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THE COURIER
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would tbe citizens do in case of a large
Are if that pump (evidently a third
pump, is "that pump" has 'not been
previously mentioned) should break
down and that pump should have no
other pump to take its place?" There
are four pumps in Mr. Woodward's
mind. Whether the last phrase refers
to the third pump's feelings or to the
consternation of the citiseas 1b case
of fire, unless they can be assured of
four pumps in each station at the
very least, cannot be definitely stated.
On further consideration Mr. Wood
ward must have transferred bis sym
pathies somewhere between the begin
ning and tbe end of tbe sentence from
the citizens to tbe third pump, be
caase he, as a councilman, recollected
that tbe citizens in general are not in
the habit of doing anything at all "in
case of fire," and even if a pump
should break the police would keep
the citizen's back with a rope in ac
cordance with their usual custom.
Tbe exhortation is only considered
here because Mr. Woodward is a coun
cilman and represents a fourteenth
part of the city and aspires to be
aajoror ueadof a city in such diffi
culties that its general manager
should be a man who can think clear
ly. Words are the signs of ideas and
a speech or essay containing pronouns
without antecedents, singular verbs
with a plural subject or decapitated
sentences lacking a subject or predi
cate, is tbe work of a man who only
thought he was thinking when he
wrote it.
Extravagance is not absolute, but
comparative. For instance George
Gould's yacht, though it may have
cost a million, and though it may
require a hundred thousand dollars,
more or less, per annum, to run it, is
not an unwarranted outlay on Mr.
Gould's part, because it does not bear
an embarrassing relation to his in
come. On the other hand, it might
be reckless for another man to set up
a donkey cart because tbe keep of tbe
donkey would be too large a fraction
of his weekly earnings. In like man
ner what is a measure of economy for
a larger and wealthier city is unwar
ranted extravagance on the part of the
municipality of Lincoln, which is now
paying out a hundred dollars a day
more than is received in taxes. The
city expenses must balance with the
income or tbe catastrophe of the de
struction of the city's credit will over
take us. A householder's first meas
ure of economy is to discharge super
numerary servants. Lincoln taxpay
ers are supporting ornaments in the
city treasurer's office, on tbe police
force, in the fire department and in
the street commissioner's service that
might be dispensed without dim
inution of municipal comfort or safety
A mayor, city clerk, city treasurer
aad heads of police, fire and water
departments, as well as a police judge
aBd a smaller city council, we must
have. But the rest of the cityhold
we keep because other cities have
them. If dismissed they might begin
productive work and thas increase
the wealth of tbe city instead of mak
iag monthly inroads upon it as they
do sow. Unless municipal outlay and
iBcome can be made to balance real
estate in Lincoln will never regain
the value which it one? bad and should
have by virtue of legation, character
of the citizens and railroad facilities.
The prosperity of tbe country at large
will avail nothing against the depres
sion caaeed by local misgovernment.
It is useless to talk about the attrac
tkms that nicely paved streeteTuae
Bttblic huildiBgs. schools, etc, have
for strangers. So stranger is so confid
iBg aBd witless who will not inquire
before he buys an office building or
Mock, what proportion its earning
capacity bears to the taxes and insur
ance. Tbe willingness of owners of
real estate on the corner of Eleventh
and O to sell at prices very much be
low it normal rating is not an in
dication thai, values have recovered
their tone. The loss of value by the
disproportion between earning ca
pacity asd taxation of various proper
ties is greater than the annual taxa
tion itseli Yilue is an elusive quality
but it is determined, especially in real
estate, largely by its saleableness. If
values were entirely governed by the
desire of others to purchase what we
have our property would be worthless.
As It is tbe recently published tax lists
do not include all the lots and laBd
iu the county. The voters, upon
whom fina'ly, however indifferent they
may be, rests tbe responsibility for
extravagant executive officers, are
soon to have an opportunity of declar
ing their approval or disapproval of
the regime which has cost a large
number of the freeholders of Lincoln
their property.
A populist or an old line democrat
will not vote, however disgusted, for
any but a populist or democratic can
didate, but the average republican is
a man of courage, experience, determ
ination, and when thoroughly dis
gusted he will consent to a temporary
defeat of his own party. lie is will
ing tuafc the other party should take
the places in order that his own party
may be disciplined. Such men will
not suffer the character of republican
ism to be altered because of a few
offces and it is these men who may
next week inflict a punishment long
threatened.
A storv in the November Black Cat
by Miss Martha Pierce of this city, is
one of the best of the short, short
stories of the month. The scenery of
the Big Horn Valley in Wyoming is a
part of the structure of the tale. The
strokes are as few as in one of Whist
ler's etchings, not a line is wasted.
The little girl and her rancbero dad in
the startingly clear Wyoming atmos
phere are remarkably- well composed.
Miss Pierce's work is fast being recog
nized as desirable bj magazine pub
lisher's. The Courier has received an open
letter addressed by Mr. Burkett to
Mr. Manaban explaining why he does
not accept his challenge to a series of
joint debates. The letter is evidently
intended for publication, but because,
on tbe whole, we still hope for repub
lican success in this congressional
district, Mr. Burkett's letter is not
published. It consists of sixty type
written lines in which the ffrst per
sonal pronoun is repeated thirty-six.
times, or oftenertban once every other"
line.
Tbe eminent botanist, Prof. Charles
E. Bessey, of tbe Nebraska State Uni
versity, very kindly writes the follow
ing in correction of the sunflower
Mormon theory republished in these
columns last week:
Lincoln, Nebr., Oct. 29, 1898.
Editor of The Courier:
That little item, "Whence the Sun
flowers Came," in today's Courier
(page 3) repeats an often exploded
theory of the non-botanical as to tbe
origin of the sunflower. There were
sunflowers all over tbe western coun
try ages before the Mormons came.
They are native from the Saskatche
wan river on the north to Texas and
Mexico on the south, and from Min
nesota, Iowa and Arkansas on the
east to Washington, Nevada and Cali
fornia on the west. In all this vast
region wherever man breaks the sod,
as by trail or camp, tbe sunflower
grows up taller and more luxuriantly
than on tbe tough wild sod, and so
becomes noticeable. Mother nature,
not the Mormons, planted the sun
flower in this great area, and did it
much longe ago that the writer of
the item supposes.
Charles E. Bessey.
K
A
A
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CO.,
1224 O St., Lincoln, Neb.
This fall we .are showing a very strong" line
of medium furniture, carpets, curtains and
draperies. Here are two of our leaders in dining-
room furniture. - - "
tm "'' Pw
Solid oak dining1 table,
top 42 inch square, very
heavy and will last a life
time. Six foot length,
$6.50;eight foot length $8.
- Solid oak dining
chair, cane seat, brace
arm. A very good
thing. We sell six of
them for $5.
FREIGHT PAID ONE HUNDRED MILES.
fc
THE FUGITIVES.
As September fast disappears and
the thought of gentle frost is no long
er a mere shadowy hope, but an ap
proachingg hSstorical fact, tbe bay le
verflte returns. As he greete once more
his accustomed companions he open
his eyes wonHeringly. Is it ntoit a sensation-
of pleasure be is experiencing?
Hbw strange, how very strange! Not
locg since all mankind were this ene
infieb. Ugh! low he hated tbe world.
It is true that even now he says some
what -timidly. "How do you do." But
remember, only a week ago tits face
was a woe-begone landscape and) his
eyes acqueducts, overflowing. What
bits of energy he couW gather he em
ployed in) mveofcrng a mystic web
whereby there might be instantaneous
disappearance, on his part, should! an
uctettaated i& nay fever appear. Even
sn thte lowest, depths of despondency,
over his affidtion, he was not entirely
without ambition. What gtory if he
dbouM perfect his invention. Would
nob the hay fever conventions all over
this happy Band rise up and praise bis
name?
How crfep and cold the air to to
niglrti. The moon' has come out and
the house roofs, in order to greet her
properly, Wave powdered' themselves
lavishly. Thank heaven.
The hay feverite smiles. Mil he is
glad to be alive. Once he could onffy
pity Ms fellow sufferers, bu now the
can even philosophize a KOfcfe about
them.
For instance, there is Jane, a long
time epinister of "the old school," who
thinks an the world again her. He
shudders as he thinks of her long fiis
citations upon remedies she (haft "hried
three hundred in ose year. How
often bad the clan begged for mercy
which was never granted! Tears, hys
terics, were unavailing. But one other
subject aroused her enthusiasm, and
that a bit of prose she hod matte,
which she said proudly twentby-slx.
editors refused.'
Sweet young girls there were and
children already among the afOartuL
Strong womem and hardy ment meek
ly and otherwise accepted their fiwe.
Others too, whom he wouM rather not
mention, whose faces ttremfbled and
whose hands shook. Men who had! not
the courage to meet Vixis disagreeable
inevitable and must needs find comfort
in thait evil of evils Cocaine.
The hay feverite ponders a manube."
He feels so well that he is actually in
doubt over the question of whether
the hay feverite or his relatives are
the more to be pitied. Then he sighs
and bites his mustache. He is positive
ly fond of that girl agaiim whose rooms
are festooned with goWenlrod; and who
wears a sprig or two im her belt Pre
posterous, bat then
The moonOigtet streams down the
trees and floods the gross. It recalls
another night on a lake Michigan boat
when the moon roso i- all her glory
and searched) the deck from bow k
stem. She discloses to view a mourn
ful hay feverite, huddled in a corner..
The captain-, standing nearby,
turned, "You one of 'em too?" he
asked.
"Yes," humbly and sadly repCied! the
hay feverite.
"Well, it does beat oill," exclaimed
the captain.
HELEN v.. HARWOOD.
Willk A. pin factory in" Jersey turor
out 1,000,000 pins a day. I wonder what
bscoaaea of them all?
Hills I guess tbat sooner or later my
biby swallows tbe moat of them.
