Nebraska Newspapers

    5
The Omaha Daily ijee
VICTOTl nOHIIWATER, EIITO(t
Vntered at Omaha poatofflc a second
tfana matter.
TERMS OF PrilSCniFTION:
Hundav Bee. ema year .I!."
Psturriav He. one year II 0
1'Hlly Bee (without Sundav). one year. .'.
I'aily Ben an1 Sunday, one year K.oO
rEIJ VKHICll' BY CAR11IKH
Evening Bee (without Sunday), per week o
Evening Bee iwtth Runriavl. per week. ..10c
lally Ben Unwinding Sunday), per week.. ISc
laliy Bee without pundav). per wcek.,.10e
Address all cornfilejnte of Irregularities In
delivery to City! CjnHilatlon Department.
. .. OfrtCES.
Omntin-lV Be Building
South Omaha HYA N. Twentv-fourth St.
Cnunell Bluffs ir, Beolt f treet .
Lincoln IJMIe Building.
Clilcaeo IMS Marquette Building
Kmu City Beltane Building.
New Ynrk 24 West Tlilrty-thlrd Street .
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CORRESPONDENCK.
Communlcalloii relating to news and ed
itorial matter should be addressed Omaha
Bee. Editorial t'epartment.
RRM ITTANCKP.
rtemlt by draft, exprrss of postal order,
payable to The' Bee Publishing Company.
Only J-cent stamps received In payment, of
mail accounts. I-ersonal checka except on
Omaha and eastern exchange not accepted
JANUARY CIRCULATION.
45,826
fiiete of Nebraska, County of Douglas, as:
Dwight Wllllaitia, circulation manager of
The Bra Fubllshlng compuny, belni; duly
sworn, say that the average dally cir
culation, tors spoiled, unused and returned
copies, for the month of Janrarv, in: I. win
4i..t DWIOUT W1UJAM.S,
Circulation Manager,
Kubsciibcd In my presence and aworn to
before me this lat cfav of February, liill.
(Steals KUHIlRT H UN I CR
Notary Public.
abarrlbera Iravlna the city tem
porarily should have The Bra
mailed td throi. Adrraa mill be
The third alarm has been turned in
againxt "lioag'l Cox. Fire!
Speaking of a safe and sane Fourth,
Milch do "ou rtiean. March or July?
We are beginning to fear for the
reputation of out friendt the ground-
bog. " ' ' '
Stili tbe railroads bavi not ac
cepted the service of that lawyer who
offered to sate'theta $1,000,000 a day
In expenses. ?:. . , 11 , ' '
IOxtra salon'Sr not, the president
must remember ttat the Chautauqua
season is not far off.
Opportunity,' they say, knocks
"once" at every man's door. How
unlike the bill collector
The best proof that Japan will not
send her coolies over here is the fact
that she is not doing it.
Talking about a busy lawyer, none
of them can keep in print as con
stantly as John O. Yelser.
It cannot be proved, however, that
Joe Bailey is a descendant of the boy
who stood on the burning deck.
, ,'lf Champ Clark handles the gavel
as carelessly as his. tongue tie la liable
to mash his own fingers some day.
Because Colonel Roosevelt has come
out flat-footed for woman's suffrage
is still no reason for calling him a
lady'a man."
Some of our lama ducks, might find
employment by applying to France,
which is looking for a new set of .cabi
net ministers.
What a pity that freight rate de
cision had to come now, when w had
Just got Mr. Hill lulled into a tolera
bly opUmlstlo humor...
Uncle Sam is a pretty big man to go
up against,, as all the postal employes
Involved 1n the postmaster's ' shake
down doubtless realize.
The attendance has been so- small
at Juares for U last week that fight
ing has been suspended. Why not try
the advertising columns?
As yet Hoke Smith has not bought
a summer home on the strength of
Mr. Bryan's endorsement of him for
the democratic presidential nominee.
The city building inspector has
topped work on twenty buildings In
the course of construction without
permits. How did they ever get
started?
. . '
As if the Nw York deadlock were
not enough, we are now threatened
with a Joint debate between Mr. Shep
ard and ."Boss" Murphy as to whose
fault It js. .
More sensitive ' legislatures than
Missouri might have taken the burn
ing of 1t building as a hint to ad
journ, but;jou still have to "show"
those Missouri statesmen.
TbV Nevada legislature killed the
bill ealuculaUd to restrict operations
of the divorce mill and "Reno Is Jubi
lant." .Every, state should conserve
its own natural resources.
With so many other city hall offl
clala riding around in autos provided
by tha city, no wonder the political
doctors In the health department feel
envious and discriminated against.
Tha Houston Post suggests that It
Congressman Macon of Arkansas
would wear a wet towel around his
head while the house la In session it
might help some. Yes, or around his
face.
a
Ou Omaha Water board has a pe
vullaf habit, whenever an election Is
impending, of announcing coming
events that never happen. The noise
made by the Water board on the eve
of tha election in Dundee to vote water
bonds is what elicits this remark.
A 8ubtantial Vi;tory.
' Though defeated, the champions In
the senate of direct election of sena
tors have much to enrourag them In
the result of yesterday'a vote on the
resolution. They required a to
thlrda majority of those voting to
carry their proposition 'and fame
within tour vptts of petting that num
ber. Thpy came lthin seven votes
of mustering a two-thirds majority of
the entire membership. As the oppo- j
sltlon will lose several members in the i
next congress and the advocates of j
popular election w 111 gain several j
the exact number of the latter proba- j
biy cannot now be determined the I
adyocates are not indulging vain hopes'
of winning out la the next session. j
As The Bee, which has for years ad- j
vocated this reform has previously af- i
firmed, popular election of senators is
Inevitable and it Is noteworthy thst i
the effective opposition to it Is fasi
crumbling. The roll call, which showed j
fifty-five for and thirty-three against j
the proposltlqn. was. we believe, signif
icant of a new era in American politics,
an era of expanding popular rights and
rule. It is only fair to observe that
even the slight margin by which the
resolution was defeated was due, no
doubt, to the confusing of the main
Issue by the Sutherland amendment,
bringing up the question of federal or
state control of elections, which
served as an excuse for some southern
senators to vote agafnst the proposi
tion. The Lumber Situation.
A Glasgow, Scotland, lumberman
who has been procuring lumber from
the United States for thirty years, snd
who has Just made a tour of 18.0SI0
miles tn buying up material for export
over here, says the lumber situation
with us is improving, though far from
satisfactory. This, of course, Amer
icans who have looked into the sub
ject realize, also. They have felt it
in the excessive demand and ail-but-prohibitive
prices of late. So they
have come to understand the impera
tive necessity for reforestation and
conservation of our timber resources.
But Americans can scarcely have
their attention called to this subject
too often. As our Scottish critic says,
we have been prodigal in our waste of !
timber. He says that if the Scotch
men cut their timber as we do ours,
even in this day, they would soon have
none left, and yet, with all their care
in cutting, the Scotchmen are con
stantly planting. We in the United
States, whether we be engaged In tim
ber culture or selling lumber, might
afford to practice the old" Scottish
motto, "I be stlckln' in the tree, Jock;
it'll be growln' while ye are sleepin. "
When lumber dealers have to Jour
ney all over this continent and Eu
rope and the orient in search of lum
ber to supply demands it Is needless
to say imber culture should be a
profitable business. The United
States government is doing something
to relieve the situation, but it could
do more, and individual citizen could
do a great deal. ' Perhaps pur Arbor
day movement has proceeded too
much along sentimental lines to bring
us the greatest results. Possibly il
the, financial side were made mere
conspicuous it would be better. At
any rate, we have a wonderful oppor
tunity in this cbuntry, with what tim
ber we possess and what we might
possess, to command one of the great
est of modern, industries.
Russia's Bad Faith With Us.
Acting for the several national
Jewish organizations, Congressman
Parsons of New York has urged con
gress to call for the termination ol
our principal treaty with Russia, pro
viding for reciprocal liberty of com
merce and mutual freedom of citizens
In each country, because Russia has
persistently violated the agreement.
This treaty, made in 1832, provides:
The inhabitants of their respective slates
shall mutually have liberty to enter the
porta, places and rivers of the territory of
each party wherever foreign commerce Is
I ermltted and shall be at liberty to sojourn
and reside In all parts whatsoever of said
territories in order to attend to their af
fairs, and they shall enjoy to that effect
the same security and protection aa natrves
of the country wherein they reside, on
condition of their submitting te the laws
and ordinances there prevailing and par
ticularly to the regulations in force con
cerning' commerce.
Despite this plain provision, Russia
has gone on for years shamefully per
secuting American citizens of a certain
race, not ouly denying them the rights
to which, under this treaty they are
entitled, but either expelling them
from the empire entirely, or subject
ing them to cruel indignities and often
physical pain if they remained. Rus
sia makes no pretens? of keeping
faith with the United States as
pledged in this treaty. She denies ad
mission to ber ports of American citi
zens, who happen to be Jews, while
at the same time demanding full
rights under the treaty for Russians
in this country. It is doubtful If mod
ern history holds a counterpart for the
conduct of the Russian government In
this cane.
This arbitrary course by Russia has
become historic. As far back as 1880,
Secretary of State Evarts, in communi
cation with our minister to Russia on
the subject, urged him to Impress ou
Russia that this country., never in
quires the religious belief of people
entitled to Its protection and does not
propose to have such a test exacted of
its citizens abroad. Secretary of State
liiaine wrote to our minister:
I need hardly enlarge on the point that
the government of the United States con
cludes its treaties with foreign states for
equal protection of all classes of American
ellisens. It can make absolutely no die
crimination between them, whatever be
their origin or creed.
Yet we permit and have for these
years permitted Russia to make dis
tinctions and discriminations, which
Till: HKE: OMAHA, WEDNKSDAY. MAWll
we. ourselves, will not make. Con
gressman Parsons puts it mildly
enough when he declares:
This treaty must be terminated If we are
to be true to the fundtmental principle
that the rights" of American cltHens exist
without regard to their religious beliefs.
If the conditions were reversed and
the dominant clas of the czar's sub
jects were being compelled to submit
to such denial of rights In the United
States, we would expect to encountei
something more forceful than polite
diplomatic notes.
Old West Not All Gone.
Every now and then we hear the.
wail about the ultimate passing of the
old west. Truly, the sweep of modern
progress has been wide and has ef
faced most, of the features of frontier
times, but it has not, manifestly, been
complete. Witness this telegraphic
item:
rtKNO. Nev., Feb. 27 In a battle yes
terday, sixty miles west of Tuscsrora, eight
lndlun were killed and the balance cap
tured. One member of the police, was
killed. The battle took place at Kelly
Creek, Humboldt county, about twenty-five
miles from Qolconda In a northerly dlreo
tl m. The Indians commenced the battle,
which started at noon and lasted three
hours. Their squaws were armed with
bows and arrows. A steel-tipped arrow
struck one of the posse In the chest.
This despatch from the remote re
cesses of Nevada is enough to assure
us that, the old west is not all gone
and no one who has ever visited that
portion of the country about Tuscarora
or Golconda, Is likely to believe that
all the old west is going any time
soon. We are apt to hear of the bow
and the arrow out there for a long time
to come. And such little misunder
standings as this one that has oc
curred between the state officers and
the Indians are Uable-to happen most
any time, though, of course, these
things are not among the primitive
milestones to which we love to cling
in our passion for the romantic west.
They have formed a part, however, of
that section since the days of GlaA
and other Mark Twain heroes, or vil
lains, as the point of view may be, and
until Xevade, Itself, does more than
it has done to shake them off, they
will exist in some degree or other.
Not a Patronage Squabble.
A political sorehead located at Lin
coln who has access as a penny-a-liner
to the editorial columns of the Sioux
City Tribune loses no occasion through
that paper to blackguard Governor
Aldrich and the editor of The Bee.
His animosity toward Governor Al
drich is easily explained because the
governor failed to appoint him to an
office which he sought with great per
sistence. But why he should, in
season and out, misrepresent and V ti
ll fy the editor of The Bee is not so
plainly apparent. Just now he is try
ing to make out that the protest
lodged against the appointment to a
high federal office of a notoriously, un
fit and undeserving man is merely an
effort on the part of fhe editor of The
Bee to dictate patronage which be
longs to the United States senators.
Lest some people might believe un
contradicted misstatements, it should
be known that the question of dic
tating patronage is In no way involved
In this controversy; that the editor of
The Bee has not urged or recom
mended anyone for the appointment
in .question, but has made his stand
on the proposition that the standard
of public service should not be de
graded by co'errlng honors upon a
man 'whose unpaid creditors, number
ing into the hundreds, are convinced
that he got away with their hard-
earned savings by trickery and fraud.
If dishonest men are to have official
preferment over honest men, every
movement for clean government would
have to be abandoned. If one political
party, despite its fine professions, fills
the public offices with thieves and
crooks the people may get the Idea
that the only way to turn the rascals
out is to vote another political party
into power. The editor of The Bee,
In his devotion to republican princi
ples, believes that if the republican
party lp to command public confidence
It must not only stand for right doc
trines and policies, but must also hold
to a high standard of public office as
an example of civic honor and a stimu
lus to individual honesty.
Blesting-a in Disguise.
The Lincoln Star offers consolation
to adjacent property owners bewailing
the prospective transfer of the uni
versity campus by advancing the sug
gestion that the abandoned grounds
might be used for union depot pur
poses or by industrial and commercial
enterprises that would be glad to es
tablish themselves In the big buildings
and grow into a potential business
community.
This is the most sensible emanation
we have seen in this connection from
that source. It is an admission that
business and railroad trackage are
crowding the university off the present
campus, which would undoubtedly
provide a fine site for a union depot
or for Jobbing houses and factories,
but will become less suitable as the
home of a great university year by
year.
Blessings sometimes come tn dis
guise, and we have no doubt that the
transfer of the campus will eventually
be a blessing to the very people who
now, for selfish interests, are object
ing the most.
Our amiable democratic contem
porary wants the investigation into
the charges preferred against Post
master Thomas, accused of shaking
down subordinates for political con
trlbutions in violation of federal stat
utes, to proceed' by public hearings.
That would, indeed, be One, but we
fear is not. in conformity 'with the
practice of th Civil Service commis
sion. The preliminary inquiry is
made In the nature of a grand jury in
vestigation with prosecution In public
to follow only In case an Indictment Is
brought on the strength of informa
tion warranting a reasonable! suspi
cion. The facts will come out, and be
made public in due time, never fear.
The continuation of the medical de
partment of the State university is
Just as Important as the continuation
of the law department or the engineer
ing department; In fact, medicine was
one of the branches of instruction
enumerated In the original charter of
the university. And If the university
is to teach medicine, all are agreed
that the only place where adequate In
struction er.i be given is in Omaha,
where th necessary clinical and hos
pltsl facilities are alone available.
By turning applications for county
poor relief over to the Associated
Charities for investigation numerous
Instances of flagrant Imposition on the
taxpayers have been disclosed. The
needy end the suffering who cannot
help themselves are entitled to as
sistance, but professionals and Impos
tors should be cut off without com
punction. Colonel Bryan proposes to bring
Senator Kern out to Fairvlew before
he goes to Washington to begin his
term and instruct him in the art of
being a real senator. Pretty good
start for that school of political
science.
Perhaps our friend, Judge Shoe
maker, is going at the work of lld
llftlng the wrong way. Why not pre
pare a bill regulating the clocks in Ne
braska so that the hands will not
point to 8 until midnight has arrived?
Mrs. Sage proposes to give $25,000
toward beautifying New York. When
we recall that it took $300,000 to re
move one snow in 1910, we can read
ily approximate the proportions of
Mrs. Sage's gift.
Science of Wolf ('basin.
Brooklyn Eagle.
A thousand Nebraska people took part
lu a wolf hunt the other day. But Mr.
Bryan has discovered a way of keeping the
wolf from the door that requires no such
display of strenuous energy.
A Spar to Action.
Kansas City Times.
Railroad attorneys favor an appeal from
the Interstate Commerce commission's
decision in the freight rate case. The
threatened "'economy," they fear, might
be made to apply to the somewhat over
burdened legal department.
I,
Slamanlaat the Hobaoa Spook.
Pittsburg Dispatch.
Five thousand Japanese Joined In a lan
tern celebration of Washington's birthday
at Honolulu. At nearly the same time Mr.
Hobson was reviving the spook of Japan's
fell designs on this country, for the purpose
of eliciting more super dreadnaughts from
the congressional appropriation.
- "Stealing: Dryao'a Clothes."
New York World.
- In view of Mr. Roosevelt's sympathetic
attitude toward the Initiative, the refer
endum and the recall, we hasten to send
our condolences to Mr. Bryan. Another
political Jewel la about to be snatched from
his Jeffersonian bosom. The only para
mount Issue that Mr. Roosevelt has now
left to Mr. Bryan Is that of county option,
and we advise him to lock It In a safety
deposit vault before the colonel begins to
warm southward In March.
A FIGHT THAT FAILED.
Philadelphia Record: Membership In the
Ananias club Is not accepted clamly in the
house of representatives. When the
"shorter and uglier word" Is used the
friends of both parties have to exert them
selves to prevent a mill In which no atten
tion would be paid to the Marquis of
Queensbury rules. ,
New York Tribune. In describing a re
cent collision or near collision In the house
of representatives "The Congressional Rec
ord" said: "Menacing actions took place
between Mr. Wickersham and Mr. MonSell."
"The Record" . can always be depended
upon tor a thoroughly composed and Judi
cial review of the proceedings which some
times enliven the exchanges of high thought
on the floor of the senate and the house
of representatives.
Official Report in Congressional Reoord:
Mr. Mondell (from his seat' Ha Is a liar;
that is all.
Mr. Wickersham You are a liar, if you
say that; that Is all.
(Menacing actions took place between
Mr. Wickersham and Mr. Mondell.)
The Speaker Pro Tempore -The sergeant-
st-arms will preserve order.
(The eergeant-at-arms. bearing the mace.
appeared.)
Mr. Wickersham Mr. Speaker. I want
the reoord to show that I apologise to the
house. I wsa called a liar.
The Speaker Pro Tempore The house will
be In order. All gentiemep will be seated.
People Talked About
John Q. Mllburn has made It clear to
the codes committee of the New York
legislature that stockbrokers ara not gam
blers; they deal In sura things.
President Baehr of the Reading railroad
hopes with divine sustenance to become
reconciled with the freight rate decision.
Should his hopes vanish he can readily
shift the deficit to the hard coal bill.
In an interview in the New York World
Speaker Cannon expresses the opinion that
Oliver P. Morton, war governor of Indiana,
and Joseph W. Bailey, senator from Texas,
are the most notable statesmen he has
ever known since LJncoIn's time. There
were others with whom Uncle Joe did not
get acquainted.
The honeymoon of Mr. and Mrs. Oay El
Sharp, married laat week in Oklahoma
City, will be spent on a horseback ride
to Seattle, Wash., and return. Mrs. ?hai.
formerly . Wynona Allen, Is an ex
pert horsewoman and her husband is also
a good rider. Neither ever having had aa
much of this fun as they desired, they
deckled to combine the longest horseback
ride on record with their honeymoon.
For the benefit of agitated railroad of
ficials unfeeling newspapers In New York
reproduce the heartrending roar ucard In
the metropolis when the gaa company was
ordered to reduce the price to 80 cents.
"Confiscation" and "ruin" were common
words of the gaseous sob squad. After
fighting the reduction In the courts and
meeting defeat, the company settled down
to business. Introduced economies and Is
sow earning ( per cent dividends.
1.
Army Gossip
Matters of Tn teres en and Back
f the riling X.tce Gleaned frosa
the Army and ITavy egister.
The moement to abolish the means of
communication between the army and the
navy, now little used the Meyer code--having
successfully run the gauntlet of
the general staff and the office of the
chief algnal officer of the army. Is now
renting in the office of the aid for opera
tions of the navy. It has been there for
several clays, and It Is learned that favor
able action by the navy Is dependent upon
a report fronj the signal officer of the
fleet recommending its abolition. There
seems to be some opposition to this In the
Navy department, but this opposition. It Is
understood. Is not shared by the officers
of the fleet having to do with signaling.
The military authorities have again un
der consideration the extension of the
period of duty In the tropics. This sub
ject has come 'up at this time In connec
tion with the assignment of troops to duty
on the Isthmus tf Panama. There will be
a heavy draft upon the army for this
purpose, the present plans contemplating
a permanent military force of four regi
ments of Infantry, one squadron of cavalry,
three batteries of field artillery and twelve
companies of coast artillery. This means
a total garrison of about 6.3UO of which the
mobile army will supply 5,0nO. Added to
this demand for troops, the department Is
confronted with the problem of placing six
regliirents of Infantry In the Hawaiian Is
lands, while maintaining the present en
listed strength of the military representa
tion In the Philippines.
An Investigation Is being conducted by
the army quartermasters into the advis
ability of adopting canvas buckets and can
vas basins, .recommended by the board of
officers which had to do with revision
of the equipment of the Infantry. Articles
of this material will represent a saving In
weight carried and In space occupied In
transportation. The sampies submitted are
being tested at the Philadelphia depot of
the quartermaster's department In order
to ascertain tf It Is possible to obtain a
water tight utensil and on that Is Suffl
cfently durable to stand the wear and tear
of service In the field. It Is not so essential
to get a basin that la water tight ai to
obtain a bucket possessing that quality, of
course. There Is a prospect that the quar
termasters will be able to select articles
of this character answering the purpose
desired and fulfilling all the requirements.
The attention of the military authorities
has lately been directed to the case of an
army officer who claims to have served In
the civil war and to be, consequently, en
titled to the civil war badge. The general
staff reported that there wa nothing on
the records of the War department to enow
that the officers' service was with an
organisation of the United States in any
part of tho period of the civil war. Further
inquiry divulged the fact that the officer
seived with a state organisation that at no
time in Its existence received recognition by
the United States. It is held that the rule
may be deemed esetabllshed that no man or
organisation should be considered to have
entered the United Stales service unless
some note of such entry or such service,
subsequent to such entry and dependent
thereon, appears on the records of the War
department. In the absence of such record
the strictest proof would be necessary to
establish1 Ahe fact of service and such proof
would amount. In the end. to a correction
of error In the War department records.
In this particular case, it was decided that
the applicant for the badge Is not entitled
to the emblem.
In view of the fact that fclS.OOO of the
(125,000 carried by the army appropriation
bill for the acquirement, maintenance and
operation of aeroplanes has been made
Immediately available upon the president's
approval of the bill, the chief signal officer
of the army is preparing to purchase a
least three machines at. once. Satisfactory
offers for Immediate delivery of aeroplanes
have been received from the Wrights, Cur-
tlss and other aeroplane manufacturers. A
Wright machine will be placed In use at
San Antonio, Tex., a Curtlss at San Diego,
Cal., and probably a Wright machine at
College Park, near Washington. It Is ex
pected that the machine to be sent to Col
lege Park will be In operation In about a
month. A large number of applications
for assignment to aeronautical work have
been received from officers, but the chief
of staff has as yet not decided to whom
will be given this duty. In the meantime,
Mr. Olenn Curtlss la Instructing army of
ficers In seroplane work at San Diego;
First lieutenant Paul W. Beck of ihe
signal corps and Lieutenants George E. M.
Kelly. Thirtieth Infantry, and John C.
Walker, Jr., Eighth Infantry, being engged
In the practice. Mr. Parmalee, one of the
Wright operators, hss arrived at San An
tonio, Tex., with a Wright aeroplane fur
nished by a New Yorker, and thla machine
will be sent to the Mexican border for
scouting purposes, accompanied by First
Lieutenant Benjamin D. Foulola, signal
corps, and his aeronautic detachment.
OMAHA FB0M THE OUTSIDE.
Florence Tribune: A pastor of an Omaha
church has resigned to go farming. He
probably can do as much good In his new
field as In his old.
Hartington Herald: The Omaha papers
are boosting for the parcels poet and think
it would be a fine thing. Yes. It would be a
fine thing, a very fine thing for Omaha.
1-exlngton Pioneer: The Omaha Bee de
clares that a pipe line to conduct oil from
the Wyoming fields to Omaha la bound to
come. It will receive the hearty endorse
ment of every town between Omaha and the
oil fields.
Kearney Hub: The sudden fear that has
developed in Lincoln that Grand Island will
be the capital" In case of removal and that
the development of a business rival In cen
tral Nebraska would work to the Injury of
Omaha Is at least lugubrious.
Aurora Republican: The legislative com
mittee appointed to Investigate the charge
made by Governor Aldrtoh that gross elec
tion frauds were practiced In Omaha last
fall has already uncovered enough evidence
to convince any fair-minded person that the
governor was right when he made the
charge. Now the people are wondering If
the legislature will enact a law as sug
gested by the governor which will prevent
a repetition of ballot box debauchery In the
metropolis. Don't stake too much that it
will.
Loup City Times-Independent: One of the
things we are not capable of understanding
is why the legislature spends aoVnuch time
In passing and repealing laws for Omaha.
One of the latest acrapa was the repealing
of the office of fire warden. Why can't
Omaha have Ita own laws In this respect
and govern Its own people? What business
la It to the reet of the state whether Omaha
has a fire warden or who appoints hlmT
We may be wrong, but believe that the
metropolis should have borne rule to the
extent of any other city la the state.
Tho Beo's Letter Box
Contributions en Timely tnbjeeta
JTo Baeeedlnr Two Hasdred Wards
Are Invited troaa On fteaders-
tfter IX-aih Whatr
NKW TOFtK, Feb. K -To the Uditor of
The llee: The Interview with Thouta A
Kdlson on Immortality Is still awskenlng
much Interest, even In fnr-sav countrvs.
"No soul": "death ends all"; "the brain a
piece of meat mechanism'' that prodjoea
thought as the liver secretes bile, having
an Individuality only as has New York
City with Its s.000.000 of human brains, each
brain a combination of millions of cells;
when New York City disintegrates, its In
dividuality Is gone; when our brain dies.
that ends us.
Mr. Edison Is right in this-none of cur
five senses, nor all combined, can reveal
Immortality, much less demonstrate It.
The ear can not see. the eye can not hear.
Magnify light a million times, yet the ear
could not hear It. Every sense Is shut .p
absolutely In Its own realm, but he Is a
bold scientist who would say that tliore
Sre no realms other than those covered by
these five sensea. There may be lo.foa
other groups of five or more senses each.
Why not? Does Mr. Kdlson say I am
guessing In this? I might reply with equal
reason thst he la guessing when he denies
It; and were these two guesses precisely
equal. Is It not more natural, If not more
scientific, ta choose the optimistic one?
But they are not equal.
There are channels of knowledge other
than these five senses. Beethoven, stone
deaf, heard magnificent music which he
wrote down In great oratorios that have
stood the test of time. There Is a whole
range of spiritual senses each of which
takes In knowledge up to the level of Its
development. There Is a beauty which the
eye can not aee; a music which the ear
can not hear. Would Mr. Kdlson deny this?
The brutal son can have no conception o' a
mother's love although his five senses ire
Perfect. He has eyea and ears but sees and
hesrs not what many other men see and
hear clearly. Conceptions of right and
wrong are absolutely real, but real onlv to
conscience. The pure In heart see Clod,
and others can not. When Bishop Brooke
spoke of God to deaf and blind Helen Keller
he was not surprised. She said thst she
leng knew there must be ome one. By
ome channel other than the five senses
this thought had got Into her mind. Hut
waa a profound utterance of Jesus, that
If a man do right he would know. To 1o
Is to exercise, and to exercise 1s to grow.
The exercise of a faculty develops that
faculty, and then up to its level it will
know truth.
Mr. Kdlson is sure the brain Is not an
organ of thought as the piano Is an orgin
of the musk- It conveys to our ears frun
the.oul of s Hnfmsn; but Edison saye the
brain Is a machine that creates thought.
End the brain machine, he tells us. and
you end the man: some bias, he admits. Is
given by heredity, for In some way In the
catacombs of the brain cells our ancestors
He entombed. But what of the countless
millions of thoughts that control the uni
versethoughts that are other than man ?
Whence come these thoughts? Where is the
"brain box" of the universe? Herbert
Spencer, the chlefest thinker of modern
times, closes his system of philosophy wl'h
the thought that there Is In the universe a
power other than man thst makes for
righteousness.
If there can be no thought without a
brain machine, where It the brain machine
of this power other than man's? Where Is
the brain power that Is In control of the
universe? If, on the other hand, there can
be thought without brain, what becomes of
Mr. Edison's argument that the destruction
of the brain ends man? Is not his con
clusion the baseless fabric of an unscien
tific theory? He has wandered all too fsr
from the "watchfires of the tribes."
But the pity of It la. hi words do not hit
upon rock, but upon palpitating heart and
brain. There are 1.700.000.000 people on earth
today, every one of whom Is under the sen
tence of death, and can be lifted above the
slime and briar and rock of the valley nnd
shadow only upon the wings of faith and
hrpe. Will not the pitiful man. if he is
wise, seek In every way to strengthen
those wings and In no wsy break one of
the least of them, unless impelled by abso
lute certainty?
Lightning Is logic; yes. but at times there
re other far more effective way of reach
ing truth than by pure logic.
I. K. FUNK.
A MASSAC II I SETTS IDKA.
Proitaed Laws fop Proving Wills Be
fore Death.
Chicago Record-Herald.
A bill Is now before the Massachusetts
legislature according to the terms of which
any will or codicil may, at the option of
the testator, be offered for proof during
his lifetime. The older snd richer the com
munity, the more value such a piece, of leg
islation would be found to possess. II
llnols, growing older and richer, may soon
find as much advantage In It as Massa
chusetts. Assurance oY the sanity of a testator and
of his freedom from undue Influence may
more easily be arrived at whue he Is still
within reach of legal Snd medical au
thority than after he la dead. The adoption
of a bill like that described would do much
to obviate wrangling among helrs-at-law
and next to kin and to minimis the litiga
tion which Is often so protracted, so ex
pensive and so detrimental to family
peace.
Spring Hats and Caps 4
1 Are Now Ready
Call and Inipect the Best Hat
on the Market
Browning, King
'BrovninalCing & Cq
g j( clothing,
y FIFTEENTH
R. S. WILCOX.
Ji. ....... ...... ... ! . ..
SMILING LINES.
Wife- I icilly believe Hint thst Mrs Net
(lore has the most coiitmt) nature f an .
oiiihii on raith.
1 1 n I ti.otmti nature" Wh. tf (Tit
nman fasted Im u get fat Huston ii ni
sci Ipt
"Your lfc insists on bring allowed tn
vol "
es." replied Mr. MecMon. ' She's nut
cttiUnt wild having the hist w m1 in a.
political in -giimcri. Mif ant l " t'i
ili polls nnil put In ft postrtipt. 'Washing,
tun Star.
Mr. TikMw ml tiotrox gave me cigar
tctHv He miokes the kind that cost a
dollar.
Mr. Tightwad- Well, with h II hl money
I should think tic could nfford better nnr.
ThHt Nix I save you at t hrlstinas cost in
i'htladelphla Itecord.
"Ara tliitrA -a1Iv anih thlnffi as athletiai
pains?" 41
"Uosh, man! lld oii never hear tell of jt
a Jumping toothache'.'"- Baltimore Ameri
can. . .
"My doctor mi I must sleep out-of-doors,"
fatd the mnn who H not strong.
"Well." replied the friend who makes
painful efforts to cheer up. "It's bII right
nu long as your landlord doesn't say It.
ChlcaKo Hecord-llerald.
"Man's a funny proposition."
"What now?"
"When he reads a medical book lie fan
cies he has every dlseaMe described: but let
him read the work of a moralist and all the
faults pointed out he sees not In himself
but In his neighbor." Huston Transcript.
Is that man a good weather prophet?'
"1 should say he Is," replied I'aursr J v.
Corntossel. "Sometimes his weather is a.
few days ahead of time or a few daya
behindhand. But It
alwsrs gets hers.''
Washington Star.
"Squire." asked the visiting friend, ' how
do von manage to occupy your time in tins
little village'.'"
The only Justice of the peace In Skednnk
leisurely bit off a Iar;e chunk of plug to
bacco anil chewed II In Mlctiue a few mo
ments. "Hill." he said, with judicial solemnity,
"1 can beat any man In six counties pitch
In' horseshoes." ChlcaKo Tribune.
THE MODERN BLACKSMITH.
W. D. Xesblt In Chicago Tost.
Under s costly canopy
The vllliige blacksmith sits; .
Before him Is a touring cur
Broken to little bits.
And the owner, and the chauffeur, toe.
Have almost lost their wits.
The village blacksmith smiles with g'se
As he llehts his tat duar.
He tells his helpers what to do t '
To straighten up the ear.
And the owner, and the chauffeur, to,
WnnJ humbly where they are.
The village blacksmith puffs his weed
And smiles a smile of cheer
The while his helpers pump the tires
And monkey with the gear
And the owner and the chauffeur, too.
Stand reverently near.
Beh'nd the village blacksmith Is
The portal ot tils shop;
The shop Is very large In size,
With a tiled roof on top
And the owner, and the chauffeur, toss,
At Is were glad to stop. ,
The children going home from school
Look at the open door;
They like to see him muke his bills
And hear the owners roar.
And the chauffeurs weep as they declar
They ne er pHld that berore.
He goes each morning tn the bank
And salts away his cash:
A high silk hat and long frock coat
Help him to cut a dash
But the owner, and the chauffeur, too,
Their teeth all vainly gnash.
The chestnut tree long since has died,
The smith does not repine;
His humhle shop has grown Into
A building big and fine.
And it bears "Oarage" above the door
On a huge electric sign.
Gold Dust
Makes Hard Water Soft
By the use of GOLD DU ST
you can at all times have nice.
" r. : l -
uil rainwater ngiu at your r
-11 . 1 tT T j
cioow ior inc asKing. imaey
ine what a help this vvoirfd
be for washing clothes, and
for all cleansing purposesl
Just a little GOLD DUST
added to any water 6oftens it, 1 "f
takes out the mineral sub
stances and brings out the
greatest cleansing value.
GOLD DUST dissolve!
dirt and grease, works like
lightning, and relieves house
work of all its drudgery.
For your poor back's sake,'
don't try to keep house with
out GOLD DUT.
OOLD DUST is
"Lt tk COLD DUSTTWINS our
& Cos Special
00
furnishings and hats,
and DOUGLAS 8TREET8,
OMAHA.
Manager.
' . 1 ' ii r
sold in gn tire j i VvX f
snd Urge pack-O ) ju
Sires. The Urge Kj,
g;reater economy. Pfffl;,
i
v
11
1
I i
n