Omaha daily bee., 1897-12-02
rxAaaHnArroNs OF roruL,sm.
novels OF Nebraska MISERY
the Product OF Nebraska poiitics.
sioux CITY journal

The Omaha world-Herald says Il Is TO be
regretted that writer's OF fiction like Mrs Kate
Clcary and Iidmln Garland should be eter-
nally looking on the blue and dismal eide
OF things The Word-Herald does not think
their writings will have any particular effect
to the disadvantage OF Nebraska and recOg-
nizes that they write simply to answer a de-
mand for the lugubrious and dismal; for Il is
not to bo forgotten >elys this Omaha paper,
that II Is Just as easy to travel about Ne
braska and find men and women who have
triumphed over adverse winds and wlthstooi
the buffetings of fate The World Herald
proceeds, In q way most refreshing, to give
Mrs. Cleary and Mr.. Garland a Few instances
upon which delightful stories might be
founded depicting the other and brighter side
OF Nebraska life The World-Herdld. in the
spirit of true philosophy, concludes by say
ing; The country which will provide a man
with good living without the recomponse of
some species OF toll has not yet been dis
covered, 1t may be discovered some day, but
until 1t is Nebraska will answer fairly well
as a substitute"
No doubt both Mrs. Cleary aud Mr.. Gar
land will be surprised, IL not delighted, to
find this lecture In the Omaha World-Herald,
which Caper, it may be assumed has Afforded
them as much raw material for their unhCDpy
stories as any other source. 1t is understood
that these people deal in fiction, and they
have license, as everybody grants them
freely, to exaggerate the pictures OF life they
may represent as real Nebraska is q con-
venient field for them because people have
been educated to believe horrible things of
Nebraska by the official representations 1t
has made OF ITSELF through the apostles 1t
has sent up and down the land-notably In
the person of William jennings Bryan. or
course, therefore, 1t stands to reason
that the lugubrious stories should
be laid in Nebraska. as locality
upon which dismal thought has been
located as a result OF much missionary work,
and to that quarter men and women turn as
the place where the business of robblng
liberty and orDressng the poor is expert
mentlng in manner that may well alarm all
the people of the United States.
The World-Herald and Mr.. Bryan are to
politics what Mrs. Cleary and Mr.. Garland
are to fiction; though the business of the
latter is incident to and dependent upon the
activity and measure of success of the busi-
ness of the former. These people in fiction
write to answer a demand, and the World
Herald writes and Mr. Bryan talks to the
came end. If it be wrong to thus engage in
fiction, how frightfully wrong it is to thus
engage under solemn pretense Of telling the
exact truth. All, indeed; as the World
Herald says, "it is just easy to travel
about Nebraska and find men and women
who have triumphed over adverse winds and
withstood the buffetings Of fate" Go where
men end women may, the adverse winds and
the buffetings of fate are not to be escaped.
Human existence is inseparable from con-
test, and he who will not fight is quite sure
to be trod upon with hobnailed boots.
People have as good chance in Nebraska
as they have anywhere. and vastly better
chance than in many places which could be
named and the World-Herald believes this,
if it does not always feel free to say so. The
horse once in a while needs the spur and
the OK the prod and it appears that the rule
holds good as to human kind. Salvation is
free, and yet everybody must work out his
own salvation. The stories of Mrs Cleary
and Mr. Garland If taken into the magma
tion render people gloomy, just as pOpulism
if taken into the blood enervates men and
women and renders them dismal. The truth
on the brighter and the more hopeful side,
wherein is illustrated courage and self-reli-
ance and the fruits thereof, is the better