The Omaha Daily Bee
Want-ad Service
Night or Day
Tyler 1000
THE WEATHER
Fair: Colder
Vol. xlvi. no. 219.
OMAHA, THURSDAY MORNING, MARCH 1, 1917 TWENTY PAGES.
Oa TrilM, tl H stall.
Ntwt Standi. Etc., to.
SINGLE COPY TWO QENTS.
DENDED FLOOD
ILL IS REPORTED
TO LOWER HOUSE
ommittee Strikes Out Words
".Other Instrumentalities"
.!; in Measure Drawn at
'' the White House. 1
4
REMITS ARMING SHIPS
i .r . .
mrance oy Government ot
esscls Carrying Munitions
of War is Prohibited.
NDRED MILLION BONDS
j i v asuingiuu, v eu, io. luc iiousc
fftc:gn affairs committee today re
"jf parted the Flood bill, designed to give
yiaf prcsiueut power to protect mc
fchVs of United States citizens and
American ships, after striking out the
p ds "other instrumentalities" and
fa amending the measure to prohibit
government war insurance for ships
Carrying munitions ot war.
jj ; reported- by the house com-
illiliee the bill reads:
fhc president of the United
' States shall be and is hereby author
. -Ved and empowered to supply mcr
! pliant ships, the property of citizens of
Jhe United States bearing registry
rff of the United States, with defensive
4 arms and also w ith the necessary ain-
munition and means of making use of
'$!icm in defense against unlawful at
tack; and that he be, and is hereby
, Authorized and empowered to pnotect
Auch ships and the citizens of the
J1 nited States against unlawful at
tack while in its lawful pursuits on
the high seas.
This eliminates the provision which
Mould have empowered the president
to employ such other instrumentalities
and methods as may in his judgment
and discretion seem necessary and
adecmate."
Hundred Million Bonds.
The bill would provide the $100,000,
000 onciissuc and authorize the prcsi
den; to transfer some of the funds to
the war risk insurance bureau, but
contains this phrase prohibiting in
surance of munitions ships:
"Said bureau of war risk insurance
shall not insure any arms of ammuni
tion or any vessel carrying arms and
ammunition consigned to belligerent
couhirici or any citizen thereof."
Air. Flood said this provision would
pcrniit' the arming and protection of
munitions. ships, but would not per
mit their insurance by the govern
ment. The administration contends
that munitions ships are protected by
international law as well as any others
against ruthless and unwarned de
struction with sacrifices of life.
Senate Awaits House Action.
That the sci'ate will take no action
on the armed neutrality bill until the
house, has passed the measure practi
cally was assured today after a con
ference between Senator Stone, chair
man of the foreign relations com
mittee, and Representative Mann,
house republican leader. Mr. Mann
declared the senate could not act on
a hill nrnvidine for an issue of bonds
until it had been passed by the house, j
No record of the vote in co'mmittee !
was kept. but Chairman Flood said j
hi thought it was 17 to 4. Other
i ...I..-.- .nlA eatran ,rtPft HCraillSt it.
illCIMIJCia at.v.,. p. -
At any rate five committeemen an
nounced they would file minority re
ports. They were Shackleford, dem
ocrat of Missouri; Cooper, republi
can, Wisconsin; Huddleston, demo
crat, Alabama; Porter, republican,
Pennsylvania, and Thompson, demo
crat, Oklahoma. Chairman Flood will
report the bill to the house tomor
row. 'Jardine Gets Proof of
. Trucking Law's Violation
When City Commissioner Jardine
was nearly "side-swiped" by an iron
pipe (vrotruding from the tear end of
a motor trucK. ne tncugni i. was nine
to call attention bf motorists to an
ordinance which prohibits such dan
gerous practices. He will biing the
matter to the notice of the police de
partment. ,
The Weather
For Xolrn ska Fair and Colder.
Temperature at Omaha Yesterday.
a. m 22
-Tfi. m 2S
7 a. in -J
8 n. m 22
9 a. m J3
10 a. m
11 h. m '11
VI m 29
1 p. m -II
2 p. ni M
R p. in 34
4 m 33
6 p. in 3:i
6 p. m 33
7 p, m 31
$ p. m 30
Comparative TH-al Record.
1917. 1916. 1913. 1914.
Highest yesterday ... U4 an 36 CO
Lowwitt yesterday .... 2- 21 26 21
Mfian temperature ... 28 2 31 3fi
Precipitation 00 .16 .00 .00
Temperature and precipitation departures
from the normal;
Normal temperature ', 21
Jioparture for the day 0
Total excess nlnco March 1 181
Not mat I'VPclpltatlon .03 inch
Deficiency for the day 03 inch
Total rainfall nlnro March 1. .. .17.50 inches
Deficiency since March 1 13. 1U inches
pendency for cor. period, J 91 5 . . .84 Inch
.Deficiency for cor. period, 2914.. .35 Inch
Beporta from Stations at 1 P. M.
itattdn and Stat
Temp. Ulgh
7 p. m. est.
Rain
fall. - of Weather.
f Cheyenne, snowlns; 16
20
34 '
Davenport, cloudy . , . , 30
Denver, snowing 20
Des Moines, cloudy 34
Dodge Cl'y. cloudy 34
Lander, cloudy IS
North Platte, pt. cloudy. 22
'Jniaha, part cloudy..., 31
. uehlo. eU-ar 24
stupid City, clear ...... Hi
ialt Loku City, cloudy.. 2ft
Santa Fu, cloudy 34
Sheridan, clear Ig
Sioux City, clear 22
Vfclffntln. clear , H
38
30
38
22
S2
24
T Indicates traca of precipitation,
L. A. WELSH, Meteorologist
F I. Fl
HOUSE PASSES MILL
RURAL SCHOOL TAX
Taylor .of Custer - Gets His
Measure Through the
Lower Body.
DOUGLAS COUNTY SPLITS
(From a Staff Correspondent.)
Lincoln, Feb. 28. (Special.) W. J.
Taylor won a decisive victury in the
house today when his bill levying a
special 1-mill tax for rural school pur
poses went through on final passage
by a vote of 59 ayes to 33 nays.
Douglas county split on the vote.
Bulla, Howard, Schnicdcr and Neil-
sen voting for the bill while the rest
of the delegation, except Richmond,
who was absent, voted against the
bill.
An unsuccessful attempt was made
by ..Mr. Ainlay lo recommit the bill
for a specific amendment conferring
the benefits of the act on schools in
villages and cities having not more
th&n 2.51)0 population, and excluding
all cities above that figure. The mo
tion was ruled out on Mr. Taylor's
point of order that a recommitment
could not be had except for the pur
pose of making minor corrections.
Mr. Flansburk than moved a re
consideration in order to have an
amendment similar to Ainlay's incor
porated in the bill. He was squelched
on another point of. order by Taylor
that no member could otfer a motion
to reconsider unless he had previ
ously voted on the prevailing side.
Flausburg had voted n committee of
the whole with the opponents of the
bill.
Reason for Opposition.
When his name was reached on the
subsequent roll call, Mr. Flausburg
offered an explanation and gave his
reasons for voting "no." He declared
the bill taxed cities and towns that
arc already burdened to the limit for
the support of their own schools, in
order to aid schools where the people
of the districts will not vote the maxi
mum local tax themselves. He also
pointed out that the rural districts
having one-room schools will be
taxed to help maintain those with
schools of two or more rooms. This,
he said, was not aiding the weak dis
tricts, but the strong ones.
The other five Lancaster members
cast their votes for the Taylor bill.
Mr. Peterson said he did not give it
his support as a measure that was
strictly equitable from a taxation
standpoint, but purely as a state sub
sidy to promote better rural edu
cation. The Douglas county delegation split
on the bill, the same as it had done
before, with four of its members vot
ing "ays," seven voting "nay" and one
absent. Mr. Shannon, in a lengthy
(Continued on Page Two, Column One.)
Senators Accept
Invitation, to Come
To the Auto Show
(From & Staff Correspondent.)
Lincoln, Feb. 28. (Special.) The
Nebraska senate this afternoon voted
to accept an invitation to attend the
Omaha Automobile show in a body
Friday. The invitation was extended
by the Omaha Trade association.
A committee to make arrangements
was appointed, consisting of Adams
of Dawes, chairman; Albert of Platte
and Haase of Dixon.
The senate voted UrTS 12 to accept
the invitation. Senator Edgar How
ard exercised his first perogative,
under the constitution, of voting
when the senate was tied, and he
cast his vote in favcr of accepting.
Austria Supports
Ruthless Warfare -Program
of Kaiser
London, Feb. 28. '1,'he Austrian re
ply to the American note in regard to
te submarine issue will be handed
shortly to the United States ambas
sador at Vienna and will probably en
dorse the position of Germany, ac
cording to a Rettter's Amsterdam dis
patch quoting a Berlin telegram to
the Weser Zeitur.g of Bremen. The
telegram says that the Vienna gov
ernment -will clearly express the view
that there is no turning back from
central powers.
More Snow in Mountains
Than Ever Recorded Before
A party of men in from the Rocky
Mountain National park of Colorado
assert that out there the snowfall
during the last winter has- been the
greatest on record. It is asserted
that through the park and over most
of the mountain sections of the state
the snow is six to seven feet deep.
Unusually high water is expected if
warm weather should come on sud
denly and remain a few days, or if
the snow should go off with a rain.
Two Men Rob Bank
And Kill the Mayor
Monroe, La., Feb. 28. Two uniden
tified men held up and robbed the
bank of Collingston, La., twenty miles
north of Monroe, of $3,000, about
noon today and in the pursuit which
followed they shot and killed P. W.
Vaughan, mayor of Collinston, a
member of the posse. Reports from
the scene stated one of the robbers
had been captured.
Every tody ioesty jjo AuShow?
AUTO MEN FORM
BODY AT ROUSING
BEEFSTEAK FEED
Nebraska Automobile Trade
Association Organized to
Affiliate With National
Trade Association.
FARMERS' DAY IS A WWNKR
Hundreds of Agriculturists At
tend Show, With Result that
Sales Are Very Brisk.
SOCIETY LOSES ITS NIGHT
The Nebraska Automobile Trade as
sociation was organized and got away
to a flying start at a beefsteak dinner,
at which over l.OOOvisiting automobile
men attended, at the Fontenelle hotel
last night.
J. C. Thorpe, general director of
the National Automobile Trade asso
ciation, came out from Chicago to
assist in the Nebraska organization
and to make plans for the local asso
ciation's affiliation with the national
one. Mr. Thorpe declared the Omaha
and Nebraska dealers were among the
most enthusiastic he lias even seen
and predicts that the Nebraska as
sociation will be one of the most ac
tive units in the national organization.
The beefsteak dinner was a rare
treat. All of the visiting dealers were
guests of the Omaha Automobile
Trade association, the Commercial
club and a number of local business
men. The banquet board was lav
ishly provided with choice morsels,
the enthusiasm was at the highest
pilch throughout and the subsequent
business meeting, which led to the
organization of the trade association,
was an interesting one, even for those
few dealers who did not become mem
bers of the body.
Farmers Have Inning.
Yesterday was Farmers' day at the
automobile exposition at the munici
pal Auditorium. And, as was antici
pated by all, yesterday was the big
gest single day of this or any other
Omaha automobile show.
Hundreds and hundreds of farm
ers came to Omaha to visit the motor
display on the day set aside in their
honor. It was estimated by the con
servative that fully 3,000 farmers saw
the show yesterday. Others boost
their estimates from this number to
5,000. ,
But no matter how many of them
'were there, there were enough, as the
cheerful countenances of the salesmen
upon whom the agricultural gentle
men called will mutely testify. While
this information is a little difficult
to obtain, it can safely be said that
more automobiles were sold during
the twenty-four hours of Wednesday
than any previous corresponding time
in this city.
The farmer, however, did not hold
any monopoly on the show. His city
brother was there with both feet. And
the ruralite seemed to inculcate his
spirit of ready "money into the city
chap, much to the delight of the sales
man with the order blank and the
fountain pen.
Society Loses Out.
Today holds a distinction that !s
strictly negative. Today is the day
at the auto show that wasn't given
over to society.
Always in previous years Thursday
night has been society night at the
auto show. The price of admission
was boosted, salesmen and attendants
donned evening clothes, as did many
of the visitors to the show, and it was
really a very nobby affair. But it was
too nobby for some of the democratic
auto men who put down the custom
as "the bunk" and started an agitation
to have it eliminated.
Tonight the admission price re
mains the same. And there will be
no evening clothes on the floor. So
if you prefer a soft collar or like to
wear red neckties, you will be per
fectly safe in attending the show to
night without fear of feeling uncom
fortable and out of place.
Busload of People
Struck by a Train
And Thirteen Die
Lima, O., Feb. 28. Thirteen per
sons arc reported to have been killed
when a C, H. & D. railroad train
struck a factory bus loaded with girls
tonight. Ambulances have been rushed
to the scene. Police reports say the
dead and injured are wedged beneath
the train.
Dry Days Ahead
Of Washington,- Now
That the Bill Passes
Washington, Feb. 28. Prohibition
champions won their fight in the
house tonight for the senate bill abol
ishing saloons in the District of Co
lumbia after November 1. The
measure passed by a vote of 273 to
137 and was sent to the president,
who is expected to sign it.
FIFTY YEARS AGO ON FARNAM STREET Two photographi taken at the comer of
Seventeenth and Farnam streets, looking eaat. The upper one showt the view in 1867, the
lower the street as it appears today.
....... - .- - '
AX . n - '-1-
h lelSmfet , ? '"Tori . r ILrs
z Jp4M-! ' ill utirfir
Nebraska Celebrates Its Fiftieth
Birthday and Still is Growing
Half Century Ago Today Presi
dent Johnson Announced
the Statehood of This
Territory.
FORMER DAYS RECALLED
Today is the fiftieth birthday anni
versary of the state of Nebraska. On
this date in 1867 President Johnson
issued a proclamation announcing to
the world that "the admission of the
stats into the union is now complete."
There will be no celebration in
Omaha today, although Lincoln has
a special program.
The population of the state at the
time of its admission was approxi
mately 75,000 and Omaha had 5,000
residents.
Living here today are a few men
and women who can recollect men
and affairs in Omaha half a century
ago. When the Antelope state was
admitted to the sisterhood of states
Omaha was a busy little western
town. Ox trains and steamboats were
the methods of transportation and life
was real and earnest forthose who
herd the call of the west "just after
the war."
Omaha's development from 1807 to
1917 sctma like a dream to those who
can turn the pages of memory back
to those early days.
Millard Was Here Then.
J. H. Millard, president of Omaha
National bank, former United States
senator and pioneer citizen, fifty years
ago resided on the site which today
is the location of the bank over
which he presides.
"Yes, I lived on this very ground
fifty years ago. The house was on a
hill, which extended to F.ighccnt!i
street. I never learned whether the
hill was cut fifty feet or forty-nine
feet at this point. I was under the
impression that the cut was lifty feet,
while the late Edward Roscwater was
certain the cut Was forty-nine feet.
Mr. Kosewatcr lived on the .comer
just west of our place," remarked the
ex-senator, reminisceutly.
Mr. Millard related that his old
hank was at the southwest corner of
Thirteenth and Farnam streets and
the First Methodist church was across
the alley lo the southward. Mc
Cormick & Lacy operated a general
merchandise store on the north side
ef Farnam street, a short distance
west of Thirteenth street. Parties
traveling overland called at this store
to stock up for the trip across the
plains.
Lived Where Bank Now Is.
"When I built my home at the
northeast corner of Seventeenth and
Farnam streets fifty years ago I did
not dream that I would live to view
Omaha as I see it today. I paid $3,500
for this corner, which is 132x132,
and could have had the property
down to Sixteenth street for $4,000
more, but I did not have the addi
tional money at that time and did
not have the' sense to get it," con
;intied the venerable banker.
Closing his eyes, as if to get a
better focus on the flight of time for
half a century, he recounted the fact
that in the spring of 18fi7 he planted
potatoes, onions, carrots and other
vegetables and all sorts ot flowers in
his yard which now is one of the
valuable corners of Greater Omaha.
He said that the business center of
Omaha was Thirteenth street, Far
nam to Douglas streets, and he
would at that time have regarded as
a wild dream a statement that some
day Omaha's business district would
be pushing toward Twentieth street.
Fifty years ago today the Millard
home at Seventeenth and Farnam
streets was regarded as in the "resi
dence district. ' There was a deep
ravine at a tint now" marked by
Twenty-second street and it was nec
essary to make a circuitous route to
get beyond that depression.
"We all had cows fifty years ago
and I remember they were herded
in a pasture which is now about
Thirty-eighth street," added the sena
tor. Lived Alone on Farm.
Jonathan Edwards, president of
Douglas County Association of Ne
braska Pioneers in 1915, bad been a
resident of Sarpy county nine years
when Nebraska attained its statehood.
"I lived alone all winter on our
farm jn Sarpy county, while my par
ents visited back in Ohio. They re
turned in the spring of 1867 on the
first railway train into Council Blulls.
I was married during that year, so
1867 was an eventful year for our
family," said Mr. Edwards.
He recalled that the Central block,
on south side of Farnam street, from
Thirteenth to Fourteenth streets, was
erected in 1867. In that block were
Hellman's clothing store, Milton Rog
ers' hardware store, Ish's drug store,
Stephens & Wilcox's dry goods store
and other business places.
Semi-centennial exercises will be
held this morning in the state house,
beginning at 10:0. The speakers will
be Governor Neville, John L. Web
ster, T. J. Majors and S. C. liassett.
Stale officers and judges of the su
preme court will be in attendance.
The two branches of the legislature
will meet in joint session, with Lieu
tenant Governor Howard presiding.
State's Fiftieth Birthday to Have
Official Observance at Capital
Official observance of the day
marking the fiftieth anniversary of
the memorable occasion when Ne
braska was formally admitted .into
the union will be held at Lincoln this
morning, when the senate and house
meet in joint session.
According to the program as out
lined to John Lee Webster, who as
chairman of the semi-centennial com
mittee of 100, will deliver the princi
pal address, in a telephone message
yesterday, the judges of the state su
preme court and representatives of
other state departments will attend
the joint session.
The joint session was publicly an
nounced in the house a few days ago
and the galleries are expected to be
filled with spectators from Lincoln,
Omaha and other cities.
Lieutenant Governor Howard will
preside and Governor Neville is to
make a brief address. The subject
i 1
W1 a'. r'Na-ionai
rr
4
SENATE EXPEDITES
EMERGENCY BILL
All Amendments to Revenue
Measure Will Be Withdrawn
and Bill Passed Tonight.
INCREASE IN ARMY BILL
Washington, Feb. 28. In order to
secure passage of the emergency rev
enue bill the senate finance committee
hasj practically agreed to withdraw
all its amendments when time for
votinbegins at 8 o'clock tonight.
They Would obviate any necessity for
a conference and the bill could go
to the president after the senate
votes;, ',..'.;
Increase in Army Bill.
An .increase' of $37,500,000 to the
army appropriation bill was ordered
today by the senat military commit
tee in completing"'' revision of the
measure which passed the house. As
it will be reported to the senate the
billl will carry $277,480,708, ten million
in excels of the amount carried in
the existing law. Z
' The principal increase ordered is
$13,600,000 for clothing and, camp and
garrison equipment, making the total
lor this purpose $28,600,000. The
committee was actuated 1 in recom
mending the increase as a result of
the Mexican mobilisation which
demonstrated that clothing supplies
and camp equipment were, as Sena
tor Chamberlain expressed it, "full
lacking."
Other large increases ordered , are
I $4,350,000 for automatic machine
nllcs, $1,000,000 tor civilian military
training, $1,3.W,U00 for government
manufacture of anus, $2,000,000 for
army subsistence, $2,800,000 for the
signal service, $2,453,995 for supplies
to the quartermaster's corps, $1,373.
780 for transportation and $500,000
for mililarv roads in Alaska.
The committee attached to the I
measure the Chamberlain universal
military service bill, but it is not ex
pected to carry at this session.
of the principal address by Mr. Web
ster will be "Admission of Nebraska
as a State." A band will furnish ap
propriate music.
A committee from the state legisla
ture met with Mr. Webster in Omaha
some time ago and extended him an
invitation to make the address as
chairman of the semi-centennial com
mittee of 100.
Today's program at the joint ses
sion of the legislature is the state's
official observance of the semi-centennial
year. The first chapter in Ne
braska's semi-centennial celebration
was the notable historic parade dur
ing Ak-Sar-Hcn last fall, when Presi
dent Wilson reviewed the great pag
eant. In June will1 come the closing chap
ter, to be held under the auspices of
the state university. Plans are going
on apace tor this phase of the semi
centennial celebration.
BIRTHDAY OF THE
ANTELOPE STATE
IS CELEBRATED
Fifty Years Ago Today Ne
braska Cast Aside Territo
rial Garb and Had Star
in Nation's Flag. , .
OMAHA WAS CAPITAL THEN
Twice Did the People Vote
Against Entering Union
of States. i
CHANGES FROM DESERT
By A. R. GROH.
The state of Nebraska is 50 years
old today. ' On March 1, 1867 Presi
dent Andrew Johnson proclaimed it
admitted to the union.
It had been a territory since 1854
when a territorial government was es
tablished at the conclusion of the bit
ter controversy over the famous Kansas-Nebraska
bill, introduced in con
gress by Senator Dodge of Iowa.
Omaha was the territorial capital.
The fi;st state legislature, which also
met here, removed the capital to Lin
coln in 1867.
The question of statehood was first
agitated in 1860. But the people de
cided against it by a vote of 2,372 to i
2,094. In 1864 they again rejected
statehood.
The legislature in 1866 submitted
a constitution to the people, who ap
proved it by the close vote of 3,938
to 3,838. This constitution restricted
the right to vote to white men.
Let Colored Men Vote,
A bill to admit the state to the
union under this constitution passed
congress in 1866, but was vetoed by
President Johnson. In January, 1867
another bill was passed by congress
admitting Nebraska, on condition that
the Nebraska legislature give the
right of suffrage to colored men also.
Johnson vetoed this, too, but it was
passed over his veto.
The legislature met February 20,
18t7 and complied with the condition. "
Only about half a dozen colored men
lived in the state. There was nothing
left for "Andy" to do but proclaim t
Nebraska a state. , '
"Ar.dy" wasn't exactly the cham
pion of the west. Besides trying to
frustrate Nebraska's state-ly ambi
tions, he opposed the Union Pacific
railroad land grants. Many people be
lieved and said that he should have
stuck to his trade of journeyman
tailor, which occupied the f itly year'
of his life r. , '-.
Larger Then, , '
The original Nebraska territory In-,
eluded the whole area .between the
Missouri river and the summit of the
Rocky mountains and between tne
north border of Kansas and the Can
adian line.
After Nebraska's admission, David
Butler was elected its first governor
over J. Sterling Morton by the close
vote of 4,093 to 3,984. The first state
legislature, on July 4, 1867, elected
John W. Thayer and Thomas W. Tip
ton, republicans, to the United States
senate, over J. Sterling Morton and
Andrew J. Popplcton, democrats.
People in those days did not realize,
m their wildest dreams, the towering
agricultural eminence which Nebraska
was to attain in a short time. Men
who are still young recall that they
learned in "jawgaphy" that "there
are three great deserts in the world,
the Sahara desert, the Desert of Gobi,
and the Great American desert."
Rolls in Wealth.
Last year, in that parfof the "Great
American desert" known as Nebraska,'
S34l.740.nnn wnnl, f t .1.-
sou were raised. 1 he live slock on :
these barren hills and plains is worth
the trifle of $173,049,000. Nebraska
lands and improvements are wortu
$1,285,000,000. Total resources of the "
state arc $3,045,000,000. That is $2,436 '
for each man, woman and child in the
state.
About the only thing Nebraska
larks on this, its golden jubilee, Is a
debt. It has no ftate debt. We must
try to be satisfied Vithout that. We
can't have everything,
the people who inhabit this "des
ert" bought more than 40,000 automo.
biles last year. There are more auto-
monties m neuraska now, per thou
sand of population than in any other
state or county on the face of the
globe.
British Capture Three
More Villages in France
London. Feb. 28 Rn'tict,
occupied the important village of
Commecourt today and captured the
villages of Thilloy and Puisieuic-Au-Mont,
advancing their line more than
half a mile to the northeast of Com
mecourt. This announcement is made
in the official report from British
headquarters in France, which also
records several raids of minor im- .
portance. -
Used Cars
taken in trade on
new ones are in many
cases in good condi
tion. You can save
considerable money
if you buy now. "
Hundreds of bar
gains are listed in to
day's Want Ad col
umns. ' .. .
Look for Yours Now
i