jaajjgjM-
THE COURlEi?
managed to conceal the larger part or
his assets from tlic tax collector lias
distributed by will Ills whole lorLuno
of unknown millions aniens the most
deserving charities in Now York.
When lie can net longer enjoy the
realization that he Is one of the rich
est men in the world, fur that Is the
only thing in connection with his
riches, Mr. Sage has ever enjoyed, Mr.
Sage Is going to give it all away. He
has never enjoyed either spend ing
money himself or lotting his wife
speed It. Possession has been, in
and of itself, satisfaction enough.
To spend his money for any purposo
whatever was to reduce the size of
the pile, however iinperceptinly,
which made him happy and as all
men seek to be happy in their own
way, lavish expenditure on the part
of Mr. Sage would be most irrational.
In contrast with Mr Sage's con
templaled posthumous settlement of
his obligations to the community is
that of Mrs. Emmons Maine, of Chi
cago. Mrs Blaine Is the daughter of
the reaper inventor McCormick and
her conduct is as novel, unique and
original as the machine invented
by her father. If the philanthropists
who are seeking to make spectacular
gifts to universities and to benefit
their kind will but invcstiga',o Mrs.
Emmons Blaine tax returns and her
reasons for not making the conven
tional false returns, they would have
less money to distribute at thclrdeath
Mrs. Maine wont before the board
of assessors of Chicago and tiled a
complete schedule of all her posses
sions, of which the personalty alone
called for taxation oti 81,roa,0()0. Al
though Mrs Ulaine is by no means
the richest person in Chicago there
:ire doubtless some thousands richer
than she her schedule of personal
property is the largest ever tiled In
that city. Mrs. Maine's procedure
has'given cold shivers to many of her
relatives and friends, but she says
that she has come to the conclusion
that the rich must fill til their obliga
tions to the slate, that property own
ers should tell the whole truth about
their possessions and pay the full tax
thereon. Hers is a notable act of real
patriotism. There is no other act
like it on record and yet it is the do
ing of her simple duty as a citizen.
(Jood rich men and women have lived
and died in Chicago ny the thousands
yet not one of them in their lifetime
ever went before the assessor and told
the truth about his possessions. In
stead, on receiving the yearly sheet
from the city or county treasurer the
rich man lias instructed his private
secretary to till it out, after finding
out what other rich duffers who
deserve the appellation because they
did likewise acknowledged.
There have been heroic deeds done
in Chicago but nobody seems to have
thought of doing this duty nearest
home and most obvious. Moreover,
so perverted are our notions of our
obligations to the community, obliga
tions which rest upon the poor as well
as the rich, that it seems quixotic; in
Mrs. Maine to have told the truth to
the assessor about her property. If
she had done anything else so remark
able and unique, her devotion might
have received the recognition of a
medal, or some conspicuous recogni
tion from the city. As it is every
body who would otherwise approve
her supernatural honesty is ashamed
by the terrible contrast of his own
conduct with Mrs Maine's. It is not
only the very rich who fail to make
exact teturns of taxable property but
the well to do. The really poor pay
their taxes in the clothing they wear,
the food they eat and the furniture
.they use.
Those who have examined the tux
lists of Lincoln and Lancaster county
are invariably surprised at the small
Hess of the personalty holdings of
men who arc known to be the richest
men here. If the burdens were
placed more evenly real estate would
immediately advance in value because
the rate of taxation could be im
mediately lowered.
Mrs. Maine's example is not likely
to be widely followed. N Is so much
easier to give away in bequests a
large sum of money than it is to deal
Justly and tell the truth even to the
assessor while we need the money
ourselves.
The Fighting First.
The First Nebraska is now on the
Pacific. Stretched on the deck on
the shady side of the ship, they are
looking out over the waters towards
America whore their mothers and
fathers, their sweethearts and sisters
are waiting with faces turned towards
the west for the boys who have sent
the name of Nebraska all over the
world, who more than any politician
or statesman whom Nebraska lias
sent out, have glorified the state.
Ofllcers in the regular army, com
manding regiments of regulars, ad
mit without reservation that the
honors of the Filipino campaign be
long to the First Nebraska. Haw
troops as they wore on landing, they
responded quicker to the discipline
which spared neither otllccrs nor men
and when the fighting began, the
regulars were no better drilled, had
not stouter hearts, and lacked the
youth ttiat made tiic boys such dash
ing lighters. A civic demonstration in
the Capital city may lamely express
the gratitude and pride in the light
ing First, all Nebraska cherishes:
bud after they have seen their folks
1 hope the boys may march through
the streets of the city that would
thank them.
Christian Science.
When Galileo said the world was
round, when Columbus said lie could
reach India by sailing west, when the
first umbrella was carried through the
streets of Loudon most everybody ex
cept the discoverers and inventor
laughed and doubtless made humour
ous remarks. Jf, in those days, they
had had newspapers with funny col
umns in them doubtless Columbus
(until he discovered America) would
have been as fertile a subject for the
hired humourists as the mother-in-law,
the old maid and the
Irishman motifs that lie has re
treated to today. The fools laughed
lie! He! and they laughed Ho! Ho!
and held their rhomboid sides in the
world-old attitude of the witless
vulgar, when amused, at Columbus
when lie told them if he hud the
ships and the men and the money he
could discover a new route to India
by sailing west. Some of the fools
wore curious and Jingled a nation's
money in their pockets. Hut even
acquired knowledge and inherited
wealth can not cure a fool of ills folly.
He will laugh when lie sees or hears
something lie can. not understand and
reproaches and historical references
to tiie discomfiture which always
overtakes fools have no efToct. Other
wise, it would seem that when sonic
of these fools, who can read and alas,
can write too, studied the history of
their direct ancestors and read how
they stood around and made sport of
Noah when lie was building his boat,
of Stevenson when he was building
his,thoy would learn to wait until the
man who says lie lias discovered some
tiling, or been inspired with a new
idea, fulls or succeeds. Hut all these
wlio read of their progenitor's folly,
read, not to learn but only too.Jeer at
any one however long dead who could
be so silly as to laugh at a steamboat
or at a scientific fact so self evident
as that one concerning the rotundity
of a sphere.
There have been many who have
announced a discovery, who unlike
(allien and Columbus have been un
able to prove it. Yet it is wise to
let them demonstrate without Jeer
ing. The false prophets die and their
prophesy with them. While the state
ments of the Christian scientists seem
to mo preposterous, yet the fruits of
the faith they teach are peace,
charity, love and faith. Many of that
belief have almost eliminated evil
from their minds. They order their
lives with simplicity and cultivate
spiritual life which iscertainly in har
mony with the most emphatic teach
ings of all religion. Therefore, until
wo are sure they are wrong, and we
can not be sure of that for some time,
is it not according to the lessons of
history that the wise respect
the seekers after knowledge and god
liness? As only the wise read The
Courier, the reference to the born
fools in the foregoing will offend no
one.
A Sensitive School Board.
The school board of Lyons, Ne
braska, has resigned in a body be
cause its feelings were hurt. Like an
English cabinet when parliament
votes against its policy, it resigned
feeliny that the people were of two
minds concerning its usefulness.
The members of the senior clues of
the Lyon's high chool say that the
board subjected them to humiliations
and because their class motto was
work, and in retaliation, they decided
to appear on commencement night In
overalls. Then the board notified the
class that it would not pay for the
opera house, the programs nor apy
commencement expenses. Then the
class notified the public that an ad
mission fee would be charged and the
public ever ready ror a fray, crowded
the opera house, at twenty-five cents
a head, on commencement night.
Finally the board resigned, seeing
that the opera house was full and
underestimating, perhaps, the love of
scrapping which fills an amphitheatre
with a thousand people at from
twenty-five dollars to ten dollars a
head tosec Fltzsimmons and .leirries
settle the championship dispute. In
addition the people of Lyons may have
disapproved of the conduct of the
school board and have takenjthc part
of their sons whose highstrung, noble
natures the school board had mis
understood. Yet such a sensitive and
wholesale resigning from an olllce to
which an American citizen has been
elected is inexplicable. Fancy Mr.
Steiti or Mr. Ludden resigning from
the school board before their time
expires. It is indeed easier to fancy
a rich man passing til rough the eye of
a machine needle.
Chancellor MacLean.
The live chancellors who have
guided the State university through
periods of uncertainty and of actual
danger from political combinations,
earned several times over their in
adequate salaries. To each one of
them the state Is grateful for faithful
service. Each one lias performed for
the university a peculiar service. At
some future time an account of the
chancellory administrations will be
given in these columns. It is timely
now to express the gratitude which
every alumnus and most citizens feel
towards Chancellor MacLean. The
university is growing with a rapidity
and solidity which it has shown
under no previous administration.
The growth is not, of course, all duo
to the executive. A distinguished
alumni, an erudite, and famous fac
ulty and the loyal support of a rich
state whose average of illiteracy i
lowest or second lowest of any state
In the country are factors which will
soon make the university of Nebraska
a more formidable rival of Michigan
than it is even now. Hut Chancellor
MacLean lias harmonized and com
bined, these elements of youth while
patiently waiting for, and expecting
larger results. He leaves a state
which wishes him and Mrs.
MacLean good fortune and good
heal tli, and congratulates the people
of Iowa. Though Mr. Mason of Bea
trice and several residents of Lincoln
do not believe that the savred In
terests of education are any sacreder
or have uny larger possiblitles in
Iowa than in Nebraska. Writh new
families pouring into our state from
the elTetc east, and with the wide
spread and unshaken belief in the
blessings of higher education, not
even Iowa (whieh is not known
educationally or to literature except
only in (lie school geographies as be
ing bounded on the cast by the largest
river in the world) can show wider
prospects.
The Sch.ol Warrants.
It is tho opinion of a number of peo
ple that tho Echool board haB oxcoednd
its authority in ordering the teachers to
cish their warrants as eoon as received.
The teachers rather than the brokers
should receive the premium when there
is one on school warrants. JuBt why
the board should favor the brokers in
preference to tho teachers is not' ap
parent; When school warrants were at
a discount, the teachers had to suffer
the los3 and it is simple justice, when
the warrants are at a premium that tho
teachers should be allowed to receive it.
Besides tho board has actsd in a matter
over which it has doubtful jurisdiction.
Though tho power tho school bo.ird has ?
of dismissing faithful and olliciont
teachers, discourages even the least
timid from ueBertiog their rights or
from objecting to a tyranny which in
Bomo cities is distinctly oppressive.
1 he Linen Duster.
Mrs. Currol of Now York and Newport
has, with tho assistance of Worth res
urrected a gurnient that was never in
very good standing and was finally
given up by tho bnckwoodsiest of travel
ers as of impossible ugliness, though its
utility and convenience can not he dis
puted. 1 mean the linen duster. let
Mrs. Carrol's linen duster is the success
of a Newport PoaBon. She and Mr. Car
rol wero automobile enthusiasts at Nice
last spring, und she at once saw tho
need of a long, light woight garment to
protect hor dro&sos both from dust and
sun. When buo got to PutiB she wont
to Worth with her idea und tho marvel
Ioub linen duster which bus conquered
Newport is tho result. All tho New
pori drosBinukers are making dozens of f
linen dusters to supply tho sudden und
imperative domand. Tho new duster
is of light woight, of gray linen, cut
closo, with stitched on pieces of tho linon
for decoration. It is unlined and has a
very smurt high collar which givo it chic.
It fugtuns with linon covered buttons
and bus doop rovers in front. A Huffy
lace tie ib worn with it. Occasionally u
fushionublo woman invonts Eotnothing
worth while, us in this iiiBtunce, A cool,
washublo, onvolopinggarmont is a neces
sity in traveling and Mrs. Carrol has
mado it poEsiblo by making it bouutitul
and stylish.
TRUE TO LIFE.
Editor Your story lacks action.
AuthorWell, that's all right; it's a
story of tho Spanish Navy.
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