Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-11-28

Beatrice.
The query, Needs OF Nebraska Towns"
may be answered In two ways. whether APP
piled 70 ones own town or TO the town
OF another. II to our own, we might not
care 10 plead poverty in the necessities
looked for by prospective residents. Most
Of US living in the west have. perhaps
learned to be so economical OF the truth
In presenting the advantages Of our own
that when a great newspaper like The Bee,
which goes 20 the ends OF the railroads,
then takes the mule train and keeps on
circulating ad hnitum kindly invites us
to come out into the open and own TO
just what we need. we back up and, like the
good housewife who Is sometimes asked
By an impecunlous or parsimonious hus-
band II there Is anything she wants, looks
dreamly at the much there Is and the
little she has. becomes discouraged and
lost in the maze Of things desired, and
replies with the untruth, "Oh. nothing"
Some OF the towns Of which Beatrice for
tunately 10 not one, or II 80, only In
mild degree, needs a catapult, not OF
great capacity, but OF great power. that
will pick up the kicker and the chronic
grumbler and land him so far outside the
townsite that he will not be able to get
back in time to hear Gabriel blow his
I horn.
Citizens Of Nebraska, in order to enjoy
I life with their more fortunate fellows, the
| farmer, need better rates on lumber and
coal. House building for the man in mod
| crate circumstances Is almost out OF the
question, while II successful in building, is
difncult to warm with the scanty funds
at hand, II he is wage worker OF upon
a salary. The dollar seems so much smaller
than It formerly did. The towns need a
taxpayers league to see that each pays
| his share; to know that express telephone.
telegraph. insurance and other companies
which enter a, we'll built, well paved, we'll
watered, lighted, severed and oficered
/ town pay some OF the expense Of these
utilities, some OF the cost OF erecting
schools, churches, libraries, and in many
ways making the town a At place to live
In and have brought the business from
the ends of the earth all ready to hand
| over to the hand which sowB not, but stands
with sickle ready to reap.
Some Nebraska towns are pre-eminently
adapted to manufacturing purposes OF
which Beatrice stands at the head. No
labor troubles. good railroads and a warm,
genial atmosphere and generous welcome.
Reform along educational lines is needed
in Nebraska. The free school system is now
in the hands OF school superintendent
best fellows In the wOrld-but they have
drifted the schools a long way from orig
lnal moorings. School tax is becoming a
burden to the taxpayer, but of this he does
not complain so much, but the fact that
the graded school does not do relatively
for the pupil that which the country school
does. The farmer boy, when he quits MS
corn husking at Christmas for a few
| erhnO1 II
prised and gratiied to learn that he can
speu better. write better read better and
Is little better in arithmetic and grammer
than his town brother of like age though
he is a long way behind on fads and fancy
movements The recent state law making
Of the high school a normal for the purpose
of educating teachers and bringing In pupils
from without the county and state to th'
high school to engage the attention Of
teachers. to say nothing Of the extra ex
pense created by employment OF specla
teachers, exempIhes the tendencies OF th'
times to get away from the original idet
of the public school by increasing the taxes
and diminishing the service, all at th'
EXPENSE of patrons of town schools
we need better roads leading TO Nebraska
towns. and in this improvements town'
must take the initiative. OF course We
have the best natural ROADS IN inc "es'
but not SO good as not to be exasperatiht
at times, and not so good but what thef'
/, should be an organized effort by commercla
bodies and city fathers ana county super
,Jsors 40 enter upon a plan OF persisten
,r,rrovement of permanent character.
Many OF our towns need better and NOR
! economical administration Of city affaira
t and 10 that end partizan politics Will haV
to a degree be eliminated.
Eut. after ALL there are 30 many thing