Nebraska Newspapers

    THE BEE: OMAHA, MONDAY, MARCH 19, 1917.
The Omaha Bee
DAILY (MORNING) EVENING SUNDAY
FOUNDED BY EDWARD KOSEWATER
VICTOR ROSEWATER, EDITOR
" TT1E BEE PUBLISHING COMPANY. PROPRIETOR.
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par mil Kt.oo
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liaa. circulation uapanawou
REMITTANCE
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OFFICES.
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FEBRUARY CIRCULATION
54,592 Daily Sunday, 50,466
Arrraft circulation for tha montha mbacrlbad aod nnxml to or Dwtani
WlUiaaia, Circulation Manaaar.
Subacribnra lanvlni lha eHr ahoulal nan Tha Boa aaallai
to tham. Addraaa chnntad aa oltan aa raquaatad,
Once more the man behind the gun looms
large ai the hero of the deck.
Every crown tossed into the melting pot con
tributes to the uplift of humanity.
Take notice this is the week that is to mark
the advent of spring on the calendar!
Credit Carranza with being foxy enough to
play both ends against the middle and to get away
with it.
Secretary Daniels' zeal for news censorship
strikes an underhanded blow at the policy of
"pitiless publicity."'
Great bodies move slowly, but when they do,
as in Petrograd, the efficiency of the road roller
sends a chortle around the world.
Positive assurance comes from the lawyers of
the company that United States Steel is "a good
trust." Why then sek for other proof?
No doubt the national weather man means
well and il doing the best be can. Twenty-four
state legislatures in active eruption is a hard com
bination to buck.
a '
Greetings to William Jennings Bryan on his
57th birthday. He is stronger in the hearts of
the "home folks," even if he cannot, command
their votes as of yore.
If the people could stand aside and escape the
blows, the spectacle of the Big Six and the Big
Four on the mat for a finish bout would be worth
all kinds of small change.
- 1
It is fair to assume, however, that Mrs. Catt
will want more corroborative evidence before she
repeats again the charge that the suffrage amend-
ment was "counted out" in Nebraska in 1914.
Postofhce economy that piles up mountains of
full mail sacks at transfer points and delays their
transmission for days is hardly the kind of
"economy" to make a hit with postoffice patrons,
It should be understood in advance that spring
poets seeking the customary courtesies mast sub
mit packages of spring as a guarantee of good
faith. Allowing imagination to get too gay in
times of stress involves too much risk to escape
restraint.
Correspondents returning from Berlin ex
press surprise because' Germans manifested little
interest in the news of the break with the United
States. Remember, though, that people distracted
by war and struggling with short rations are in
no condition to respond to new thrills.
Missouri and Illinois constitute the main oases
bordering on the expanded dry belt of the middle
.west. The former is booked for the third elec
toral tussle with the demon, while the latter hesi
tates on the brink. In both states wet lalvation
depends on the votes of Chicago and St. Louis.
After years of legal skirmishing the govern'
ment at last succeeded in bringing the Shoe Ma'
chinery trust to the bar of thf supreme court in
defense of its existence, Of all the combines
brought into eourt since the trust war began none
surpassed the Bay State Shoemakers' in resources
and fighting ability. '' '
Official notice has been served on the anthra
cite coal barons that refusal to grant the usual
spring reductions to the trade will bring down on
them the weight of official displeasure. If the
barons will consult the pulp dukes they will get
a pointer on the wisdom of heeding a hunch from
the federal trade commission.
Prepare for the Harvest
Minnaapolii Trlbnm
Russia as a Republic.
However high hopes of humanitarians may be
raised as a result of the happenings in Russia,
it is wise to consider what lies in the path the
proposed republic must travel. The Russian em
pire occupies one-sixth of the land surface of the
globe; from the Baltic on the west to the Pacific
on the east, and from the Arctic to the Caspian,
it is the mightiest realm ever held under single
dominion. Its population is given variously at
from 130,000.000 to 150,000.000. Of these 110,000,
000 live in Russia in Europe. The ethnological
complexity is commensurate with the empire's
geographical extent, while the governmental sys
tem, built up through centuries of autocracy, un
der which exigency has been met with expedient,
is perhaps the most complicated now known to
man. Moreover, the great mass of the Russian
people is sodden in ignorance and steeped in
superstition.
To readjust the relations of the government to
the people, to establish liberty as proposed by the
Duma's program, and to give orderly administra
tion to the extensive and varied affairs of the
nation is a task of stupendous magnitude. It is
conceivable that a group of able and intelligent
men may preserve the form of a republic, while
actually maintaining an oligarchy, for the govern
ment of Russia, but the actual participation of the
people on a basis approximating republican forms
as understood in the United States or France, or
the limited monarchy of England, is scarcely
within the range of possibilities yet. The work
to which they have set themselves is a worthy
undertaking, and their progress will be watched
with the closest attention and deepest interest by
the world.
For the Romanoffs little of sympathy will be
felt. During 400 years this family has been a
retarding influence. It has shown strength at
times, but that strength has always been exerted
in the interest of autocracy. Mostly the czars of
the line have been despots, devoid of ability and
of negative force. Their place in history is fixed,
and the passing of the house as a controlling fac
tor in the world's affairs, if it may be it really has
gone out, will occasion little regret.
To the courageous band of leaders who have
struck this tremendous blow for freedom, human
ity will give credit and support. If they succeed,
it will be a triumph almost unrivaled if they
fail, it will be because Russia is not yet fully ripe
for real liberty.
' Not only to give a generous acreage this year
to cereals, but to take what steps they may in
preparedness to garner their drops, are duties
that the farmers of the spring wheat states owe
to themselves, to the country and to the world.
The best judgment of military experts on both
sides of the ocean is that the European war wilt
not end until late this year. How much longer
it may go on there is no foretelling. Both groups
of belligerents have made preparations with
mqney, materials and men to do desperate fight
ing for at least the next six months.
Before the next winter or spring wheat crop
in this country is ready for reaper and thresher
it is probable that virtually all reserves will have
been used up. . I he situation then will be unusual,
It might be described as extraordinary. It is
early to "get a line" on what the American winter
what harvest may be, but even if it should be
a record-breaker in both harvestable area and
yield, it seems entirely safe to forecast that
every bushel of spring wheat in our northwestern
states and in the western Canadian provinces,
no matter now large the production, will be ab
sorbed at profitable prices.
The utmost advance oreoarednesa In the mat.
trr of field labor, therefore, is af vial imnortanee
The percentage of employment in the cities has
neen and still is unusually high. At present there
is reason to believe there will be a small surplus
of unemployed men during the coming farm sea
son. That being true, the farmers of the north
west may find it necessary to increase their usual
wage budgets to procure necessary field help. It
is not too early to get into touch with reputable
employment bureaus and other agencies and to
make survey of the prospects. State and local
authorities may be wiser than they know if they
17 pinna now againai a time OI acute need, in
respect to its food the world is in an abnormal
condition. If nature should do her Dart hand
somely, her bounty must not be permitted to go
oy oeiauit. '
Preparing for Spring Floods.
Winter conditions throughout the plains states
suggest the need of preparedness for risks and
damage of spring floods. This is made clear by
the statement of Colonel Welsh, government ob
server at the Omaha station, regarding the thick
ness of ice in the rivers and the snowfall in the
Missouri river watershed. Mr. Welsh reports
forty-two inches of ice up in North Dakota and
thirty inches of snow at Sioux City. Doubtless
the ice in connecting streams is correspondingly
thick and capable of doing great damage of forced
to move by spring rains. Much depends on spring
weather, The longer moderate temperatures pre
vail the less is the danger. A sudden and con
tinued run of warm winds of the Chinook variety
would let loose a vast amount of surplus water,
lifting and moving ice of great strength, which
usually means trouble along the moving streams.
The greater risk is fa ice jams and gorges, with
the resulting back water. "We cannot tell what
will happen," says Colonel Welsh, which is all
the more reason why county authorities should
prepare for eventualities. Adequate arrangements
for keeping streams open and preventing jams at
bridges makes for safety and is in line with true
public economy.
Surplus Supplies for Europe.
Some interesting information is disclosed by
the report of theDepartment of Commerce on the
foreign trade of the United States for the month of
January. Exports reached the highest total ever re
corded for a single month in the history of the
country, amounting to $613,553,693, as compared
with $330,036,410 for the month of January, 1916,
This shows an increase of almost 90 per cent. Of the
total, $185,789,985 was for foodstuffs and 'fuel
oils, which compares with $106,618,732 for the
same month In 1916, an increase of over 75 per
cent. The share of th belligerents in this enor
mous volume of foreign trade is overwhelming.
Exports to Germany and Austria have fallen away
to nothing, but the countries allied against them
during last January bought from the United
States goods tp the amount of:
1917.
France $ 88.935,360
Italy 28,428,129
Russia in Europe...!.., 51,747,660
United Kingdom 216,982,574
Canada 58,921,378
Japan 15.148,776
Russia in Asia 17,023,029
1916.
$ 44,653,305
16,730,039
17,062,358
121,514,297
38,318,538
6,882,177
6,643,769
Totals $477,186,906 $251,864,483
This shows that 77.8 per cent of the total ex
port trade of the United States was with the en
tente allies, and that that trade had nearly doubled
within a year. The total volume of exports for
the seven months ending with January shows the
same story. For the last seven months the ex'
ports, of the United States amounted to $3,614,'
173,688, as compared with $2,182,898,752 for the
same time a year ago. To the belligerents in this
time goods were sold to the amount of $2,791,-
633,072 and $1,602,523,880. Thus the sales to the
allies for the second period amount to more than
the total sates of the country for the first.
The sales of foodstuffs to these countries is
not separated in the total, but if the same pronor
tion holds good the food supplies sent the allies
in January amounted to $141,244,508, and for the
seven-month period of $877,172,415. These fig'
ures are cited at this time to give an idea of the
immense quantities of supplies the countries war
ring against the Germans have been accumulating.
It is hard to believe, in face of this showing, that
any of them is facing immediate want, or that
the cessation of transportation for a month would
bring either to starvation. .
Street car horses were put out of business
long ago and now the fire engine and hose cart
horses are booked to disappear. Rumor has it
even that the circus parade of the future is to be
motor driven. The life of the small boy will never
again embrace the thrills it used to give.
Our Puizle Picture contest for this week calls
for answers to the question: "What is Nicholas
saying?" Paraphrased, "What would you say if
you were in the shoes of the deposed Russian
ruler?"
"You may as well kill a person as to scare
him to death" is a common saying. Threatening
a general railroad strike disturbs business only
in lesser degree than actual striking.
Uncle Sam in the Caribbean
I. What We Bought
-Br Fradark J. Haakta.-
Charlotte Amalie. D. W. I.. March 10. The
American flag is shortly to be raised over this
group of islands, the United States having agreed
by treaty to pay the Danish government $25,000,
000 for all of the holdings of the latter country
in the West Indies.
On the man the West Indies are seen as a
string of islands, begining with the large ones
of Cuba and Santo Domingo, thinning out in
mid-ocean to a few almost invisible dots, and
then emerging to the south again m the larger
French and Enelish islands. What we have
bought from Denmark are about fifty of these
little pin head islands. Only three of them are
large enough to have names on the map, and the
largest contains but eighty-four square miles. In
significant as they appear geographically, how
ever, these islands are most interesting, and may
become important.
St. Thomas and St. John belong to the Virgin
group of islands, which was discovered by Colum
bus, as was also at. Croix. St. 1 nomas was set
tled hv the Dutch, who left it for New York.
Then the Danes took it, and the English took it
away from the Danes several times, but always
gave it back because they did not want it. The
Dutch and the English also squabbled in a small
way over St. Croix; then the Spaniards got hold
of it only to be driven out by the French, who
gave it to the Knights of Malta. They, being un
able to make a living there, burned up their hold
ings and departed. Denmark thereupon got sr.
Onix for the same reason that she got St.
Thomas; namely, because nobody else wanted it.
She has been losing money on the islands almost
ever since; that $25,000,000 will be the first profit
that Denmark, as a nation, has made out of her
West Indian colonies in a long time.
Th hiarnrv of our own relation to the islands
has been much repeated of late. In 1865 Secre
tary of State Seward offered $7,500,000 for them,
a vote was taken here, and the people were almost
unanimous for the transfer. The bill then died
in the senate committee on foreign relations. In
1902 we wasted an Opportunity to Buy the islands
for $5,000,000. In 1916 we jumped at the chance
to buy them for $25,000,000, and now it remains
only to pay over the money and raise the flag.
The price comes to nearly $300 an acre, as against
2 cents an acre which we paid for Alaska, 27 cents
for the Philippines and about jss tor tne canai
zone. Thus it is seen that colonies, like every
thing else, are going up in price.
This crude summary of the history of the Dan
ish West Indies gives no idea of their real story,
whichris filled with romance of the Spanish main,
with pirates and privateers and doubloons and
creolt beauties. The islands are littered with old
cannon, mined forts, and all the other stage
props of swashbuckling romance.
Geologically, these islands are the tips of a
badly swamped mountain range, St. Thomas juts
suddenly out ot tne water, line a swimmer s neau.
From ita hirfhest ooint vou can see Porto Rico
to the west, and an amazing amount of ocean all
around. There is practically no cultivation, be
cause all the people make a living out of the har
bor. Fire and hurricane have swept the island
almost clear of forest; but there is low dense
growth of brush, whicn an or as a snener ior wuu
goats and deer, while a few cattle graze on the
open, wind-swept mountain tops. The island is
beautiful, with a vivid, unexpected ucauiy an
ideal place to explore with a pony and a camera.
And the bulk of it is now serving no other pur
pose than to delight an occasional wanderer with
an eye for the picturesque.
St. Croix, on the other hand is a rich island.
It contains eighty-four square miles of territory,
a large part of which is planted in sugar cane. One
side of the island is flat, while a miniature moun
tain range borders the other, rising steeply out
of the bright, tender green of the sugar fields,
which reach clear down to the palm groves along
the white beaches. This island has fine roads
bordered with rows of royal palms, and it boasts
no less than twenty automobiles. Long ago it
u n favorite winter resort for Americans, and
the islanders believe that it is going to become
popular with tourists again. Land has already
been bought for the erection of a large modern
hotel.
.St. John contains about twenty square miles.
It claims 900 inhabitants, but they are hard to
find owing to the density of the jungle, the lack
of roads, and the fact that there is no town on the
island. . ...
The other forty-seven Islands which are in
cluded in our purchase vary from such bits as
Sail Rock, which is a bare spire of granite that
looks like a sail and affords a home for a few sea
birds, to Buck island, which is several square
milM in area, covered with dense growth, and full
of wild pigeons, parrots and wild goats. Most
of these small islands, or keys, are uninhabited,
and many of them are practically never visueo
by men.
Our ourchase includes three principal cities,
and a few smaller villages. The most important
of the cities is Charlotte Amalie, on this island of
St Thomas. In the islands, the town is called St.
Thomas, its Danish name almost never being
heard. It has about 12,000 inhabitants, most of
whom have negro blood, but it is not a negro
town in the sense that Port Au Prince is. The
tvnical St. Thomian of the better class is a West
Indian Creole, and of a distinctive type. He has
just enough negro blood to make his skin dark
and his hair slightly kinky. He is indolent and
pleasure-loving but intelligent and pretty well
nmtrA. Uinv of the leading: merchants of St.
Thomas are Creoles, including the only million
aire in the islands. These well-to-do Creoles nave
their children educated in Europe, and mingle
with the Danish officials as social equals. Many
of the young Danes have taken Creole brides back
to Denmark. .
In St. Croix are Christiansted, the capital and
Fredrikstad, each having a population of between
4,000 and 5,000. Fredrikstad is a flat, white dusty
town, swept by the wind from its open roadstead,
and is neither picturesque nor interesting. Chris
tiansted, on the other hand, is a beautiful tropical
city, full of flowers and palms and picturesque old
houses. It has a pretty little harbor choked with
sand and mud. The bulk of the people in St.
Croix are black negroes, while the dominant class
are mostly Irishmen and Danes.
From these facts, it will be seen that we have
not bought a valuable pieoe of real estate. The
purchase was justified, for reasons which will be
made clear in the next letter. But whatever the
value of the islands to us, our potential value to
them is enormous. Ihe people ot the Danisn
West Indies are looking to us with faith and hope
for many things, and the whole Caribbean world
will watch our course there with keen and critical
intrr. Wherefore Uncle Sam's new islands are
a more important part of his domain than they ap
pear on the map.
People and Events
TODAY
Health Hint for the Day.
The B-rowlne: oalns which children
complain of are a mild sort of rheu
matism and tne cnua snouia De
treated as if he had rheumatic fever.
as many casea of heart trouble fol
low "just growing pains.
One Year Ago Today In the War.
French attacks checked on Dead
Man's Hill at Verdun.
Russian troops entered Ispahan, the
old capital of Persia.
Br tilth aviator brought down one
of four German seaplanes engaged fn
a raid on the southeast coast of Eng
land.
In Omaha Thirty Years Ago.
The Omaha Homeopathic Medical
society met In the office of Dr. E. T.
.lien, the following being present:
Once more the patriotic pride of Philadelphia
Is humhled to the dust. Right on the heels of
an official showing that the Betsy Ross story
hadn't a bit of bunting to hang on, comes another
official report impeaching the integrity of patriot
portraits in Independence hall. The report made
hv Curator Jordan and an art jury asserted that
the collection contains six fake portraits of sign
ers of the Declaration of Independence, six fakes
of other famous men of Revolutionary times and
five portraits of questionable authenticity. An
alleged portrait of Patrick Henry is really that
of Captain Cook, the English navigator. Another
nnrnnrti in he that of Armand Louis de Gontaut
Lauzan, a French officer who fought under Wash
ington, "copied from the original in the Ver
sailles gallery." Officers of the Versaillies gallery
state that no such portrait exists. A general over
hauling of the collection is promised. At present
the hall is adulterated with portraits, many of
them from the brushes of political favorites, one
local artist having painted 115 ot them.
It
Jrs. O. S. Wood, A. W. Hartupee,
.'arson, tmraa J. JJavies, Mary J.
Breckenrldge, G. W. Williams, C. G.
Sprague, Amelia Burroughs, John
Ahtnanson and B. T. Allen.
a. F. Sw ft of "r. F. Swift & Co., tne
beef packers of Chicago, was closeted
for several hours with Hon. J. A. Mc
Shane. president of the Stock Yards
company. Mr. swnt nas requesieo
the Stock Yards company to make
him a proposition to locate at South
Omaha.
Mr. Fearon of the nrm of Fearon &
Cole has returned from a month's
trip to California.
The Central Improvement company
have filed articles of incorporation,
the Incorporators being M. H. Goble,
J. E. Markel and Thomas Swobe.
A musical program was rendered
at the Young Men's Christian associa
tion social by the following: Profes
sor B. Welhle, Mr. Gaston, Dr. C.
Smith, Mr. Sperry and Mr. McC'arty.
D. J. Collins, superintendent or the
gas works, has gone east to be married.
Mr. Moxon la a recent acquisition to
Omaha society from Chicago. He has
taVren a position In the gas office.
Mrs. Major Brown gave an elegant
dinner to General and Mrs. Crook and
Mrs. Boyle. The other guests were
Mrs. Read, Major and Mrs. McCIin-
tock, i
This Day In History.
1734 Thomas McKean, signer of
the Declaration of Independence, born
at Londonderry, Pa. Died in Phila
delphia June 24, 1817.
11117 Beth Green, tne rather or ar
tificial fish culture in the United
States, born at Rochester, N. Y. Died
there Aug. 20, 1888.
183(1 Battle near Goliad. Tex., be
tween Mexicans and Texans.
1865 The Confederates under Gen
eral Joseph E. Johnnton attacked a
part of Sherman's army at Benton
ville. N. C.
1867 General Sheridan was ap
pointed commander of the Fifth mili
tary district, comprising Texas and
Louisiana.
1873 San Salvador was nearly de
stroyed by an earthquake.
1893 Tremont Temple. Boston, was
destroyed by fire.
1838 Battleship Oregon started on
her famous trip around Cape Horn in
anticipation of Spanish war.
1889 Patrick Walsh. Journa stand
former United States senator, died at
Augusta, Ga. Born in County Lim
erick, Ireland, Jan. 1, 1840.
1902 Edward Green, husband of
Hetty Green, died at Bellows Falls.
Vt.
1903 United States senate ratified
the Cuban reciprocity treaty.
1907 Thomas Bailey Aldrich, fa
mous author, died in Boston. Born
at Portsmouth, N. H., Nov. 11, 1836.
The Day We Celebrate.
James G. Martin of Martin Bros..
live stock commissioners, was born
March 19, 1864, at Kirkwood, 111. He
has the title of "colonel" by virtue of
appointment on the governor's staff.
William J. Bryan, former Secretary
of state in the Wilson cabinet and
now a leader of the peace propa
gandists,, born at Salem, 111., 67 years
ago today.
Urand Admiral Alfred P. von Tlr.
pits, former German minister of ma
rine and accredited author of the pol
icy of "(rightfulness," born 68 years
ago today.
Duke of Westminster, the richest
peer in the United Kingdom, now do
ing active military duty, born 38
years ago today.
.George W. McElroy, one of the new
rear admirals of the United States
navy, born in Illinois, 69 years ago to
day. Moorfleld Storey, eminent Boston
jurist, long Identified with various re
form movements, born at Roxbury,
Mass., seventy-two years ago today.
Alice French (Octave Thanet), well
known author, born at Andover, Mass.,
sixty-seven years ago today.
General George P. Harrison, commander-in-chief
of the United Con
federate Veterans, born near Savan
nah, Oa seventy-six years ago today.
Timely Jottings and Reminders.
Today Is the centennial anniversary
of the birth of Seth Green, who is
known aa the father of artificial fish
culture in the United States.
Miss Jeannette Rankin, the repre
sentative from Montana, Is scheduled
to deliver a public address tonight in
Chicago.
The annual exhibition of the Na
tlonal Railway Appliance association
Is to open In the coliseum in Chicago
today and will continue through the
week. In conection will be held the
annual meetings of several railway
supply associations.
A. D. Simmons, republican candi
date for re-election as city treasurer in
today's election at Osceola, la., is op
posed by his sun, Paul Simmons, who
has been nominated for the office on
a nonpartisan ticket
Governors and other representa
tives of all of the states bordering on
the Mississippi river and Its principal
tributaries are to meet at New Orleans
today to Inaugurate a movement for
river improvement and river traffic de
velopment. General George Bell, Jr., commander
of the El Paso patrol district, and his
staff, have accepted an invitation to be
guests at a luncheon to be given in
Juares today by General Jose Carlos
Murgula, the Mexican commander.
General Bell will be the drat Ameri
can commander to cross the Interna
tional bridge since General E. Z.
Steever called upon General Huerta in
1914.
Storyette of the Day.
Little Gertrude had been especially
Inquisitive all evening. Her father
had answered her questions patiently,
but he was becoming exasperated.
Finally she said:
"What do you do at the office all
day, daddy T"
Daddy's patience gave way.
. "Oh. nothing," he said.
Gertrude pondered over this answer
for a moment Then she returned
valiantly to the charge.
"But how do you know when you
have finished 7" she asked. New York
Hall to Paine, the Prophet.
Omaha, March 17. To the Editor
of The Bee: What glorious atrides to
ward democracy we are making these
days.
Who would have hoped that the
ozar could bo easily have been forced
down and out? True they have only
rid themselves of a person, retaining
the form, but that form will never
again be the absolute that it was.
Russia has shown us what it means
to have a nation ruled by its "intel
ligent classes." Such governments
are always failures.
Let us hope that the words of the
German chancellor are truly ominous
of what shall occur there, too. He
shows himself a true prophet when
he cries: "Woe to the statesman who
thinks that after this war is over gov.
eminent can resume its work where
it was at the time of interruption."
The German people will yet hear the
call of Woodrow Wilson in his appeal
"over the heads of rulers to the peo
ple off all nations."
Rulers and their secret councils are
a thing of the past. They alt shall
go. That means that Wilhelm shall
follow the czar, a part of his own
flesh and blood. But in Germany the
democratic spirit has made more head
way than in Russia, and Us work will
be even more complete.
So in England. Long ago the ruler
there ceased to be a monarch. He
has become a pitiable form merely.
The English people will soon see the
absurdity' of retaining the form after
discarding the substance. Then
George might become a useful citizen,
performing some productive labor for
the good of his health and the welfare
of his family.
Thomas Paine, a century ago, pre
dicted that in another century every
crowned head of Europe would disap
pear. Hail to Paine, the prophet.
I. J. QU1NBY.
Question of Car Shortage.
Omaha, March 17. To the Editor
of The Bee: It becomes so monotonous
to be eternally complaining that one
begins to get disgusted. Here comes
the same old cry once more, "short
age of cars." One writer was five
weeks in getting two cars, had three
ordered and was furnished two. Our
farmer friend got disgusted by further
waiting and dribbled out to his neigh
bors the third car in small lots. This
waiting act became intolerable.
Now, Mr, Editor, what we wish to
say: Our duty calls us through these
yards every day and In a fair measure
keep "caps" on this car question.
I And cars that I have paid demur
rage on after twenty-four hours
standing in the yards as long as three
days empty, that 1 was given to un
derstand were in such great demand
that I must unload and release, even
threatening a double demurrage if
carried one day over.' It was our
privilege yesterday to see a party
turned back on cars that said he had
order In for over three weeks, with
same old threadbare reply: "Impos
sile, we need 400 cars this very min
ute." The party got no satisfaction,
and if it was not the ridiculousness
of the matter, and knowing the mu
sical turn of the average railroad man,
I would have it set to music.
I would invite one to go with me
to the Twenty-fourth street viaduct
and take a glance east and west. He
will find nearly 150 loaded cars and
many have not been moved fifty feet
in a week. Of course, some have been
taken away. In conclusion, I would
ask where would the little man be if
demurrage was facing him with this
many cars a week at a time? I must
wind up this effusion by saying there
is something radically wrong. The
great public is the goat.
JAMES HALE.
Self -Confuting Argument.
Omaha, March 17. To the Editor
of The Bee: Some good friend, evi
dently thinking he Is doing me a favor,
is sending me Bryan's Commoner.
I And, too, that he is doing me a
favor. When one knows that a promi
nent man Is going about the country
doing his best to hinder the country
in its feeble efforts toward asserting
some of its rights, it is comforting
to know that "his best" Is at best
silly and carries its own refutation on
its face. Read this:
"As we understand it, the argu
ment Is that the United States should
go to war to sustain the doctrine that
a merchant ship has a right to arm
against a submarine but that a subma
rine has no right to sink an armed
ship.- This reads more like a lawsuit
and a cause of action than an Interna
tional question and a cause of war."
This quotation is not from the jour
nal of an imbecile asylum, nor is it
intended as a Joke. It is a serious
quotation from the Commoner for
March. It surely is comforting to
know that the paper is plentifully
sprinkled with gems of argument like
that. If there are many people who
are taken in by that sort of stuff, they
are hopeless, and the paper is full of
others just as silly. It doesn't occur
to Mr. Bryan that It makes any dif
ference who starts the thing, that the
merchant ship wouldn't have to arm,
wouldn't be thinking of arming If the
submarine had not already sunk a lot
of unarmed vessels and had not an
nounced the deliberate intention to
sink them all. Here's another:
"A man who denounces as cowardly
all who argue In favor of peace ought
to have the courage to state to his
readers whether, in advocating war,
he is influenced by the sordid hope of
financial profit, or is simply giving ex
pression to his brute instincts."
There's a choice for you. This -was
directed at Frank A. Munsey, but it
catches George Washington, Patrick
Henry, Ben Franklin, Thomas Jeffer
son, Abraham Lincoln and Woodrow
Wilson as well. "Financial profits or
brute instincts" you pay your money
and take your choice. I hate to glvo
aid and comfort to the enemy, but
surely feel that I must advise any
one who has any doubts as to the duty
of this country to get at least one copy
of the Commoner. You probably
won't need more than one If It bub
bles over with logic and fact like the
March number.
H. W. MORROW.
invested with power equal to that of
the Russian ruler, so far as Omaha
is concerned, and Is quoted as saying
that those who do not submit to com
pulsory vaccination win ne Darren
from the public schools.
Now, Just stop here long enough to
nnmipr. It is mv privilege to count
among my best friends several good
physicians, men oi nign sianuuiK ...
their different cities, absolutely con
scientious in their work and doing
thPir hHt to alleviate suffering, and I
am sure this class of physicians will
continue to be benenciai xo me worm
at large for a great many years to
come.
I cannot and do not believe, however
that men of their caliber are back of
the many recent attempts to forco
parents and their children to accept
medical treatment against their
wishes, f o me this savors of "state"
medicine, and how far from state
medicine to state religion? People
who believe in vaccination certainly
have that privilege, but why force it
on people who do not believe In it
any more than force a man to take
a dose of calomel if he prefers a glass
of hot lemonade or something else?
In my humble opinion it is a direct
violation pf the great American con
stitution un-American. For good
ness sake, let us remain American.
There are no children of school age
in my family and so I would not be
directly affected by a law of this kind,
but if this thing is encouraged it may
lead to something, worse.
This article is not for the purpose -of
opposing any person or persons, but
simply a protest by an American citi
zen against what I believe to be in
tolerance. LAWRENCE DONALD.
WHEN DECATUR SAILED THE
SEA.
William Hage. In New York Pun.
In duvet of old
Some pirate bold
Took toll upon the no.
The Dy, the Bey and the old Baehaw
From the coast of Bartiaree.
England, France and proud Caatlle
All paid their little fee.
Uncle Sam wae a hopeful lad.
He'd beaten hlF dear old iiurB-',
For the Pey, the Bey and the old Bashnw
He didn't care a ourae.
He said: "I'll be darned
If I pay tribute
To nail the orean free.
This country's flag Is not a rap
To innult with Impunltee.''
So Uncle Sam called Decatur in.
And told him what to say
To the Dey, the Bey and the old Bsehat
When they asked him for their pap.
A great big ahlp full of 'good things'
Is the burden of their song.
Just load her up with powder and men
And take some shot along."
The Dey, the Hey and the old Bashaw
Spied out the American flag.
"Ship ahoy!" cried the old Bashaw,
"Haul down that striped rag,
Hand over the 'good things'
You have brought Into our tolliwept sea,
To do this p. d. q ," he said,
"Is the law of Barbaree."
Decatur handed 'em one-two-three,
He gave them shot and shell.
To use a term of euphony.
He gave those prlates h 11.
I do not wlnh to criticize
Our Uncle Sam today;
To say he Is too proud to fight.
Too fat to run away.
But just recall the days of old
When Decatur sailed the sea.
Our country's flag .is not a rag
To Insult with Impunltee.
MIRTHFUL REMARKS.
She Don't be downhearted, Richard, even
It father does say you'll be young enough
to marry five years from now.
He Oh. I don't care for myself, but how
about you? Bostpn Transcript.
Dear mr.kab.bbu&,
OU fV CORM WHEN X
XHE CO? WUAET VOU
".Still thinking of. buying a little farm
tome day?"
"Oh, yes," replied the optimistic flat
dweller. "I never stir the earth In my win
dow boxen with a trowel that I don't dream"
of the time when I will own a plot of
ground large enough to produce a whole
can full of angleworms." Birmingham Age-Herald.
Li;::iiiiil!ii:!lif!!liillli'flllllilllltil!lil!illlll
I Protection 1
1 Stockholders in the
L. V. Nicholas Oil Com-
? pany are protected in
many ways A grow-
ing business A pros-
perous business
Building up a sinking
J fund Interested di
i rectors Capable, effi
; cient corps of depart-
. ment heads Insurance
- policies carried on the
. life of L. V. Nicholas
i more than ample to
- either liquidate the
business or carry It on
i uninterr uptedly in
event of his death.
" Every safeguard has
I been taken to protect
? stockholders and the
business to mutual ad
i vantage.
I We are no longer an
experiment, but are an
integral part of Grow-
' ing Omaha.
Z Investments are wel-
s corned in amounts of
from $100 to $1,000 in
i our capital stock.
Take your time, think
it over and if interest-
ed, call or write.
- The L V. Jfliholas Oil Company
A Protest Against Intolerance.
Grand Island, Neb., Marrh 17. To
the Editor of The Bee: I read the ar
ticle In The Bee on compulsory medi
cal treatment In the Omaha schools,
where the city physician seems to be
Prailaant "
Grain Exchange Bldf., Omaha, Nab.
nlitutiitiiniirtiHi", laiitiiaiiiiiiiiiiitiiatiaiiiiiiuaiiaiiiiiiitril
Persistence is the cardinal vir
tue in advertising; no matter
how good advertising may be
in other respects, it must be
run frequently and constant
ly to be really successful.