The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1903-07-30


shipper"
Mr.. James L. Cowles makes fine
answer to Loud and all other express
company advocates in the following
words in The Outlook:
1.-The truth Is that neither in our do
nestle or our foreign business can any |
or all of our private express compa-
ries taken together give to our people |
such a parcels service as the post
Office can easily perform. No other
institution has even now so complete
machinery of collection and delivery
either for domestic or foreign service,
and this machinery is extending with
Hghtning-like rapidity. Tie postoffice
moreover, is the only agency that can
subject our private transport compa-
Lies to effectual competition. Only
through the extension of the postal
service can the public be protected
from extortionate express charges"
S$
Coroner Burke of Cleveland, o., has
taken a wise step. He will hereafter
furnish no details concerning suicides
and will use all his influence to get the
papers to refuse to publish detailed
accounts Of such things. He Is not
the first one to point out that the pub
fishing of such details under large
display heads invariably leads to more
suicides. The same psychological law
prevails in regard to crimes of all
kinds. The description in detail OF
Iynchings leads to more lynchings.
One-half of the matter published in
the great dailies Is distinctly degrad-
ing.
&>S$S>&S&
From time to time for three or four
years The Independent has published
articles concerning the restraint OF the
liquor trade in the southern states and
called attention to the happiness OF
the remarks in republican papers con-
corning whisky and the southern dem
ocracy. Some of the big dailies have
just found out that there is far more
prohibition in the southern than in
the northern states. 1t is accomplished
in the south by local option laws in
stead of state prohibition. The con-
sequence is that the attempt to sup
press the liquor traffic is far more
successful in the south for only in
communities where the is a majority
In favor of it, is it attempted. 1t is
another demonstration of the effic-
iency of local elf-government.
SSS%S
The Wall Street Journal still insists
that editors should go to the bank
ers for inspiration. The Independent
is perfectly willing and often has con-
suited banker on subjects Gin which
he is an expert" But to hold that
bankers are experts on economic
questions or even on the question OF
money, is to make a very grave mis-
take. AS class they are more ignor-
ant concerning the functions of money
than almost any other class. They are
experts in loaning money, in looking
after security, in getting the largest
possible rate of interest, in making
exchanges and all that line of bust
ness, but of the great economic ques-
tons involved in the functions per-
formed by money. most of them seem
to know nothing. An editor who would
rely for advice upon banker who
had never read a work on political
economy in his life would be just as
idiotic as the editorial writers on most
of the great dailies.
SSSS
The Omaha Bee calls attention tC
the fact that the city treasurer has
collected taxes to the amount Of ST.
060, 900 and of that the railroads have
paid S10.532.9S. The returns of thu
city assessor show that the roads
own S27 100000 worth of property il
the city and if they had paid taxes il
the same proportion that working PEG
pie who own their little homes dc
the roads would have turned over t,
the treasurer $23s,344.14 instead o
$10,532.98. The Bee, however, viii
continue to support the republican
party, we'll knowing that as long a
II is in power in the state the rail
roads will pay no more taxes tina
they do now and that the farmers an
wage-earners will be forced to pa
what the railroads ought to pay. Tn
Bee will not only do that. but 1t wi
continue to sneer at every party an
every man who makes an effort
overthrow the republican party an
make the corporations pay the sam
rate OF taxation that ether citizens