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LINCOLN, NEB., SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 27. 1807.
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Office 1132 N street, Up Stain.
Telephone 384.
BAKAH If. HARRIS,
Editor.
Subscription Rates In Advance.
Per annum 82 00
Six months 1 00
Three months 50
One month 20
Single copies 05
OBSERVATIONS.
J
Few of us are generous enough to re
frain from enjoying the "I told you bo"
victory when the disaster we prophesied,
occurs. The confessions frcm the state
treasurer and auditor have made a re
publican victory even in the city more
doubtful than ever before. Our only
hope is to nominate a man whose char
acter is above reproach, who has been
tried and not found wanting. The Cour
ier warned the members of the last re
publican state convention that the nom
ination of a machine politician with
nothing else to recommend him would
result in a populist victory. In articles
that were widely copied in the state
papersThe Courier foretold the condition
of affairs 7 hich the Eastern papers are
now discussing under scare headlines.
The prestige of the war has played out
even in Nebraska, where the Grand
Army still has an obstinate hold on pol
itics. Prestige and ancient history have
nothing to do with the case. The voters
at the republican primaries this spring
must select a man for mayor who has
the respect of the people as well as a
claim upon the party for services ren
dered. Eventually it makes very little
difference to the taxpayers what the
politics of the mayor is. On and before
election day many citizens are convinced
that their welfare depends en the elec
tion of the parly nominee. Afterwards
the mayor stands on his own merits. If
he is honest and capable the people of
both parties recognize it. It is only to a
very few men that politics is of more
importance than their own busiaess. If
the mayor administers the affairs of the
city economically and efficiently each
man's pocketbook will be, by so much,
the heavier. TJierefore, republicans! by
the experience of the past in state and
city, by the needs of a tax-rioden people,
by their needs and their threate, nom
inate a good man for mayor. Ona
whose reputation for integrity is of such
long standing that even a mayor's op
portunities will be ineffectual to destroy
it.
At this time, when the bad conduct of
two state officials has brought discredit
upen the republican party, there are
signs of a general moral convalescence
that I have not seen before. Steady old
partisans who have had absolute faith
in the party leaders, have begun to dis
credit their judgment and tr-e young
men who have been satisfied and in
spired by the historical meaning of re
publican are disgusted with the history
the republican party is making. Under
these conditions the machine is in dan
ger of going to pieces and there is a
chance for the nomination of a strong
man. Bead the handwriting on the
wall or this humble member of the
press will have another opportunity to
refer to its gift of prophesy.
The following letter was received
from Mr. Wakefield, the secretary of the
Transmississippi Exposition in answer
to a criticism that the editor of this
paper made on the entirely Omaha per
sonelle of the directory:
Editor Courier:
I have your letter to the manager of
the Transmiesissippi Exposition in rela
tion to the circular sent you by the de
partment of publicity, giving informa
tion in relation to the organization of the
board of lady managers.
Your writing would indicate that you
entertained very bitter feelings against
the exposition and whether this feelicg
arises from knowledge that the exposi
tion ib calculated for and against results
of a valuable advancement of the mater
ial interests of the state of Nebraska
and from the result and benefits which
every district, every city and every town
must feel and participate in the benefits
thereof, or whether from some lesser
feeling, is perhaps not a consequence.
The fact that you, as a citizen of the
state feel compelled to combat the error's
of the progressive citizens of the state
in endeavoring to secure for the state we
love so well the benefits and advantages
that can only be derived from an under
taking of this sort causes us a strong
feeling of regret. You have not, per
haps, fully realized the work thus far
done by this exposition management,
nor do you seemingly realize the fact
that $410,000 of subscriptions to the cap
ital Btock of the corporation have been
raised in aid of the exposition in and
within Douglas County, Nebraska; that
not as many as half a dozen subscrip
tions have been obtained from outside
of Douglas County, and that they do
not amour t in value to so much as
8300.
Should directors of a corporation ba
chosen from among others than stock
holders? When Omaha raises the above amount
and proposes to raise an additional
amount, bringing the total subscriptions
to at least $000,000. do you not think
that it is proper and incumbent upon
the state as a state to appropriate ono
half a? much as the city of Omaha
itself raises for the purpose? Is Omaha
and Douglas. County a part of the state
of Nebraska or is it a section peopled by
persons opposed entirely to the interests
of the remaining interests of the stato?
Your letter would seem to indicate
that you, as ono of the citizens of the
capital city, enteit in this sort of feel
ine toward the modest metropolis.
Bjforc I came to Nebraska fioai
Pennsylvania I was proud of the cities
of Philadelphia and Pittsburg, though
I was a resident of one of the smaller
towns in the smallest county in that
great state.
I am to day proud of those two citiee.
Do you think that it was wise for Ne
braska to appropriate 3100,000 for par
ticipation in the Worlds Fair in Chicago
in 1893 an now refuse to participate in
an exposition designed to illustrate the
resources, products and capabilities of
the transmississippi territory, compris
ing two-thirds of the United States in
area?
I cannot but believe that you have not
given the subject full, earnest and care
ful consideration, but have viewed the
proposition from a somewhat prejudiced
standpoint. I trust vju may be dis
posed to lay aside any prejudiced views
or any personal interests you may have
in the matter 2nd join in the common
effort of the patriotic citizens and
women of the Btato to advance the
material welfare of the state by aiding
in all ways possible and at all times the
promotion of this great enterprise.
Yours very truly,
John A. Wakefikld,
Secretary.
Mr. Wakefield evidently expects to be
answered with a rousing disclaimer
when he asks: "Is Omaha and Douglas
County a part of the state of Nebraska,
or is it a section peopled by persons op
posed entirely to the interests of the re
maining citizens of the state?' Seri
ously, if the exposition is a success the
rest of the state will be- benefited as
much as Omaha, perhaps more, for the
state will not suffer from the after
effects of a fictitious and temporary rise
in the value of real estate, board, lodg
ing, etc. In order to make it a success
the people of tbe West and of the East
must spend a great deal of money. The
West in making the exposition worth
coming 1 ,."00 miles to Bee and the East
in coming to see it. Now the middle
clas3 in both these sections ha? been
drained of money. It was the plain
people at the Columbian Exposition that
made it a success. The rich people were
there, but they were lost and unnoticed
in the multitude of farmers, mechaLics
and country people. There is not enough
of the leisure class in this country to
make or unmake the fortune of a show.
They can stay at home or go abroad at
will. They are not enough to count.
The World's Fair was the holiday of a
lifetime for the plain people who dwelt
on the coasts, on the plains and oc the
mountains of this country. Styles
which were old fifteen years ago were
worn in perfect ignorance ar.J.iroplici'y
at Chicsgo in "93. Draped overskirts
and Bologna sleeves were as plentiful as
at a fancy drees party. In their wedding
clothes the wearers were spending the
savings of twenty prosperous years.
They spent them and now the next gen
eration will have to earn their own ex
position money. Not that all who could
afford it went to the World's Fair in
Chicago, but that great show is so re
cent that a smaller one is not apt to at
tract the people of the East who did not
spend their money at Chicago.
Whether there is enough strength in
the"Hpirit of the West" to awaken sec
tional pride and unite tbe transmissis
sippi people in an effort to show the rest
of the country what they can do re
main to be seen. The West has never
been "solid." The people come from
everywhere. They have not been
welded together as tbe South was by an
effort to preserve any characteristic in
stitution. If an exposition could ne.t
this it would be of ouestionable benefit.
To be an American is better than to be
even a Nebraskan, and Nebraskacs
koow it. Yet every citizen of the West
will take pride in showing the East
what we can do. Although it is still
not quite obvious what advantage the
exposition will be to Nebraski. By the
way, speaking of the name Transmissia
Bippi, why not Cismiseissippi? The
people on this side of the river are get
ting up this show with the help of the
newspapers why not name it. unless it
is too late from our point of view? If
the Eastern people come here many of
them will get a view of the East from
the West for the first time. Cismiseis
sippi would transpose their position
mentally. If names have any meaning
or influence the show should have been
baptised from this side.
The most interesting book about
books I ever read lies before me. "Six
Modern Women,' by Laura Marholm
Uansson. The book is a translation
from the German. Laura Marholm, the
writer o! this book, is a Gerjia
authoress of Norwegian extraction, who
is celebrated for her literary criticisms
and the beauty of her stjl. Eight
years ago she married Ola H-icbsod, th3
Swedish author of "Sensitiva Amorosi,
"Young Scandinavia" and a novel called
"Fru Ester Bruce." Laura Marholm
was the first to introduce her husband
to the German public by means of two
articles in the "Neue Frei Presse,'
which appeared some timt before the
intuitive critic met tbe Swedish author.
The translator's introduction says that
in all her writings Laura Marholm lock
at life t-rough the epectae'esof a hap-y
marriage; she believes that matured
thought and widened views can in a
woman's cae be only the direct result
of marriage, and consequently she con
siders marriage to be abfolutely indis
penMble ti every woman, and that with
out it she is both mentally and montlly
undeveloped. According to Ibsen, a
woman is first of all a human being and
then a woman. Laura Marholm place