THE BEE: OMAHA", -THURSDAY, TAXTTARY t9Tr.
THE OMAHA DAILY BEE
POUNDED IY EDWARD HOSEWATER.
VICTOR HOSEWATER, EDITOR.
"the bee publishing con pant, pbopwetoe.
Kni.rad at Omaha poato'tlco u aaoaad-olaaa aaattar.
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION.
Br Carrier By Mall
aarmoata, sar jar.
tHIYr ana SoriSar . o
Bally wtlhaot Sunday.... . K '
Evanlat and Sunday 4
Evrhlns without Sunday tic
Sunday Baa only .... Via A
Dally and Sunday Bm. taraa yaara In aSBc, ""
Sand nolle of chant, of addraaa or IrratularlW HI -Uv.ry
ta Omaha. Baa. Circulation Daparttnant
. - REMITTANCE.
!mlt bt draft, ararflaj ar neatal ardor. Only 1-eont sunno
takta la narmant of small aooaunla. Paraonal
OKcor-t on Omaha and aaaUra aiehana. not aowotad.
OFFICES.
Omaha Tha Boa Bulldlnff.
South Omaha sail N .treat.
Council Blofta 14 North Mala atraut.
Lincoln Hi LlttU Balldlaf.
Calearo 111 Paoplt'a Oa ButlSlae
Now fork Room lot. III Fifth araans.
St. Leula ! Now Bank af Coiamarao.
Waahlatton T1S Poartaaath atraal. N. W.
CORRESPONDENCE.
addraaa eommrmleatloni rclatraff ta nova and adttorlat
mailer te Omaha Baa. Edltarlal papartrooat.
. NOVEMBER CIRCULATION.
55,483 Daily Sunday 50,037.
Dwlsht Wmiama. elnraUtton manaser of Tha Baa
Puhllahlns aompany, kalnf duly awom. aaya that tha
avaraca circulation for tha month of November, lilt. Waa
M1I dally, and tt.lir Sunday.
DWIOHT WILLIAMS, Chrnlatlon Wanafor.
SthBerlhad In my proienoa aae sways ta hafora mo
this la Say of Daoomher, mi.
, C. W. CAHLSOM, Notary PuhMe,
Snbacribara leaving Ik city Uparr(ly
ah-mld have Tha Baa haaUaaj I. tnera. Aal
tlraai will bo chanioal aa ft as fwavlrad. .
Though he delivered no goods, Tom Lawion
got the free advertising, which is doubtless whit
he wanted.
Strangely enough, no one hss at yet sought
to enjoin Mayor "Jim" from riding in his own
Ssnts Clsus tuto.
Does the school board presume openly to
flout the dry banner pledges of reduced taxation?
Perish the thought!
The coming surgical operation on democracy's
celebrated "free list" it bound to be s success,
even though the patient dies.
So. far as can be judged at this diitance the
windjamming contest, between Gumshoe Bill
Stone and Tom Lawson fa a drawn battle.
It's a cinch that the new half-dollar which
Uncle Sam's mints are now patting into circula
tion will be just as elusive as the old one.
The Bee repeats that it will never do for
Omaha to concede "perpetual" franchise rights
to any public service corporation withodt a last
ditch fight.
Nebraska is not the only state thai has just
gone dry and, therefore, not the only state that
has the problem of prohibitory raw enforcement
to grapple with.
When the bill hopper begins its rounds all
talk about limiting the number of measures
which any member of the legislature-may intro
duce will have completely subsided.
The reference to "thugs and buccaneers" in
the opening prayer of the state senate suggests
the desirability of adding a committee on humor
to the regular roster. No trouble to pick an ideal
chairman. ;
Omaha wants more industrial estsblishments
to give employment to more wage earners to put
more payroll money in the channels of trade.
Everything aiming in this direction makes for a
bigger Omaha. ; '
In so graphically characterizing his colleagues
on the opening day of the session, Senator Ed
Howell seemed to have realised the necessity of
'haste to have hia say first before the others put
the brand on him.
The wealth of art lavished on the new 50-cent
coin admirably fits an improved national taste
for the . beautiful ' Now, if the, government in
fuses a like sense of appreciation at provision
counters, the minted work of art will radiate con
aiderable joy. V '
x a awoM '
At any rate, this prospective litigation be
tween the city of Omaha and the street railway
company gives the lawyers no special feeling of
depression. Whatever the outcome, attorneys'
fees will be substantial and the "dear people"
foot the bills! , :;-". :
: In the halcyon daya of Carribean buccaneers
rival pirates battled furiously for plunder, even
among themselves. Ancient chronicles assert that
the loser, when cornered and lathed to the mast,
invariably poured out a torrent of imprecations,
while the winners silently divided the plunder and
lived happily ever after. The value of these an
cient chronicles lies in the application thereof.
Southern Raids on Treasury
la the south meditatinar one last raid nn tha
treasury, while the raiding is good? It looks that
way.
A large share of the $35,000,000 proposed to
be appropriated by the public building bill is to
go to the erection of handsome and expensive
structures in southern hamlets. But the south
ern congressmen, who are at the head of almost
an ot trie committees, nave no intention appar
ently of beinar satisfied with nuhlir hniMinc.
There is the flood control bill, which arrka
to reclaim 16,000,000 seres of land along the
lower Mississippi at a coat to the government of
$45,000,000, and which is chiefly for the benefit of
the private owners of' these lands. The opposi
tion to this bill was too strong in the last session
to permit its passage, but the election is over and
it's a long time till the next one. This looks like
a a-ood time to oush the bill thronu-h It h.
passed the house, and has now been reported to
the senate by the commerce committee, whose
chairman is Senator Fletcher of Florida.
Meanwhile the house committee on rivers and
harbors, of which Soarkman of Florida ia rhair.
man, is busy framing a new bill which is expected
to appropriate about $40,000,000 mostly for
southern projects. This will be the second rivers
and harbors bill, framed by the present congress.
These three measures, if oassed. will tak
$120,000,000 out of a treasury which is already
bare, and to replenish which new burdens of taxa
tion must be lam on tne people.
But the south pays a comparatively small oro.
mirtion of the federal taxes. The New York Son
asserts that thirteen northern states pay $11 of
the income tajaj for ever $1 paid by the southern
states, This fact, taken in connection with the
other fact that the south ia not likely to control
the next house, throws some light on the present
"pork ' activities oi. tne southern chairmen.
Let Us Have the Positions Defined.
The field of controversy between the city and
street railway company is being narrowed down
so that we may soon expect to have the respective
positions defined. Proceeding on the- advice of
the corporation counsel, the city commissioners
have ordered a format demand made, in the name
of the city, that the street rsilway company cease
next month to operate that part of the system
originally embracer) under the old Horse Railway
franchise and that it turn over the property in
cluded in the reversion clause.
Of course, the city does not expect this de
mand to be forthwith complied with in fact, if it
were complied with, some other process would
have to be immediately instituted to provide
Omaha with uninterrupted transit service, The
demand, however, should serve to pat the street
railway company on record as to its counter
claims, which are already indicated by the re
port of its attorney. , He represents that the
company is not operating under the Horse Rail
way franchise any more than under other fran
chises, one of which, by its terms; runs until
1928, snd, further, that the company has in re
serve a claim to perpetuity for all its franchises
under the consolidation act. ,
Thia is at least making progress toward ascer
taining on what points, and how far, the city and
the company are apart. In this -flatter, ao vitally
important to the future of the community, the
city should insist, as we have already taid, upon
its full rights in the various street railway grants
in the tame way that two private corporations
involved Jn a disputed business agreement would
deal with one another. Above all,, it behooves
the city particularly to guard against having any
more perpetual franchise claims established.
Democrats to Drop Free List
Frightened at last to sctlon by the disastrous
result of their attempt to run the government
without revenue, the democrats at Washington
announce a purpose to abandon the free list and
levy a tariff on all imports. Thus vanishes the
last vestige of the Baltimore platform, on the
specious promises of which the party rode into
power behind Mr. Wilson. One after another
of the pledges there made has been abandoned,
either without effort to redeem it or after costly
experience has proven Its fallacy. Promised re
trenchment took the form of extravagance such
as the country had never witnessed, and revenue
reform was undertaken in shape of makeshifts
and expedients, none . of ' which has produced
enough to balance the Outflowing stream from
the treasury. The aurptut left by the republicans
waa quickly transformed intoia shortage, bonds
have been told, bookkeeping joggles indulged and
all devices ingenuity could suggest for special
taxes have been tried, yet the hole in the treasury
has deepened steadily. It is not that the revenue
has fallen off, for the total receipts for the fiscal
year 1916, up to December 28, were $50,000,000
greater than for the corresponding period of the
previous year, but the treasury deficit for the
same time showed an increase of $76,300,000,
amounting to a total since the 1st of July of
$124,978,542, or nearly a million dollars a day.
Thia it the net result of democratic mismanage
ment of the affairs of the national government
Douglas County and the Legislature.
Our nVmnrrarti Kratrt.an aljt .1..
- w.v.K.w.. Bwa,v , aurcofc
opportunity to press their private squabbles in
tne legislature, it may lie taken for granted that
they will keep the record good, and continue
their wrangling until the close of the session.
The Bee hooes that the state will not vi.it ita
displeasure on Omaha because of the Inability of
tnese gentlemen to agree which ia the least
worthy. It will not dispute with them their es
timates of one another's tHneae and nnalifii-atinn.
to represent progressive constituency, but it
oespeaKi tne patience oi their colleagues from
other parts of Nebraska, Matters of vital con
cern tO OUr eltV and COttntV Will tome hafora tha
legislature, and ahould be considered on their
merits, regardless of how they may affect one or
the other of the local democratic factions. The
Bee would alao like to suggest thst the Douglas
county delegation do ita internal fighting in pri
vate, and let the rest of the lawmakers proceed
with the public's business undisturbed by quar
rels that cannot interest them. -
Turkey's Assistance in Settlement.
. A note from Turkey, formally repudiating
guardianship of the great powers of Europe, haa
been received at Washington. , Ita ostensible
purpose is to enable Turkey to take a separate
part in (he formulation of the peace terms, when
such business tngaget the attention of the na
tions. While Washington will give no formal
cognisance to the communication, because the
United States waa not I signatory to the engage
ment whieh took over direction of Turkish af
fairs, the note it interesting for several reasons.
First of all, it will remove a serious stumbling
block from the way of the European nations.
The protectorate of Turkey has long been a
source of friction in Europe, because under It
England and Germany were able to restrain
Rntsia by denying fret use of the straits now
dominated by the Turks. It would aeem impos
sible to longer hold Russia back in this regard,
and any peace that may be made will probably
contain tome provision for the liberation of Rus
sian commerce.
More important to the world at large, how
ever, will be the freedom thus granted to the
great powers to deal With Turkey on other mat
ters, For thirteen hundred years a conflict has
waged between the followers of Christ and those
who accept Mahomet is their prophet, and no
page of all this history of strife has been so
stsined with massacre and wanton" cruelty as
that written by the Turks in their treatment of
the Armeniana and Syrians. The. Armenians,
first among the nations to accept the Christian
religion, are all but exterminated today as a re
sult of the unspeakable doings of the Turks.
Stones of unbelievable outragea inflicted on help.
less women and children by relentless captors
are reported from official investigators, and no
people of all the world is today in the plight of
the miserable remnant of the Armenian nation.
. Civilisation cannot tolerate this conduct, and
no peace should be made that does not remove
the Christian nations of Mesopotamia from the
dutches of the savage Seljuk. The Turk has
unwittingly done the world a service and re
lieved other nations of sore responsibility in re
pudiating European control. ,
Should the coming grand jury look into the
whys and wherefores of the high cost of living,
some information of value may be obtained. It
must be about time to freshen up the stock of
similar inquiries which repose in the filet of the
county attorney s office,
.David Jayne Hill on
Wilson's War Note
lUchaatar Post-Eapraaa -
CeatribtMatl hy Farmar U. S. Aaibaaaador ta Carman?.
The circular note issued by the nresident to
the belligerents in the European war has fallen
like a bomb from an aeroplane not only upon bel
ligerents, but upon our own countrymen as well.
It denies that tne president is proposing peace.
"He is not even otferinff mediation," although he
expresses his readiness to serve as mediator. It
is not, therefore, a peace note. What then is it
intended to be? If the president is not interfer
ing for the purpose of either proposing or me
diating peace, what was his object in writing the
note?
His motive in askmar the belliserents what
they are fichtioK about as stated by himself, ia
"lest the situation of neutral nations, now ex
ceedingly hard to endure, be rendered altogether
intolerable"; and the secretary of state, speaking
more frankly, in his spontaneous explanation of
the meaning of the note, which he had signed and
fresumably understood, declared that, as the
Fnited Statea wat itself verging on war, it de
sired to know just where the various belligerents
stood. ,
Here at least is an intelligible interpretation of
the real meaning of the note borne out by the
note itself. It did not propose peace, but wished
to ascertain, if the war is to be continued, what
each side is fighting for, in order that it might
shape its own future policy.
It was only when it was seen with alarm by
the public that this implied the probability of the
United States becoming involved in war that this
interpretation, though admittedly justified, was
withdrawn, and the war note was interpreted as
a peace note, which it had categorically declared
that it waa not . -
At a veace note the document in question
would have been singularly out of place. If a
note for peace were called for, it Would naturally
hare accompanied the transmission ot oermany a
proposal in the form of a hope or desire. This,
however, waa not done. This note affirms the
right of the United States to know where the bel
ligerents stand, on the ground that its "interests
have been most seriously affected by the war and
whose concern for its early conclusion arises out
of a manifest necessity to determine how best to
safeguard those interests if, the war is to con
tinue." The note does not urge peace, but wishes
to know the intentions of the powers "if the war
is to continue"; which shows clearly that it is the
purpose of the United States to reconsider the
question of neutrality and determine "how best
to safeguard ita interests," which might be best
served by participating in the war.
It ia grossly unfair, therefore, to try to make
a scapegoat of the secretary of state because he
tola tne trutn anout tne real meaning oi inis note,
even if it did hasten a tumble in security values
when a war-cloud was discerned in the secretary's
explanation of the note. All that he said was to
the mind of anyone accustomed to interpret diplo
matic documents in the text of the note itself, and
once discerned it is impossible to explain it away.
If it was designed merely to promote an early
conclusion of peace, the note was untimely, irri
tating and dangerous. It was untimely because
the German proposal Was. already under consid
eration bv the entente allies and could not fail to
lead eventually to a statement of what the belli-"
gerents demanded or were really righting tor. it
was irritating because it declared that thus far
both sides seemed to be fighting for the same
thing; which it not only palpably false, but puts
both belligerents in the light of fighting a mean
ingless war, or else implies that in saying sub
stantially the same thing one or the other side
was not telling the truth. Finally, the note, if
intended at a move' for peace, was dangerous, be
cause it foreshadowed the end of American neu
trality and possible participation in the war to
safeguard the interests of the United States, if the
war ia to continue; thus leaving it open to either
side to win the United States as an ally by its
attitude toward those interests in its reply. And,
concessions to American interests having thus
been obtained, what would be thought of the
honor of the United States, if it turned out that
it waa stilt neutral, when there were grounds for
approving one or the other of the belligerents?
It would be futile to pretend, even if the lan
guage of the note were more ambiguous than it
is, that ita tone it not that of interference in a
European matter. The president demands that
the belligerents render account to him of why
they are fighting, on the ground that the interests
of the United States have been most seriously af
fected by the action. Can he then intend, if the
war continues, passively to permit these interests
to be seriously affected? Does not the demand
imply that he will take some action to safeguard
these interests? Does it not imply that the con
tinuance of American neutrality depends upon the
replies he receives? If not, why does he call for
these statements? Unless the note is to be re
garded aa an inconsequential performance, the
meaning of the note is that if peace is not made,
and the war continues to affect American inter
ests, there will be a change in American policy.
But perhaps the most serious feature of this
epistolary adventure from the point of view of
American interests ia the statement that the
United States is ready and eager to guarantee the
peace of the world.
This is a complete reversal of the time-honored
policy of the United States based upon its
substantial interests. As app'ied to Europe it is
not only an abandonment of that part of the
Monroe Doctrine which pledges our non-interference
in European affairs, but it is implicitly an
invitation to European powers to mix themselves
up in our affairs, as well as those of the smaller
states in this hemisphere. It is the most perilous
step the United Statea could .possibly take, and
the impulse to take it betrays a lack of foresight
that is unpardonable. It ought to be resisted with
all the energy that the American press can put
into the cause of national safety and self-preservation.
There is one further reflection elicited by this
note. Although it is alleged to have been for
months in the process of incubation, and may
have been suggested when the president was in
forming us that this was the last war we should
keen out of, it has burst upon the nation like the
explosion of a mine. Conceived and nurtured in
absolute secrecy, this new doctrine of interference
in European affaire ia a startling revelation .of the
perils to which the country may be exposed with
out its knowledge. We are now informed tf at we
are on the verge of war, without having been in
formed of it, prepared for it, or consulted about
it. What has become of that "common counsel"
that was to usher in and attend the "new free
dom"? Ia statesmanship to be completely dis
solved into catchwords and political slogans?
Why ia not the country permitted to express it
self before it is committed to participation in
every future quarrel on the face of the earth? By
what authority does the president, without con
sultation with the nation, pledge "the people and
government" of the United States to employ
''every resource at their command," which of
course includes the army and navy, for a purpose
the congress has never been asked to consider? '
It it easy to write such pledges, but the pro
longed condition of Mexico is evidence of how
difficult it is to secure peace. The pledge is, bow
ever, perhaps intended to express a desire that
the weight of Europe, when the war is over, shall
be added to our own in securing peace in Mexico.
But such a wish is superfluous. Unless the United
States is then prepared to procure from Mexico
the indemnities for life and property which the
European powers will demand, or is ready to pay
them itself, it will require no league to enforce
fieace to bring the armies of the reconciled bel-ie-erents
to the soil of that republic, and they
wilt remain until they are satisfied: Having en
tered into the agreement to aid in regulating the
affairs of Europe, we would no doubt awaken a
sentiment of surprise if we were not pleased to
receive the aid of Europe in American affairs.
The president seemt to be inviting it
f ronAVi
TfMlth Hint for thfl Dar.
For cleaning a room and Its furni
ture a carpet sweeper, vacuum
cleaner or damp cloth la much safer
than a broom or feather duster, which
atlr up the dust and cause disease
germs to float in the air and become
drawn Into the lungs
One Year Ago Today in the War.
Severe bombardment on Yser river
front In Belgium.
The Knmer un district In West Africa
practicaly abandoned by the Germans.
State department at Washington
protested against British interference
with malla "
Russians reported to have driven
Teutons out of Csernowits, capturing
large numbers of Germans.
In Omalia Thirty yearn Ago.
Charles B. Rustln sold to John V.
Coad the northeast corner ot Harney
and Seventeenth for (30,000.
The Omaha Toboggan club Is pre
paring to give a grand carnival on its
slide, corner Twenty-sixth and Pop
pleton avenue.
A fire, originating from some un
known cause, broke out In Room 1,
Crelghton college. It was discovered
by a scholar named Mallery and ex
tinguished with the apparatus owned
by the college authorities. The loss
was about 1200.
A very pleasant entertainment was
given to the Sunday school children
of St. Barnabas. It waa directed by
the 'school superintendent Milton
Darling, assisted by Mrs. Moore, Mrs.
Wood, Mrs. Silver, Mrs. Nason and
Mm Weeks. Some old and new games
were played and Master Allen Goble
gave a magic lantern exhibition.
A very pleasant meeting occurred
In Dewey & Stone's furniture store
between Hon. J. H. Mickey, cashier of
the Osceola bank, and W. G. Tem
pleton, cashier of the Citizens' Na
tional bank on Twenty-fourth and
Cuming, who had served together In
the same company during the war and
who Irad not seen each other for more
than twenty-two years. The last bat
tle In which they participated was in
front of Atlanta, Ga.
There Is now In the shops of the
Union Pacific a mammoth rotary
snow plow. It is the only thing of the
kind in the country, having just been
invented and sent out from Paterson,
N. J., for trial.
This Day In History.
1780 Horace Btnney, who made a
notable fight in congress for the United
States bank, born In Philadelphia.
Died there August 12, 1876.
1813 Sir Isaac Pitman, inventor of
the system of shorthand writing that
bears his name, born In England. Died
there in 1897.
1834 First Protestant church in
Chicago dedicated.
1838 Charles B. Stratton ('Tom
Thumb"), famous dwarf, born at
Bridgeport, Conn. Died at Mlddle
boro. Mass., July 15, 1883.
1877 Cornelius Vanderbllt, founder
of the Vanderbllt fortune, died in New
York City. Born on Staten Island, N.
Y., May 17, 1794.
1888 First successful operation for
appendicitis performed at Davenport,
la. - , -
1889 The civil service regulations
were extended to the railway mall ser
vice by order of President Cleveland.
1893 Garxa and hia band of Mexi
can outlaws were pursued by United
States troopers and Texan rangers in
Zapata county, Texas.
1896 Utah was admitted to state
hood, 1901 Lord Roberts assumed the
duties of commander-in-chief of the
British army.
1904 Supreme oourt of the United
8tates decided that Porto Ricans are
not aliens. ,
The Day Vie Celebrate.
Charles H. Gratton, president and
manager Pacific Storage and Ware
house company, was born in Syracuse,
N, Y January 4, 1859. He used to
be a member of the Omaha school
board. '
General Peter J. Osterhaus, one of
the oldest survivors among the union
civil war commanders, born at Cob
lents, Germany, ninety-four years ago
today.
Joel Hastings Metcalf, a Unitarian
clergyman who has attained celebrity
aa an astronomer, born at Meadvllle,
Pa., fifty-one years ago today.
Samuel J, Elder, noted International
lawyer and peace advocate, born at
Hopevllle, R. I., sixty-seven years ago
today.
Rev. Frank M. Bristol, bishop of the
Methodist Kptscopal church, born in
Orleans county, New York, sixty-six
years ago today. Up to last year he
was bishop of the Omaha diocese.
Carter Glass, representative in con
gress of the Sixth Virginia diBtrtct,
born at Lynchburg, Va., fifty-nine
years ago today.
Oscar Vitt inflelder of the Detroit
American league base ball team, born
In San Francisco, twenty-seven years
ago today.
Timely Jottings and Reminders.
Samuel W. McCall will be Inaugur
ated today for his second term as gov
ernor of Massachusetts.
Mayors of numerous cities of New
York state are to confer at Schenec
tady today on measures to be recom
mended to the legislature with a view
to reducing the high cost of living.
Styles in men's clothes for the com
ing year are to be determined at the
annual convention and exhibition of
Hhe National Association of Clothing
Designers, which meets in Cincinnati
for a three-day session.
Many delegates are expected to ar
rive in Washington today to attend a
conference of the National Popular
Government league. The passage of
the corrupt practices bill by the pres
ent congress is one of the chief sub
jects scheduled for consideration.
8torjeUo of tlK Day.
The manager of a factory makes a
practice of giving all his old clothes to
one of his laborers, who Is in poor cir
cumstances A few months ago the manager told
him to call at his office, as he had a
oast-off vest for him.
When he examined the gift at home
he found in one of the pockets a dol
lar bill. After a little study he de
cided to say nothing about It Just
then, anyway.
A month later he went up to the
manager, and the following conver
sation took place:
"I've just called to tell you. sir. that
In one of the pockets of the wesklt you
gave me a montn ago I round a dollar
bill."
"Good gracious!" exclaimed the as
tonished manager, "and you mean to
tell me, my good honest workman,
that you've brought It back?"
"No. sir," answered the laborer;
"not exactly, I've called for another
wesklt" Chicago Post ,t
rim
Waves of Attacks.
Lincoln, Neb., Jan. 2. To the Mi
tor of The Bee: The war is a huge
ocean. It has its Inlets and outlets,
its storms and calms. It pours out
upon the earth its bloody and fiery
breakers in the hour of hurricane and
in the daya of calm dully roars with
Its dead surges. And as the over
whelming ocean breaks its banks and
mutilates the earth's face, so also the
ocean of war ruins and destroys the
earth and humanity's centuries of la
bor. But those who carry on war for
a worthy cause believe and hope that
the raging ocean will throw out from
its bosom a great gem for humanity,
a pearl of peace and honesty, ravished
by murderers and thrown Into the
depths of hatred, flames and death.
For the sake of this gift of the sea
peoples are lighting and drowning in
the waves of war's great ocean.
There is nothing more terrible than
these bloody waves when they throw
themselves upon the hard earth.
Waves of people are carried through
flames and one 'whirlwind meets
another one; it is fire and death. The
bloody foams splash, they fall silent
and motionless on the ground, and
behind them In their trail are carried
new waves and there is no end to
them, so long as the hurricane does
not cease its attack.
So was it at Ypres, in Champagne,
at Solssons and on the Marne. So
was it at Verdun, and certainly so it
will be yet for a long time at Verdun.
So was It on the Dvlna and in other
places. The waves of attack strike
now here, now there; everywhere,
there boils and splashes with death
the destroying ocean of war.
Like a vision, like a sight of the
future, over the stormy ocean swims
the shining ship of victory. And to
gether with the gushing and beating
waves there slowly withdraws from it
into oblivion and dark death the sil
houette of another ship with somber
helpless, trembling sails That is the
robbers' ship. That is the ship of those
who took away from humanity the
preoious pearl and threw It into the
bloody ocean. FELIX NEWTON.
How Would We Have Taken It?
Oxford, Neb., Jan. 2. To the Edi
tor of The Bee: Our president seems
to be an adept as the originator of
surprises. From hia veiled reason for
the repeal of the free canal tolls,
down through our two wars with
Mexico and up to the issuance of his
sensational peace letter, the public has
never been taken Into his confidence,
never given the reason for his ma
neuvers or told what results they
might hope to see accomplished. The
peace letter seems aa little understood
abroad as It is at home and is des
tined to bear as little peaceful fruit
as we are plucking from his famous
peace policy in Mexico. When Ger
many asked that our government
carry their desire for peace to the al
lies, President Wilson let it be known
that the same would be transmitted,
without comment or prejudice, and
probably nothing since the president's
Inauguration pleased the people better
than to know that the belligerents
were to be treated just as he would
wish to be treated were our positions
reversed.
But alas: Scarcely had this happy
thought taken root when almost like
lightning from a clear sky the so
called peace note was flashed to
Europe. The people gasped in won
der and astonishment but Lansing
comes to the rescue with another sur
prise by letting It be known that we
had been on the very brink of war
and that the letter was a shot across
the bows of the belligerents' ships of
state, signaling them to halt and take
It from Woodrow Wilson that it was
time for peace. Later this lucid ex
planation was repudiated and the peo
ple left to guess whether Lansing had
been talking through his hat or bad
been elected as Wilson's acapegoat
The question naturally arises how
would we have enjoyed such a note
during the rebellion which ranted He
long years and waa as bloody and
fierce as the present war? Would w
have been pleased to receive a greet
ing from abroad that they were tired
and would like for us to quit? It will
be remembered that In 18(4 there
were many people at home and abroad
who honestly believed the south cooM
not be subdued, Lincoln was charged
with bloodthirsty obstinacy and Me
Clellan ran for president on the demo
cratic platform which declared the
war a failure. Horace Greeley wrote
Lincoln in August of that year that a
great majority of the people wanted
peace at any price, but Lincoln gave
no heed to the peace pleadings, was
re-elected and gave his life to the
canse of subduing the rebellion. Who
will say Lincoln was wrong? Or that
we did not know what we were fight-'
ing tor or that our only object was
to humble the south? What would
have been the consequences had Lin
coln listened to the peace talk of that
time? Instead he instructed our min
ister to Great Britain that he shontd
refuse to debate, listen to or transmit
any suggestions of peace, whether
coming from the British government
alone or in combination with other
governments. Waa Lincoln right? If
so, surely Wilson must be wrong; for,
however It may appear to us, the al
lies are'juat as deeply Impressed with
the righteousness of their cause, just
as sure they are giving their blood to
subdue wrong as was the north dur
ing the rebellion. A. C. RANKIN.
LINES TO A LAUGH.
She (ihowlas 'pletoro) And this Is 'tha
daar old home wbare I waa born.
Bo Still ataadlnt? Jupiter! Ther don't
bolld 'em nowadays ao that thoy wtlt last
mora than thirty or forty yean. Boston
Tranecrtpt.
IlEMtMi.F'AUBBUL,
jfcTONKIIer OF vtaiM rr
FIANCEE HOVi SHOUU) X 4-0
ABOUT WJWtj It?
MttWR STE88IVB
sect
IM A SurfoFTSlPlE PUOE
ARMOR!
"So this la tha wild and wooly, westT"
"Tea. otransor."
"I.et'a liquor."
"All rlsht, but we're cone dry. Pop Or
aody water, old how? taatsvtua Courter-Journal.
1513 Douglas Street
Brambach
Grand
High Grade
Low Price
It ia four feet eight inches in length
and sells at $465.00. Easy terms.
-r7
W J1 IB
The Owl Drug Company Fire
We arc obi iff ed to iiupend busineiB
at The Owl Drag Company for a few
daya 011 account of a disastrous fire
!ait evening. Our prescription files
have been removed to our beautiful
and commodious store at 19th and
Farnam streets, as has also the book
keeping department of this store.
Mr. E. L. Duffy, prescription clerk,
and R. B. Webb, salesman, will assist
at the 19th and Farnam streets store,
while Mr. H. C. Goodwin and Miss
Grace Gunnel, may be found at the
16th and Dodge streets store tem
porarily. We hope to be in first-class business
condition again at the Owl store
within three or four days. Telephone
orders may be sent to-
10th and Farnam Store, Doug. AOS
16th and Dodge Store, Doug. 002-3-4
24th and Farnam Store, Doug. 24S
and will receive our .usual prompt
attention.
SUNSHINE AND FLOWERS
Best reached y trie qniclc convenient snd sumptuous trains of
the Louijvuis Br Nsshville Railroad. Solid through train or .
sloeping' cars Lrom St. Louis and Chicago. Unaurpasaed a Ia carta
dnuag' ear service. Round trip tourist tickets, return limit
Tubs lit, on sals daily. Greater Yariety routea tnaa any other
line; diverse routes it desired,
AhTaclwe Tours to Central AniericajCubatMoMe,
New Orleans, Pensacola and the Gulf Coast Resorts
aOUTS Of THE MAGNIFICENT TRAINS
Dixit Ltmlltd. Dixit Flytr. ID Southland. mdJadamcUk Sxpnss
For Tull particulars, rates, illustrated booklets, alesping' ear
rsscTTatio&s, etc., sdaVese
G. L HERRING, D. P. L, 304 N. Broadway, St Louis, Mo.
P.W. MORROW, N.W.P.A., 332 Marquette Building, Chicago