davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28
Personal NOTES.

A gambler In Tonopah. New. recently
lost 100000 at sitting, which was quicker
and more exciting than investing in some
OF the stocks OF that region.
John wIlloughby, a citizen of Mime
apolis is almost the exact counterpart of
George Washington as the father of his
country is shown In portraits, He Is
pioneer Of Minnesota, having lived in st.
Anthony as early as 1874
Colonel Charles L. Hodges, the new COM
mander Of the Twenty-fourth United States
infantry, who is now enroute to the Philip
pines, has been in the service about fifty
years. He enlisted when IA years old and
served throughout the civil war.
Maurice Maeterlinck, the Belgian author,
has bought Wandrinne Abbey. the old
monastery on the banks of the Seine, be-
tween Rouen and Caudebec. The building
used to be the home of 400 monks, and,
though 1t is 1900 years old. may be re-
stored to a habitable condition.
Simon Guggenheim, the new senator from
Colorado, has given up salaries aggregat-
ing $4,000 a year to accept the salary Of
United States senator But what is this
sacrifice in comparison with gaining a
life's ambition! Mr.. Guggenheim says II
has always been his ambition to be a law
maker.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28
RAILROAD DISASTERS.

Chicago Chronicle: President Truesdale
OF the Delaware. Lackawanna a Western
Railroad company solemnly warns the
country that the daily attacks on the rail-
road companies are Killing public cent?
dence." What Is attracting most attention
at present Is the rate at which the ran
roads are killing the people.
Baltimore American: While the railroad
heads are assailing the legislation affecting
the roads as injudicious. the railroad
wrecks are piling up with a rapidly which
is simply appalling. 1t is becoming no
longer a matter Of business policy OF com
mercial discrimination. but one Of life and
death. There must be something wrong
with the whole system when such frequent
slaughters are possible.
Philadelphia Record. There Is one thing
In common between the accident near AL
toona, that on the New York Centrars
line In the Bronx and the two most serious
railway accidents that have occurred in
Great Britain for some time-those at
Salisbury and Arbfoath. In each case the
train left the rails when rounding a curve
at exceptional speed. 1t is difficult TO re-
sist the conclusion that in every one OF
these four cascs the disaster was due to
the failure TO check the speed at a curve.
Louisville Courier-Journal. The epidemic
OF railroad accidents in this country which
prevails to such an extent that few days
pass without some frightful tragedy from
open switch or broken rail. IL now accom-
panied by an even more fatal succession of
steamer fatalities. The series was inaug-
urated by the Larchmont tragedy. in Long
Island Sound. when nearly $50 lives were
lost. Then the scene shifted across the
ocean, when nearly as great mortality re-
suited from the wreck Of the British
steamer Berlin on the rocks at the Hook
of Holland, only fifteen out OF 14s persons
being rescued. Then came the news OF
similar accident in the Mediterranean.
when the Lloyd steamer Imperatrix ran
upon a rock or the Isle OF Crete. and from
which but thirteen out OF $50 persons aboard
had been rescued.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28
BILL JACKsON's MOTOR CAR.

George Fitch in Judge
Bill jackson had an auto that was gentia
A sweeter piece Of racing goods would be
A little child could drive it 1t was loved
Until one. day Bill fed the thing denatured
alcohol
Now, something in that alcohol was out OF
For when Bill grasped the steering wheel,
with lover-like caress,
And gently pulled the low, speed on, that
And fell to making circles like a fEz-
infested sport.
The crowd looked on in wild amaze and
loudly hollered whoa
AS down the street like forty cats the car
And when Bill turned the souawker on. all
nervous-like and quick,
Instead OF sounding .Honk, honk, honk."
the thing went ''Hic, .hic, hic."
The auto went plumb crazy. Ist was dane
And waitzing gayly down the street upon
its two hind wheels.
And when good Deacon Potter accidentally
smelled It's breath
He went home drunk with whoops OF 10Y
and beat his wife to death.
lied the town.
1t leaned on forty lamp posts till each one
OF them fell down.
Until at last. with awful leap, It landed
in a swoon,
Its front wheels through the window Of the
''Scalded Cat" saloon.
Bill sadly shut the power OF and hauled
the wreck away.
He got it cobbled up at last, but ever since
that day
He's stuck to common gasoline. With cuss
words that appal
He lows he's had enough Of that d-na-
tured alcohol.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28

big ONCE force at Washington with
$4,000 press agent. but was not
very successful in pushing the real
work on the canal When Mr.. Stew
ems was appointed chief engineer the
real work of digging was commenced
and much was accomplished under his
rule. He yielded, however, to the at
fractions of a position in private life,
joining Wallace and Shonts, and leav-
ing the canal without an executive in
charge OF the actual work
The expenditures for the Panama
canal for the fiscal year ending last
June were S2s,117.77S. an increase Of
$1,126,992 over the appropriation
made by congress. OF this amount
81, 996,202 went to defray the cost of
general administration, s3,O56,O76 to
government and general sanitation.
S3,310.O47 10 equipment and build
ings. s5,577.5s1 to permanent equip
ment and about $4,000, 200 for ma
terial. without questioning the
necessity for expenditure of these
large sums for equipment and general
administration. the president evidently
feels the necessity OF action which will
make the cost of labor and superin-
tendence of labor cut a larger figure
in the reports of the commission. He
proposes to do this by placing the
work directly In charge of the engi-
neer corps of the army and having
contracts let for the actual construc-
ton.
The bids for the construction of the
canal by contract on the percentage
plan have all been rejected by the
president. This was Mr.. Shonts' pet
plan. The president now proposes TO
divide the canal into twelve sections
and award contracts to responsible
bidders for work on each section. all
to be done under the direct super
vision of the engineers of the army.
These engineers are enlisted for the
work. It is part of their duty. They
cannot resign. without consent of the
president. and will take the assign
ment to go to the isthmus and remain
there, just as they would act upon an
order transferring them from one post
to another The presidents decision
to place the supervision of the canal
work in the hands of the engineer
corps undoubtedly will mark a long
step toward actual achievement in the
progress of the great enterprise.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28
A NEW DEAL At PANAMA.

President Roosevelts designation
Of three army engineers as members
of the Panama Canal commission. In
plan of reorganization of the COM
mission due to the retirement of Chair
man Shonts and the resignation of
Chief Engineer Stevens. is a notice
that dilatory tactics will no longer be
tolerated, and that no more expert
ments with high priced civilian engi-
neers Will be tried in the construction
and completion of the great inter-
oceanic waterway The resignation
of Mr.. Stevens. rumored and denied
from time to time, came as a surprise
to the authorities at Washington, but
served the purpose of confirming the
presidents opinion that the future
work on the canal should be under the
direction of the engineer corps of the
army and fastening his decision to
that effect.
The government has been notably
unfortunate in its efforts to secure the
construction of the canal under the
direction of a civilian engineer. John
Findlay Wallace. the first chief engi-
neer appointed. did effective work in
the preliminary organization of the
construction force, but resigned to ac-
cept position with private concern.
He was severely eensured at the time,
but II is now we'll known that he gave
up the post because of his inability to
agree with the plans of Theodore p.
Shonts, who was made chairman of
the commission and who started in to
get all the credit that might come
from the successful prosecution of the
enterprise. Mr.. Shonts maintained
his headquarters in Washington. max
ing occasional hurried trips to the
isthmus, and succeeded in establishing
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28

A bill to create the Office of county
comptroller and merge the Office of
city comptroller with it ought by all
means to be passed by the present leg
islature. We took several big steps
toward consolidation of city and
county governments when the treas
uries and the tax assessing machinery
were merged two years ago. The
merger of the auditing departments
is the next logical move.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28
MR.. SHAW, NEW PORK BANKER:

The decision of Mr.. Leslie NJ. Shaw
to accept the presidency of a New
York trust company when he retires
next week from the presidents cabinet
should occasion no surprise in view of
record made by big financial institu-
tions in New York in securing the
services of men who have been
schooled in the Treasury department
at Washington. Within a dozen
years a score Of men who have held
positions of trust in the Treasury de-
partment at Washington have either
resigned or retired at the expiration
of their terms of Office to accept posi-
tons of great trust and responsibility
with some OF the largest financial con-
Germs in the nation. Mr.. Cleveland's
first secretary of the treasury, John
G. Carlisle. went to New York to a
lucrative law practice. and his sue
cessor, Mr.. Fairchilds. became iderti-
New York Immediately after he left
the public service. Mr.. Gage retired
from President McKinley's cabinet to
become the head of a big Wall street
institution and Mr.. Dawes. Mr.. Van
derlip, Mr.. Eckles. Mr.. Conant. Mr..
Allies, Mr.. Armstrong and long list
of men who have served the treasury
as assistant secretaries. or in even less
prominent positions. have resigned or
retired to accept more lucrative places
with financial concerns.
This drain by Wall street on the
personnel of the treasury force is but
natural The Treasury department is
an institution of precedents. The rec
ord shows that one secretary acts very
much like another under certain con-
ditions in the matter of increasing de-
posits in national banks. anticipating
bond interest, rendering decisions at
fecting customs and revenues and
reaching conclusions upon all cardinal
matters affecting the department with
its relations TO the banking and COM
AhNANAaA AhANANeNo Va NhN NCNhNAgH
rulings of the department are of vast
Importance TO the banking interests Of
the east A decision to anticipate in
October the bond interest payments
due on January may not mean any
thing to the average citizen. but 1t
means thousands of dollars 10 the
financial concern that deals in bond
securities on a large scale. Accord
ingly. the treasury-trained man who
readily grasps the situation and for
sees conditions which will make IT
more than probable that such action
will be taken by the secretary OF the
treasury, Is a highly valuable person
to have in charge of big Wall street
bank. Such person has an advantage
which can hardly be obtained without
term OF experience In some respon-
sible position In the Treasury depart
ment at Washington. The value of
such experience is demonstrated by
the fact that Mr., Gage. Mr.. Shaw and
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28

Bills providing for reduction Of
the Philippine tariff, anti-injunction
legislation, publication of campaign
expenditures. child labor regulation,
conserving the coal and oil lands. re-
moving the duty on art works, citizen
ship for Porto Ricans. copyright re-
vision and charging the scope of the
eight-hour law are among measures
recommended by the president which
the present congress will leave under
the head of unfinished business"
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28
A BAN ON CUss WORDS.

Representative Tubbs of MISSOURI,
who signalled for the calcium to be
turned in his direction when he in
troduced a bill In the state legislature
prohibiting tips and then followed 1t
with one limiting the women of the
state to two $1.9S hats per year, has
been forced into partial eclipse by one
of his colleagues, Mr.. Clark-first and
real name not known and residence
not given in the telegraphic reports
who has offered o measure providing
for tax on every damn or curse ut
tered in a public place In the state of
Missouri" The tax. or penalty,
ranges from SO cents to 81, according
to the nature of the curse and the
vehemence with which it is expressed.
The enactment of Mr.. Clark's
measure would open a field for won
derful financial possibilities in Mis-
souri,. The state would no longer
have to worry over the collection of
taxes from corporations or the mulct-
ing of trusts. A cash register and a
bunch of constables on duty at each
political convention would furnish a
starter of a fund that would grow
amazingly about election time. when
the Indians" begin operating in St.
Louis, Kansas City and st. Joe. The
subtreasury would have to be moved
from st. Louis to Jefferson City to
furnish storage for the revenues OBJ
tained in the hotel Hobbies during a
session of the legislature when the
railroads and breweries fail to agree
senator's, and the laws to be enacted
by the peoples representatives. The
public pinocle games In st. Louis
ought to break the mint record for
productiveness and the returns from
the Sunday ball games when the home
team loses should soon be sufficient to
wipe out the bonded debt of the state.
The revenue possible by the opera
ton of Mr.. Clark's bill may be af-
fected somewhat by the construction
the courts put on the phrase Sin any
public place in the state OF Missouri"
If mans field or back yard is held to
be a public place, large additions to
the revenues may be expected about
the carpet cleaning time and during
the blowing season when the refractory
mule, indigenous to Missouri, and the
hired man have their hourly contest
for championship in stubbornness. En-
forcement of an anti-profanity law in
the dairy during fly time would con-
stitute tax that would make the milk
business of the state Improbable, and
II further cash we're needed 1t could be
secured by having the officers enforce
the law on the farmers boys on their
way home from town on Saturday
night.
If the Clark bill becomes a law 1t
will be awarded the belt as the climax
of craftsmanship If 1t reduces the old
line mossback of Missouri to substitute
"by heck" for the fierce and fiery ex-
pletives in the manufacture and use
of which he is now recognized as an
expert.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28
why rHEY FroBr so BARp.

Any one watching the progress OF
the fight in Nebraska for legislation
that will require the railroads to do
the fair thing by their patrons and by
the public would imagine that the life
and death Of these corporations de-
pended upon the outcome in this state.
The fact is, however. that the fight in
Nebraska Is but part of the fight
throughout the country wherever the
people, aroused TO a sense of the
wrongs which they have been suffering
at the hands Of the railroads. are at
tempting to redress their grievances.
The paid lobbyists and official rep
resentatives of the roads in Nebraska
have evidently been persuaded that
they are to be held responsible by
their masters for the loss by the rail-
roads of their grip on this state.
They have evidently been sharply re-
minded that the action of Nebraska
may have some effect upon the action
of other states and that their success
in defeating railroad legislation will
be more welcome and better recon-
pensed IL accomplished 80 as to help
out elsewhere.
1'hk erplles 10 the 2-cent passenger
rate most particularly, because 2-cent
rate bills are pending in a dozen leg
islatures. II the railroad bosses in
Iowa or Wisconsin could say, See,
they have turned down this same prop
osition in Nebraska" the railroad
argument. doubtless. would be con-
siderably strengthened. If the rail-
roads could beat 2-cent fares in Iowa
their lobbyists at Lincoln would i'm
mediately call attention to the fact
and say, Does Nebraska propose to be
more unfair than Iowa?"
IL is the same with the terminal tax
proposition. The railroad lobbyists
at Lincoln have been as busy as beav-
ers trying to convince rural members
what a bad thing this would be. and
to- cajole them into repudiating pub
licly made pledges in order to save the
tax-shirking' railroads from paying
city taxes. To be compelled to bear
their just share of the burden Of mu-
nicipal government in Nebraska would
not be so serious for the railroads, ex-
cept for the example It would set for
other states in which they are likewise
similarly evading their just dues. II
Nebraska gets in line with the states
that require the taxation of terminals
for city purposes the same as other
property, the railroads will be up
against the same proposition in other
states very shortly.
That explains why the railroad OPP
position to bills which on their face
seem fair and which require nothing
of them but that they should exact
only reasonable rates and pay their
taxes like other people are fought by
them as fiercely as IL they proposed to
confiscate their entire holdings. There
is no good reason. however, why Ne
braska should play cat's-paw for the
railroads Just to help them along in
perpetuating their pernicious prac-
tees in other states as we'll as here.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28

The haste Of the Nebraska delega-
ton at Washington to pull on that
new federal iudgeship before the 4th
OF March Is easily explained. Three
members OF the delegation pass, polit-
ically speaking. into a state Of inocu-
Gus desuetude as soon as the clock
strikes ~ noon on that eyentfuI day.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28
FLASHES OF Pun.

B Why DO you allow yourself to be posted
Wen. answered the easy going youth.
Ns a large club and a sven one. and no
one would know I was a member Of Il un-
less l got posted now and then."--Washing-
What's the difference between a - :
laureate and other poetsT''
"A poet laureate gets paid. "--Cleveland
Leader.
Dad. INQUIRED Freddy. what Ia .
Where's your motherT' asked Dad"
She's downstairs answered the boy.
Z Well. then began Dad" "a figure OF
speech, my son, is oman."-Harper's
Excuse me-" tmpulsively exclaimed the
q trim little waist. Miss veeness."
3, Yes" replied the young lady. with
around that, Mr.. .Freschley. ''Ec1evelsnd
Leader.
Senator. what do you think ought 10 ba
done to save the country from the coming
Avoid the croakers. Good day.'-Phila-
delphia Press.
Knlcker-R Roosevelt considers the gold
coins inartstic
Extraordinarily the poor artist who de-
Sun.
I'VE must have less discord," said the
baton.
"Fiddlesticks," exclaimed the violius.
you're stringing us"
''Discord? In a horn!" ventured thu
brass.
With a guilty air the wood wind rustled
the leaves. only the flute was too much put
out to make a sound.
We'll, that beats u.s. remarked the
drums, observing that harmony had been
neutrality-suspicious. Ledger.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28

Every member of the Board of
County Commissioners of Douglas
county has recorded himself for the
law opening up the furnishing OF
meals to county jail prisoners to COM
petitive bids. The sheriff. who pock-
cts the graft, seems to be the only one
about the court house to defend it.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28

The chief of police and the chief of
detectives at Salt Lake City have been
arrested for fleeing tourists. Times
have certainly changed II It is consid-
cred an offense to fleece a tourist In
the Rocky mountain region.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28
An Easy Task.
Chinarn Recnrd-Herald.

Chicago Record-Herald.
Kourpatkin has been challenged TO fight
duels with four OF the generals whom he
crticises in his book If they show no
more bravery or skill on the field Of honor
than they exhibited On the fields OF battle
he ought TO be able to dispose OF them with
ridiculous ease.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28
Death ON Curves.
Boston transcript.

The recent accident on the New York
Central was due TO high speed on curve.
The accident on a Boston Elevated train
not long ago was due to high speed on
curve. The disaster at Salisbury, England.
sbont time FOR railroad M IN spans over
get onto their euryes."Of Douglas Com
in the transporta-
- shall furnish caboose
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28

Professor Wiley of the department OF
agriculture says that inasmuch as every
100 pounds of cornstalks will yield six and a
half pounds of absolute alcohol, 1t is OBJ
vious that the ignorant agriculturlst has
been allowing an enormous amount of
wealth to go TO waste.
Say that one acre will yield from ten TO
twelve tons of grain stalks, or about 5000
pounds, and you have a quantity of raw
material which will produce 1900 pounds of
absolute alcohol, or 21s gallons. Alcohol
at the present time is worth 10 cents a
gallon.
Ground in a wet condition and dried,
cornstalks may be kept indefinitely. and
are ready at any time for conversion into
alcohol derivable from the cornstalks that
now go to waste in this country and would
not only drive al the machinery of our
factories. but would furnish the requisite
power for all our railroads. and steamboats,,
run all of our automobiles. heat and illum-
mate all our houses and light the streets
Of every city In the union.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28

Hanging in efigy reputable citizens
who favor consolidation of South
Omaha with Omaha may be harmless
amusement in the bull-hght city. but
We doubt whether it viii help the
cause.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28

The next engineer who tries to use
the Panama canal job for stepping
stone to a better position will learn
something to his disadvantage by COM
municating with President Roosevelt.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28

Postmaster Busse of Chicago
crawled out of railroad wreck In
Pennsylvania to learn that he had just
been nominated as the republican
candidate for mayor of Chicago. The
democrats are now planning to land
him in a wreck at the other end of his
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28

The federal government is making
an effort to stop the importation OF
Greek boys to America. In event Of
its success Americans may have to
learn to polish their own shoes.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28

Democracy is on trial for its life,"
says Senator La Toilette. It must be
the fourth trial, then, as 1t was found
guilty in 1896. 1900 and 1904.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28

A cutlery man says there is no
longer any demand IN Texas for bowie
knives. Texans probably now want
a knife with less blade and more room
for the eorkscrew.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28
A Victory of Pence.
Baltimore News.


The Beers have a clear majority in the
Transvaal Parliament and have organized
the administration with one of their gem
erals at its head. II is rare that people
defeated I'm war so quickly regain control
OF their own affairs,
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28

Manufacturers of crutches and med
zeal supplies owe much of their pros
perity to the present system of oper-
atlng trains on American railways.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28

the continuance of the county jail
feeding graft?
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28

Anyway, the Thaw family promises
to soon be in position to plead not
guilty to the charge of having a swol-
len fortune.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28

WHEN OUT OF TOWN.
Subscribers leaving the city tenn
porariIy should have The Bee
mailed 60 them. Address will be
changed as often ms requested.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28

Mr.. Harriman's forgetting machine
appears to have been properly oiled In
the right places.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28
In rrncI1Ier. Tall Timber.

New York Tribune.
Japhet in search Of father never got
into so many blind trails as the democratic
party I'm its present hunt for n leader.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28

The report that Mrs. Hetty Green
is going to match Mr.. Rockefeller's
donation for educational purposes
lacks confirmation.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28

Honduras and Nicaragua are still
sparrlng for the featherweight cham
pionship of Central America.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-28

An artist insists that the Missouri
river is beautiful. 1t is. even II its
complexion does at times suggest
jaundice.