
Royal Cm &&100 Receipt Ft. Send JVm .? Aiinu.
aovAL taxma aqwoita co., new yokk.
The Bee's Letter Box
Oomtrlaatione ea Timely Bubjeeta
Wot BxoMdlnr Two mnadrd WoMU
Are ZBTlted from On Headers.
XVonld Liberate Rrdmaa.
OMAHA; Neb., Feb. l.-To the Editor
of The Bee: There are. dogs and dogs
dogs with fancy silk ribbons and combed
fur dogs neglected and distempered. The
silk ribbon dpg Is the pet of all;, the dis
tempered fellow no one cares a straw for
him. .
I cannot but think that we have an ex
ample of this In the case now pending In
our local courts of Frank Erdman. Frank
Erdman, the 'unattractive dog so It would
appear , from the "brutish" confinement
which he Is now undergoing. Guilty or
not guilty, he la another Victim of de
ferred Justice right on our own doorstep.
If a dog has an uncomely appearance Is
that any reason 'why I should forget our
relationship? If he Is a suspicious looking
cur should that warrant his punishment?
As to whether the man has don this crime
the court will never know, and to take so
long a time to measure up the evidence In
the case Is to deal unjustly towards the
man. And a Judg who (whether volun
tarily Wif, force of court, procedure) so
becomes an accessory to such "Injustice"
can not tie ' termed ' a judge In - the- real
aensa.. .but, .a lawyer, , ar, perhaps more
correctly, an automaton.
When a court cannot prove guilt within
a reasonable length, of time It should fre
Its prisoner;' whatever be the hidden facts,
Justice Is not frustrated thereby.. I
WILLIAM WEETMAN.
laltlatlre and Refereadam.
LINCOLN', Neb... Feb. 18. To th Editor
of The Bee: I have received a personal let
ter from Chris M. Ornenther, vice chairman
of th democratic state central committee,
in reference to the 6 per cent referendum
petition and also note his public statement
In the World-Herald and the editorial en
dorsing Mr. Gruenther's position In the
same paper. And I also nots his objection,
not only to th per cent required for the
referendum, but his further objection to th
method of amending th constitution as
proposed, t cannot help but believe that
the attack on the per cent required for the
referendum Is only preliminary and Inci
dental to the main and serious attack on
th method of amending th constitution,
and I wish to reiterate with all the force
at my command that It Is the corporations
and vested Interests who are demanding
that th bill be to amended as to make It
practically Impossible for the people to
amend the constitution.'
First as to the per cent required for th
referendum. If Mr. Gruenther has given
any study to this proposition, h knows
that 6 per cent for the referendum Is th
per cent. In every state which has a prac
tical Initiative and referendum law, and he
must further know, If he has examined the
question, that it Is agreed by all friends
of direct legislation that nowhere has th
referendum been abused by reason of the
per cent contained In any of said states.
Nevada alone requires IS per cent for the
referendum, but doea not have the Initiative.
Arkansas. Missouri. Montana, Oklahoma.
Oregon. South Dakota and Colorado, each
and all require 6 per cent only for th
referendum, and the experience In those
states do not Justify the fear of Mr.
Gruenther in respect to the per cent re
quired. Now In regard to the statement of Mr.
Gruenther that "it Is amazing that any
one ahould fall to see th necessity of dis
tinguishing between the constitution and
statute law," every state, with on ex
ception, that has adopted the Initiative
and referendum In full, has provided that
the constitution may be amended by a mere
majority of the votes cast on the proposi
tion, and do not. require a majority of all
the votes cast at the election.
Furthermore thirty-four states In the
union amend their constitution by a mere
majority of the votes cast on the proposi
tion, and only ten atates. Including Ne
braska, require a majority of all the votes
past at the election, and of these ten statea
most of them have old constitutions, which
the people In vain have been trying for
years to amend without avail. Nebraska
has tried about twenty-three times to
amend lta constitution, but not until the
fiction of counting straight votes was
adopted, was It able to pass sn amendment,
notwithstanding the fact -that many amend
ments propnaed received an overm helming
majority of the voles cast uiion the propo
sition. The constitution of Xrbrsska pro
vides that If an entirely new constitution
Is proposed, then a majority of the vote
cast upon the proposition la sufficient to
adopt and yet the conservatives argue that
If a specific amendment la to be made, the
constitution tmcuuwi so sacred that we
must have at least (1 per rent of the entire
vote cast to SiIoijI the amendment.
The objections raised to the proponed
measures now before the Ifnls'aiure hate
not ccme from the people generally, not th
masses, but the clauses: nut from the pro
aresilves. but from the standpattera. and
I the men and the party who are throaing
obstacle In th progr of dtiect legist
tioa will, la ear Judgmaab have raaaaa t
regret It In the near future. Th people of
this state are capable of self-government,
and know what they want, and they ar
going to have It, and w will continue this
fight to the last day of the session before
w concede a single point to those who say
they are for direct legislation, yet ar do
ing everything In their power to Secure a
law that will be unworkable and of llttl
or no benefit to th people who are de
manding direct legislation.
C. M. SKILES.
sumrr gems.
"Nobody wants to play bridge trtth Mrs
Bean. 8he talks all the time."
"1 suppose sh's quiet when she's
dummy?"
"Quiet! Rhe talks twice as much!"
Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Surgeon I was very much cut up over
the charges you mad against me about
that operation.
Patient Yoj weren't half as much cut
up as I was, doctor. Baltimore American.
The Joker There I an epidemic of small
pox In the southern end of the city. Why
not send some of your force down to In
vestigate. Ietectlve (V.p'.aln But, man, that dis
ease Is contagious.
The Joker Won't hurt them. They
couldn't catch anything. 8t. Louis Times.
, "I think," said the astronomer, "that I
have discovered a neiv canal on Mars."
"la that so?" replied the New Orleans
man, absentmlndedly. "I wonder what
town's going to get the celebration?"
Washington Star.
' "ftometimes a virtue con be exaggerated
until It becomes a vice." aald the earnest
adviser.
"I see exactly what, you're comln' at."
replied Tarantula Tim. "Whereas four
are Is a blessln' an' greatly to be ad
mired, five of 'em kin create untold dis-'
senslon." Waahlngton Star.
WHERE ARE YOUR PATCHES T
He was facing a good, old farmer,
And was asking for a Job;
The farmer looked him over.
And Ills head he wisely bobbed.
"Turn around a mlnlt. sonny:"
Then he slowly shook his heed:
"I guess I ain't a goin' to need ye.
your patches alnt In front," he said:
"For the boy what haa his patches
Down In front, on hla knees
Then I know thet he's hard workin'.
And thet he'a agoln' to please.
But ther one what'a got the patches
On behind well, he'a no good
For he'll be aettln" on the wood pile.
'Stead of choppin' up the wood."
Bo, my boy, when for employment
You are asking, you must mlnd
"Are your patches on In front
Or are your patches on behind?"
Crawford, Neb. ZULA ACKER.
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