davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-16

BY agreement made IN the senat last
week the treaty with Colombia viii be
voted on tomorrow and there appears 10
be no doubt Of its ratification. Today
amendments that may be offered VIII
be considered and a limit has been placed
on The time Of speeches on amenl-
ments. After all amendments shall have
been disposed Of two hours will be al
lowed for genefaI debate, divided
equally between the supporters and op-
ponents Of the treaty. It. Is not probable
that any amendment which may be pro
posed will be adopted, since that would
be tantamOunt To an invitation TO Col
ombia TO reject the treaty. There Is al
ready some opposition 10 IL In that
country. The Colombian vice president
IL reported as saying that some Of the
politicians object TO the Interpretation
which the United states places upon
certain terms Of the convention, while
there is a feeling against this country
growing out of the action Of our gov
eminent In connection with insurgent
hostiIitles on the isthmus. In view Of
this sentiment amendment Of the treaty,
particularly In the matter Of more
strongly and fully defining American
control would be extremely likely to
cause its rejection By Colombia. This
being wen understood the assurance Is
that It will be ratified without any
change.
Consideration Of the Cuban reciprocity
treaty win promptly follow action on
the canal convention. That treaty has
been ratified by the Cuban senate and
Indications seem 10 be favorable TO is
ratification at Washington. It IL pro-
posed 10 add a provision requiring the
approval OF the house Of representatives
before the treaty can take effect, the
ground for this being that It Is really
legislation affecting the tariff and there
fore cannot be adopted constitutiOnslly
without the consent Of the house.
Should this be done Il Is possible that
President Roosevelt would call an extra
session Of the house Of representatives.
II is the contention Of most members Of
the house that as 70 treaties Of this
character the approval Of that body Is
necessary, but most senators do not on
dorse this view. However, a concession
may he made to it In the present case.
At all events the prospect IS that the
business for which the senate was called
in specinI session will soon be dis
posed Of.
Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-16

that Omaha must solve in the near fu-
ture Is, how to increase It's manufectur-
ing facilities that will induce several
thousand skilled and unsklI1ed bread
winners 70 locate permanently In this
city. While Omaha Is an important dis
tributing center and its facilities for
reaching its trade territory are scarcely
surpassed By those OF any other inland
western city, Omaha lamentably lacks
the most essential factor Of Industrial
eXpansiOn-cheap power.
The recent extraordinary growth OF
Indianapolis Is due to natural gas and
an abundant supply Of low-priced BIZ
luminous fuel. Minneapolis owes it,
supremacy % an industrial center to
water power harnessed to its great
Touring mills and reconverted into cleo
trtctty for Illuminating and manufac-
turing purposes. Kansas City enjoys
great advantage over Omaha in the
matter Of cheap coal, which Is being
mined almost in front Of its door.
What Is true Of these cities Is true Of
nearly every other growing town In
America whether inland or on the At
lantic or Pacific ~seaboards. Manlfestly
Omaha's future depends upon its ability
TO solve the cheap power problem. The
opportunity for solving It a been pre-
sented, but the perverse and supremacy
selfish interference Of corporate inter-
ests has blocked the way through the
s~ubserviency Of members Of the city
council, who refuse to submit the prop-
osttion to the people at the coming cleo
ton. If these agencies succeed the pros
pect Of any material improvement In
Omaha for the next year or two Is very
dubious.
Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-16

worthless paper imposed 10 represent state
funds. and BARLEY. being az the end OF
the string when the Office passed into the
hands OF a treasurer Of a Different political
party and could therefore not pass on the
worthless paper. had 70 suffer for The care
lsssness or crime OF bis predecessors Mr.
HIS statement makes &c quite plain that
the detalcatious witch turned up az the
end OF Bartley's term were o. his owl
making. bht We for one believe that he
was the plant tool Of friends who wanted
a whack at tie state funds-and got them.
Chappeu Register Il was generals sup
posed when The Bee was agftatinE the
BARLEY cigar box Investigation that the
Investigation. Il ever attempted. would be
a farce and that no good would result to
the people OF the state. But IL begins 10
look now that the committee means busi-
ness. and an investigating fever pervades
the capitol. Messrve and stuefer are 20
be called to account for misapproprfatiou
Of state funds. Secretary Of State Marsh
f. asked to explain Why he paid unreasou-
able prices for supplies and where some
OF the valuable carpets Is that was pur-
chased for the state with state money. The
populists, not to be outdone. propose 10
bring Impeachment proceedings against ex-
Secretary Porter IL he does not put II
back" A thorough sweeping without par
TALLY 10 republican, democratic or pop
ulist corners would no doubt loosen up a
good many cobwebs.
Columbus Telegram: The Legislature has
appointed a special committee 20 lift the
lid on that famous BARLEY "eigar-box,"
which Is supposed to contain the due bulls
Of the bankers and politicians who b0r-
rowed state money from ex-Tressurer Bart
ley. BARLEY and Governor Savage knew
which way the win was blowing. and both
left the state before the date OF the hrst
meeting Of the COMMITTEES. The investiga-
tion will be ~farcical, but 1t should not be
so. The people Of the state are entitled
to know the N OF Bsrtley's Elrtners
in crime. II IS noticeable that some very
prominent bankers and politicians are just
now almost sweating coal oil. so fearful
are they that their connection with the
BARLEY shortage Will be disclosed. These
men are not all republican politicians. At
least three prominent so-ealIed 'fusionists'
are on Uneasy street A democratic thief
Is no better than a republican thief. The
Telegram hopes the investigation may
bring the names Of the thieves TO the
surface. We confess there Ia not much
foundation for the hope.
Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-16
FROM LAKES TO TiDEwATER.

The legislature of New York has IN
der consideration a bill for canal i'm
provement calling for an expenditure Of
S101 100000, and It's passage is probable.
This measure proposes the construction
of a waterway connecting the lakes
with the seaboard which will accom-
modate large vessels, or In other words
a ship canal. The subject has beer IN
der discussion in that state for years.
Several million dollars were appropri-
ment Of the Erie canal, but what was
done proved Of no great value and
served to strengthen conviction that
nothing short of a ship canal will en-
able the port Of New York to retain its
commerce. Within the last few years
n considerable amount Of trade has been
diverted from that to other ports and
the people of the state Of New York
have been forced to realize that some
thing must be done to check this, II It
be possible to check 1t.
Referring to the increase in the ex
ports Of leading domestic products for
the month Of February, which amounted
to more than $4,000 900 Over the same
month last year, the New York Journal
of Commerce points out that Baltimore,
New Orleans and Galveston shared more
largely In this increase than New York.
The gain Of the Gulf ports has been
partly due TO congestion on the rail-
roads TO the east, which also doubtless
caused some diversion OF trade to the
Canada route. That paper declares that
nothing can counteract the growing d.
version OF the grain traffic to the Gulf
and the st. Lawrence but an adequate
waterway from the great lakes to the
Hudson river. This would not have d.
rect effect in the winter months, but
the large provision 1t would induce for
handling export trade would tend to
hold It the year round. The railroads
would have to keep up their facilities
for handling and the terminals would
help draw the traffic"
Western producers have a very direct
interest in the projected ship canal. It's
construction would be important to them
beth in the marketing Of their products
which has been much delayed the pres.
ent season. and in keeping freight
charges within reasonable bounds dur
ing a large part OF the year.
Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-16
MYSTERIOUS COAL SURPLUS.
sudden U~ncOverInE of Vast Heaps OF
Black Diamonds.
Phlladelphia North American.

Philadelphia North American.
One Of the objections urged by the oper-
ators 10 reduction OF the number Of hours
in a miners workday was that the amount
Of coal mined under the proposed condi-
ton would not be sufficient 10 supply the
market demand. IL Is but a few weeks
since the operators also we're denouncing
the miners with much Yirulence for their
alleged unwillingness to cooperate In re-
lieying the fuel famine and asserting that
the shortage Of coal was due mainly to
their refusal to work overtime.
Now the supply Of coal in storage yards
Is so great that collieries In the Schuylkill
region are reducing the working time TO a
-three-quaTter day. The irresistible infer
ence is that the winter shortage was eGag-
gerated, II not created for the double pur-
pose OF furnishing the public for sympathis-
ing with the strikers and enabling specu-
lators in coal TO NIL their own pockets and
the Golfers OF the combine.
II Is remarkable that a surplus should
appear so early In the season as the result
OF the refusal Of mine workers TO respond
TO Mitchell's request hat they exert them
selves 70 relieve public distress.
Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-16
Expansion Of railroad Capital.


The Pennsylvania Railroad company, with
It's authorized addition Of $3.50. 900. 900 to
an existing capital stock OF $3.50, 900, 900, is
certainly a great corporation-great enough
to have caused world wide remark three or
four years ago. But the existence Of the
United States Steel corporation, with its
stock capital Of over $1,000, 900, 900, still
keeps the Pennsylvania corporation in a
secondary place. notwithstanding its pres
ent rapid expansion and vastly expensive
schemes Of Improvement which have been
planned. In extent Of mileage, as well as
in magnitude Of trafic, the Pennsylvania
continues TO be the first OF railroad cor
porations; but the Rock Island company Is
in the way Of surprising It in point OF
mileage. With the projected acquisition OF
the St. Louis G. San Francisco, with nearly
5000 miles Of road, the Rock Island com
pany will control something like 1900
miles.
Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-16

When young Mr.. Morsman was a can
didate for the Legislature he took pains
to assure the friends of equitable taxa
ton that, barring his known relations to
the telephone company, he would enter
the legislature absolutely free from all
obligations to and entanglements with
the railroads OF any other corporations.
Yet Mr.. MOrsman made a speech IN
favor OF the Thompson amendment to
the revenue bill. and his declaration
that the railroads have paid more than
their share Of taxes during the past ten
years would seem to contradict Mr..
Morsman's ante-election pledges. This
Is only another case of before taking
and after taking. II emphasizes the
fact that 1t Is not safe to send a cor
poration lawyer to the legislature to
make laws for the people.
Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-16
THE PROBLEM CONFRONTfN

the PROBLEM CONFRONTING OMAHA
1t is an open secret that almost as
many people have moved away from
Omaha within the past two years as
have located In Omaha during the same
period. The most indubitable proof Of
that fact Is furnished by the attendance
in our public schools, which Is now
practically the anne as II was two years
ago. A city cannot very long stand still
any more than a business house. II
either moves forward or falls backward.
Omaha must either do something de-
cisive within the next twelve months to
keep up with the procession or prepare
for inevitable reaction and ~retrogres-
sion. This Is the situation that con
fronts II and should be seriously CON
sidered by every man and woman inter
ested in It's progress and prosperity.
Omaha would doubtless be benefited
greatly by the construction OF suburban
electric motor lines over the various
roads leading TO the villages and towns
within n radius OF 100 miles. but cleo
tric suburban lines win not supply
Omaha's greatest want-cheaper power
and cheaper fuel. which are so essen
tial TO the enlargement Of It's industrial
growth. steam railroads and electric
railroads alone do not make a great
city. The backbone OF great population
c%enters are mills and factories that give
steady employment TO working men and
working women. The great problem
Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-16
A Combine that Failed.
PHILADELPHIA Pres

WN9W
The "Elkfns law" appears to be q much
wiser measure than Of the railroad
managers thought It TO be when It passed
congress. 1t has just saved the govern
ment a large sum In the transportation Of
military and naval parties between Chicago
and the Pacific coast Before the passage
OF the bill an agreement or understand.
ing was In process Of formation amona
western railroads as to the rates to BE-
charged the government for this work.
The EIkins law scared some OF the rail-
roads out Of the arrangement and as a
result the bids are away below existing
prices, less than one-half. These low bids
followed the supreme court decision, which
Indirectly afirmed the constitutiouality OF
the law.
Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-16

Journalistic mind-readers are com
mon, but it has remained for a Lincoln
newspaper to produce a journalistic Sec
ond-sight medium. To make his de-
scription of the legal execution at the
state prison Friday more graphic, the
reporter undertakes to tell how the
murderer would have looked in the final
moments had the black cap been re-
moved and his features exposed to view.
To quote a bit Of his fantastic language:
The point OF the cap rested j~auntlly on
one side. the head was twisted by the fatal
knot until II turned upward at an I'M
natural angle like that Of a deformed dwarf
making a sickly grlmace for the pleasure
Of a company. The CAP added to the clown
ish posture and covered what one might
imagine to be the grin Of a murderer who
thought he had cheated death.
Lincoln certainly offers too small a
field for this journalistic prodigy.
Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-16

It's only a question OF time till the
governments of Omaha, South Omaha
and Douglas county viii be merged in
part II not In whole. There Is no ne
cesslty Of wasting the taxpayers money
IN maintaining duplicate Offices that can
be more efficiently managed under one
head. when the taxpayers fuzzy realize
what the cost Of separate machinery OF
government Ia. they will unite to en-
force a demand for consolidation.
Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-16

Down In Missouri a special grand jury
will investigate the charges Of attempted
bribery in the legislature. The usual
system Of tracing down such charges Is
through a legislative investigating com
mittec. which seldom finds any diff
Guilty in awarding itse.f a clean bill Of
health. Whfther an inquiry by a grand
jury composed Of men who are not
members Of the legislature will be any
more effective remains to be seen.
Should grand jury sessions on legisla.
tive bribery produce tangible results in
Missouri other states may acquire the
habit.
Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-16
-DIsRE0ARplYG THE Law.

"a -
1t appears that for years the southern
railroads have refused to publish their
rates on freight shipped to and from the
seaboard. All efforts by the Interstate
Commerce commission to compel them
to publish and maintain these tariffs
have failed. The commission claims to
have sufficient proof that under the
OF this secrecy there Is no end Of
discrimination in the rates in favor Of
certain shippers. The commissioners
also say that the secret charges afford
a means for exactlng unjust rates from
shippers in sections Of the country
where there are limited transportation
facilities, but it has never been felt that
the law was explicit enough to warrant
taking these cases into court.
1t Is proposed to institute proceedings,
under the recently enacted law, against
Que of the roads hat has ignored past
orders OF the commission In regard to
giving publicity to Its rates aid 10 push
the proceedings so that a judicial de-
cisiOn may be had as soOn as possible.
This assurance Of aggressive action on
the part Of the commission Is most vel
come and can hardly fail to have good
results. 1t is even probable that the
railroads which have ignored the com
r:ission's elders may see the expediency
Of Immediately complying with them and
thereby avoid prosecution.
Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-16
STRING FLOWERS.

Martha Day Fenner in The Outlook.
The Spring will bring another flower,
Yea, one OF richer hue.
Dame Nature knows 10 meager dover,
When Spring would wed with goa
The garden Of your last-year love
Is Killed by drouthu and waste
Remorse has set a blight above
The gate, then fed IN haste.
The flower Of richer hue will bloom.
Yea, haunt its color rare.
A crimson blOtch upOn the gloom
Thai 5yCr fingers there,
Your lasI-year love will look n grieye
To see the flower apart.
Then turn with silent tread and leave
The garden OF your hvart.
Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-16

There Is not n city nor town in Ne
braska that Is not being cheated out OF
taxes II should have from the railroads
by the pretended distribution OF term
lnal values. The people OF the interior
towns are beginning to have their eyes
opened. An they have TO DO 10 convince
themselves that the s~o-called Omaha
scheme" Is as much for their benefit as
for the benefit Of Omaha Is to look up
the facts and figures bearing on their
own local situation, and to remember
that every dollar OF municipal taxes
eyaded by the railroads must be paid
by the owners OF the other property In
the town .
Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-16


Republican members Of the legisla-
ture who expect to justify themselves
with the people in voting against the
taxation Of railroads in proportion TO
the known value Of their tangible prop
erty and franchises because the fusion
lists In the Legislature are voting for such
taxation will discover before they are
much older that their course will not
meet with the approval Of the repub-
lican rank and file. II every democrat
and populist in the legislature should
vote for any measure that is right and
just. the republicans cannot afford to
vote against It merely because the DEM
ocrats or populists vote for #. As a
matter Of fact the people of Nebraska
regardless Of party are a unit in favor
of equitable railroad taxation Just as
the railroads are a unit In favor of the
differentiation Of their property.
Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-16

Early In the preliminary campaign for
the congressional nomination last year
The Bee declared In so many words
that David II. Mercer was demanding a
denomination not with any hope or ex.
pectatlon Of being elected. but for the
purpose OF using the prestige so gotten
as the basis Of a claim to federal APP
polntment after his defeat The course
Of Mr.. Mercer could not have been more
accurately outlined.
Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-16
PASSING s

The Youth-You say a terrible trial
awaits me. Tell me what It Is.
Fortune Teller-Prepare for the worst,
q girl who Is a cooking school graduate
Chicago News
Esther-I suppose you would call the
Brewsters a perfect match. They always
act Ike a pair of lovers.
more than half the time.
~EsthsrLThats mean.-Boston
THE longer I live" sighed the sage, and
the more I Learn the more firmly am I
II could have. told you that twenty-five
years ago." said his wife, but 1 knew It
would be of no use."-Chicago Tribune.
Miss Boxlcy." began the young poll
tician, "er-Maude. I love you. II
""oh; this Is SO sudden" she exclaimed;
But surely you must have guessed. I
have been calling here 30 much OF late"
7 ~" A. zee but since you are a politician
n~incance '"-Philadelphia Press.
81 hope" said the girls mother. after ths
young miiLionalre had departed, that you
"Oh. yes" she replied. I told him I was
engaged 70 a MAJ who was crazy to mARy
me the minute he got through college
Chicago Record-Herald
The old gentleman steadily regarded him.
We'll" he said, "ft Is evident that my
daughter did not pick you out for your
personal attractions. Hence / must con-
clude that you have some practical points
that are OF value. Take her my boy, she's
yours."-cleveland Plain Dealer.
Mrs. De Style-One OF those eggs I bought
here this morning had a chicken in II.
Grocer-Ven, madam. dit you oxshpect to
find a mockiug pird in it2-New York sun.
she-what would you think Of a tax on
bachelors2
He-Oh, pshawi dent we have to buy
wedding presents?
Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-16
Any Old Job Goes.
Boston Transcript.

DV"VOI LIaI5IIIDI
Six good men have turned up at Wash
ington who are willing to catch snakes for
the government at fifty the month. Now
this seems absurdly inadequate compensa-
ton, considering the risks Of the occupa-
tion; why. It is hardly SUFFICIENT to keep a
man In snake-bite cure.
Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-16

Discoveries have been made In Ne
braska from time to time Of coal mines
as well as gold mines, of smoking vol
canoe as well as spouting oil wells, but
up to date the best paying Nebraska
mine is the one that plants the yellow
corn IN the spring and gathers in the
golden ears I'm the fall
Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-16

If the railroads Of Nebraska have
been paying all the taxes they ought to
pay, what need Of revenue revision at
all? Certainly the farmers, business
men and small home owners have been
paying all that Is due from them.
Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-16

Omaha was greatly disappointed last
fall in not being able to entertain Pres
ldent Roosevelt but II viii try to make
up for lost time with a warmth OF cor
diaIity II the president puts Omaha on
his itinerary for his forthcoming spring
fnuF
Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-16

The public library board evinces a
disposition to cut its garment to fit the
cloth furnished II By the city council.
Other branches Of the city government
will do we'll to emulate the example.
Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-16

The Torrens land title project, to ex-
plot which Nebraska paid the bill for
a special junketing commission. seems
to have beer lost in the shuttle. Even
the commissioners seem to have lost
interest in 1t since they cashed In their
pay checks.
Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-16

Mayor Carter Harrison Of Chicago has
carried the democratic primaries there
for his candidacy for a fourth term
practically without opposition. The Chi
cago republican battle cry Is Three
times and outv'
Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-16
Tempting an BarIy Frost.
Cincinnati Enquirer.

NIICIHHdI Enquirer.
Judge Parker's boom is In danger OF
getting out Of breath before 1t reaches
the last lap. The papers are printing pic
lures Of the members Of the Judges fam
lily. This is an extremely advanced stage
Of the presidential vegetation and there
is liability to many frOsts between now
and the summer Of 1904.
Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-16

The sction Of the Treasury depart
ment dispensing with the women in
spectors recently attached to the immi-
grafton bureau mag be expected to
arouse a vigorous protest from the
woman suffrage a~gitstors, who will in
sist that the women would have been
retained on the payroll II they only had
votes to contribute to the support Of 20
litical parties. No matter what repre-
sensations may be made that the work
OK INSPECTION is not suitable for women
or that the women inspectors have not
given satisfactory service, It will make
no difference.
Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-16

Omaha gets an increase In clerical
force at the p~ostofice as well as promo
ton Of some Of its clerks as a result Of
the Encouragement under the new post
office appropriation. Defects in local
service have been charged up to made
quate office help. andahe patrons ought
therefore to share in the benefits OF the
improved conditions.
Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-16

When councilmen who are up for re-
election begin to explain their record It
may be taken for granted that their
record needs explaining.