davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Omaha daily bee., 1884-05-27

MR.. BLAINE as n HISTORIAN
When 1t was announced that James G..
Blaine proposed to write a history of
twenty years of congress many persons
we're inclinad to think that he intended
to take advantage of his eminent name as
a statesman to acquire literary fame
rather than depend upon the real merits
of his work. There is no doubt that the
large number of subscribers to MI.
Blaine's book wa secured more through
the eminence of his name than by
reason of any great expectation on the
part of the people that he would
prove himself a brilliant writer. 1t was
generally conceded that his history, even
If efficient in a literary point of view,
would be valuable as a record of impor-
tant events. The first volume has been
issued and placed in the hands of sub-
scribers, who are agreeably disappointed
in finding that the pages contain more
than the bare recital of facts. They are
delighted to find that Mr.. Blaine has
proved himself a man of more than ordi.
nary literary ability. He has clothed
his facts and thoughts in the choices.
language. His sentences are short,
sharp, bold, forcible. They are charac.
istic of the man. HIS style is unexcep.
tionable, and is a MODEL of English com.
position.
MI. Blaine treats his contemporaries
with the utmost fairness. He thorough.
ly comprehends the position of the histo.
rian, and as such he has done his work
well. 1t Is the historian Blaine who has
written Twenty Years in Congress, and
not the 'Plumed Knight" Had the his.
tory been written anonymously il
no doubt would have met with equal
favor at the hands of those who appreci.
ate literary excellence. The critics would
have been obliged to accord to it the
praise that they are now bestowing upon
it. MI. Blaine must indeed feel proud
of the fact thai his Twenty Years Of
Congress" is being criticised upon tia
merits, and that it is pronounced by
those who are competent to judge as o
wonderful work in every respect.
The present volume covers the criti
cal period of the rebellion, preceded by 1
review of the events which led to it. i
is an entertaining narrative, and
the second volume will be awaited with
great interest.
Omaha daily bee., 1884-05-27
EXTENDING PENSION Ar
REA RACES.
A r.

Among the many propositions now be-
fore congress in the interests of the vote
rams of war, the most far. reaching is the
bill to revise and extend the provisions
of the arrears of pensions act. This bill
has just been reported favorably by the
house committee on invalid pensions.
IN next Monday an attempt will be made
to suspend the rules and pass 1t. In or
der to understand exactly what the act
means it is necessary to explain some
facts in connection with the arrears of
pensions act. That famous meas
ure provided that the benefits
it conferred should apply
only to claims filed on or before June
80, 1880. AS soon as the act WAS
passed, q great number of claims were
filed and acted upon. Very many worthy
persons, however, with just and reasol.
able claims, did not understand the limit
atiSns of the act, or did not know what
course to pursue to got their claims
heard. Consequently they did not secure
the benefits OF the act. Since June 80,
1880, not less than 100, 900 claims have
accumulated. Not all of these, of course,
are vail Probably 90 per cent of them
will not pass muster. But the
r,st are as fully entitled to back
ply pensions as those VINO secu. ed their
pensions before the expiration of the act.
1t is now proposed to remove the limita.
tion', and place all upon an equal foot.
ing. This will be rather a costly proceed
ing. Surprising that half of the appli.
cants are deserving of pensions, and that
the average arrears for each pensioner are
are 81, 200, the total sun required would
be $50, 0O0, 900. This would not be all
1t would merely sufi 20 to pay the claims
now filed. 1t is estimated that it would
take another sixty millions to pay pen
sion claims that would be filed hereafter.
SO that the total cost to the government
which the bill would cause if it should
pas, would not fall short OF 500, co.,
900.
This proposed expenditure will natnr.
ally arouse much opposition
however to see on what grout.us b.. ~ y
Justly defeated, If the arrears Vi tho pen,
sion act was just there is no exception to
be taken to this measure. Certainly all
tho persons who it will benefit are as
well entitled to such advantages as those
whom the former act affected. The only
valid objections would be that the bill
will prove another bonanza to claim
agents and pension brokers. If the bill
coald be so framed a. to place the FUNDS
set apart for the invalid, and their
widows beyond the reach of these sharks
tho country c,nid find no fault with 1t.
Omaha daily bee., 1884-05-27

THERE are half a dozsn or more very
dangerous dives and man traps in Omaha,
where drinking, gambling and prostitu.
ton are carried on. Such places should
be- suppressed at once as disorderly
houses. 1t was in such q place that
Kinney, the colored man who did the
shooting on Sunday, has been hanging
around for weeks aud months, and his
companion. Tolsen, who told him to
shoot Mehan, 10 The barkeeper in that
dive. This dangerous resort is located on
Tenth street, within q stones throw Of
the rhri ward school house, and is the
headquarters of the lowest class OF colored
m~en-gamblers. roughs and crooks. In
the una'.' ate vicinity are other notori-
GUS resorts, Of all kinds. 'Helrs Hall
Aor > ss tuat p, rt.on of the Third ward
lis called, is a most dangerous locality,
Omaha daily bee., 1884-05-27

and ought to be cleaned out. The Third
ward school house lie located in the center
OF "Hell's Half Acre." and it is an outrage
upon common decency that these dives
and houses of i'll fame are permitted any
longer to flourish in that locality. The
people would naturally expect the city
marshal to take immediate steps in this
matter, but they know there is no hope
of relief from a man who is not only
inefficient but corrupt, and in sympathy
with the outlaws of Omaha. The people,
however, have the remedy in their own
hands. The grand jury will meet next
week, and il the proper steps are taken
indictments can be found against a large
number of persons who are constant
law. breakers, and this will have the de-
sired effect. The grand jury is composed
of some of our best citizens, and it will
have q great deal of work to do il it per
forms its duty thoroughly, as we believe
it to do.
Omaha daily bee., 1884-05-27

The Des Moines Register has lifted up
its voice to howl Over the business mems
boom for Arthur. The participants in
the recent meeting in New York are d.
nounced as '~asses" who are trying to
''bulldoze the west" and dictate to the
whole country, IL is an old and infaOi.
BILE sign IN Iowa that when the Register
begins to call its opponents names they
I have a reason to take heart.
Omaha daily bee., 1884-05-27

~ DOCKS that the
government p-..'e. .4.s issued for many a
day is the now report of the bureau If
the ordnance of the army, published a few
days ago. 1t contains o little OF every
thing except something about ordnance.
About forty pages are devoted to illus
t~rstions of brushes There are descrip
tions of hand brushes, horse brushes,
window brushes, tooth brushes, shoe
brushes, and nail brushes, but not word
about what any of these things have to do
with ordnance. Then there Is a long and
very dry paper on geology, called The
Tertiary History Of the Grand Canyon
but what geology has to do with ordnance
is not explained, A number of reports
of about equal value, and equally relative
to the subject in hand, occupy the rest OF
the volume. No doubt it is h good book
for ~geologists and brush makers, hut the
question is Of what use is it to the
ordnance department And what return
is there for the money spent upon it
Omaha daily bee., 1884-05-27

IF Wayne MacVeagh would only write
one more letter, Mr.. Chester A. Arthur
would be nominated by reclamation.
Omaha daily bee., 1884-05-27
THE OMAHA BEE

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A Communication relating to News and Editorial
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E. RosBwATER.s Editor.
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tss Omaha Neb.
Omaha daily bee., 1884-05-27

Ira ms returning leave Barreston /
mentioned stations will be refunded to
TERMS-One half cash, balance in six
IOH> ELLIS, b atrice, Nebraska.
BARNES & HAZL1TT, Baru,ston, Ne
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-27
POLITICAL NOTE AND GOSSIP.

MR.. H. A. W. TABoR's Leadville paper says it
is authorized to announce that he will be a can
didate for Governor of Colorado.
THE Kosciusko county Republican convention
warmly indorsed the candidacy of Major John
n I&1nyan, of Warsaw, for Treasurer of State.
IT is thought that Col. W. c. P. Breckenridge,
of Lexington, will succeed Blackburn, of Ken
lucky, in the House, when the latter goes to the
Senate.
THE Spiceland township Henry county, Re
publican primary resolved for the submission of
constitutions amendments for prohibition and
woman suffrage to a vote of the people at a spe-
cial election.
COLONEL GEORGE w. PARKER, formerly of
this county, a gallant soldier and an honest man,
is a candidate for the nomination of Treasurer
Of State, on the Republican ticket. He now lives
at Pendleton, Madison county.
THE Louisville Commercial mentions Hon.
Charles L. Holstein in connection with the CUB
ernatorial canvass in this State. 1t notices him
as IA soldier, an excellent debater, an acute
scholar and good lawyer, and a good mixer.
THE name of E.. H. Staley, of the Frankfort
Crescent, is mentioned prominently by the Dem
ocrats of Clinton county as their candidate for
the State Legislature. Staley is a good editor,
and the Republicans of Clinton county must see
to it that he is not spoiled by election to the Leg
~islature.
THE Governor of Georgia gives a specimen of
his ultra State ightsism by refusing to comply
with the law requiring a report of the militia
organizations of the State. He contends that
the government has no authority to make inquiry
concerning the army and navy of a sovereign
State.
The white Republican vote in Tennessee is es-
49, ~ GI -
nearly so, 900 than %, 900, at which latter figure
an article in the Tribune recently placed it. If
the Tennesseeans have even two-thirds of that
number of white votes they ought to be able to
bring out the negro vote and give a good account
of themselves next November.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-27

linen markets of the world. Great Britain
finally took the lead, and Bohemia and Bel
GUM took the remainder. For half a century
Great Britain has held control. The situation
now may be pictured by British authorities:
During the last twenty years of this century
tho linen industry of Germany has increased
800 per cent.-Mulhall.
During the last twenty years the linen in
dusty of Great Britain has decreased Is per
cent.-Nineteenth Century, June, 1888.
During the last twenty years the exports OF
linen goods from Germany have increased.
British Blue Book.
During the last ten years the exports of
linen yarn from England have decreased stead
lily every year, until they are less than half
what they were Il decade ago.-British Stats
cal Abstract, 1882.
The shares of the leading German flax mills
at Bielefeld are 20 and % per cent. above par.
The shares of the ten principal flax mills of
Belfast IS per cent. below par. Germany at
the present time gives employment to 200, 600
persons in this industry, and Great Britain to
$50, 900 persons.
These are facts massed by Mr.. Porter as OPP
posed to Mr.. Shearman's empty declaration.
He does not credit all the difference to the in
fuence of a protective tariff, but its beneficent
effects are patent to everyone. 1t is al easy
matter to assert that this or that is true, but
when so completely controverted as is Mr..
Shearman's statement, they not only work no
good to the cause of free trade, but must con
vinae the unbiased observer that free trade is
not only a delusion, but an experiment too
dangerous to be undertaken by the United
States in order to put fne-spun theories tothe
test of actual trial.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-27

up to This time 81, 500, 900, which has been collected
by the tithing tax. 1t will require six years more to
finish the work. Probably no other church building
in the United States has been constructed in a way to
secure such durability as is possible to this. Some Of
those who predict the early ruin of the Mormon heir
archy are wondering what use they can make of this
temple.
CHATEAUBRIAND, the celebrated French writer, had
all the rare innocence that sometimess goes with
genius. Among his most intimate friends was the
gifted and charming Nine, Recamier. 1t was a regu-
lar habit with him to spend his evenings at the
madame's house, who evidently preferred him to all
other men, and who took a great delight in his com
pany. His growing fondness for the lady in question
became very conspicuous, and one day ID friend asked
him: my dear Chateaubriand, why do you not mar
ry Nine. Recamier!" Marry the madame" exclaimed
the author in a tone of amazement, "why, if I should
marry the madame, 1 would have no place to spend
my evenings"
THE central figure in the Canadian Parliament is
also the greatest figure in Canada. He is Sir John A.
Macdonald, the real ruler of Canada, with but a short
interruption, for twenty-five years. and the greatest
man British North America has produced. Other
politicians are there, a dozen of them, who have been
knighted by the Queen, but while he is, like them,
knight commando of the Provincial Order of St
Michael and st. George, he is more than that. He is
knight commander of the Bath, and, more than that,
he is a member of the Imperial Privy Council. which
is a distinction enjoyed by no other man in Canada
The others are Honorable; he alone is Right Honor.
able, like William L. Gladstone. Sir John is seventy
years old, and has been a legislator for forty years.
THE throat of scandal in London is hoarse with ugly
comments on the late so-called peasant festival. The
universal verdict of the society journals is that there
was never such a display of paint and powder. of dod
dering old duchesses and rickety marchionesses, tight
laced, powdered and painted, down to giggling youth
fulness, while the young and pretty women are de-
nounced for the too wanton revelation which they are
said to have made of their charms. Lady Wolseley
formerly Miss Murphy, of California, was dressed in
the most magnificent peasant costume ever dreamed
of, and went about selling popcorn and giving no
change. Mary Anderson promised to go, and then
pleaded illness, though she was able to visit the Speak
es's gallery in the Commons on one of the nights of
the festival. The epitome of the whole business is
that charity has become the cloak for the display, by
fashionable ladies', of the manners of an unmentiona
BILE section of their sex.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-27

We cannot do better than transfer TO our
columns the following paragraph from the New
York Times, on a subject the journal com
mented upon yesterday:
$50 many ignorant and reckless people hab-
itually deride and defame the press, that it is
refreshing, once in a way. to encounter a self
confessed donkey of this order who gives
himself away as the Rev. DR.. Snyder does in
his alleged interview with ex-senator Conk-
ling. The Reverend Snyder, meeting Mr..
Conkling while he was dining, is charmed, as
all men are, with the ex-Senator's delightful
conversation. With his head still humming
from the effect of this charming chat, the
Reverend Snyder, after a brief interval of
rest, writes out what he fondly considers a re-
port Of the u~tterances of the ex-senator. This
is printed, and Mr.. Conkling utterly repudi-
ates the authenticity and v~eracity Of the re-
port. What does Snyder do2 Hide in a
swamp Commit suicideG Apply for admis-
sion to an asylum for Predetermined? Not at
all. He says in y published card that he had
none of the customary reportorial motives for
incorporating the views Of Mr.. Conkling,
and that ex-senator Conkling did not tell him
(the Reverend Snyder) that he must not print
any report of what he (Conkling) had said.
The ex-senator from New York has undoubt-
edly suffered many and g%rievous things at the
hands of newspaper reporters, but this from
Snyder, who has a horror of that reckless
habit of personal misrepresentation which marks
the trade of the modern interviewer sulpasses
all previous indignities."
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-27
LAND GRABBERS.

The Journal wishes to again call attention
to the great danger which is imminent in the
immense a~ccumulations of land in the hands
of a few. Congress is wrestling with one
phase of the land-grabbing, but it is the least
difficult and least harmful phase. 1t may be
well to declare forfeited the large grants to
railroads which have not been used according
to the terms of the grant; but this is not all
that is imperatively demanded of the present
Congress. Land had better be in the hands of
railroads while there is a probability that a
railroad may be built through a wilderness by
such means, thus benefiting the world, than
to be in the hands of syndicates or individu-
ais who withhold them from actual settlers
and create great estates thereby. It has been
ascertained that already 20, TAI, 600 acres are
held by ~twenty-nine foreign persons and SYN
dictates, an average of 715,413 each; and
yet this does not comprise the
hundreds of foreigners who hold
tracts of from 5000 to 90, 900 each, not to men
" liz OAlOlLoebIluS viz HONl llOll OtO - ltOOb
acres merely to await their increase in value
by the labOrs of those who buy and settle on
small tracts for homes, and who never intend
to occupy such lands.
But this foreign element is not all that the
laboring man has to complain Of. There are
scores of persons who hold from 100, 900 to
1000, 900 acres, and at least one case of 2, 000,-
900, not to mention the smaller spectators
who hold from a quarter section up to fifty
expect to see, but hold it to keep settlers from
making homes until the labors of others shall
enhance values so that they may reap i'm
mense profits. Let Congress wrestle with this
phase of the question with the least possible
delay, if they wish to benefit the laborers of
the country, who are practically excluded from
the ownership of land by these small land
grabbers as well as by the larger ones, There
need be no difficulty in finding a remedy if
government tax upon all lands so held on
speculation of, say a dollar, or even a half
dollar per acre, would soon cause the specula-
tor to abandon his claim in favor of the man
or men who would go on the land for home.
One man in Philadelphia owns 9, 900, 900 acres,
which would afford good homes for 1000 peo-
pie, if they could get at it. Let Congress
proceed with its work as to abandoned railroad
grants, but let it not overlook the British lords,
and French marquises, and Dutch barons, and
Scotch mobiles who are planting the seeds of a
future land league on our own soil, compared
with which the Irish agitation is a mere in
FAINT. Nor let us neglect our home monopo-
lists and ~grabbers. Lands ought to belong to
those who cultivate them.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-27

ONE of the clearest-headed Republican poll
ticians in Indiana, one whose work in cam
paigns and elections has been such as to give
him a high place in party councils, writes a
private letter to the Journal, in which he says:
81 must congratulate you upon the bold and
just stand the Journal is taking in regard to
county expenditures. y We must
have "a plank in the State platform on the sub
ject, for legislation is needed"
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-27

THE Journal very cordially and emphatical-
ly indorses the following paragraph from the
Terre Haute Express;
THE Republican party has a duty to per-
form this year which is really of more i'm
portance than the election of a Republican
President. We mean the permanent relief of
all citizens in the South from the terrorizing
domination of the shotgun party. There has
not been q free election in the South since the
war. That fact has been frequently estab-
lished, and the investigations now being con-
Quoted show that the South is no nearer a free
ballot than it was ten years ago. 1t is the i'm
perative duty of the Republican party to put
an end to the present state of affairs. We say
it is the duty of the Republican party because
there is no hope of any other party perform
ing the service. Speakers must, if necessary,
go into Southern States and insist that the
people there be accorded perfect freedom in
their political acts, and if necessary the power
of the government should be used to establish
the fact that hereafter there must be no in
timidation of voters that one political party
may remain in the ascendency."
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-27

Mr.. JAMES Il. RANDALL wrote from Wash
ington, on the 18th inst: at is admitted
that the business of the country was never SO
far behind hand in the House. This does not
speak well for the majority. They are re
sponsiMe, or will be held so. The practical
element is lacking to a great degree, but the
people are to blame for sending here so many
men gifted in volubility and wanting in judg-
ment. There may be a tremendous rafting
Of dry bones at the next elections"
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-27

THE explosion at Victoria station in the city
of London can hardly be explained as the
work of patriotic" d~ynamiters, as it could of
necessity result only in a general wreck of
property not specially valuable, and the prob
able loss of lives of no great personages. Yet
when the explosion at the Horse Guards, in
Whitehall street, is recalled, one is inclined to
wonder if these blind and laundering crimes
may not, after all, be the work of some i'm
placable enemy of the government. If it be
so, how absurdly futile is all the pitiful bust
ness. An explosion at the outer wall of the
Horse Guards, another in the Underground
railroad, and now one at a railway station.
Net result: nobody killed, no particular harm
and no good done, and very little property
damaged. If it be the work of the friends"
of Ireland, they would do well to desist from
it. A nObler mode of warfare, more danger
Gus while more honorable and altogether more
patriotic, might be found. Instead of the
p~rowling assassin, let some one, or let all the
champions of Ireland stand forth as men in
the light of day, to do and dare to the utter
most. They would then enjoy the respect
and sympathy of all liberty-loving people
throughout the world, and might possibly ad-
vance the cause they profess to have at heart.
The recent methods of knife, and torch, and
exn1osion will nauer nravai1