davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-14
PERSONAL NOTES.

According to the bureau Of statistics we
are still 1000, coo shy Of the 9O,OOo.0 900 mark;
but we will make 1t by another year IL we
have to import EN-.
A ST. Louis wife left her husband and
applied for a divorce because she couldn't
eat the heavy. sour biscuits he baked. 1t
serves him right. No nan who is a poor
cook has any b~usipess marrying,
George r. Hough, for forty-t~o years a
conductor on the Wabash in Illinois and
Iowa, died In 81. Paul, Mimi, from a
stroke of paralysis, aged 70. He began
working upon the Wabash In 1857, at
Springfield, Ill. -
Miss Z. d. Todd of New York expects
to have an aeroplane ready for It's trial
flight carly in June. The machine is for
one passenger and she expects to drive It
herself. 1t is to be propelled by gasoline
engine and is planned to have a maximum
speed OF forty miles an hour.
Mrs. c. z. Whitnal and Mrs. Meta Berger
were elected school directors In Milwaukee
the other day. Twehty-one men are said
TO have run for the same office and only
three were elected. Mrs. c. J. Evans was
elected to the school board in Topeka, Kan.
She was supported by members of the
Women's Federated Clubs, many of them
going to the polls in their carriages and
bringing their women servan with them.
Justice Clark OF the New York supreme
court. sitting In Rochester, recently, had a
word or two to say for people who go
about public highways on foot. Address
ing the' grand jury, he declared. 1.-THE
automobile is ar institution which has
come to stay. But the pedestrian was here
first. He has certain defined rights. One
of these is that he must be protected in
travelling on the public highways. Care
less, reckless and criminal operation OF
automobiles must be stopped"
Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-14

A few years ago when an enthusiast
of the soil conditions announced that
the semi-arid regions of the middle
west could be made to raise bountiful
crops he was called an impractical
laughed at him that much of what
was once a part of the so-called
Great American desert" was already
raising bountiful crops and that those
similar subjects of ridicule. He was
reminded that the older skepticism
was born of a misconception of the
character of the soil and the quantity
largely the force of fact. But, undis-
couraged, he kept on insisting that
one drop of water intelligently handled
could do the work two had previously
been doing. His insistence finally
found a few converts willing to back
him sufficiently to enable him to make
a practical demonstration. Today
there are thousands of converts to the
dry farming idea and thousands of
acres have been thus added to the pro-
ducing area Of the country.
Colorado, Wyoming and Texas in
particular are taking hold of the new
method and demonstrating by the un-
answerable logic of successful farming
on a practical scale that the remainder
of the desert can provide homes and
q profitable occupation for many thou
sands. When crops can be success
fully raised on even and one-half
inches of annual rainfall instead of
the minimum of twenty-five, as once
supposed, it is time for the former
crazy man to smile at the expense
of the ones who chung to outgrown
prejudice.
The dry farmer has not demon
strated that it takes less moisture to
raise a crop than formerly, but he has
taught the lesson of the age, the o IN
servation Of what we have and econom-
ical instead of wasteful use.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-14
Careless Handling of Explosives.

OaASASSs NoANAAhs Va 1ApANSA'SS.
Twenty killed in a New York stone
quarry is the toll paid for the careless
ness of those charged with the
handling of high explosives. Scarcely
a day passes without telegraphic re-
ports of similar casualties, though the
loss of life in this instance is greater
than common though by no means a
record. The catastrophe simply illus
trates how cheaply human life is held
In this country.
Explosives, particularly those of
high power such as are used in large
undertakings, are dangerous at best,
but neither the law nor. custom af-
fords the protection it could or should
to the people who must work in and
around them. The transportation
companies have been compelled to ex-
ercise care in their handling and for
their own protection the railroads
have gone farther than the law COM
pels them to do. After the dangerous
compounds have been turned over to
the users the restraints are too often
removed. inexperienced men are en-
trusted with their handling, but more
frequently the accidents occur through
the carelessness or ignorance of out
siders. There appears to be no neces-
sity for so large a number of men
as were killed in this instance to be
present or within the danger zone
when preparations are made for dis
charging such a death-dealing dose.
Adequate regulation as TO the
methods of handling and the placing
of work with explosives in the hands
of experts would W hundreds and
possibly thousands of lives each year.
For the coal mines this has been done
in many states, but in other dangerous
CO ,lings the toll of human life con-
tinues to be exacted because of an in
excusable desire to avoid the extra ex-
pense proper precautions would entail
Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-14
Come Along, Mr.. Aldrich.

Senator Aldrich has announced
that sometime after adjournment of
congress, probably In the fall cam
paign, he will tour the country, fol-
lowing the example of Mark Hanna,
just to show the people that he is not
adorned with the horns and forked tail
of his satanic majesty.
From the way the insurgent sena-
tors are going after the Rhode
Islander It is not impossible that some
folks may get to believe that he is the
human incarnation of Mephistopheles.
II he has any horns we want him to
bring them along when he comes out
west. No No. 2 company will go out
here palmed off for the original cast.
We are willing to pay the price of ad-
mission and al the same time show
the senator several things that are too
big for him TO take home to his little
two by foul state of Rhode Island.
The west is generous and kindly
disposed and does not yet imagine It
knows Il all. We are willing to live
and let live and as proof are ready to
guarantee that Mr.. Aldrich returns
home safe and sound and that he will
learn as much from his trip as our
people will learn from him. If he
will tell US all he knows as an expert
on the currency and the tariff the west
will appreciate the favor and in turn
convince him that a whole lot of this
country lies outside of New England.
II he proves to be Just half as good a
fellow as Mark Hanna did when the
Ohioan toured the west to show off his
horns, we will SEND him home as W
did Hanna, a bigger, broader and more
~farseeing man than when he came.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-14
Taft Redeeming Promises.

One of President Taft's announced
policies was to endeavor to the best
of. his ability to appoint only men OF
the highest character and attainment
to the federal bench, that these quail
ties were to be the first consideration
and all others subordinate. In his
appointment to the judicial vacancy in
North Carolina he has demonstrated
that he meant just what he said.
Owing to the peculiar, condition pre-
vailing there, no. republican lawyer fill
ing all the requirements of expert
ence and character could be found in
the district, and rather than make an
unsatisfactory appointment Mr.. Taft
has named a democrat for the place.
In doing so he makes 1t plain, how
ever, that the nomination is not made
because the man is a democrat, but
in spite of the fact. and that the only
purpose is to insure a fully equipped
bench.
Those who profess to see in this a
possibility that federal places as a rule
are to be given to democrats, south or
north, are likely to be disappointed,
but 1t serves notice that If southern
republicans want the Offices they must
present candidates who possess all the
needful qualifications. The president
is holding out no bait to the south,
but simply giving the south what it,
like all other sections of the country
are entitled to. capable officials. While
Mr.. Taft is not making unusual noise
about it, every time he has the oppor-
tunity of making good on a campaign
pledge he is doing 1t.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-14
A MIST OF EXPLANATION.
Missouri Rate Decision Wrapped Up
in a Fog.
st. Louis Republic.

81. Louis hepuDllc.
Judge McPherson's supplemental decision
in the 2-cent rate case. filed in the Kansas
City federal court, recalls Mark Twain's
remark that he hated explanations; they
always logged up a thing So" It is
chiefly made up OF comment upon and de-
Tense of this utterance from the original
decision:
ut being q legislative act and not a
judicial one, this court cannot fix rates.
II it could, ~21a-cent passenger rates would
bs fixed for the stronger roads and 8 for
the others. But that is for the legislature
acting itself with experts such as the state
employed in these cases, or through a com
mission with like assistance"
Why this should need calculation does not
appear. The statement is simple and di-
rect. Its meaning should be clear to the
meanest intelligence. Two of the three
sentences composing the quotation are al
most in their force. The coRz
trast between the clear light of the original
utterance ana the misty twilight Of the
explanation. MY statement q. e., that the
court cannot fix rates. is not controverted
by anyone. This being so, of course,
what l said above is ohiter dictum. But
because 1t is obiteT dictum is no reason
whatever for not saying 1t, and still less
a reason for now eliminating it from my
opinion"
The utterance as 10 the amount of an
equitable rate having been pronounced an
obiter dictum, the supplementary opinion
goes on to amplify. explain and defend
1t. All this Is very interesting as show
ing the personal opinions OF Judge Nc
Pherson, but 1t adds nothing but con-
fusion to the attempt to understand the
decision Of the court. And this is the
matter with which the public and the rail-
roads are chiefly concerned. Since there
was no doubt in the mind Of anyone as
to the meaning of the original decision,
the only possible function Of a supple
mentary decision is to extend or restrict
the application Of the principles laid down
in the original. or TO make clearer the
grounds on which it was based. None Of
these things Is done in the supplementary
decision. as reported. Like Malvelio's
prison, lit hath bay windows transparent
as barTicadoes and the clear stories to-
ward the south-north are as lustrous as
ebony
II might be we'll II our ~jurists would &C.
casionally recall TO mind the principle
enuncistsd by a witty editor in returning
a manuscript 10 II. r. Haweis: ''Sir-I
return your manuscript without apology
or explanation. for l have observed that
whereas an editor Is usually right in his
decisions, he is invariably wrong when
he attempts to give his reasons
Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-14
Mr.. straus to constantinople.

The political revolution hat has
taken place in Turkey gives the posi-
ton of American ambassador to Con-
stantinople a particular Importance at
this time. not exceeded by our diploz
matte representation at any, European
capital and makes the selection Of
Oscar S. Straus, formerly member of
Mr.. Rooseyelt's cabinet as head of the
Department of Commerce and Labor,
and likewise previously experienced as
our accredited representative to the
sultan's government, a most wise and
satisfactory choice.
1t is doubtless due wholly to the de-
velopments of the last few months,
eentering the eyes Of Europe and the
whole world upon the Turkish capital.
that Mr.. Straus has been persuaded
To accept this assignment. which he
Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-14

had before filled and which, otherwise,
would hardly have Afforded him full
scope for his high talents as a diplo-
mat and public man. His return to
Constantinople as our ambassador will
testify to Mr.. Straus' high idea Of pub
lie duty and his willingness to serve
the country in the capacity in which
he can do most good.
With Mr.. Strsus in close touch with
the Turkish situation and advising
him as to the requirements of our
position in hat highly complicated In
ternational tangle, President Taft will
surely feel that our interests there are
fully protected and that he has the
very best man he could have in that
most trying place.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-14
A RAILROAD ANNIvERsARYY.
Progress in Railroad Work
In Forty Years.
st. Louis Globe Democrat.

st. Louis GLOBE Democrat.
When, on May 10, 1852, Thomas Durant
and Leland stanford drove the golden
spike which completed the track laying OF
the Union and the Central Pacific roads,
did they or any body else dream OF the ex-
pansion in railway construction which the
next forty years would bring in the United
States? Probably not. The meeting of the
rails on that day took place near Ogden,
in Utah. There were $1,000 miles OF rail-
way main track in the country at that
time. A little over 2SO, 900 miles are here
now. The railway system of the United
states at this moment has a capitalization
of over $50 900, 600. which represents an
eighth Of the s12O. OCO. 600, 900 Of the wealth Of
the entire country in 1909.
The event in Utah forty years ago com
memorated the completion OF the first of
the transcontinenta lines of railway, and
transmitted the dreams OF Asa Whitney
and Thomas H.. Benton into fact. Today
six lines span the continent in the United
States. The Canadian Pacific extends from
the Atlantic to the big western ocean. The
Grand Trunk Pacific, another road crossing
through Canada, is expected to touch the
Pacific in 1911. The Canadian Northern,
according to present plans, will reach there
by 1914 or earlier. Probably by the time
that Canada has its three transcontinental
roads the United States will have added
one or two more to its own list.
Three-quarters of a century ago, when
we were sending to England not only for
rails and locomotives. but also for men to
run the latter. who would have imagined
that a day would come when the United
States would not only exceed England in
railway mileage. but all of Europe? That
day came long ago. TIL United States In
1909 has ten times as many miles OF rail-
way main track as the United Kingdom,
1t has 10 per cent more miles than all OF
Europe. 1t has q per cent OF the mileage
Of the entire world. American built loco
motives may be found on every continent
on the globe. The 100000 employees Of the
railways of the United States constitute
as large an army as were under the Rus
sian n Japanese commanders combined
at the time when President Roosevelt
brought the truce in 1906 which led to the
peace Of Portmouth.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-14
PATENTS AND MONOPOLIEs,
Law ShOuld Work Forfeiture of
Unused Patents.
Val Street JournaI

Wall Street Journal.
In 1907 the liberal government in Great
Britain succeeded in passing into law a
very important act dealing with foreign
patents. In effect, it made it necessary
that an article patented in Great Britain
by a foreigner should be manufactured in
Great Britain. II it is not so manufac-
tured anybody can apply 10 revoke the
patent and can proceed to manufacture
the article forthwith.
Justice Parker. one OF the strongest
lawyers Of the kings bench, has now
handed down a decision on the first for
eign patent holders appeal under the
terms of this law, in which he revokes
the patent. In doing 50 he has laid down
a broader principle and one which ought
to be good law in this country just as
much as in England, while 1t may be
called sound equity anywhere.
In effect the English Judge says that
letters ratent create monopolies and are.
therefore. contrary to the spirit OF the
common law as being restraints on trade.
They are only granted for the encourage
ment OF trad and of Inventions useful to
trade and II is felt TO be intolerable that
they should be used exclusively 10 pre-
ven the development of new industries
or to fetter existing industries. He refers
here to all patents, and not merely TO
those affected by the law of 1907. He pro-
ceeds upon the broad principe tina a pat
ent, which. In effect is a monopoly, is
granted not for the sole profit Of individ-
uals, but for the benefit OF all.
Our legislatures may very properly de-
vote their time in preference to risky ex-
perimental legislation to e~xtinguish dor
mant patents and franchises. A patent
which IL granted but not used, the title OF
which is retained purely TO restrict fair
competition is a monopoly in restraint OF
trade. It confers a privilege never con-
%templated or intended. II fails to come
within Justice Parker's definition Of a
grant for the benefit OF all. Failure to
manufacture under a patent within a rea-
sonable time should be automatically
followed by the caneelling OF that patent.
with free permission to everybody TO util-
ize the protected process or principle.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-14
Socialists in Omaha.

The official canvass of the recent city
election in Omaha shows hat the head
of the socialist ticket running for
mayor received AL votes. Three
years before the socialist candidate for
the same office received 427- votes.
Last year the socialist presidential
ticket received in Omaha 576 votes.
Taking these figures as rejecting the
normal socialist strength in Omaha
would indicate that the socialists here
constitute a small group firmly de-
voted to the principles which that
party represents, but practically sta
tionary in numbers.
During the recent city campaign the
socialists we're more than usually ac-
tive in circulating their literature.
Their candidates went before the peo-
pie on a platform of distinct pledges,
socialistic in their tendency, yet not
unattractive. They demanded that
the city acquire and itself operate all
the public service utilities, that a free
public highway be erected between
Omaha and Council Bluffs, that the
city health department be expanded to
furnish free medical service and free
medicines, that all public work be
done by day labor on an eight-hour
basis at union wages. And yet, not
withstanding this program, which
would naturally appeal to the laboring
men and the poorer classes, the social
list vote shows no gains.
It strikes us that these facts furnish
most encouraging evidence that the
people have not been led away in any
great number by the socialist schemes
for the complete reorganization of So
ciety, but prefer to work for practical
improvement of existing institutions
through the established machinery of
government.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-14
safety Devices on Railroads.

Out of a railway mileage in this country
amounting in 1908 to more than 224, $50
miles, at the close OF that year there were
only 5s,54s miles under the block system
Of signalling operation of trains, the net
gain for the year being $40 miles. This
tortoise-like pace in effectlng adequate,
rational operation Of American railroads
is due more than anything else to popular
indifference to loss Of life and limb. Were
Americans sufficiently reverent of human
ity as such, were they even alive to the
economic waste involved in destruction Of
property and life by collision, they would
not permit railroads. on the excuse of
hard times" to defect public opinion
which demands the protection of the best
signalling systems.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-14
PENALTIES OF FAME.

]. X. Bangs In Harper's Weekly.
/ dreamed that fame was mine,
And all along the line
Friends, relatives and foes-all three
Began TO hammer me,
And when l woke twas with relief im-
mense
To find my fame marked down to thirty
cents.
had the dream once more.
Twas worse than twas before.
/ found myself perched up on high
Just underneath the sky.
Stone cold IL was, and lonely. on be SUR
Twas sweet 10 wake and find mysah -
scurel
Again II came. Alas
How sorry was that pass
A wreath OF bay all flaming red
Pressed on my scorched head
Did scar me so that when I woke anon
Twas bliss 10 find I'd but a nightcap on.
And hence II is I say e
Fame need not come. my way,
| much prefer things assthey are
In byways nebular,
Where public optics do not rudely stare
And burning laurels do not SINCE my halr'
Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-14

Nine-months-old Evans Killeen, of as
Avenue A, swallowed a Jack" one of the
little eight-pronged metal toys used by
children in playing marbles.
The little fellow had snatched the "iack"
from one of several children playing in the
hallway of the house. He gasred. clawed
at his throat and sank into semiconscious
ness. His mother happened to come in the
door and the other children excitedly told
her what had happened. The woman
slapped the baby's back violently. but could
not dislodge the piece of metal. Her
screams attracted a policeman, who sum
moned DR.. Pearson from Bellevue. The
surgeon arrived quickly in the new auto
mobile ambulance and decided to operate
at once.
But he did not have the tube used in sucb
cases. so he bundled the boy into the ma
chine and told the chauffeur to put on full
speed, With the siren sounding for blocks
ahead the car raced along at about fifty
miles an hour. At Twentieth street End
Second avenue the surgeon saw the boy had
hardly a minute TO live.
Stop" he yelled to the driver.
When the car halted the doctor picked
up the baby by the heels, leaned over the
back of 1.-THE ambulance and for fully a
minute swung the boy in a circle, now and
then, when the head was toward the street,
giving the body a jerk. Suddenly there
was a metallic ring on the street.
The Jack" had been disiodged, and the
doctor painting from his exertions. placed
the child on the couch again, and once
more the chauffeur put on full speed and
went whizzing like mad TO Twenty sixth
street, rounding the corner into the acct
dent ward with a dizzy skid.
The life Of the baby was saved by DR..
Pearson's remarkable Operation
There were about 30 persons in the
crowd that watched the surgeon swinging
and shaking the baby. They did not inter
fere. although the treatment was violent.
for they knew the doctor was well aware
OF what he was doing. When the lack"
dropped the doctor. hopping his brow, sat
down on the bench OF the ambulance ex-
hausted, the crowd cheered him.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-14
Extended Corn Acreage.
Springfield Republican.

bpTIHBIIeIu TtpUUIICdH.
Reports from the west indicate the plant
ing of a greatly extended acreage to corn,
the principal cereal crop of the country.
Present prices are highly stimulating to this
result. and not only will the abandoned
winter wheat acreage be given over to
corn, but further areas additional to those
usually devoted to the crop will be planted.
II the season proves fairly favorable the
corn crop of 1909 should break all rec
ords.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-14

Collector Loeb at the port of New
York has unearthed some more Gus
toms frauds due to underweighing. If
he can keep up the gait he has set in
preventing frauds he may be able to
settle the treasury deficit without the
aid of congress.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-14

The local Bar association is to take
up the question of dealing with al
legged jury bribing with a view to CO.
operating for its determination. 1t is
to be hoped the Bar association will be
more persistent and successful in this
than 1t has beer in disbaring its own
members guilty of questionable prac-
tees.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-14
What Is Really Needed.
San Francisco Chronicle.

S~i NAoHtiSNo tuTOnlcie,
There is a growing belief hat an asylum
is hardly the proper place to send a per-
son afflicted with homicidal mania. Most
Of the conspicuous patients Of this class
appear TO need the attentions Of the hang
man more than those OF a nurse. ana
would be subjected to the moose treatment
II there was a healthy sense Of account
ability on the part Of the juries
Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-14

Several missionaries to the Congo
country are on trial for libel. That
meo has lone a tremendous
amount of lying about the conditions
in that country il ~self-evident, and it
is to be hoped the present proceedings
will develop which set OF missionaries
told the truth.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-14

An Indiana man who has reached
the age of 102 confesses he has never
written a book. He had better hurry
up, for If he tells that story to st.
Peter his ~veracity is likely to be ques-
toned.