VO . XIV, NO. XXXI.
ESTABLISH KD IN 1880
I'HICHHIYEC NTS
LINCOLN, NKBR.. SATURDAY, AUGUST :. 1891).
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OBSERVATIONS.
1
The First Nebraska.
News of the First Nebraska's good
health and tine appearance as they
marched through the cheering crowds
at San Francisco was received with
much Joy in Nebraska where their
folks live. In spite of the wetness
and tlio warmness of the Luzon cli
mate correspondents report the ex
ceptionally tine condition of the Ne
brasku troops. When the tall,
straight, strong fellows marched to
the depot to embark for the Pacific
coast many an old soldier shook his
head and remarked dolefully that
they would return wan and weakened
from fever and exposure. But in con
trast to many of the volunteers of the
Rebellion the First Nebraska had the
good fortune to be officered by a
thorough soldier who knew how to be
healthy and keep Ills men so, in camp,
a man who paying no heed to civilian
complaints dared and accepted tem
porary unpopularity for the good of
the service and of his men. This
paramount fact added to the Ne
braska brawn and intelligence pos
sessed by the Nebraska troops, has
made them veterans in a year's cam
paign. Long before this, doubtless,
the boys have been informed of the
civic welcome the men and women of
Nebraska arc preparing for them and
long before tills they know that the
governor who refused to send the
congratulations and thanks of a state
to men who wore lighting and con
quorlng an Intrenched foe, has felt
tho condemnation of the citizens of
the state, from men of all parties.
In the presence of the boys who have
fought and bled and sent the name of
Nebraska ringing round the world,
tlie governor, considering the uu
gracious part lie has played towards
the regiment is rather an awkward
figure. As the loyal men who had
proved their loyalty inarched by the
reviewing stand in San Francisco the
other day before the governor of the
state whose chief glory Just now, is
that slie can send such men when the
government cul's for them, the con
trast was strong enough to be painful
both to the men and to the governor.
On the arrival of the transport bear
ing the Nebraska troops, it was as
usual detained, awaiting the inspec
tion of the health officer. Not to be de
layed in greeting the boys, Mr. Wliedon,
Mr. Ryan and a newspaper corres
pondent went out to the transport in
a launch, from which Mr. Wliedon
ascended the tall side of the transport
by a ladder, finally getting near
enouge to Lieutenant Wliedon to
grasp his hand as lie leaned over the
railing. Several hours after when
most of the soldiers wore asleep the
gubernatorial party arrived and got
a drowsy welcome from the big ship.
All tills lias been told in the dis
patches and it is repeated here, be
cause a good story is worth retelling
and the situation was dramatic by
force of contrast and as the climax of
a long series of events, the actors in
which met on the Pacific after many
months.
The Lady Soldiers.
They are still drilling and inquir
ing for "light guns suitable for ladies
use." Their uniforms are in process
of construction and Miss Robertson,
who is determined that her company
shall carry real guns, even If ladles
guns are not manufactured, says that
her company will make a martial and
imposing appearance and astonish
and impress the soldier boys with the
unusualness and reality of their wel
come. Nothing that women with a
more highly developed sense of pro
priety and fitness, have been ahlo to
urge has swerved Miss Rob rtson
from her purpose of taking a promi
nent part in a military procession.
Doubtless she possesses a martial
spirit which frets at the inhibition
of her sex from battle fields except as
sisters of mercy and nurses. And
being thus thwarted of a career in
which she might hear no mean part
she is willing to play soldier as little
boys do, with a wooden sword and
gun if no lady guns can be found for
her by the distracted committee in
charge. By representations that wo
men are out of place in a street pa
rade and out of character in a
soldier's uniform Miss Robertson's
faith in the decorative value of the
parade she Is arranging is unshaken
and in the face of much masculine
and feminine protest, sho gets her
company of fifty or so puzzled and
misguided women together and drills
them witli the assistance of a cadet
from the university, several times a
week. Such persistency and faith in
a questionable mission is worthy
of a more substantial reward
than that of being for a few moments
at the head of a few, straggling, self
conscious women rigged in gaiters
and a petticoat adaptation of the
rough riders costume. The com
mittee holds no franchise to the mid
dle of tiie street or it might insist
that Miss Robertson devote her cner
gles to a less disputed and more fer
tile field of usefulness
Man Without a Country.
The Prince of Wales said William
Waldorf Astor bored him and drew
his pencil through a list of names
sent him by the Duchess of Buc
clcugh as the guests at a h"uso party
at which II. R. II. hud signified his
willingness to be present. Wales is
not accustomed to do impolitic things
and in the present complacent and
propitiatory attitude of England
towards America lie would certainly
not olTciul a man because he was an
American. It was rather because
Mr. Astor lias disavowed America
and published over ills own name, In
his own paper a tirade against his
country and then scurried over to this
country to swear oir the taxes on Ills
property, that lie bores the Prince.
After all this the publication or Ills
claims to noble blood through the
duke d'Astorga, completed the dis
affection of the prince and encour
aged him to announce his refusal to
be bored any longer. The comments
of American newspapers on the snub
Indicate that we rather admire IT. R.
IPs taste. Besides Mr. Astor's lapses
from patriotism he is given to serious
and solemn conversation at dinner
parties and other inopportune mo
ments when his intellect should be
resting or disporting Itself in playful
periods. Even if he were a patriot of
the William Tell type the Prince of
Wales could not forgive him his pon
derosity and awkward solemnity.
The Prince is getting old. He has
not much to do besides amuse him-,
self and nobody can blame him for
not defeating the object of his ex
istence by encouraging bores. Especi
ally when we reflect upon their pain
ful numerousness in our own country,
their solemnity, their long stories,
their conceit and the difficulty of
shaking them. It takes a prince to
shake a supernatu rally rich bore.
But when he docs, the hoi polloi on
this side of the water can not be
blamed for expressing the satisfaction
which they feel at a feat, they them
selves are too nilscraoly poor ever to
do more than envy the performer.
City Finances.
So long as the expenses of the city
arc not bused upon the actual income
but upon a standard established by
other cities whose, finances arc ap
portioned and distributed by the
same system, there will be an aceutnu
lating deficit. The folly or living
beyond his income will hi admitted
by every member of the city council
and there Is probibly not one who
orders his affairs so fatuously as to
exceed this Income. Yet everyone
remembers the outcry that was made
when a few non-official citizens pro
posed a salary retrenchment to the
council. It was clearly indicated by
the speeches that were made at that
meeting, that the tax payers who
proposed that tho council should pay
the city employes, wages correspond
ing to those paid by private patties for
similar services, were offering advice
in a matter which did not concern
them But when more money is needed,
these officious people are among those
who will have to pay it. More money
is needed for the tire and police de
partments The latter especially Is
in need of a competent and self re
liant chief. Every fire is a new
demonstration or the danger of keep
ing the present incumbent in power.
But an experienced, successful chief,
a man of executive ability having the
force and ability to investigate the
source of every lire and lire education
anil inspiration enough to know
where to turn the water and where
to have the holes chopped for the
hose, is worth more than a hundred
dollars a mouth. Such a man cannot
be hired for much less than eighteen
hundred dollars a year. But such a
man would be cheaper than a twelve
hundred dollar chief who betrayed
his helpless ignorance at the last tire
by imploring his firemen to do some
thing to stop it. The effect upon
insurance rates of the employment of
a lire chief who was capable of estab
lishing strict discipline and of main
taining it among the firemen, and of
directing them how to quickly ex
tinguish a fire according to the effec
tive methods of the best city fire
departments would be to lower rates.
Ills salary would be saved many
times over. If the occupation tax
proposed by certain members of the
city council will aid in the employ
ment of such a man, there will doubt
less be few objections to the plan,
though if the assessor did his duty
without regard to favor or politics
and adopted us a basis of assessment
Justice to the community and an
equalized percent of every man's
actual holdings such patchwork fi
nances would not bo necessary. Most
of the financial puzzles which the
city council has been called upon to
solve would be answered If the county
assessor and county politics were
reformed and clarified of mixed
motives.
A Summer Vacation.
Many peoplo have left Lincoln for
their summer vacation, looking for
coolness, rest and freedom from re
sponsibility and anxiety. So far the
season here has been delightfully
cool. Where ever a father or mother