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THZ COURIER.
manufacturers association presented
the cue of the Nebraska manufacturer
very forcibly and briefly. To hear any
Botes lower than the middle key was a
rude shock but Mr. Holmes vindicated
his right to speak. Ho claimed that he
invented the Lorelei quartette the
excellent quality or which the women
had just tested and he said the other
commodities
ne represemeu were as
good.
It is a little curious that this exclus
ively women's meeting was held in the
rooms belonging to the Odd Fellows
association which is exclusively
masculine. But no shadow of
secrets forever hidden from
them rested upon the
federation. Tho members knew
their place was in the van
of civilization too .well to bo teased by
playthings which their little brothers
never allow them to handle.
In the evening, after a reception, a
collation was served in a large room
across the hall from the audience room
a room converted from an empty re
sounding hall into a banquet room, by
flags, banners, piano lamps, flowers,
damask and china.
The Lorelei quartet te.Dan H.Wheeler,
Mas. C. H. Nye, Miss Ne'.laJRogers, Mre.
Julia Harpham and Miss Reynolds
ang. The toasts were real
toasts, short, warm and crisp, ex
cept those made by the men.who seemed
to think the women had solemnly as
sembled to listen to hortations on their
duties to him and the future. To be
sure, the women who replied to toasts
were picked from the whole state, and
the men were called upon at the last
moment to represent the etronger sex,
and they got the dimensions mixed,
mistaking length for strength.
About four hundred guests sat down
at the tables and they were waited up
on with suprising quickness and
quiteness. Some woman with a genius
for details and success was out in the
kitchen but I did not hear who she was.
In the morning there was more music,
a paper by Mrs. J. C. Field of the Be
atrice Woman's Club on the "Food
Standard, and a discussion of the ques
tion. "Is a small, limited dub capable of
more effective work than a large club?''
Mrs. D. C. McKillip of Seward's
History and Art Club said that it was
and proved it; Mrs. O. A. Abbott of the
Grand Island Woman's Club said that
it was not and proved it. In the half
hour which followed the debate the
general discussion was animated, and at
times it came near reparte if not to re
crimination. But the noes had it fin
al !.
The three minute reports of clubs
shqwed . that about two-thirds of the
whole number of clubs in the state
were represented.
At half past one in the afternoon the
federation assembled for the election of
officers and to complete unfinished bus
iness. The following are the officers elected
for the ensuing year:
Presd't., Mrs. Belle Stoutenborough
Plattsmouth.
V- Presd't, Mrs. Keysor Omaha.
Secretary, Miss Vesta Grey Fremont
Treasurer, Mrs. Nichols Beatrice.
Auditor, Mrs. McKillip Seward.
At A o'clock that afternoon the dele
gates left for home. It was a very
successful meeting, the weather was
perfect, the hostesses were cordial and
the guests were en rapport with both.
Fremontk one of the oldest towns in
the state. It has large trees on spacious
lawns. The poetoSce building is of
white stone, with rounded minarets or
the .modern architectural equivalent,
Althoogh not so large, it k as handsome
as the new government building in
Omaha. Its erection is due to Con-
gressmaa. Doraey.
Amoaff the resolutions that were
passed was one expressing the regret
tptt by the women ot the state on ac-
at of Mrs. Peattie's removal to Chi-
and wishing her the best of
fortune.
The Woman's Clubs and tho federa
tion they make have come to stay. They
are preparing the way for woman's en
trance into a larger sphere. When they
are ready the door will open without
much pushing. When that time comes
Bne wyi ceaBe to taik about i,Brself.what
Bhe has done and what she is going to do
an(j fajje life as men do objectively.
Mrs. b tela, the returning president, is
master of a chairman's duties. She
has tact, ability and knowledge. Tho
admiring comments of the audience cul
minated at the close of the meetings in
a rising vote expressing the federation's
appreciation of her services as president.
IIMHHI
The rich, Hip poor, the great, the Email ;
The fat and lean, tho short ami tall,
Are cow engaged in one great brawl.
They talk of silver and of gold,
And tell about the bonds which sold.
And still the half is never told.
The Irish, lerman, French and Swtslo
In argument will not recede
To give his neighbor n'en a lead.
The women, too, havo made their bout.
And gaily sing and gladly shout.
And try the enemy to rout.
So goes the presidential fight;
No one is wrong, no one is right.
But the truth it will soon come to light.
Apropos to the discussion of the
Crawford county nominating system it
muy be said that not all 6hrewd men
approve of its employment. Some few
of our local politicians are of the de
cided opinion that any combined force
has more of an advantage under this
system than the convention sys
tem, and cite as an instance the cor
poration strength in this and other
cities of its size.
There is no city ot 50,000 or more
people where the corporation power and
other monied influences cannot control,
directly or indirectly, at least 800 to 1500
votes. Not that the influences in ques
tion practice coercion or other unfair
methods of dealing with such vote, but
through the tender, cy resulting from
intimate relations between men and
their employes.
Such a condition being natural, the
opponents of the Crawford system bring
the objection that corporations, and not
the people, are masters of the primaries
when so held, and that the former
element is in a position to
nominate any man favorable to its
interests. They further argua that the
redeeming virtue of the system that of
concentration of power on the part of
the mars of people, (as mentioned last
week in these columns) will never bo
observed to an extent that will be bene
ficial to them, as every contingency of a
party has the "best and most available"
man, and be wholly unable to compro
mise on any one individual.
But such a presumption is hardly
reasonable. The people should be given
credit for possessing intelligence suffi
cient to forsee the futility of their en
deavor to nominate a candidate, if their
strength is divided between halt a dozen
or more men, especially when the com
bined strength of any monied power is
being centered on some one man.
To Bay that the people are ignorant of
the methods of political warfare is
equivalent to calling them a lot of
chumps. While it is undeniable that in
moat cases voters have not consolidated
on one man in primary contests, a little
training in this direction is all that is
necessary to make the Crawford an
ideal nominating system.
The manner in which the Crawford
system allows the people to make their
own choice cannot be overlooked.
As a matter of fact, if the
HAL
rW
voters fail to take advantage of its mer
its of this system, they are no worse off
than they were under the old.
But experience does not sustain the
ideas treasured by the anti-Crawford-itea.
Many instance right' in Lincoln
can be cited which Drove that the teo-
pie have, on more than one occasion, re-
buked distasteful influences, ana their
consolidation has not always been con-
fined to one party or candidate.
It is superfluous to remark that even
after nominations have been made con
solidation of the people has occurred,
and how such a movement against a
candidate affects him is too well known
to deserve comment. Why, then, if the
voting population can defeat a candi
date at an election can they not doom him
at the nominating election? Verily,
the argument that the people will not
be content to consolidate on or against
a candidate for either nomination or
election must fall short of substanti
ation in the face of facts here pre
sented. The people, it is true, are long suffer
ing and kind, but Ouce their disapproval
or indignation is fully aroused, none
can stand under, it. The people will
consolidate if given ample time and op
portunity. A little competent general
ship and experience is all that is requi
site to bring them to a mutual under
standing on the merits of this system.
Then they will have men of their own
choosing, such as they secured at the
spring's election.
And it should be remembered that
carelessly as tho new plan was handled
for the first time last spring, it demon
strated its usefulness and improvement
over the convention system. As nearly
everyone knowB, the grossest negligence
was apparent in the management of the
primaries at that time, the tops of the
ballot boxes at many polling places not
even being sealed (as required by law
under all voting systems! and a number
of them were broken half open, from
which ballots protruded, and permitted
of either extraction or stuffing, had any
one cared to do either. Besides, that
primary election did not vary much in
aspect from the old style ward primaries,
except that the voters in every ward
voted for candidates instead of delega
tions. To be perfect, this system should
be conducted under the rules governing
the Australian ballot. If this were the
case, a voter could express his prefer
ence of men with much more freedom
than ho can if ward "bosses" and "heel
ers'" are to be permitted to remain in
side the polls.
Tho tickets used at tbe primaries
should be the same as those used under
the Australian ballot, in one form. The
practice of allowing numerous tickets
and men at the polls, permits much de
ception and shady manipulation. Were
this not truo the Australian ballot,
which approaches the ideal, if properly
anu aoDoraoiy managed, would never
have been evolved.
Many other improvements will sug
gest themselves to the keen observer.
It is a question worthy the most pro
found consideration. It is undoubtedly
a fixture in this city, regardless o the
fact that a few men antagonize its
further use. However, it will be eiven
another test next spring. That this is
true is conceded by nearly all republi-
cans, and with one exception, the pres-
ent aspirants for city office at this time
highly favor it Whether one faction
has an advantage over tbe other ucder
the Crawford system will then be deter-
mined to a certainty, but the general
consensus ot opinion seems to be that
the people can triumph over any
"clique" if they wish to do bo, under
thk system.
It is a very good thing for Mr. Steph-
eason and the republican party of Lin
coin and Lancaster county that they
have the valuable services of Col. t. R.
Sizer at thnir disposal. Mr. Sizer is not
only an exemplary and winning marshal
and organizer of forces, but he has
friends in every party and walk of life.
Especially is he a favorite with the
workingmen, to whom be haB manifest-
ed his friendship on more than one
occasion, officially and in his daily life.
It is safe to assert that Mr. Sizer has, by
his conscientious and active work, made
as many converts to McKinley and
sound money as any one man in Lan
caster count v.
A wild-eyed pop walked into one of
the numerous offices in tho court house
last Saturday. As tho atmosphere was
very chilly and damp, and withal in
clement, Mr. Pop was enveloped in a
huge coat warranted to resist cold of 45
degrees or more. No sooner had he
struck the door of tho county 's
office when his optics beheld a ruddy
glow emanating from a cherry looking
fire place. Walking up to where the
coals were crackling lustily and emit
ting a merry sound, and throwing out a
nrost welcome and much needed heat,
Mr. Pop placed his hands as near to the
fire as he could without "toasting"
them, and smoled a smile of intensesat
isfaction, as he gleefully rubbed his
hands together the while.
The warmth wae welcome even to
him. The day was nasty to the ex
treme. He was chilled to the "marrer."
He stood for a long time, intently gazing
at the lively tongues of flame as they
shot in every direction. Finally he felt
comfortable. Then his populistic pro
pensity manifested itself. Turning to a
young man who stood near him ho re
marked: "Thet's jist the way with
them republikins. They spend the
county's money jist es extravigintly es
they kin. See this yer fire, my lad!
What use hev they fer a fire in a day
like this? Consarn it all, its a useless
expenditure of the people's money- Jist
wait until we pops git in office agin. I
kin tell yer thet no fires will go this
time of the year."
The young man silently stole away.
He did not care to bandy words with a
lunatic.
If we had a few able cartoonists in
Lincoln next spring to give us pen pic
tures of our local political aspirants
when engaged in tho scrap for city of
fices, the campaign would bo more
amusing, if not interesting. T.
He Isn't it a beautiful day?
She Yes. How can you remain
doors in such beautiful weather?
in-
Nell And how did he propose? x
Grace He asked me if it would be
worth his while to run tho fifty cent
crease in his trousers.
I
First artist So Colonel Bluegrass
would not take any of your pictures?
Second artist No; he says he hasn't
any taste for water colors.
''
Mrs. Cohenheimer Vot you dink of
mein new false teeth, Levi?
Mr. Cohenheimer Dey vos fine, Re-
pekka. You vont to talk through your
nose now, Repekka, to save de vear und
tear on dose teeth.
Husband There was something atout
Miss Brown's singing tonight that 1
liked.
Wife Indeed? What could it have
been?
. Husband There was very little of it.
"That fellow is always running actors
down."
"A dramatic critic?"
"No, an engineer on a freight train."
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