davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22
vANDALIsM AT THE CAPITAL.
Souvenir Fiends KrreparabIy DisfiE-
ure n statue.
WaahinSton Star

ONohH
Some time during the Inauguration rush
a vandal attacked one Of the marble sta
tues at the main entrance on the east
side Of the capitol and carried away as
trophies an ear and a part of the nose.
The statue is irrepsrably disfigured. and
the miscreant who did this work has now
in his possession two pieces of white
stone which will be wholly without mean
Ing to those beholding them until it is ex-
planned that they represent w~antonness.
They are souvenirs of a crime, a pecu-
liarly despicable form of theft. Their DOS
SCISSOR must be an abnormal person to de-
rive pleasure from them.
Some pity Is felt for the man who steals
in order to sustain his own life or to pro-
vide necessities for his family. The pro-
fessional thief, who makes a business of
taking other peoples property. commands
some degree of respect. however dangerous
he may be and whatever the severity OF the
penalty imposed upon him when he Is con-
Victed OF his crime. But for the man who
steals uselessly, who steals not from need
or from deliberate choice OF a means of
livelihood, but from the mean motive of
disqualification, and who in stealing de-
stroys historical or artistic objects beyond
replacement or repair, there is the deepest
contempt. He lacks the courage Of the
professional and the piteous inspiration of
the destitute. He is an egotist without
consideration for others. He is morally
debased.
One i'll effect Of vandalism is that it
necessarily lessons the pleasure OF all per-
sons who follow the thief. Thu museum OF
relics that has been looted by the souvenir
collector is never again so interesting
or instructive to the world. The work of
art that has been mutilated by the loss
of a member is never beautiful or lnspir-
ing. The gaps that are left in the coIlec-
ion or the scars on the statue tell only
too eloquently of the work of ruthless
hands and teach no other lesson than the
obvious one that vandalism is a crime not
yet eradicated from humanity by civiliEing
influences.
Furthermore, vandalism continued may
compel the guardians OF public art works
to remove them from the reach of the
clippers and cutters. Enjoyment OF them
by the people who respect them is lessened,
perhaps checked altogether. The vandal
givs no thought to the harm he is doing
countless others who know how to carry
away with them mental souvenirs OF their
contact with beautiful things, memories
that live and inspire recitals for the pleas
ure OF others and the spread Of the fame
OF artistic creations.
Washington has suffered severely from
the vandals who have visited the city at
times OF great congestion. The capitol
bears many marks of their malevolent min
| istrations and the Washington monument
shows a permanent record of a great mum
Der OF such desecratins enterprises. The
local courts always deal severely with the
offenders when they are caught. Perhaps
IL may be necessary to post plaeards con-
spicuously at the points OF public interest
reciting the law provided for the punish
! ment Of vandals.'
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22
PERSONAL T

Another railroad company ordering It's
employees to quit smoking whilo on duty.
II the prohibition could only he extended
50 as to include the locomotives!
The only states for which battieships
or armored cruisers have not been named
are Nevada and Oklahoma. These omission,
will soon be corrected in the interest OF
peace in the family.
Champ Clark may be reminded OF the
Gridiron clubs question to Senator Cor
man: How do you like being the demo
cratic leader?" Answer: IT should like it
better IL I had somebody to follow
Edwin A. Brown, a rich Denver man,
who is deyoting his time and fortune To
the investigation of the conditions OF the
poor. says Washington has the worst
municipal lodging house in the United
States. ....
Friedrich Theil. a peasant of Rauda. IN
Saxony, whose leisure hours have been
devoted to the study of Greek. Latin, He
brew, sanscrit. Arabic and Gaelic. recently
celebrated his 18th birthday by beginning
to study the English language.
Josie Mansfield, old and helpless, is
living in a Dakota town, an object of
charity. II is nearly forty years since Ed
ward S. Stokes shot Jim Fisk in New,
York. They were both in love with Josie,
who was then one OF the most beautiful
women of the stage, and the crime was the
outcome of their jealousy. In those days
Josie was loaded with tewels and could
have fortunes FOR the askinR4aand she was
not backward about asking. Now-rlng
down the curtain, for charity's sake.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22
0maha's Charter.

BY the passage of the charter
amendment bill through the W.
houses, with the emergency clause and
the assured approval of it by the gov
ernor, Omaha must take stock to see
what 1t gets in the way of charter
changes from the present Legislature.
From the standpoint of the admins
tration Of city affairs the charter bill
makes few material changes. The
principal results will be simply by way
of increasing the salaries OF certain
of1cials and employees, making higher
limits on the amount of money that
may be expended for different pur-
poses and raising the limit of bond In
~debtedness in a few directions. The
| f~ranchised corporations are tenderly
treated and the railroads get the titles
to the streets, which they have COB
bled perfected.
Politically the charter bill adds five
ofices to the list Of elective city OFF,
Gals. Four police commissioners,
formerly appointed by the governor,
are to be elected without restriction
as to all ~afhliating with the same po-
litical party. The city engineer,
formerly appointed by the mayor, is
likewise to be elected. The charter
bill, however, does not amend the pri-
mary law, and the consequence being
apparently that candidates for these
newly-made elective Offices are barred
from fling for primary nominations
and must this time come before the
voters at the election as petition candi-
dates. II that is the case, we will
have an experiment on a small scale
OF choosing public officers without
party labels. Petition candidates for
city Offices must file their papers
signed by 200 voters not later than
hfteen days before the election, so
there need be no great hurry to get
into the scramble that is sure to come.
So far as working any reform in the
management of police or fire depart
ments, or in effective control of public
works, we doubt very much whether
making police commissioners and city
engineer elective will bring any bene-
fetal results, but that, on the con-
trary, 1t will throw them more into
politics and make for Reorganization
and generalization,
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22
PASSING OF THE ROUGH RIDERS

]. W. Foley in New York Times.
The boys are Disguised. the gangs on the
For things are all going dead wrong;
Bill Butler was consul al Passemequod,
But now they have showed nun along,
He fit with Rough Riders and bled at San
More gore than would fni up a pail,
His lob came from Teddy. bat Bill Is gone
To make room for a Teller from Yale.
And CactusmIlk Charley who came on the
Before the Apaches and such
Was marshal at Redeye and many's the
Been aired at his quick trigger touch.
But Cactusmilk Charley's no longer on pay.
His notice just came by this mail,
His job came from Teddy. but Teddy's
And they've put in a Teller from Yale.
And Leatherles Luther. who fit grizzly
And wrsstled wildcats with his teeth.
Thus fttin' himself without splittin' no
for any blamed office beneath
The blue sky Of heaven Is out OF his place
As Guvy'nor OF Wahoo-the trail
Got too hot for him and they've turned
To the wall for a Teller from Yale.
They've got us stampeded since Teddy is
gone.
And bowles and pistols DOM go.
I've got my discharge from the bunch at
But us come down 70 par or be!os. Z
The Fly-the-creek Foifis and Crooked
And sWesrIoud ana Desth-on-the-rra
Have gone on the ~dvmpsround 20 minsl,
say%wheTs in the devil Is Talsf
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22
corn GROWING IN RUSSIA.
American Expert wRnted 90 show
the Way

Boston Transcript
II is reported that Leonard h. Clore
OF Indiana, the corn king of the west.
who has d%lstanced all competitors IN the
prizes he has taken at worlds fairs and
other expositions for his success In this
crop. has been offered $4,000 a year Tor
three years and his travelling expenses
by the cLar to 90 among the Russian
farmers and instruct them in the pro-
duction of Indian corn. This Indicates
that the autocrat of all the Russias has
had another lucid interval, though the
compensation offered is hardly so p~rincely
as to tempt a king OF corn growers to
leave his home comforts and become an
evsngel of industrial prosperity for asrt-
cultural Russia. 1t Is not surprising
that the attention Of foreign countries
should be attracted 10 a staple that has
done so much for the United states. The
wonder rather is that Il has not made
greater Roadway In Europe, whore many
sections are favorable to its cultivation.
At the latest Paris exposition a special
effort was made to popula-iEe our Amer
lean maize, There was no particular de-
sire. perhaps. to introduce corn growing
abroad, but rather TO win fresh favor
for corn consumption. IL was prepared
In the most appetlsing style by old
auntleS from the south ana Dy experts
from the west, 1t is said that corn can
not be successfully grown above the fif-
teth parallel of latitude in Europe, but
even that limitation would give Russia
a great nance to develop this addition
to its agricultural resources.
AT the beginning of the present CEN
tury the annual corn crop of the world
was estimated at about 3,000,0 00,0 900
bushels. this country being credited with
an average OF 1000, 900, 900 bushels. But
several times since then we have run
far ahead of those figures. large as they
are During the year recently closed
there were produced 2,64S,O 900, 900 bush
els. Even that yield has been slightly
exceeded by two previous crops during
the last three or four years, but its
value, f1,615,0 900, 900. Is the ~highwater
marx, leading the average for the last
rive years by over AZ per cent. There is
no other crop in this country or in any
other country in the world that is worth
SO much. 1t nearly equals the combined
value OF our cotton. hay and wheat. Not
only the grain itself is the cornerstone
OF our prosperity. but advance is being
made In the development of valuable by
products and in time even a good share
OF our printing paper may be made from
corn Fiber. There is little danger that
the Russian farmer, no matter how ex-
pert the training he may receive, will
ever be able to strike the pace of the
hustting western corn grower who ls al
ready fixing his gaze on the 5000. 900, 900
bushel mark.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22

gains, well or III gotten, and live In
luxury in some European capital. He Is
going back to Venezuela. At least he Is
going to locate in some neutral island
and hatch his plots against the time
when he may be able to march into
Caracas at the head of a victorious in
surgent army and start the trouble all
i've again. So while the nations of the
world may desire to support President
Gomez in the new regime, Castro will
be scheming and lying in wait for OPP
portunity's knock and those who have
been congratulating themselves upon
having gotten rid of the most trouble
some character in South American
politics may awake some morning to
find that they have reckoned without
their host.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22
Britain's Naval Scare.

England has another national
crisis and John Bull is indulginE in
the luxury of another war scare, all be-
cause it has developed hat King Ed
wards warlike nephew, the German
kaiser, BIAS been rushing naval con-
struction in such way that Germany
promises to have by the end of another
as Great Britain. Since the British Ad-
miralty, has made this h~umiliating
confession, THE German Peril is dis
turbing the waking hours and haunt
ing the dreams of every loyal Briton.
1t has been for years England's aim
to maintain a two-power navy, that is,
a nav equal to that of any other two
foreign nations. The discovery that
the laundering lords of the Admir-
atty" have allowed the Germans to
steal a march in naval construction
has aroused a storm of indignation
which threatens to overwhelm the
radical party. A direct vote of censure
is threatened against Premier AS
quith in the Parliament and business
men are calling mass meetings to pro-
test against this risking of the safety
of the nation. The protest has focused
in a demand for eight "Dreadnoughts"
in place of the four provided in the
years estimates and 1t may be takcn
for granted that the shipbuilders are
doing nothing to quiet the people all ng
that line.
The excitement aroused by the pres
ent crusade for a bigger navy will
doubtless result in the addition of
another burden to the British people
In the form of an increase of Inc al
ready excessive tax rate. There is a
big deficit already and the millions
that are being demanded for the pay
ment of the odd age pensions have
bankrupted the treasury and placed
the government in a most embarrass-
ing plight. If the party in power re-
fuses to grant the proposed naval in
creases IL will probably be defeated at
the polls. If 1t provides for additional
h"'o' SAFOhSVS anu INC uSLudnueu IN
creases ~ the army budgets, the re-
su;t will be the imposition of sucn
heavy taxes that the taxpayers may be
forced to revolt and drive the party
from power on the charge of extrava-
gance. The entire situation may prove
beneficial by directing the attention Of
the big powers of the world t. the fact
that there must some day be a halt
in naval expansion and a lessening Of
the appropriations for m~ilitarism.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22
A PeriIous Proposition.
Penria Journal

The Illinois Legislature has a bill that.
It is said. has a fair prospect to become
a law. which prohibits any drunkard from
marrying in this state. 1t amends the
general marriage law by declaring a habit
ual drunkard incapable of contracting mar
riage. A "habltual d%runkard' Is defined
TO be a person who becomes intoxicated
twice a year or oftener. II is also pro-
vidsd that applicants for marriage licenses
shall make affidavit that they have not
been intoxicated twice in the preceding
year. This is a rigid restriction. and will
materially reduce the number Of marriages
IN that state. There are many respectable
men in good society and connected with
fashionable clubs who are not ~drunkards.
but an affidavit that they had not been in
toxicated in q year might stagger many
of them.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22
DO WE BUILp TO BURN,
An Economic Problem in National
Fire Losses.
Wall Street journal.

Wal street Journal.
IL might almost be said that we build
only to burn. our losses by fire In leoS
amounted to S272 per capita. as against
an average Of about 80 cents for FrsnSe,
, Germany. Italy, Switzerland, Austria AVID
Denmark combined. In Germany also tho
per capita never rises above 40 cents and
In some years has fallen as low as ~
cents.
Some striking figures bearing on this
subject are presented by an insurance.
expert in the Popular Science Monthly.
According to his statistics the new build
ings erected, together with improvements
and repairs TO old ones in the United
states during the year 1905. cost $4,000
600, while buildings destroyed by fire I'm
the same period were valued at S2ls, 10000 N.
The maintenance OF fire departments, high
pressure apparatus, etc, for the year cost
$500. oO.oO0. In the country at large during
the month Of January. 1905, the outlay for
new buildings and improvements on old
ones amounted to n6.OOO,OO0. while the losses
on buildings destroyed by fire aggregated
more than S24.OOO.0o. -
There were, in round numbers, 1900 fires
in the city of New York in the year 1893
making a loss OF N,2S0.OOo. while the main
%tenance OF the fire department cost $1,000
COO In st. Louis there were $500 fires. in
volving losses OF 81. 29S,O0o. and the cost Of
the fire department was S1,0is,0C 0 To com
pare these with foreign conditions, We
may take the city OF Rome, which with a
population approximately that Of 81. Louis.
had go fires in 1908. with q total loss of
$4,000 and a charge OF only $4,000 for the
fire department,
Here, then, is an economic problem
which. TO the living geheration at least,
is quite as important as the conservation
of the country's undeveloped natural re-
sources. Educational and legislative pro-
cesses which shall afford greater security
for existing property created by human
enterprise and in use by living citizens
are as greatly to be desired as measures
which shall secure the nations dormant
wealth 10 generations yet unborn
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22
"There's Many a Slip" Etc.

With characteristic unselfishness Mr..
william j. Bryan hopes that some other
democrat than himself will be called 10
succeed Senator Elmer j. Burkett, whose
term expires on March 3. 1911: but IL 1t
must be, Mr.. Bryan would accent a nomi-
nation. This devotion to the peoples cause
emind us that Mr.. Bryan was of the
same mind in 1901. when there was a fusion
on the legislative ticket. But his hopes
were blighted; the fusionists elected only
nine members of the legislature-none to
the senate; and Mr.. Burkett. whom Mr..
Bryan is willing to replace in 1911, was
chosen senator.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22
DiscredItinE Its Works.

New York Tribune
The Simplified Spelling board is sending
out postal cards soliciting pledges from
those who receive them that they will use
In their correspondence, as far as is prac-
ticable, the simpler spellings which have
been recommended by that board. And yet
In It's own correspondence. on those very
cards, the board Ignores its own recon-
mendations and sticks to the old style spell
ing which 1t PROCESSES to regard as cumber-
some and unworthy of an enlightened
people.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22
VIII Edward stand COrrectedf/
Boston HeralI

Eighty million people have stopped spend
ing money and are now busily engaged in
making it and saving it. says Mr.. Harri-
man. That is putting 1t too sweepingly.
Were 100000 Of our people to stop spend
ing money, business would come to an
abrupt and widespread standstill, including
that on Mr.. Harriman's railroads. What
the eminent railroad man and financier
probably means is that the people are max
ing and saving more than they are spend
ing. That is s~alutary and helpful.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22

In a brief career of forty-nine years
Mr.. Bryan has been defeated three
times for the presidency. No other
man has ever achieved this record, but
instead of being content with the
unique distinction, Mr.. Bryan seems
merely to have acquired the habit.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22

A Missouri Judge has decided that a
man is not working when he is doing
chores around the house. Perhaps
that's the reason the average man in
sists on doing the work and allowing
his wife the recreation of doing the
chores.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22
inaccuracies Of JinEoism.
Pittsburg Dispatch

Admira Tirpitz Of Germany denies there
has been any acceleration Of the German
naval building program, as charged In the
British Parliament. He says Germany will
have but twelve battleships Of the Dread
naught class instead OF seventeen or TWEEN
ty-one, as tho British statesmen have
averred. So this latest British excuse for
more armament appears no better founded
than Secretary Birrells trepidation over
President Taft's inaugural.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22

1t is announced that the differences
between the United States and Vene-
zuela have been Settled forever"
Down Venezuela way forever" means
any time more than two weeks and less
than a month.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22

Speaker Cannon declares that the
house can change its rules whenever it
wants to do 10 1t appears, however,
that the house does not change It's
rules very much because Speaker Can
non won't let 1t.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22
Law .. an Exact science.''

Louisville Courier-Journal.
When we see one judge inflicting a fine
Of t2s,Ooo,0OO and another Judge in the same
case throwing It out Of the court on the
ground Of insufficiency of evidence. It IL
not strange that there IL still some skep-
ticism as to the claim hat the law Is an
exact science.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22
Thus We stumble Along.


IIIHuUIpIIH FNtNuTus
F1atterers will be flatterers. A little
while ago they were fulsome in their lauda-
lions Of the eloquence. wisdom and literary
style of the vast and vpluminous message
OF President Roosevelt. Now they con-
graduate President Taft on his brevity and
declare that long messages are never read.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22

John Wesley Gaines of Tennessee
caught such a cold at the inaugural
that he has not been able to talk any
since. That's one argument against
the proposed change in the date of the
inauguration.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22

The democratic World-Herald says
the infamy OF Cannonism" was
'thanks to Tammany Hail." Is this
he same Tammany Hall me- by Bryan
q the Lincoln railway station with
hanks for his Denver nomination.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22

what lie the difference between the
Irishman of today and the Irishman Of
nifty years agof" asks the Detroit
News. Well. for one thing, he is fifty
Fears older.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22

Still, It will be but a few weeks until
the wise doctor will be making himself
more popular by prescribing summer
resort trips for his patients who can
afford them.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22

New York Sun.

The president has inaugurated q new re-
gime which canno be developed in haste
or without deep thought, 1t promises much
to the south and much TO the administra-
tion. 1t points To the extinction of ancient
resentments and asperities and gives host
lions.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22

II the present democratic mayor and
council have made such a laudable
record as they claim. uhy isn't the
World-Herald boosting for the re-
nomination. of Mayor jim?
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22

The Illinois legislature has decided
that Uncle Adlai Stevenson was not
elected governor of that state last No
vembeT. Uncle Adlai will o try to
look surprised.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22

A leading theatrical star in New
York has started a campaign to induce
congress to provide for raising the bat
tleship Maine. Congress should act
as the Maine has been used long
enough for advertising purposes.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22
The IRONY OF Fa.hIon.


The irony OF naming the 5c0button
dresses ecclesiastical gowns will become
evident. from the remarks prevalent, when
the services OF husbands are called into
requisition to button them.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22

The new tariff bill provides that
fence posts shall be admitted free. That
should be good news to the democrats
who have lots of fences that need re-
DalrinR,
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22

The eonstitutionality Of the deposit
guaranty law that is to go on the Ne
,raska statute book was questioned by
tood lawyers while in legislative
ransit. Perhaps the belief that the
MI may be declared unconstitutional
tslped it along.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22

"And you want your wife to voter"
Yes" answered MIR. Meekton. Henri
eta has promised that as soon as she gets
into politics she'll INTRODUCES legislation 10
make spring hats less expensive. Wash
ington Star.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22

George Gould has been saying a lot
Of complimentary things about Mr..
Hartman. The country may know
what TO expect IL these men get real
ehummy.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22

Mr.. Carnegie has sent a diplodocus
to the King of Italy. Mr., Carnegie may
run short Of libraries occasionally, but
his supply of d~iplodocuses seems I'M
limited.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22

The democratic congressman from
this district has been put on a commit
tee to formulate rules for the demo-
cratic caucus. His constituents should
be duly thankful for this great service
certain to bring them untold benefits.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22

A New Jersey ~janitor has petitioned
the school board to reduce his salary.
School j%anitors are subject to insanity
the same as other persons.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-22

The Baltimore American is discuss
ing why Cannon Won" II is best ex-
planned by the fact that he got more
totes than were cast for Champ Clark.