Omaha daily bee., 1896-10-04
AS THE EAST SEES NEBRASKA
Ridiculous Claims Of silvorites at Wash
ington Concerning the West
THEY AMUSE THE oLD-TINE POLITICIANS
Agricultural Department OWcini COS
sips on the Supcrstitions Which
Control II Large Num-
her of People.

WASHINGTON, Oct -(Special)-The
famboyant utterancos Of the free silverites
of Nebraska which percolate eastward, to-
pether with the highly sensational claims
being sent out from Lincoln, Fremont and
other places as to the size of Bryan's ma
iority in the Antelope state, are creating
intense amusement hereabouts, particularly
in national congressional circles. Congress
man Mercer has kept tab on Nebraska as
Systematically as though he were conducting
large merchantile business, requiring the
most absolute care and attention. and he
saws he cannot find the large detection in
republican circles the exponents OF free sill
yer are announcing broadcast.
The truth of the matter is, more crafty
ing news has been received the past week by
the national republican congressional com
mittee as TO the status of affairs in Ne
braska than at any time since the campaign
began. Among the well known Nebraskans
who have given opinions the past week, the
following may be quoted;
Dr. j. p. Riddle, Wood River, says In
this precinct up to date three republicans
have Joined the opposition and ten demo-
Gratis have joined our ranks, and we have
a few more of the same kind in view
L. G. Tmberlake, Springfield, says 1--WE
are all right here. We have increase the
republican vote given Harrison in 1892, when
he carried Nebraska. at least fifteen and
perhaps more.
member of the Nebraska state COM
mittee writes 1--WE are gaining daily and
we do not question that the state will elect
the Mckinley electors The literature sent
out by your committee has been thoroughly
distributed and has been the means of
accomplishing great deal of good"
These are but sample bits that every
mail brings to the committee and would
seem to show a different trend from the
exaggerated reports which Secretary Edger-
ton Of the popuist national committee now
and then delivers himself Of Chairmcn
Butler and Jones have quit their Cat-and
dog fighting and have decided to run their
respective camps for the spols of office. not
the election of Bryan, for that is virtually
given up by those in close touch with the
democratic national committee.
WORK OF AN OMAHA BOY.
When Robert Downing comes to Omaha
with two new plays this season one will see
the name of William Bramwell on the
house programs-an old Omaha boy--Wil-
liam Bramwell Downing. He is no relation
TO the tragedian, but the similarity of names
making it necessary for w. b. Downing to
assume nom de theatre which he has in his
first and middle names. Downing will be
remembered as the once robust basso of seV.
cral of Omaha's church Choirs having sung
in the First Presbyterian when William JUS
tin Harsha ministered to the flock, at
Trinity cathedral some times and at other
churches throughout the city. This was
during the palmy days Of B. Bichnell Young
and his talented wife. Nine. Mazzueato
Young, who have long since made a reputa-
ton for themselves in Chicago. Downing is
little changed from ten years ago, but has
given up singing as a profession, and now
proposes to hazard all upon the histrionic
art. He is still crude in his stage bust
ness bat has ambition and voice that
makes the raiters ring.
FARMERS' MISTAKEN IDEAS
1t is really surprising the number of super
stltions one hears about in the Agricultural
department. Prof. Mason, talking of the
Genealogical department the other day he
said to The Bee correspondent: about
ninety-nine out of every 100 farmers believe
that the bee martin destroys bees, but sci
| entfc research absolutely disproves this
idea. Every farmer believes that the hawk 5
only mission in life is to steal chickens,
Hawks. the people in the department say.
instead Of being enemy, are among the
best friends the farmer has, and they only
cat chickens when driven to do so by hunger
| They live principally on field mice, and the
farmer would be oyerrdn with them were
it not for the hawks. The same is true OF
the crow that flches small quantities OF
| grain The vast Benefit to the farmer OF
| the crow cannot be oyerestimated. Its
destruction of refuse and vcrmn is enOrmou.
| and without such aid the farmer would be
a great sufferer"
us the crow edible?" Prof. Mason was
| asked.
THAT can be hest answered by politicians
/ after election.
Every body knows the superstition con
| cerning planting and how some farmers con
/ suit the moon before dropping their seeds
| This is all nonsense but the Agriculture!
| department is having a hard time trying tc
! convince tho farmers of it. Then too, there
! is the dry moon, the wet moon, an old Indian
| superstition that has done yeomen service
! for many centuries. The Indians believes
to this day that If the new moon is turned
so that he can hang his powder horn on it
tho month will be dry otherwise it will be
! wet"
ISIT CARTER LAND CASE SETTLED.