THE COURIER.
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error to truth.
It is Llio pleasure, the duty, and the
choice of most women to spend most
of tholrcxlstcnco at home. There are
exceptions and the exceptions are so
numerous that they deserve to be con
sidcrcd. Women like Mrs. Catt,
gentle, dignified, reserved, alwnys
womanly mount the platform not on
their own account but because tho in
justice and the Indignities inflicted
ujMiii women by men like Mr. Bixby
have aroused their indignation. The
movement in rebuttal of the charges
which so many newspapers make and
from which as a sex we suffer when
ono of,us attempts to earn her living,
has begun and like all protestant revo
lutions It will succeed.
Handicapped by prejudice and tem
peramentally afraid of the ridicule
and disapproval of man, woman's vic
tories and progress in this century are
still an adequate reason forexultation.
If she be weaker than man and stu
pider, there is greater reason why she
Bhou d have a vote to protest her
property and her Interests from rapa
cious polticians and her reputation
from ribald rhymsters. Yet here Is a
man who has been writing perhaps
every day for twenty years and is still
so ignorant of the laws of the English
language that he can write a stanza
like this after expressing his opinion
that there "arc problems that women
will never understand:
This, then, is my earnest plea,
And I have recently found out
By talks with people all about
That thousands feel the same as me.
Abraham Lincoln.
. In the current Century magazine
there is a story of Abraham Lincoln
worth all the advice to young men on
how to get rich and stay rich, or the
directions on how to lind the hidden
trail to success.
"Mr. Lincolnrso the tale runs, "was
bent upon some war project that
strongly commended itself to his
judgment and this project he laid be
fore his portfolio bearers, asking their
separate opinions. To his amazement
the cabinet to a man objected to the
whole proposition. The discussion
ran high pro and con, the president
setting forth his reasons convincingly
and persuasively, the cabinet ready to
follow him if individual judgment al
lowed. Finally, at the Presidents sug
gestion it was put to tho vote "All in
favor of this proposition will please
say Aye". Mr. Lincoln's rang out
stoutly and alone. "All opposed".
Every member of tho cabinet recorded
his "No." Mr. Lincoln looked about
him at his counselors. "Well, gentle
men," he said ''the ayes have it." Had
his advisers agreed with him he would
have welcomed their support. As
they could not agree with him the
"ayes" had it anyway.
Tills story shows us as Aesop says,
that real inspiration is not so rare as
men who will obey it in the face of op
position. Richard Mansfield's Nervousness.
Goodnaturcd, loosely strung actors
haze more friends than men like Rich
ard Mansfield whose work is of greater
consequence to him than his reputa
tion for bonhomie. Mr. Mansfield re
fused to return to the stage the other
night because his long engagement
had tired him and the hissing of the
steam pipes destroyed the effect h
strives conscientiously to produce.
He lias been criticised for yielding to
the noises by "all-around" newspaper
men who can write articles on any
given subject, keep track of tho con
versation of other reporters ("all
around men" Just like themselves) and
hum a tune simultaneously. Trifles
do not affect them. They are like tho
traveling musician with musical in
struments fustcned to his head, his
feet, his knees, his arms, and who plays
two-other instruments with his hands.
He makes a jumble of sounds but he is
applauded because a tunc can be dis
tinguished among them. Yet tho
most skillful virtuoso is never satis
fied with his mastery of the violin or
the piano and ilecs from both, when
noises drown their response to his
velvet-steel touch. Mr. Mansfield is,
for the time being, the character ho
plays. To contradict time and place,
to be someone else who lived and did
brave deeds or dastardly, five hundred
years ago, to make tho Illusion com
pletcand satisfying to tho blast as
well as to the unsophisticated theatre
goer is a featbey.ond the "all-around"
newspaper man who reviles Mr.
Mansfield for his attack of tho nerves
over escaping steam. He is a nervous
animal, and finely poised, alert and
sensitive to all tho sounds and move
ments which make impressions. It is
for these reasons that he is able to de
light and satisfy all kinds and condi
tions of men. When tho delicate in
strument is roughly twanged the
strings snap but blame not the instru
ment because the same treatment
would not have put a tin pan out of
tune. A Stradivari is not understood
by every one and it is perhaps just as
well that the cost keeps it only in the
possession of those who vulue it more
than gold.
Lincoln in Literature.
Tho Wizard of Conlin by Thomas
Edwin Smith is a history of one elec
tion in Lincoln in which it is remem
bered that Mr. Smith bore an active
part. It contains evidence of shrewd
observation and prominent citizens
then and now are but thinly disguised
by slight changes of names. The Wiz.
ard of Conlin is published by the La
Velle Publishing Company of Rock
Island, Illinois.
High Priced Immigration.
A special from Austin to the New
York Sun reports that the people of
the capital city of Texas propose to
give to Mr. Bryan ono of the finest
residence properties in Austin if he
will make that city his permanent
place of abode. It Is surmised that
the Imperial Colonel will accept the
donation and become a citizen of the
Lone Star State. If the "deal" is con
summated the Colonel will acquire
property which Is not of less value
than twenty-five thousand dollars al
though It will be reported of much
greater value. That Is the price to be
paid for one immigrant including his
appurtenances. It is probably more
than was ever paid for a slave in this
country before the civil war when the
solid south dominated the nation and
governmental problems were solved
by the application of the principles
taught by Jefferson, the patrrn saint
of the present leader of the imperialist
party. However, tho parties to the
pending bargain and they alone, are
competent to determine its wisdom.
It does seem that the price is high, in
fact, almost exorbitant, and yet the
people of Austin know how anxious
they are to secure this bauble and it
is for them to determine the price they
are willing to pay for it It is probable
that If the Colonel would advertise
for bids he would receive proposals
far more advantageous from a finan
cial standpoint than the one now re
ported to be under consideration, for
there are many communities that
would be willing to pay a fancy price
to have his name appear In their city
directory. In these prosperous times
of republican administration people
are willing to pay High prices for luxu
ries. The people of 'Austin ought to
close the bargain as soon as possible
and that before other offers are sub
mitted. Mr. Bryan is far from being
devoid of that commercial spirit
which impels to action.
Tax Collection.
County treasurer Sullivan has suc
ceeded inspitcof the threatened unpop
ularity in collecting some delinquent
taxes. If the city treasurer would do
as well tho city treasury might bo lin
ed again. An examination of the
city treasurer's books reveals a curious
state of things.
In the department of personal taxes
even ofllcersof the city and county are
delinquent. The attempts made to
collect these taxes are spasmodic and
but half hearted. A large proportion
of the sixty thousand dollars owed the
city by men who draw a quarterly or
monthly salary and from other men
quite able to pay might be collected
by an energetic city treasurer. It. is,
of course not pleasant for a man of
large club acquaintance, a penchant
for whist and society and of a very
leisurely and ruminative temperament
himself, to distrain his pleasant
friends for taxes. But in compelling
only the poor and unknown to pay, the
treasurer Is using the ofHce for an end
that is not contemplated by the law.
A few weeks ago the city treasurer
intimated to the council that the
force in his office was insufficient to
do the work properly and he was al
lowed another man. M"st of the
men who are working for themselves
or a private party can be selected by
a stranger. The men who know that
their success or failure depends upon
their own exertions get down to busi
ness before eight o'clock in the morn
ing and do not leavo it before six p m.
Some who are employed by the city
get down on the car containing the
shoppers, women who have got break
fast, washed and dressed the children
for school, and swept and dusted their
houses for the day. In this car our
overworked city treasurer may usual
ly be found of mornings. If it is nec
cessary to speak to him after four
o'clock In the afternoon it is more ex
pedition to call him up at the club.
With the ill-will of politicians in tho
city such a dolce far niente treasurer
might have found it difficult to secure
a renomination but his gentlemanly
forbearance is shown, as aforesaid, by
an Inspection of the treasurer's book,
and ho was renominated with but lit
tle opposition. In justice to other
officers of the city of Lincoln it is
enly fair to note that there are vcy
few dilletantl among them.
In commenting upon tho general in
capacity of women to understand the
true inwardness of politics and of get.
ting and holding a place. Mr. Bixby
perhaps meant this sort of thing.
Now a conscientious woman us treas
urer would be moro severe with her
personal friends than with the great
unwashed, realizing that she had been
elected to an office of great trust and
responsibility by the whole people and
that her duty to them was sacred and
to her own friends only incidental. It
is indeed difficult for a woman to un
derstand these things or to reconcile
a partial administration with Integ
rity and justice.
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The Senator From NebrasU.
When a senator Ik once appointed
or elected, whether ho bo democrat,
populist, or republican he represents
the whole state. For this reason per
haps those republicans are justified
who solicited Governor Poynter
not to appoint Senator Allen be
cause f his Intemperate habits. Whon
tho senator from Nebraska carouses
the state of Nebraska is disgraced!
The fuslonists aro not moro Involved
n the disgrace than men of other
parties. According to our wise politi
cal system when a man is once elected
he represents the men and women of
a city, a state, or a nation. Like a
monarch, the president of the United
States is the representative of hlspeo
pie. He thinks and speaks of them as
a whole and not as members of this
party which supported him and that
one which did its best toelcct another
man.
Senator Allen is a man of ability
and of commanding presence, but
there are other men in his party who
would not periodically disgrace tlio
state; other men of equal ability,
whose long and distinguished Services
to the demopopullst party deserve
recognition. Mr. Gilbert M. Hitch
cock of the Omaha World-Herald
whose father was a United States sen
ator if a democrat or fusionlst must
be selected, would undoubtedly at all
times have ably represented this state. ,s
Ho is a dignified, cultured Nebraskan
of whom no member of any party at
any time need be ashamed. Among
the men assembled in Washington
from the states of the east, the west,
the north, and the south Mr. Hitch
cock would take his place and fulfill
the duties, bear gracefully the honors,
and discharge adequately tho respon
sibilities of the senator from Nebras
ka. Governor Poynter has been Im
portuned by personal friends of
Senator Allen but before appointing
him, as governor of the state or Ne
braska did he consider the rights
of the whole people to a senator who
is not periodically and positively a
disgrace to the state?
Little Tommy I'm glad I ain't no
preacher's son.
His aiBter Why not?
L. T. Just think how many slippers
a preacher gets for Christmas.
Upson Downes Once upon a time
the height of my ambition was to own a
diamond to wear in my shirt front.
Pupson Pownes And now?
U. D. I am satisfied to own a shirt.
Madam, I am taking orders for our
noiseless baby carriages.
We havn't any uoiselessbaby.
What makes little Tommy so sad on
tbiB pleasant Christmas day?
HIb presents are all unbreakabh.
To a Ghrysanthemum.
When on thy scraggly head
I gaze, I'm dumb,
Thou frowsly-patcd flower,
Chrysanthemum
'Twould take a Kipling
or a Crane, or some
Fierce writer charged
with fiery rum
To fitly rate in words
of pyrotechnic sound
Of all the shaggy beauties
that in thee abound
Chrysanthemum.
y
It makes my head begin
to buzz and hum,
And puts my muse completely
on the bum
As on mv lyre I feebly
try to thrum
Thy praise, O, thou
big Chrysanthemum
My hands are up
I will not even tamely try
Thy mixed up muss of color
sets my wheels awry
Chrysanthemum
William Rud Dunroy.
Corn Tassels, William Rod DunrojJJT
new collection of poems, on sale at the book
stores.
A.
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