davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-02
THE POSTAL DEFICIT,

The postal deficit for the year end
ing with June 80 was about S13 $780,
900, the largest in the history Of the
country with the exception Of 1905,
when the deficiency amounted to $751;
600, 900. The deficit for 1907 was
$500 900, and the postmaster gen.
eral attributes the decrease in reve-
nues this year to the business depres-
sion that set in last October. Up to
that time the revenues OF the depart
ment had shown a good increase over
the business of 1907, and if normal
conditions had obtained in the bust
ness world the deficit at the end Of the
fiscal year would have been practically
nominal.
The deficit is not a large amount, in
view Of the exceptionally large ex-
penditures that have been made in the
last few years in the development and
extension Of the rural free delivery
service and other improvements in
postal facilities. The expenses of the
department are now annually more
than $500, 900, 900, and there has been
a deficiency in the receipts for all but
twelve years since the service was es-
tablished. The expense of the rural free
delivery service is about ~s25,00O,OOO
a year, but the reports show that this
service is becoming a great revenue
getter for the department and that a
fair share of the expense of its main
tenance has been OFFSET by the discon-
tinuance Of small postohices in the
country districts. The department has
issued notice that rural free delivery
will not be continued on roads that
are not kept in condition to be Travelled
with facility and safety at all seasons
Of the year. The effect Of this is tC
cause great Improvements to be mad,
Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-02
THE CHEERING MESSAGE.
Cleveland Leader.

Cleveland Leader.
Were you ever way down on your uppers,
With never a cent to spend,
Your prospects blue, your board overdue,
And Nowhere to find a friend?
In a strange and pitiless city,
Have you come to the end of your rope,
When out of the past came a letter. at last
With a message of love and hope?
l was all of those things I've writ Of
Forgotten and down and out,
with never a dream Of a CLEAN OF a bean
OF light to be hopeful aboutI.oM
So l said, Whats the use2 I'll end 1t!
One shot, and my pain is still!'
Then the postman (Fate?) brought a note
from my mate
My old-time school chum, Bill!
One friend who hadn't forgotten!
One tie to the old earth yet!
My hearts blood leapt, where 1t long had
slept,
And the tears on my cheeks were wet, =
II was God who sent that letter
To stay the fatal shot,
One note of love, and we rise above
Our fate, and our woes are not!
Dear Bob" All, the same old nickname.
We were chums in the ~schoolboy days;
There's a sacred debt that ! can't forget,
Though fortune has parted our ways.
81 hope that you're well and happy,
was always your friend-am still;
Remember that ten that I lent you thenT
Please settle-I need It., BILL
Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-02
Personal NOTES.

S~uffragettes to the number Of 100. 900 pro
pose to surround the House of Commons.
The necessity for airships becomes daily
more apparent.
President Roosevelt had a perfectly cork
ing time with a publisher the other day.
The publisher agreed to pay 100000 for the
presidents written story Of his two years
hunting experiences in Africa.
The female statistician has figured that
there are exactly 1,294,5CO bachelors in the
United States-or, at least, there were at
the time the figures were compiled. 1t is
only during leap year that such sad and
melancholy facts come to light.
Governor Regis II. Post has returned
to San Juan, Porto Rico, after a two
months absence. He states that he dis
cussed with bankers in New York the
question of issuing bonds to carry out
the irrigation plans in Porto Rico, and
that he probably will call an extra ses-
sion Of the legislature to enact the ncces-
sary laws to make the loans.
Mrs. William E.. Corey, wife OF the presi-
dent of the United States Steel corpora
ton, has announced her plans for the IS
tablishment of an American opera house
in Paris, at which only American artists
would appear. Mrs. Corey intends 10 make
this Franco-American theater the central
feature Of a school Of operate art, where
poor students, boys and girls, from Amer
lea may study under the best foreign
masters. The chief director will be Jean de
Reszke.
Among the facts ascertained at the recent
meeting of governors which may appear in
the next census tabulation on gubernatorial
whiskers came to light and it is this: Gov
ernor Hughes is the only governor in the
United States with dark whiskers. Gov
ernor Harris of Ohio, Governor Dawson Of
West Virginia and Governor Brooks of
Wyoming have what pass for boards, but
they are all off color; gray, streaked and
scr~aggly-nothing a constituency would
care to swear by.
Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-02
4 FtRE-EArERs DEFEAT.

The old house of congress won't be
what it used to be, when the new body
meet next March. The democrats Of
the Sixth congressional district Of Ten
nessee have decided to retire from
public service John Wesley Gaines,
who has been the near-fire eater and
the alarm-to-battle sounder on the
democratic side of the house for twelve
years. During that time he has slept
with the constitution for a pillow and
the rights Of man for a %coverlet, He
has spent his waking hours in the
arena Of public debate. meeting all
corners. and has never yet lowered
his arm, or his voice. He has injected
life into the consideration of pension
bills and made hilarious the days de-
voted to ordinarily dull topics like
the revision OF the revised statutes or
the Spanish war claims. He has given
the minority about the only claim It
has had to distinction for the last half
dozen years.
Still Mr.. Gaines will leave congress
with one prestige Of which he cannot
be robbed. His name appears more
frequently in the Congressional Record
than does that of any other member.
He has not made more speeches-al-
though he has tried to do so-but he
has seer to it hat no member ever
got a set speech in the Record with
out some such Interpolation as this:
Mr.. Gaines-Mr. Speaker!
The Speaker-The gentleman from Ten
nessee.
Mr.. Gaines-wil the gentleman from
Nebraska yield for a question?
Mr.. Pollard-Certainly.
Mr.. Gaines-win the gentleman from
Nebraska please tell me
And Mr.. Gaines would wander off
and ask some question about the
Chinese court of chancery or the crop
outlook in Buffalo county, or some
question equally irrelevant to the sub
ject of the Nebraskan's speech and
then resume his seat, satisfied with
Tennessee would find his name in the
Congressional Record mex morning.
If the gentleman on the floor talked
more than ten minutes Mr.. Gaines
would interrupt again. He made an
effort to appear at least once on every
page of the Record and he rarely
missed his calculation. Perhaps the
sum of human knowledge has not been
increased by these tactics, but in the
days when distinction in any field is
difficult OF achievement, Mr.. Gaines
Of Tennessee is entitled to whatever
credit belongs to his unique method of
making a record for himself.
Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-02
THE HEARST RECOUNT.

The one pleasing result of the cleo
ton contest in New York City, In
which w. r. Hearst made a three
years fight to Dust George B.. Nc
Clellan from the mayors chair, is the
abundant proof that the result of the
municipal election of 1905 in that city
was not a fraud. The country at large
has long been under the impression
that a fair election in New York City
was an impossibility. Each election
result is followed with charges of bal
lot box stuffing, bribery, coercion and
gigantic frauds so often repeated that
their truth has been generally accepted.
Mr.. Hearst evidently believed them,
for he has resorted to every mea
afforded by the law and has incurred
great expense in securing a recount of
the ballots. The result shows that about
o~ne-seventh of 1 per cent Of the votes
were affected by the recount and the
gains and losses divided practically
even between MI. Hearst and Mr.. Nc
Clellan.
The outcome does not bear any
special glory or credit to Mayor Nc
! Clellan. He has resisted by every de-
vice known TO the law the attempts
to recanvass the vote and this oppo-
sition gave Mr.. Hearst opportunity to
pose as a martyr. Had Mayor Nc
Clellan taken the position at first that
he did not want the office unless hon
estly elected, the recount could have
been made promptly and the case set
tied within a few months instead of
dragging through the courts for three
years. Mayor McClellan's opposition
to a recount lent color to Mr.. Hearst's
charge that a political conspiracy had
been successfully made to defeat him.
Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-02
CREDIT AND INSURANCE

The National Association of Credit
Men in their annual convention at Den
yer devoted much discussion to the
problem of fire insurance and fire pre-
vention, which is attracting the atten-
tion of trade organizations throughout
the country. While the plans of the
association for making proper insur-
ance a condition to the extension of
credit, particularly in the case of mer-
chants in small towns where fire fight
ing facilities are limited have not been
fully developed, the agitation of the
question is certain to produce good
results in checking the annual fire
loss, which is greater in the United
States than in any other nation. The
report of the insurance committee of
the association contains the following:
1t seems a fact beyond denial that there
Is an immense loss each year in the United
States, much of which could be saved,
taking as a comparison the loss sustained
in other countries of relative commercial
Importance. The total average fire loss
in the United States each year is about
5000, 900, 900. Recent figures are quoted
to show that the per capita loss in this
country averages about $2.25, in COMPARE
son with about 80 cents in important
European countries. Taking large cities
as a basis for comparison, the average
yearly fire loss in Berlin is about Sl50,0 900.
while in Chicago the loss is close to
5000, 900. These comparisons show con-
clusively to any thinking individual that
the TTnitnd GtafaG 10 Eah1u IN mead of haf-
ter fire protection, whether it be in build
ing construction, fire apparatus or more
precaution on the part of the assured.
The committee recommended the
adoption Of the fire marshal law, al
ready in force in some states, and the
adoption Of plans for making careful
investigation into the causes of fires
and prosecution where there appears
to be evidence of incendiarism or
arson. 1t also declared against the
valued policy law.
The credit men apparently appreci-
ate another important matter in con-
nection with fire insurance. The COM
mittee's report particularly censured
the form of policies used by many, II
not most, fire insurance companies, as
serting that these policies were so
worded as to deceive the average
policyholder as to the extent Of the in
surance company's real responsibility
in case of fire loss. The committee
recommended the adoption of a form
of policy that would be so plain and
easy Of understanding that the mer-
chant of ordinary business sense could
know absolutely the obligation the in
surance company took on itself and
that imposed on him. This, it was
argued, would lessen the amount of
litigation over policies and encourage
merchants to carry more adequate in
surance. The association decided to
begin a campaign Of education for
the purpose of teaching merchants that
their insurance strengthens their
credit and also for the purpose of in
ducing a better understanding be-
tween insurance companies and their
policyholders. Nothing but good can
come from any action Of this kind, de-
signed as 1t is to reduce the size Of
the national ash heap,
Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-02

in the highways OF the country, pro-
ducing a general benefit that probably
more than Offsets the cost Of the rural
delivery service.
1t is not the design of the govern
ment to make the postal service a
source of profit, but every postmaster
general makes a determined effort to
place the service on a self-supporting
basis. This could be done quickly by
the elimination or strict regulation Of
the franking privilege, as the cost of
carrying needless public documents
and reports sent out by members Of
congress and the departments is
greater than the deficit. Reform in
this direction, however, will be difh-
cult, as congressman are naturally
slow to limit their personal privileges.
Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-02
BRYAN AND COMMON SENSE.
Nomination of q stump Speech for
President"

Washington Post.
Colonel Henry Watterson tells us that the
common sense OF the country will elect
Colonel William ]. Bryan, president of the
United States, which, we take to be a re-
Election on common sense. In the consensus
II is held that when Colonel Bryan is chosen
president 1t will be the triumph OF the
hysteria of the country. Indeed, IL in the
courts of absurdity, Colonel Bryan were
indicted for the offense OF practicing COM
mon sense, he could successfully plead an
alibi, and establish it by the asseverations
of Colonel Watterson, numerously, emphRti-
cally and Dramatically given in all the
years 1S96-19O6, both inclusive.
Nobody ought to know better than Colonel
Watterson that the triumph of his ~favorite
at Denver will be this. and nothing but
this: The nomination OF a stump speech for
president. What has he ever said that will
live, except his borrowed figure of the cross
OF gold and crown Of thorns that the event
made a%sinine? What has he advanced to
challenge the common sense of the country,
except a batch of nonsense2
Government ownership? He ran away
from 1t; but his party will have to tote
It II he be the nominee. Initiative and refer
endum? He couldn't garry Mississippi on
that with William f. Chandler the oppos-
ing candidate. The more vigorous chase
Of the octopus? The country demands and
will have rest from that.
Common sense wants common sense in
the White House, and common sense
knowns common sense when confronted
with 1t in the big road. Politically, Mr..
Bryan is an agitator ready to adopt any
fad. He has fled from pillar to post in
chase OF absurdities TO spring on the peo-
pie.
Colonel Watterson is a democrat, and
none knows better than he that the heart
and the soul, the mind and the strength,
Of Jeffersonian democracy is the curtail-
ment of governmental power at Washing.
ton, and Colonel Watterson ought to know
that every aspiration OF William ]. Bryan
is to argument that power.
Common sense, indeed!
Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-02
PATRIOTISM THAT COUNTS.
BuEle Calls for United Efforts in
Making Things Better.
Editorial in Century Magazine.

Editorial in Century Magazine.
The conference (of the governors n the
states at the White House, May 1919 took
IN from time to time the aspect of a con-
fessional, Not a single speaker took issue
with the alarming facts presented in re-
gard to every field Of our national wealth.
Floods, erosion, change of climate. waste
of natural gas. diminution Of sea food, and
the impairment Of great scenic beauty,
were touched upon more lightly but not
less significantly. But If a pesslmist might
have found in these statements occasion
for complacency, the same could not be
said of the cynic, who would have been
distressed by the unfailing response which
greeted every note Of aItruism. The deep
impression OF the peril was not more
marked than the conviction that a remedy
must speedily be found. The serious and
devoted spirit-as Of men administering a
solemn trust-was inspiring, and Al times
electric in its manifestation. DIT. Edward
Everett Hale struck the keynote In the
passage which preceded his invocation.
and the fervoT with which the whole
assembly Joined him In the Lords Prayer
was most impressive The patriotism Of
making things better was the bugle-ca.l
that aroused every one to enthusiasm.
whether Il was sounded by Mr.. John
Mitchell. setting forth the needs OF stronger
safeguards for the lives OF miners, or By
MI. Horace mcfarland &. his plea for the
protection Of beautiful scenery as a val
liable, and the most generally distributed,
natural asset OF the country-a form Of
wealth to be left unimpaired TO our chill
dren's children. II would not have sur
prised any one II the conference had
closed its session with the singing Of
MY County It's Of Thee
Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-02
Government by Commission.

Kansas City Times.
Omaha is now interesting itself In the
commission form Of government. Three
members of it's real estate exchange visited
Des Moines to study the plan under which
that city is operating. They have made
their report in the form Of an absolute
commentator that commission govern
ment be adopted as the new city charter.
The enemies of commission government are
those who know the least about the plan.
In every city where It has been adopted
the people are practically unanimous in
it's praise. In none of them could there
be mustered a respectable opposition to
II. Every student of municipal affairs who
visits any of these cities becomes an adj
vocate Of the commission plan. What more
convincing proof Of it's wisdom and its
efficiency could be offered to reasonable
men?
Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-02

Poor mani, said the kim lady. How
did you 90 blind2"
We'll, mum, " answered Tired T~readwell
de foist time dat / noticed e was when
was out lookin' for ork."-ChicGgo Rec.
ord-Herald.
"He seems to be very strongly attached
to his new motor car"
He wasn't the last time | saw him on
the road; He was about twenty feet above
1t. "-Philadelphia Press.
Miss Bunkerhil-Have you read scott's
novels?'
Miss Laker-All but his "Emulsions." |
have seen It advertised a great many times
In Chicago, but have never been able to
get a copy.-Judge.
why are you so persistently inclined to
legislative inaction?'
Because answered Senator Sorghum,
people are never satisfied. and II is better
to have them hopeful about what you are
going to do than disappointed In what you
have already done.'-Washington Star.
you here. james, exclaimed the slum-
worker, visiting the Jail.
"Yes'm.' replied the new prisoner. who
was in for burglary.
"well. well, / certainly am surprised
80 was !, ma'am, or | wouldn't be here
baltimore American.
Teacher Examining new boy)-Henry do
you know anything of mathematical How
do you extract the square root?
New Boy (from Kentuckyl-I never
done nothin' like that ma'am. You have to
use a corkscrew, don't you?-Chicago
Tribune.
Stage Manageable girl that takes the
part of the sleeping beauty in the show
can't go on tonight.
Business Manager-Why not7
Stage Manager-She ate a Welsh rabbit
and she can't sleepi-Yonker Statesman.
Knicker-Are they a bridal couple?
Bocker-No. By his devotion l should
Judge she is a cook he is thking out to
the suburbs.-New York Sun.
Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-02

Higher even than the cloud-piercing peaks
OF the Singer and Metropolitan Life build.
ings will be a new structure to be erected
for the Equitable Life Assurance society.
Plans were filed with Edward s. Muir
ply, superintendent Of buildings. The
building will occupy the present site of
the Equitable, on the block bounded by
Broadway, Nassau, Pine and Cedar streets,
and, including a tower, will rise to a
height OF sixty-two stories, 800 feet above
the curb line, exclusive Of a flagstaff.
which will measure to the tip $50 feet more.
The cost will be about SIS. 200
900. The top Of the Metropolitan tower is
500 feet and that OF the Singer building
6l2 feet.
Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-02
failing THE TICKET.
Provoking Levity In Presence of the
Peerless One.

Philadelphia Record.
Running mates for Mr., Bryan are cropping
out on every side. Most Of them we do not
remember to have heard of before, but
we do not doubt they are excellent men
well worthy Of honors at the hands Of the
Denver convention. Mr.. Bryan is reported
to be willing to have any one of them.
He is quoted as welcoming Mr.. Sullivan OF
Iowa. He seems to be on extremely
friendly terms with Mr.. Sullivan OF Illinois,
whom he accommodated from the party
a couple of years ago, and two or three
men in the east whose rames escape US are
reported TO be quite satisfactory TO him.
In fact, the first place on the ticket is the
only one that he is said 10 be particular
about. His reported wish 10 have Judge
Gray or Governor Johnson for a colleague p,
as a representative of the more co~nserva-
tive dement's of the democracy, Is entirely
credible. but il recalls the lines;
There was a young lady from Niger
Who went out to ride on a tiger.
They came back from the ride
With the lady inside,
And q mile on the face Of the tiger.
Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-02
Mr.. Taft and "ImperiaIIsm."

It is a curious fact that in all the COM
ment on the nomination of Mr.. Taft for
the presidency It Is only in the journals
Of the continent Of Europe that any al
fusion is made to the imperialism" of
which he may be supposed to be a repre-
sentative. In 1900 the votes OF a consid-
cradle number OF Americans of unusual
intelligence and patriotism were given to
Mr.. Bryan despite his manifold disqualifi-
cations because he stood for the opposition
to imperialism" and, though this feeling
was weaker in 1904, it was appreciable.
Today, II 1t exists, it is pretty nearly
silent.
Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-02

The Filipinos are surely becoming
civilized. A dozen Filipino boys have
been arrested because they were over
heard plotting to kill their school
teacher.
Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-02

That 100000 Bryan campaign
fund which is being raised by Mayor
Jim's chief lieutenant is pronounced
a myth. If it goes the same way as
the SIS 900 entrusted to Mayor Jim
by the old Parker gang" four years
ago it will be very much like a myth.
Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-02
Democrats in Republican Cabinets,
Philadelphia Record

IHIIautIpUIa IteCOTu.
Mr.. Wright Is the third democrat TO enter
the Roosevelt cabinet. But Mr.. Straus had
held office under President Mckinley since
he had under President Cleveland, and Mr.
Morton had never held any office or
figured at all in politics. Mr.. Stanton
was a Buchanan democrat so far as the
public was aware when President Lincoln's
nomination OF him to be secretary OF war
fell like a bombshell" IN the senate, as
a contemporary account
Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-02

Uncle Henry Gassaway Davis has
changed his mind again and says he
is going to be married, whether his
grandchildren like 1t or not. He is
determined, however, not to play the
role of the "bar'l' in the democratic
drama this year.
Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-02

The New York Sun declares that
President Roosevelt was defeated for
a third term. As he was not a candi-
date for the nomination, insisted he
would not have taken it If it had been
rendered to him and used every eff
fort to prevent the consideration Of
his name for the place, his defeat al
not be very CALLING.
Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-02

A British commission is coming to
this country to find out all it can
about American fish. The commits
sion is cautioned against believing all
1t may hear about American fish.
Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-02

The June rainfall, according to the
weather bureau experts, was above
the normal. The mex thing in order
is an official disquisition on the
mean" temperature for June.
Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-02
Legal Surgery on OH Trust.

Pittsburg Dispatch.
II success OF the government in the suit
to dissolve the Standard Oil combination
verifies the prediction Of the prosecuting
counsel, that 1t will restore competition and
reduce the price Of oil, it will be much
more successful than the famous victory
over the beef trust. The people are in a
Missouri state Of mind about tr~ust-busting
Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-02

A New York policeman arrested a boy
who was playing ball in the street. The
prisoner was taken into the children's
court, where he received a lecture on the
iniquity OF having a good time on the
public ~thoroughfares. The Judge explained
the danger there was Of hurting some one
and also called attention to the fact that
the street is not the property Of the culprit
and asked him to tell to whom the streets
belong. The little prisoner answered, de
automobiles" and the court discharged
him.
Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-02

all Of it? Is not an appeal for half Of
the negro vote a confession on the part
OF the democrats that they are entitled
TO none Of It? Negro voters will re-
member the time-tried axiom, United
we stand, divided we fall