davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-13

II a national democratic convention we're
10 be held this year Il is not at all prob
able that IL could agree upon either a can
didate or a platform. A bolt upon one or
the other would be almost certain.
Various caucuses Of the democratic mem
bers OF the house OF representatives during
the winter have shown very clearly that
even these gentlemen cannot agree upon
principles or leadership. At last accounts
the various factions had come to the con-
clusion that 1t was a waste OF time to con-
slider matters Of party policy in advance OF
the national convention of 1904.
II 100 democrats representing intelligent
constituencies in all parts Of the country
cannot reach an understanding on essen
tials what prospect would there, be Of bet
ter results from q national convention held
at this timer
The excuse offered by the Spokesman for
the democrats in congress that, whatever
their views may be, they have no right to
any principles inconsistent with the plat
form adopted by the latest national con-
v%ention, is merely an excuse. IL they had
been able to agree upon a policy they
would have forgotten all about the Kansas
City platform in short order.
While It Is apparent. therefore, that en-
NiE0 NuhouY OH nhliO0bi ltNtt 10 nOW pTdC-
tically out OF the question, there is reason
to suppose that conditions may change
very decidedly in the course of the two
years that must elapse before the next ma
tional convention shall be held. T1me Is
a great p~eacemaker. 1t has closed more than
one chasm Of hate and prejudice that was
wider than that which was opened at Chi
cago and reopened at Kansas City. Much
may be done in these two years to facil-
itate or to retard the reunion.
In adjusting q~uarrels involving few or
many people 1t is necessary arst Of all to
find a common ground on which all will
agree to stand and from that II generally
is possible to move forward to other posi-
tons with substantial unanimlty. Har-
mony in one thing begets harmony In many
things. Constant adherence to the original
point Of the difference exaggerates its i'm
p%ortance and protracts the i'll will which II
is the desire to allay.
The first and the most obvious duty Of
the democratic party, IL it is to continue tc
figure in national affairs, is not to elect
a president but to carry the house Of rep
resentatives. This object, while national In
its scope, lie essentially local In its appli.
cation, and there is no good reason why
the desirability of its pursuit should moi
commend itself to democrats Of every shade
of opinion. With a democratic house OF
representatives in session the necessity
for action will develop issues which ought
to lead to harmony, and charged as II
would be with a responsibility which Il
could not escape, It would not eSil 10 In
terpret democratic doctrine in It's own way
In the presence of that responsibility one
Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-13

slant egress be provided and ireproof
construction be generally adopted"
These suggestions apply with equal
force TO Omaha. The demand of the
hour is for an extension Of the FIRE limit.
within which no wooden buildings OF
brick firetraps should hereafter be per
mitted to be constructed. the strict en-
forcement of the law requiring fire es-
capes on all buildings above three stor-
les in height that are not strictly fire.
proof and the enactment of al ordinance
that will more effectually prevent the
storing and promiscuous sale Of ex-
plosives within the business district.
Incidentally, there should also be more
stringent enforcement of the ordinances
requiring the periodic inspection of cleo
trio wiring in business houses and
dwellings.
These precautions are essential fol-
safeguarding life and property in
Omaha and, for that matter, in every
city in America.
Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-13
Wanted Democrats Only
ChIcago Chroniele ldem.l.

,nicle (dem.).
so-called democratic platform would not be
more binding than another. m
The FIRST democratic congress after the
civil war was elected in 1874. only two
years after the Greeley hasco. when the
party was suffering from disorganization
almost as serious as that which has char
acterized it Of late. II had been beaten
under the leadership OF the most vitupera-
tive republican who ever lived, and II had
formally surrendered its principles on
everything except reconstruction. II as
sembled that year in national convention
It would have been a dificult matter for
the party to have agreed upon a policy and
II might have been an impossibility.
Yet two years Of association in = house
Of representatives controlled'by democrats
and charged with a responsibility which
they could not escape, resulted. in 1876, in
a national democratic convention which
nominated two Of the greatest democrats
in the country and gave the organization a
platform so sound and SO thoroughly dem
ocratiq that it is as true a statement of
party principles today as It was then.
On that platform and the platforms mod
eled upon it for sixteen years thereafter
the democrats, whether successful or un-
successful in presidential elections. polled
more votes than their adversaries. It was
not until they abandoned IL In 1896 and
made common cause with q faction OF rene
gade republicans that they fell into their
present minority OF q million OF vetes IN
the country at large.
While the situation differs to some ex-
tent from that which obtained in 1874, the
remedy indicated now is the one that was
applied so successfully then. II the party
can elect a house of representatives 1t will
soon find itself and its principles.
There can be no success on this line,
however, II the men selected for congress
sional candidates in the various districts
shall not be democrats. To begin with, II
is not probable that with a motley array
Of populists, socialists and extremists az
nominees the control of the house could b
U It could be, the result would be nothing
but further, shame and humiliation for the
organization thus misrepresented.
The congress elected in 1874 contained
many Of the best known democrats in the
country. Nearly every state was repre-
scented by at least one democrat Of national
reputation and many of the states had sew
eral democrats OF that character in theil
delegations. From such a body good lem
ocracy. good sense and good feeling ccuiG
not fail to proceed.
II there is democracy enough in the coun.
try to elect a democrat-not a populistic-
house OF representatives there will be dem.
ocracy enough to re-establish the party ant
to give 1t a national platform and tickle
two years later on which harmony and sue.
cess will be possible.
Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-13
OMAHA sHoULD TAKE WARNING.

The destructive fires that have oc-
Cured In various parts Of the country
within the past thirty days teach a les
son that should not be lost upon Omaha.
The two disastrous explosions in New
York and Chicago were caused by ex-
plosives carelessly handled. St Louis
lost seven firemen last week In an old
hretrap business building and I'VE nights
later eleven guests of q lodging house
fell victims to the criminal negligence
in failure to supply the structure with
fire escapes. The calamity that haE over
taken Paterson. N. J., had its origin in
trolley car sheds and could have been
averted by vigilant inspection and more
stringent fire ordinances That Omaha
has so far escaped from serious con-
nagratiOn is almost miraculous
Firetraps that should be pulled down
| still remain In the heart Of the city and
more than 100 buildings above three
stories in height remain without IRE es-
capes In violation of the statutes OF the
state and city ordinances. While some
people are disposed to make light Of the
report OF the late grand jury that cen
sured the building inspector and called
for an enforcement Of the law relating
to fire escapes, these recommendation
must commend themselves to all rational
people in the light OF recent disasters
from fires in other cities.
ST. Louis is thoroughly aroused to tbs
emergency by its recent experience. The
newspapers Of that city are a unit II
calling for preventive measures. The
st. Louis Republic declares that "st
Louis cannot aftord to have the impress
sion 60 abroad that nres are encouraged
by poor provisions OF buildings TIT
ordinances and statutes are on tn
books. There should be no room 10
neglect The common good demand
that fire escapes be erected and that
great number Of ramshackle building
be emptied OF occupants" The Globe
} Democrat says; The simple lesson o
these disasters following each other 4
swift succession is that more care mus
, be observed. proper safeguards fOe h
Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-13
NOTES.

japan has acquired the American dining
car system at a jump without pausing at
the railway sandwich stage.
General Oliver o. Howard, In q reminis-
cent mood. says hat of the tSenty-seven
commanders Of union armies during the
civil war, only two survtve-General SEQ
field and himself.
John NJ. Buttrick, who recently died in
Lowell, Mass, was q great grandson Of
Major John Buttrick. who began the fight
at Concord bridge, and the gun which fred
the FIRST hi in the revolution Is still pre-
served IN the family.
'Tt Is becoming quite fashionable in this
vicinity" says the Ingalton Ql.l News.
'for the ladies to do more than their share
| Of the counting; The world Of women
moves on In pursuit Of happiness and OF
rights and privileges
Mrs. jefferson Davis has gone to Jack
SON, Miss, to greet the last legislature
that viii assemble in the historic capitol
Il IL understood Beauvoir. her old home or
the gulf coast, will be purchased by the
state and converted into a home for indi'
gent confedsrates.
On Friday afternoon the owner of a ma
building in Chicago which was burned Fri
day morning gave 800 in cash In a scales
envelope to the heads OF forty-seven fami
lies that were burned out. making a tota
gift Of sl.7Oo. Such things show the worl'
Is not wholly bad.
Joel J. Doolittle is still living in Cum
berland, Wis. Years ago he was noted a
a music teacher and vocalist He mum
bered among his pupils Emma Abbott. an
first began singing in political campaign
in 1870 for General Harrison. In 1856 h
canvassed illinois with John @. Fremont
singing at every meeting. and in 1850 per
formed the same kind OF work. accompany
ing Abraham Lincoln.
Leslie NJ. Shaw. the new secretary G
the treasury, Is IN early riser. He ap
peared at the department at $50 In tn
morning after his appointment and ha
some dinculty In getting into the build
!, ing. as the doorkeepers did not know hin
One Of the department chiefs says: "a
a week or two the new secretary will stro
! down to the ohices about s;3o or 10 o'clocl
Just like all his predecessors, and instea
Of remaining at his desk until dark an
falling over the serubwoman on his wa
: out Of the building. he WILL leave when q
the others do. about 4 o'clock"
Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-13
LINCOLN AND THE PHILIPPINES.


The celebration Of Lincoln's birthday
affords an opportunity for demagogues
and mountebanks TO air their ignorance
by quoting absurd anecdotes about Lin
coin as gospel truth and indulging in
rhapsodies and clap-trap that is at vari-
ance with Lincoln's career as a man and
his actions as chief magistrate Of the ma
ton In the most momentous crisis OF
Americas history.
These salvation army exalters appear
to be ignorant of the historic fact that
Lincoln was not an abolitionist like
John Brown, Wendell Phillips and
Charles Sumner. His highest ambition
as president was to save the union and
Me was willing to save it with slavery
If he could and without slavery IL he
must" His ideal of the consent of the
governed was forcibly illustrated in
mastering a million men in arms to
subdue the southern c~onfederacy, which
was proclaimed by its founders to be
organized on the fundamental principles
of the declaration that all governments
derive their Just powers from the con
sent of the governed and that when any
form Of government becomes destructive
to these ends, 1t is the right Of the peo-
pie to alter, or to abolish 1t, and to in
stitute e government, laying its foun-
dalton on such principles and organic
ing Its powers In such form as to them
shall seem most likely to effect their
safety and happiness"
On this rock Jefferson Davis and his
confederate associates, backed by seven
millions Of white men, who regarded
negro slavery as a divine institu-
ton, sought to build a constitu-
tional government. They declared
themselves absolved from allegiance
to the United States by a majority
of votes through ordinances Of seces-
sion and adopted a constitution mod
eled after the constitution of the
United States. Under that constitution
they elected a congress, a president and
a supreme court, but Abraham Lincoln
crushed the entire confederate fabric by
force of arms after -four years of war
and replaced the flag Of the union upon
every confederate capitol in spite Of the
~imprecations and curses of the southern
people, who had been vanquished in
battle.
Yet the ignorant spouters and blather-
sixties quote Abraham Lincoln as the
typical champion Of the declaration that
the consent Of the governed must be the
condition precedent to the annexation
of any new territory and government
of its people. If this principle was re.
pudiated by Abraham Lincoln in dealing
with the people Of the confederate
states, whose ancestors had signed the
declaration, helped to establish Amer
lean independence and were instru.
mental in framing our constitution
what right has anyone to assume thai
Lincoln would have exacted the consent
of-the-governed principle in dealing Will
the semi-savage population Of the Phil
ippine islands? Is 1t not about time fol
the inspired ignoramuses to give us q
rest on Lincoln as champion of the con
sent Of the governed?
Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-13
bird. of PROV in wa TIme.
Philadelphia Record

There are always patriots who in time OF
war reap a rich harvest In swindling the
government. The woods were full OF them
during the civil war and the later Spanish
unpleasantness. and there Is q terrible hub
bub now going on In England over the dis
cOvery Of scandalous dishonesty upon the
part OF contractors for army supplies. II
was rottenness OF this kind that under
mined the military strength Of France In
It's war with Germany. General Sherman
made a very comprehensive remark When
he declared that war is hell" There an
more kinds Of he'll involved than the whole
sale killing and devastation OF armed men
All the mean and Internal passions OF msr
seem TO be let loose. but there Is nothinl
more despieahie brought to the front thai
the patriots" who. like birds Of prey. feas
and fAtten upon The misertes % their fel'
II Iowa
Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-13
A MOUNTAINS


James Barton Adams in Denver Post.
n shadders CROWN long m 9 gettin'
Shades o night a comm on snufin out
the day. III -.
Birds a shirpin' their ~EOOdnishts from
Devil bats a slidin' round on the evsnin'
Owl a hoOtin' on the crasn askin. VINO Is
who, H ~ sN I
Rattlesnakes a bunchin' up liza the let
ter Q. -
Wolves 4 comm. from thsir dens with q
Skies a blushin' at tina sun, AZ it soes TO
bed.
Comes a lazy. sleepy hush over an the
hills, Ill
Broken only by the cries OF the whip
stars. too faint to make q shine peepsn'
Lake a Tot Of ~sSin. Nd. bastini sIsspy
ButtsEdies N hid away IN ne shmbin'
Bree1es singtn' iunahiss through the
Then the hunter lies an blinks. It the
worlds o'erhead
Thinkfn. there's 70 couch on earth Ike
his blanket bed
Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-13
ANNOYING cUsruMs EEeuLAT

ANNOYING CUSTOMS EEoHLATi0Yl
Complaint has been made from time
to time regarding the, customs regula-
ton requiring the examination Of per
sonal baggage at the great ports Of
entry, the allegation being that the man
ner In which the regulation is enforced
by the inspectors. is obnoxious and to
women particularly often h%umiliating.
Recently a petition signed by a number
Of ome was sent to President Roose-
Welt setting forth the objections to the
regulation and asking that it be modi-
fed. The petition presented a very
strong case. among other things stating
that the trunks of persons coming from
abroad are emptied on the wharf. i'm
pertinent questions are asked and re
marks made which are humillating and
intolerable. The ONE petitioners say
that "the searching questions of the ON
cials seem TO the traveller an unwar
ranted interference in her private and
personal affairs"
The complaints have been referred d
Secretary Shaw. who win order an in
vestigation, and IL IL shall be shown tina
the complaints are well founded Their
win doubtless be such modification o
the regulation as can be made .withou
danger OF the government being de
frauded OF revenue This matter wa
passed upon by Secretary Gage, VIII
decided that it was e~xpedient 70 enforc
the regulation as 1t stands and so far 8
revenue is concerned the result justice
Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-13
No philanthropy In This.
Philadelphia Record.

Fifteen ocean steamship companies In
the transatlantic trafic have entered into
an agreement to extend the season OF sum
mer transatlantic travel, with a higher
minimum rate OF fare. This Is the way "a
md out exactly what the trafnc will bear
without stimulating outside competition.
There is no pretense Of cheaper or better
service. no a~nectation Of public benefac-
ton, after the fashion OF advocates OF sur
face transportation line agreements The
ocean steamship owners are convinced tina
they can get more, and they propose Il
reach out for Il.
Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-13

Galusha A. Grow, congressman from
Pennsylvania. u that with the
close Of the present congress he will re-
tire from public life. He is the last link
in that body binding it to the period be-
fore the war. He was the author Of the
homestead law and the principal factor
in pushing 1t through congress, and the
thousands Of happy and prosperous
homes in the west constitute some of the
greatest monuments ever erected to per.
petuate the life work Of any man.
Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-13
.sCARCfTY OF N1vAL OFFICrRs.

OF NAVAL OFFICERS.
The growth of the navy has gone on
more rapidly than the increase in the
number Of naval officers and 1t is said
that now a very serious situation con-
fronts the Navy department. There are
not officers enough to man the ships now
in commission, to say nothing of those
that will loon be placed in commission.
In this extremity 1t is stated that Sec
rotary Long is considering the advisa-
bility of affording temporary relief by
ordering the senior class at Annapolis
to graduate three months earlier than
the regulation time, so that the cadets
can at once go on sea duty and help fill
the complement Of commissioned officers.
1t is stated by Navy department off,
cials that unless congress complies with
the request of the. department to in
crease the number of line officers in the
lower grades it will be impossible to
place in commission any of the new
ships which will be completed next year.
This would be unfortunate, it being
manifestly important that vessels as
soon as completed shall be placed in
commission. In his message President
Roosevelt said: There should be nc
cessation in the work OF completing
our navy. : But there is some,
thing we need even more than additional
ships and this is additional officers and
men. To provide battleships and cruis
ers and then lay them up. with the ex
p~ectation Of leaving them unnamed
until they are needed In actual war
would be worse than folly; it would b,
a crime against the nation" The nava
committees Of congress should take no
ticc az this situation.
Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-13
VIEWED AT SHORT RANGE.
American Rule in the Philippines
Progressing Slowly.

Progressing W
Manila Freedom.
The Filipino question still continues to
occupy the minds of Americans in the
United States. For their benefit, 1t may
be stated that there is no Filipino Ques-
ton. 1t is simply a matter of time. We
are now, In the parlance of the theater,
trying It on the dog" That is, we are
cropping about like men In the dark. The
majority Of us came over here imbued with
American sentiments. We have the flag,
the nation, all the elements Of patriotism
inculcated into us. until we believed that
America must appeal to these people from
the start. After we are here awhile, a
faint glimmer Of light begins to penetrate
beneath. Finally we think we know. Then
we ind that We know nothing, and we start
again. Blu we start with the advantage
gained by experience. In the meantime, the
Spaniard sits by and says. 81 told you So
The only hope is in honesty. II corrup-
ton is kept from government, the end must
be h We desire. II we become corrupt
We are lost. 1t is the duty of the press
to watch developments to this end. They
are being watched. In the end with an
honest government and an honest policy
based on equity and justice, taking into
consideration the combined infantile and
devilish character OF, our new acquisitions,
We will win Faint hearts will become dis
couraged and fall out Others will take
their places. The military are always q
source of comfort. Their religion is discI-
pline. Discipline is like fanaticism. 1t will
push men, where man, as an individual
would find it impossible to go. 1t will win
Discipline in the civil departments as well
as the military is what is needed, IL we
are to continue with the civil. Let us look
the matter ~squarely in the face. Has there
not been a mistaken leniencyf Is not the
military Of the opinion that previous civil
| government has been devoid OF results
There is only one answer.
Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-13

the decision. but II the customs inspec-
tors are as rude and lusolent as the sign
ers Of the petition represent them to he
some change in the method Of inspection
is manifestly desirable. II IL the duty
Of the customs officials to protect the
government against fraud. but certainly
a system can be devised that win not
subject women travellers to im~pertinence
and humiliation. Undoubtedly IL secre-
tary Shaw shall find the abuse com
planned of to exist he will find a way to
corract ~
Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-13
FOIIy OF a Fad.
Philadelphia Ledger.

PhiIade1phIa LEuBtF.
II is reported thst the illness from which
the presidents son and several Of his fell
low students at the Groton school are SUI
ferIng was caused by exposure due to q fad
among the boys for going about bareheaded
md with insufficient clothing. That is q
good way to breed a hardy race Of men. If
continued long enough. but It must not be
forgotten that It Involves q process Of nat
ural selection. In the course of which all
the feebler specimens OF the race die on.