davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-21
RESTRICT ION OF ARMAuEN7s

The chief subject for considera ton
by the international Peace conference
relates to the restriction of armaments
and military expenditures. There is
no longer any thought of disarmament,
because none Of the great powers will
assent to a proposition of this kind. A
general policy of restriction in arma-
ments and expenditures is, however,
believed by some to be practicable,
though there is much doubt as to
whether even this Is attainable. SO
far as the army establishments are con-
cerned, possibly all the European gov
ernments will be disposed to keep them
within the present limits. There is no
apparent reason why Russia, Germany,
France, Austria and Italy should not be
willing to do this. AS to Great Britain,
whose standing army is less than that of
any of the great powers, she has already
made provision for slightly increasing
it and in view of the fact that diff
Guilty is being found in doing this she
is not likely to oppose restriction. AS
to the United States, it is the under
S'uh'ihS thhl ~ VIII luht lo part III
the consideration of this question, hay
ing no practical concern in it.
1t is in regard to naval armament that
failure to agree on policy of restric-
tion is to be expected. 1t may be
doubted whether even Russia will be
found willing to halt in the work of
building up its navy, while it can be
Hln
many nor France and especially the
former will agree to limit its naval
power to the present proportions, or to
the strength for which provision has
already been made. The policy of the
German government is to steadily
strengthen its naval power, to place
itself in this respect more nearly upon
an equality with the other great pow
ers. Its adherence to this policy will
necessitate like course on the part
of some of the other powers, particu-
larly France, which although having
the second largest navy in the world
is still adding to it. 1t is possible that
We're the other powers to assent to a
proposition TO restrict naval armament
Great Britain would agree to it, since
the naval strength of that nation is
now equal to that of the two next
strongest naval powers and she has
made provision for a large increase.
But it is by no means certain that
Great Britain is disposed to halt in this
direction.
1t thus appears TO be highly improba-
BILE that any practical result will come
from the consideration of the question
of restricting aImaments and military
expenditures. Undoubtedly every Eu-
ropean government appreciates the
burden which the maintenance of great
ornaments imposes upon its people,
and probably most If not all of them
would be glad to lessen the burden If
they could see a safe way TO do so, but
the conditions are not at present alto
gether favorable to this. The aggres-
siye contest for territorial possessions
is a stimulus to the augmentation of
military power and this contest is
likely to be more fierce in the future
Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-21
NEBRASKA FARM LANDS.
How They Have Grown in Value and
Enriched the Owners.
7. Sterling Morton's ronsnrvative

j. Sterling Morton's Conservative.
Are all purchasers of farm lands fools?
For more than six years there has been an
organization Of politicians and idiots in Ne
braska preaching the impossibility of max
Ing even living upon ordinary farm lands
in this state.
The populist party has proclaimed from
every school house, court house and platform
that the farmer in Nebraska is a down
trodden, moneyless serf, over whose pros
trate person the plutocrat and the corpora
tion hold gleeful orgies
And yet this same supine son of toll pays
his de ts schools his child en-, u s carriages,
organs, sewing machines and pianos and
wears smile brighter than an Easter morn
ing.
Everywhere the farmers in Nebraska are
paying off the mortgages which represented
the larger part of the purchase money which
was to be paid for their farms. These pay
ments are created out of the sale OF the
products of the lands themselves after pay
ing for the maintenance of the farm and
family.
In every county court house records show
a steady, constantly increasing reduction OF
the mortgage debts upon farms. This is
the truth, These records are facts. They
stand up with moral courage, and with un-
finching eyes look the populist press and
orators of 1896 in their brazen faces and
say in almost angry tones:
How you all did lie in 1896! Not a single
forecast of calamity has been verified. The
gold standard has been upheld. There is
now bigger amount OF circulating cash in
May in the United States than ever before!"
And are people buying lands at ad-
vanced and advancing prices upon which
no man can make living and much less
profits over and above a living?
How is it that farmers in Nebraska have
nine times out Of ten paid for their lands
out of the surplus products Of the lands
themselves, If populism teaches truth?
Was there ever before constant and ris-
ing demand for land upon which nobody
according to the popuists, could make a
decent living under the gold standard?
Where is the farmer who wishes to find a
buyer for his Nebraska farm at the same, or
less price. than It cost the present owner?
Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-21
SECULAR SHOTS AT TUE PULPIT.

Cincinnati Commercial: Archbishop Ire
lands Americanism is of the right stripe.
Then too, he is preacher with convictions,
and not afraid to express them. In the
presence Of the most rigid Of all the So
called nobllitios he struck straight from the
shoulder and showed them the beauties Of
republicanism. All honor to a divine of this
sort.
Indianapolis News: The PRESBYTERIAN
church succeeded in turning out one Of its
greatest scholars after a most unseemy
wrangle for years. No one of his opponents,
we believe. ever questioned the mans Chris
tian character. Now this scholar has been
ordained to the priesthood in the Episcopal
communion, but only after the narrow bigots
of that church had displayed themselves
Verify, 1T is difficult for some good people to
understand that their goodness is not the
only possible sort in the world.
Providence Journal: The clergyman who
has stirred up much excitement by de-
nouncing from the pulpit the "claptrap
titles" chosen for their sermons by some
preachers will be heartily endorsed by
everybody who is tired Of the sensational
devices invented to draw people to church.
Too many ministers rely for their audiences
on startling announcements-lik the clergy
man who caused 1t to be published abroad
that he would preach on the topic: There
is No God!'' and, having filled the church by
this means, calmly read as his text: "The
fool hath said in his heart there is no God"
Ministers who announce titles for their ser
mons like this: "a Half Hour in He'll"
Modern Serpents in the Garden" and
"Sodom and Gomorrah Outdone," are merely
sensation mongers and detract from the
dignity of religion without increasing the
sum total of righteousness.
Chicago Chronicle: Fortunately, and, it
may be said, Unexpectedly, the ordination of
Rev. DR.. Briggs was accomplished without
protest or sensation of any kind. 1t is, how
ever, rather unflattering to modern Chris
tianity that the police authorities of New
York City deemed it advisable to have fifty
officers present at the pro-cathedral in an
ticipation of trouble. Nor was the precaution
superfiuous. When Turkish soldiers-in-
hdels-are kept busy in Jerusalem pre-
venting members of rival Christian sects
from breaking one another's heads, right at
the cradle of Christianity, it is not sur
prisng that the New York chief of police
considered that there were good prospects
for row should the friends and opponents
of DR.. Briggs come into collision at his Or
dination. The circumstance constitutes no
reflection upon the Christian religion. 1t
merely illustrates the undeniable fact that
some professors of that religion are long
way from exemplfying its teachings.
Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-21

tion. Prominent among these details is ths
matter OF packing goods to insure transit
in good order and without injury. a pack
age that will stand the necessary handling
for short journey by rail may easily prove
inadequate for safe passage on an ocean
steamer and trans shipment by rail or
otherwise at the end OF the sea voyage.
Foreign customs as to method and time OF
payment for goods shipped upon order differ
from ours and foreign purchasers may be
depended on to give preference to the deal
ers and manufacturers who are willing to
conform to the commercial customs in vogue
with their foreign customers.
More important still Is the ability to
canvass for sales in the language OF those
whose trade is to be solicited In this
respect American commercial interests have
shown themselves very defective and 1t is
quite time that provision was being made
for the training and employment of sales
agents who can present American goods in
foreign markets to the best possible ad-
vantage There are other details of sue
cessful foreign trade which will be well
worth studying, il We desire to market our
goods abroad on large scale, but those
above mentioned cannot be neglected with
any reasonable expectation of success
To manufacture goods of the best quail
ity at a cost that will enable them to be sold
against all competitors in any market is an
excellent beginning toward securing per-
manent foothold in foreign markets, but the
best goods may fail to command market
If not shipped in good order, sold on terms
which customers can adjust themselves 10
and displayed by statesmen who can make
themselves understood.
Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-21

reorganization of stan appointments as
will bring them under the direct control
of the general commanding the army,
he Of course being directly responsible
to the secretary of war. This was dis
cussad i'm the last congress. but circum-
stances then were unfavorable to the
change. II was deemed to bc at that
time somewhat too radical, though the
opposition on this score did not show
very conclusively why IT could not have
been made as we'll then as at any other
time. Doubtless personal antagonisms
in the army had more influence against
the proposition than anything else. At
all events nothing was done in this di-
rection, but after what has been shown
in the beef investigation il Is very prob
able that the next congress will he
strongly urged to create general staff,
modelled, perhaps, as far as practicable,
upon the German plan. 1t is thought
likely that President Mckinley will in
his annual message to congress recon-
mend such reorganization and 1t would
seem that it should have the unani-
nous support of army officers who de-
sire the highest efficiency in the mill
tary establishment. The creation of a
general staff could work no injury to
anyone in the military service and If
the experience of other countries is of
any value 1t could not fail to prove
highly beneficial to the service.
Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-21

Kansas republicans are In a guam
dary what to do with Funston. Friends
of Governor Stanley, who is anxious
for denomination, are already trying to
sidetrack Funston by pushing him for
governor general of the Philippines. 1t
is doubtful, however, whether Funston
can be induced to eSpatriate himself
for the sake of glory, and the repub-
licans of Kansas may find it to their
advantage to place the irrepressible
and Irresistible fighter at the head Of
their column in the campaign of 1000.
Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-21
Personal AND OTHERWISE,

Judged by the number he has taken, Cen
eral Lawton is a capital catcher.
Friends Of Jerry Simpson are apprehensive
lest he may, in quitting active politics, get
stuck on his Bayonet.
The Philadelphia North American has a
new head, but is far from being, typograph-
ically, an improvement on the old one
The new battleship Kentucky is to have
fourteen-inch guns and fourteen gallon
punch bowl. When both are loaded look
out for trouble.
New York state authorities have concluded
that the war is over. Two special guards
employed to protect the capitol from Span
ish spies have been fired from the pay roll
One of New Yorks professional beggars
is reputed to be worth 500, 900. He is an
example, but not the author, of that literary
gem, How to Get Rich Without Working"
Chicago Is rather backward in reposing
confidence in the alleged discovery of the
secret of perpetual youth. The town will
not be convinced until the elixir renews the
youth of Chicago river.
Your Uncle Paul Kruger keeps his in
ternal machinery fabricated with an average
of two gallons of beer a day When the
supply runs short he jugs a few Uitlanders
and pensively strokes his whiskers.
EX-President Cleveland is said to have
caught a much larger string of fish on his
Lake Erie excursion than Captain Bob
Evans. Yet Cleveland can unload burning
words" as eloquently as Fighting Bob
Boston is a queer town. A little while ago
it denounced the divine" Schlatter as vile
humbug, yet when the "healer" offered to
bury himself to prove his supernatural
10
permit. Some people are hard to please.
A Chicago fnancier who foresaw the ap-
proach of bankruptcy overdrew his own ac-
count in the bank of which he was presi-
dent and tipped other members of his
family to do likewise, Strange TO say, Chi
cagoans criticise him for taking care of
number one.
If Kansas hopes to retain its primacy for
cyclone freaks it must bestir itself before
the season wanes. Its record heretofore
was shade better than Transporting babies
and other domestic utensils great distances
without damaging them. The prize freak
of the state was the removal of blue-ribbon
jug from farmers barn and depositing it
in an adjoining county unbroken, but minus
the cork and the elixir. Now comes Ohio
with a pair the like of which Kansas never
dreamt Of They happened near Akron
bunch OF bicyclists lesurely pumping along
the highway collided with tornado Every
tire in the bunch was debated, but no other
damage was done An investigation showed
that the tires had been plugged and every
plug was extracted by the hilarious
breezes. In another part of the town a
tornado gathered in a small boy, stripped
off his clothes, toted him, swimming fashion,
over a stout limb, where the swaying
branches beat a lively tattoo on the spot
mother loves to tan, Further details are
superfuous. The Buckeye state wears a
sunfower boutonniere
Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-21
WHO KNOWSs

Thomas Dunn English in the Independent,
Perchance the spirit, freed from heshen
chains
May doT its cerements and escape the
tomb
Perchance may wander while all time re-
mains,
Wearily waiting for the day of doom,
Released by death from all its earthly
throeS-
Who knows'
Perchance the disembodied spirit may
come back among the scenes of care and
strife,
To learn how useless was its former way,
How little were the greatest things of life:
How very petty We're its many woes
Who knows?
Perchance the spirit, when the life Is DER
May sink in apathy so long and deep,
- earth and heaven, or hell to know no
more,
Till the last trump shall rouse it from it's
sleep,
Unconnscious while lifes current steadily
Who knows?
All! If the spirit may al times return
ANA gaze around With immaterial ewes
Or sightless, senseless, nothing new may
learn '
Unti the day for Judgment shall arise
seek not to learn; in God your trust re.
pose
He knows.
Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-21
ARMY REORGANLzATLnN.

One conclusion reached by the court
of inquiry which investigated the
charges that bad beef was supplied to
the army meets with general public ap-
proval and doubtless is largely ap-
proved also in military circles. This is
that the organization of the United
States army Is in one vital and most i'm
portant respect defective. While the
court did not find that the evidence sus-
tained the charges of General Miles, it
was demonstrated that the commissary
general was the head of bureau
welded to routine, having little knowl-
edge of work in the field and capable
of committing what the court charac-
ta'ized as Colossal error" in purchas-
ing an experimental article of ration
without inspection and in excess of
need. 1t is shown that this could be
perpetrated because the commanding
general of the army had no control of a
bureau chief
1t has been repeatedly urged that the
great need of our army Is n general
staff, such as the military nations of
Europe have; that there should be such
Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-21

While this is only a partial list
selected at random, it is a knock-d down
answer to the reckless charge that
prosperity is Il sham. If only twenty
three of the wholesale concerns in
Omaha employ seventy-one more travel
ing salesmen and 26O more bookkeepers,
stenographers, clerks and shipping men
than they did three years ago, it is safe
to assume that proportionate increase
would be disclosed by complete
census of all our business houses. That
fact more than any other accounts
for the marked Improvement visible
throughout the city in the occupancy Of
more than 500 dwelling houses that
were vacant before Mckinley was
elected.
Admitting that the trusts have con-
solidated some lines of business and
squeezed out of employment Il con-
siderable number of men, the difference
between today and> three years ago is
that then thousands of factories were
closed down entirely and thousands
more were running only on half time.
Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-21

If plans now said to be maturing for
the utilization of the enlarged canals
of the Dominion of Canada are carried
out, it win be only few years until
there will be through traffic between
| cities on our great lakes and European
! ports 1t is stated that as yet the most
advanced plans provide only for the
shipment of merchandise from the
lakes to the ocean, breaking cargoes at
Montreal or Quebec. Lake steamers
having Il capacity of $500 tons, on the
present draft of water, will ply be-
tween lake ports. all along the chain,
and those st. Lawrence river cities
where large ocean steamships already
load and arrive with cargoes. When
the Canadian canal projects shall he
completed II will be possible to ship
1000 tons of merchandise from Duluth
or Chicago to Montreal and when the
improvements in progress at that port
are finished ocean steamers of almost
any size can freely navigate the st.
Lawrence up to that point.
This would enable through shipments
to be made on vessels built for both
lake and ocean service. The cost and
labor of transferring cargoes would be
done away with and grain or flour
loaded at Chicago or Duluth could be
landed in Europe without being touched
between ports. Doubtless, also,
considerable passenger business would
be created over the same route. 1t is
pointed out that the ocean passage
might be cut down to four or five days
and be made at much less cost than
at present
The Canadian government and people
are understood to be manifesting
great deal of interest in this matter of
through traffic between the lakes and
ocean and their consideration of plans
is attracting no little attention in New
York, where it is recognized that if the
Canadian project of connecting the
lakes with the ocean by a canal sys-
TEN through which large vessels could
pass, could be carried out, Montreal
or Quebec might become a strong
commercial rival of New York
City 1t is stated that the canal COM
mission appointed by Governor Roose-
welt favors enlarging some one of the
canals in the state of New York so that
it will be possible for ocean going YES
sells to pass to and from the great lakes
to tidewater, or even to make the lake
and canal passage only the beginning
or continuation of an ocean trip. Such
a canal, it is estimated, would cost not
less than $20O00000O
The producers of the northwest have
a very vital interest in these projects,
the consummation of either of which
would mean great deal for the growth
and prosperity of this section. The
construction of a ship canal connecting
the great lakes with the ocean is, in
our judgment, a matter of far greater
importance to the commercial interests
of the American people than the build
ing of an isthmian canal connecting the
Atlantic and Pacific. The former, ac-
cording to the estimates, would be the
more costly, but there can be no doubt
that it would also be the more profit
able.
Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-21
AMERICAN GOODS ABROAD.
Securing Permanent FOothOId in
Foreign Markets.
PhlladelDhia Times.

In few lines, such as locomotives, steel
rails, bicycles, sewing machines, modern
bridges and structural iron and steel Ameri-
can manufacturers lead the world and have
little or no difficulty In getting their wares
accepted in any market in the world. The
great majority Of the products of American
mills and forges, however, are made for
American consumption and fail to make
headway In most foreign markets because
American manufacturers have as yet given
little attention to the important matter of
adapting their products to foreign wants
They have assumed that what is adapted TO
the wants of the American people must OF
necessity be adapted to the wants of every
body,
There are other important details OF mar
keting American goods in foreign countries
which have as yet been given little atten-
Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-21
New Standard of Value.

The relative values of husband and wife
appear to be settled now A few days ago
story was told Of a man who paid S. for
wife, and afterward announced that she
was worth it, and now we are regaled with
tale Of a woman who agreed to pay $3.50
for husband and afterward effected
compromise for $75, at the same time ex-
pressing herself perfectly satisfied with the
latter price. The natural deduction that a
husband is worth fifteen times as much as
a wife may be disputed by the Federation of
Women's Clubs but unless some new figures
are produced it will have to stand.
Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-21
Anti-scctnrian Tendency.

IUTIIdIIU OTtBOTIIdH.
A very striking illustration of the anti
sectarian tendencies of American life is the
fact that there are more Presbyterians-that
is, sons of Presbyterian families-in the
strictly secular universities of the country
than in the Presbyterian university at
Princeton. And still more striking fact is
that there are 800 Catholic students in at
tendance upon the courses of Yale uni
versity. Neither the American youth nor his
parents are willing to accept the limitations
of sectarian education, and in this connec-
tion it is interesting to see that schools
everywhere are seeking to avoid the
prejudice of denominational connection.
Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-21
Increased speed of Travel.

NEW 1OrR independent.
Today, without the slightest inconven-
ience, one may travel from sixty to ninety
miles an hour, and even more, and it is
probable that in comparatively short time,
by the introduction of electricity and the
perfection of the steel highways over which
our people will be transported, we shall be
able to travel with perfect ease and comfort
at speed Of from 125 to $50 miles an hour,
and ultimately considerably higher. This is
the conviction of the most advanced engi-
neering minds, who have given the sub
ject careful consideration.
Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-21

The New South Wales cabinet, after
discussing propositions for constructing
a Pacific cable, has come to the con-
clusion that the only practicable way is
by direct government ownership and
not by subsidizing private capitalists.
The Australian governments are anx-
ious to pool with the Canadian govern
ment in plan for building and oper-
Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-21

than in the past. Russia is now play
ing the most conspicuous part in it and
her latest move in China is not calcu-
lated to make an impression favorable
to the proposal for restricting arma-
ments, suggesting. as 1t does, the posi-
bility Of further designs upon that en-
pire which other European powers may
find II necessary to check.
There is reason to hope for some
good results from the peace conference,
but 1t seems safe to say that there will
be no agre a'ment affecting armaments
or military expenditures.