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THE COURIER
government until it can bo turned over to republican hands which
nobody now pretends to supposo will fail to bo done at tho next
presidential election.
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Lincoln, Nkhkaska, Fkukuaky 2, 1S01.
The siliy prattle of Captain Palmer and some other people about
the absence of lobbyists about the legislature is tiresome. Palmer's
presence itself is a refutation of his statement. A dozen of the
keenest insurance men in the state have been about the city off
and on since the legislature opened and a largely attended meeting
was held by them in tho parlors of the Lindell hotel early in the
session. Bill Paxton for the stock yards, Tom Ludborough for the
express interests, Casper E. Yost for the telephone company, and a
large number of gentlemen for various other interests are daily
fnquenters of the lobbies of the state house.
As a matter of fact there is really very little for these companies
to fear at the hands of the element in the legislature which is sup
posed to be hostile to them. They have much more to fear from
parties who have no interest in the public, but who seek to repair
their own finances by introducing "hold up" bills for the purpose of
ileecing the corporations. There is a very general sentiment
against the participation of corporations in electing representatives
and if they cannot be represented by any one on the fioor of tho
legislature who is friendly to them or well posted as to their condi
tion and needs they ought to be allowed to get in an occasional
word on tho side.
.
There has never been in American history a more striking exam
ple of the collapse of fictitious greatness than tho world beholds in
Grover Cleveland. At the end of his first term of office he was
looked upon by tho members of his own party as worthy to take a
place beside those venerated and much beslobbered political mum
mies, Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson. Today the veneer
of greatness which was tacked upon the hay-stuffed body of the
president has been split by the crucial test of hard times and execu
tive difficulties and he stands out a mere battered scare crow with
no suggestion of greatness except a mountainous physique and an
exaggerated stubbornness that well counterfeits strength.
Xo president of the turbulent and changeable French republic
was ever more at sea as to the proper administrative measures than
is Grover Cleveland at tho present time. With the treasury sprung
a dangerous leak and the revenues cut off by the policy, the "stub
born resistance on which he has heretofore hung out as the sign of
his greatness, he is vascillating between one plan and another to
save the financial credit of the nation. lie has abandoned the
scheme of finance outlined in his message and now begs only to be
allowed to borrow money in unlimited quantities, like any other
debtor who has exhausted his resources or has not the ability to
devise any other means to meet his obligations. In short tho demo
cratic administration has abandoned anything resembling a financial
policy and only asks to be allowed to borrow money enough to run tho
The greatness of the executives of the United States during much
of itshistory has been largely presumptive and the presumption has
in few cases been put to the test as to its conclusiveness. In Cleve
land's case it has. While the government's affairs were in the
heydey of pro&perity he built up a reputation of greatness around
his phenomenal stubbornness. Tho prosperity of the country was
so great and the machinery of tho government in such excellent
rum.ing order that he could not disable it and his exhibitions of
strength in turning it in one direction or the other wero taken by
the gaping crowd of spectators as greatness; but it was mere stub
bornness. Cleveland is more unfortunate than some of his predecessors.
Perhaps others of them were not really great statesmen, although it
would bo cruel to say they were not abler than Cleveland. But
crises like the present may well make us pause and ask ourselves
whether what we have looked upon largely as the result of superior
administrative wisdom for many years has not been simply tho
result of tho prosperity growing out of phenomenal resources. Per
haps if the conditions had been different more of our executives
would have met the fate t'-at has overtaken Cleveland.
COMING ATTRACTIONS.
Xcw Orleans Picrynnc, Sept. 10th says: "There are few farce
cotnmedies that are more ridiculously amusing than "A Breezy
Time,' which has come to New Orleans several times, and which
held sway at tho Grand Opera House last night. A full house
greeted the play in a very warm manner, and gave the performers
quire an enthusiastic reception. Its a frolic from start to finish for
the players anil audience alike. E. B. Fitz, who has been seen
here often to the delight of theatre-goers, is as clever as over in his
character part. Miss Kathryn Webster, bright and vivacious, is
always full of fun, singing sweetly and dancing gracefully.' A
Breezy Time will be presented at the Lansing Theatre Thursday,
Februarv 7.
There is a play coming here that has gained such a moment from
the remarkably long run of six months in Boston that it cannot
fail when seen here at the Lancing Theatre, Wednesday evening,
Feb. G, to move on the top wave of popularity. It is Iloyt's "A
Temperance Town"' the very lates of this author's series of ten suc
cessful merry satires. The author, Mr. Chas. II. Iloyt has had tho
keen business instinct to take a subject that of prohibition, which
is one of common interest to discuss through the medium of the
stage. It is impossible to stay the tide which is agitating the
minds of the people in this production and so it is with tho interest
in the play which has this subject for its theme. Tho author does
not attempt to preach a sermon, nor draw conclusions for any ono
in his audience, but simply presents the question in his best satiri
cal vein, evolving his story with such a lot of good fun that while
everyone acknowledges a moral pointed, it has been in such a jovial
way that no one, either of the temperance or the rum side of tho
house can take any offense. In his "A Temperance Town' Mr.
Hoyt has taken the question of prohibition, which through many
and diverte magazines, newspaper articles and through the medium
of the lecture platform has been widly discussed and has probed
tho question with his satirical and jolly penknife (so to speak) with
a result that we have the most entertaining comedy that that this
clever author has yet given to the public.
In the hands of a less competent company, such a piece as "A
Temperance Town" could not fail to be a success, but Messrs Iloyt
and Thomas will not let any chance for improvement slip and tho
result is that the company which will bo seen here, and which is tho
original Boston cast is their best one, a fact which is at once recog
nized, when it is noticed that the cast is headed by such well-known
favorites as L! R. Stockwell and Lee Harrison.