davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-27
Rules difficulties.

To obviate the sharp practice by
which the new house rule permitting
a motion to recall any bill from a
committee failing to report it back
was practically nullifed, by insisting
on the full reading of voluminous
measure that had the right of way, it
is proposed TO modify the rule so that
bills thus called for need be read by
title only. This change Of the rule
would doubtless remedy to a degree
the defect aimed at although it
would carry within itself other dan
gers we're there a disposition to abuse
the opportunities it would offer a tenn
porary majority to railroad a bill
through without even a chance for the
opposition to inform themselves of its
import. Some state constitutions eX-
pressIy require all bills, to be legally
enacted. to be read at large on three
different days as a safeguard against
snap lawmaking and hidden jokers,
and while it is perhaps possible to put
bill through congress without even
reading it, that would not necessarily
make it a desirable practice.
He gets back, therefore. for work
able rules to the willingness of the
various elements of the house mem
bership to work together with fairness
as between majority and minority and
as between one another. Some one
must decide what bills shall have
precedence for consideration, and this
decision should be made intelligently.
The speaker and his rules committee
used to make this decision, but now
the rule for motions to recall bill
and discharge committee from its con-
sideration Is in the nature of an APP
peal from the rules committee to the
whole house membership. On this
motion it is equally important that the
decision be made intelligently and
with real knowledge Of the question.
The rules can be made to facilitate
the transaction Of business and to dis
courage factious or dilatory obstruc-
ton, but the most perfect rules will
not give wholesome legislation except
through intelligent and well-meaning
lawmakers.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-27
WHAT IS LIFE2

Sarah Brock dn Old school Rcaderl.
What is Life?" l asked Of a wanton child.
As he chased a butterfly;
And his laugh gushed out all joyous and
As the insect fitted by.
What Is Life?" asked; "oh, tell me, I
pray!
His echoes rang merrily, Life is Play"
What is LITER | asked of the maiden fair.
And ! watched her glowing cheek,
As the bushes deepened and softened there,
And the dimples played hide and seek "
What is Life? Can you tell me its fullest
measure?'
She smllingly answered, Life is Pleasure!"
what is Life?" asked OF a soldier brave,
As he grasped the hilt Of his sword.
He planted his foot on a fOeman's grave
And looked creations lord"
What is Llfe?" l queried; "Oh tell me its
story
His brow grew bright as he answered
Glory"
What is Life?" asked a mother proud,
As she bent Ger her babe asleep
With q low hushed Tone lest thought
Might waken its slumber deep
Her smile turned grave, though wondrous
As she made reply "Life2 Life is Duty!"
turned to the father. who stood near by,
And gazed on his wife with pride;
Then a tear of JOY shone bright In his eye
For the treasure that lay at her side;
l listened well for the tale that should
come:
MY life?" he cried; MY life is Home!"
What is Llfe?' ] asked the statesmen
grand
The idol OF the hour;
The fate Of a nation was in his hand;
His sword was the breath of power.
lie, sickening turned from the world
caress.
It's a bubble!" he cried" IT'S empti-
ness!"
turned and asked my inner heart
What story Il could unfold,
It bounded quick I'm its pulses start
As the record Il unroled.
/ read on the page Love, Hope, JOY.
Strife
What the heart would make it-such is
Life"
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-27
Fire Losses on Increase.

Ten years ago the annual loss Of
property by fire in the United States
was 5000, 100000 Now it is one
fourth greater, despite the fact of bet
ter and more flre-proof buildings Our
fire-fighting facilities are supposed also
to have undergone much improvement,
but evidently not enough Berlin and
Chicago have nearly the same popula-
lions. The German metropolis has an
annual loss by fire of $4,000; Chi
cago's passes the $5,0O0,000 mark. Of
course the average for the last ten
years has been augmented by the San
Francisco conflagration, but fires like
the recent one in Chicago and also
Philadelphia convince US that there is
still too much laxity in our fortitica-
ton against flames. The proposition
comes home as a personal one to
everyone owning or managing prop
erty. Individual care is necessary.
The fire chief in Chicago, who, with
several of his officers and men
twenty-four in all-perished in the
packing house fire last week, feared
Just such a calamity there some day,
and, a week before the tragedy ad-
dressed letter to authorities in Pack
ingtown, asking them this:
VIII you kindly inform me IL your COM
pany would be interested in installing an
ar In % OH
ingtown? The fire marshals in
terest in the matter lies in the fact that
every fire in the Packingtown district calls
out from twenty to thirty-five companies,
leaving the entire district on the south side
from Twenty-second street to siXty-third
street bare OF companies.
The president of the company to
which the letter was addressed now
says:
lhe time has come for the public to real
ize the danger that threatens the district
from the lack of water.
Chief Koran realized it before and
his men realized it during the progress
OF the fire that cost them their lives,
for one cried out from the midst Of
raging flames: I'VE can't do anything
here. for the water supply is made
quate"
Many of the worst fires are due to
defective wiring and other negligence
entirely preventable. Equally mex
cusable is our Undertook and lre-trap
methods of building construction. The
fire loss can and should be greatly re-
duced by preventive precautions, as
we'll as by ample water supply and fire
fighting facilities.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-27
Fording the Mississippi.

The Mississippi river is so low in
places It can be forded on foot. 1t was
entirely too low for the smallest craft.
The Missouri and other streams are
also down to low tide, the lowest at
some points in history, so the weather
bureau gives out. They may never go
as low again, and yet they may. There
is no way of telling.
In this situation is a suggestion Of
the enormous task entailed in the
deep waterway scheme. 1t should re-
mind our most earnest advocates Of
this enterprise that much patience will
be required before the work is really
done. 1t is not, therefore, a matter
about which we can afford to grow
peevish. Here is the Father of Rivers
so shallow in places that person can
wade across It, That is a fairly good
hint of what is to be performed before
our visions of a deep-waterway tratIic
are realized. It need not necessarily
suggest that the plan is chimerical,
but it certainly ought to convince us
of the unreasonableness in expecting
everybody to fall readily into promot-
ing the project on the theory that 1t
is a simple piece of rip-rapping that
can be done in a short time.
Some OF the pro-river men have
gone so far as to impute bad faith to
those who did not share their enthu-
siasm over the possibility for imme-
date navigation on the Mississippi.
Undoubtedly great good may be done
to the cause of transportation by maxi
ing these streams navigable, but they
are much further away from naviga-
bility today than they have been rep
resented as being.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-27
PEOPLE TALKED ABOUT.

James LauferswHler Of Monticello. n.
Y. who was bitten IN the calf Of the leg
b. woodChuck twenty-five years ago.
performed a surgical operation on his arm
recently and removed a portion Of the an
imars tooth
William Howard sheeks. whose boast
was that he had never told lie or auai.
relied with his wife aud who had ccle-
brsted more wedding anniversaries proba-
oly than any other man I'm northern Mis-
souri, died in Eirksville. Mo. recently
aged 49,
charles T. Markham. the new president
OF the Illinois Central railroad like his
predecessor, J. Z Harahan. began life
as laborer. The examples In this coun-
Try OF rise to positions to which are at
tached both power and pelf are so com
mon that they scarcely occasion remark.
In Winnipeg. where there is a street car
strike, college men are acting as con-
uGctors, and are allowed 70 keep all the
Iares they take In. They are making from
w TO - per day Had the companies al
lowed the regular employees such a snap.
there would have been no strike in the
first place.
1t Is rather startling to read that
george shima, a japanese. Of Stockton.
Cal, is to net fully $4,000 this season
trom his potatoes. His crop comes from
thousands Of acres. The dry weather IN
the east made too many OF our potatoes
rot but there is no trouble OF this kind
with the yield Mr.. shima is selling.
Frank Forbis is the oldest mail carrier
In Kentucky. lie is 20 years old and has
lost three teeth and has worn false teeti
made out Of seasoned hickory cut so they
III around the outer teeth. They last for
several years, and when they wear out
he cuts out some more, and he claims
they beat the teeth the dentists make.
John Dalrymple the young man who has
succeeded to the management of the great
OiVer Dalrymple wheat farm in North
Dakota' Is college bred. and he spends
his winters IN Europe, but he is the prac
tlcal manager OF his 1900 acre domain.
hs men say he is better farmer than
his father was.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-27
Champ Clark's Big Six.

Champ Clark has picked out six
democrats from among whom his
party is likely to pick It's next presi-
dental nominee They are Wilson.
Harmon. Marshall Foss. Folk and
shafroth. representing, respectively,
New Jersey, Ohio, Indiana, Massachu-
sets. Missouri and Colorado. lie does
not include Dix or Gaynor Of New
York, Plaisted Of Maine or Baldwin Of
Connecticut. He serves warning now
by Implication upon the eastern and
southern democrats that they must not
expect the west to give them the right
of-way entirely in 1912.
Yet as conditions now stand neither
Folk of Missouri nor Shafroth of Colo
RADIO is considered seriously. Mr.
Bryan probably would prefer a man
like Folk to any of the others, but he
would also see quicker than anyone
else the futility of trying to force his
nomination. 1t does not now seem
probable that Mr.. Bryan will dictate
the nomination He is scarcely in
position to do that, granting him still
a considerable remnant of power. Yet
under the two-thirds nomination rule
in democratic conventions. Mr.. Bryan
may have enough strength to defeat,
II not make, a candidate. Therefore,
when the fight resolves itself down to
Harmon and Wilson, as it doubtless
will IL things do not radically change.
Bryan may be expected to favor Will
son in order to defeat the Ohio gov
ernor for refusing to stand aside"
But in the meantime, since plat
forms are adopted by a simple major
ity vote, Mr. Bryan may be able to
foist upon the convention a revised
version of his Denver platform, posi-
bly, rewritten and embellished here
and there with a timely bait or two,
forcing the candidate of the rehabili-
tated old-line democracy to run on
disguised new-line set Of promises.
This, of course would not be to the
liking of the bourbons of the south or
the conservatives of the east but If 1t
was the best they could get, 1t prob
ably would be accepted and the nom
inee and his friends would do as they
saw At about redeeming or repudiating
the platform pledges later, II by
chance they should be victorious in the
election.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-27
POWER OF THE SPEAKER.
Objections to DeprivIng Him of APP
pOintment of Committees.

objections TO DepriVing Him of APP
pOintment of Committees.
Henry Watterson in Courier-J Journal
In time the speaker of the house of repre-
sentatives may become. like the speaker
of the English house of commons, merely
a judicial officer. Just yet he is a most
important party leader. Power enough he
must be given TO control a somtimes
obstreperous body. Otherwise, we should
have not only party disruption, but legis-
lative chaos
It were well that in their desire to full
fill their pledges to the people the demo-
cratic members of congress newly elected
should be quite sure OF their footing
Their course will be closely watched and
mercilessly criticised. They can afford to
make no mistakes. The one rule to be
observed, where safe precedent is wanting,
intentioned fidelity taken for granted, is
the rule Of common sense stripped Of
self-deception and make-believe. Under
standingly applied, this rule is clearly
against the reduction of the democratic
speaker to a figurehead and the commit
ment of the selection of the committees to
a committee on committees. The proposed
innovation is open 10 these objections:
That 1t is a game Of foot bail. scheme
of dlcker and barter among members,
each struggling for himself, the devil to
get the hindmost, the country in the end
to hold the bag, which will be found
empty.
That It eliminates Intelligent and fair
discrimination, based upon personal knowl-
edge and experience, and submits the re-
suit not simply to chance, but to the pos
sible intrusion Of corrupting Influence and
dishonest agreement.
That II abolshes all respOnsibiity-not
alone that of the speaker, but of indi-
vidual membership as well-and sends the
house to sea I'm an open boat without
rudder or compass or a pilot manned by
God knows whom; unless, indeed the
speaker has slate" that goes through,
in which event there will be more or less
OF stencil without any diminution OF per-
sonal dlssension and chagrin.
Under such a system the most capable
members of the house, who lack the talent
for self-seeklng may be ignored whilst
unfit members with a turn for trade, may
be given places Of honor and trust.
am told that, willy-nilly, the plan Is
to be adopted. The pressure for it is so
great indeed. that Mr. Champ Clark has
yielded 1t his assent risk nothing I'm
surmising that this assent springs Iather
from the Missoudan's desire not TO ap-
pear grasping and dlctatoriaL or to set
himself against what seems resistless
movement, than from his better Judgment
as an old and tried member Of the house.
The plea that the democrats are com
mitted to such an innovation Is largely
pretext OF those who think they Will
come out better from scramble than
they would fare at the hands Of the
speaker.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-27
Our Birthday Book.
nanamhar 81. 100.


Johann Kepler, the celebrated German
astronomer, was born December q, 1871.
and died in 1880. He contributed TO the
science the three great laws OF the mo-
ton OF the planets.
Colonel J. II. Pratt retired capitalist who
died last month. was born December q
1925, al PlaInfield, Mass. He made his
money In cattle In the early days. being
associated with the Letters Of Chicago In
some great range properties.
Walter T. Page, manager Of the Omaha
plant for the American Smelling and Re
filming company Is 40 years old today He
is a graduate OF the Virginia Polytechnic
institute and by profession is metallurg-
ist lie has been In charge OF the smelter
here since 1883.
c. Y. Smith. attorney-at-law, was born
December "a. 1865 at Quincy Mass. He
graduated at the University Of Nebraska
law school He Is also interested IN the
Atlantic dairy.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-27
Try This for Colds
Prescription Known for Results
Rather than Large Quantity.

Go TO your druggist and get Two
ounces OF Glycerine and half an ounce
of Concentrated Pine compound Mix
these with half a pint of good yvhlskey
Shake well. Take one or two taaspoon.
fuls after each meal and at bed time
Smaller doses to children according TO
This is said to be the quickest cough and
cold cure known to the medical profess
sion. Be sure TO get only the genuine
(Globe( Concentrated Pine. Each half
sealed case. If the druggist Is out OF
stock me will quickly get II from his
wholesale house. Don't fool with uncer-
tain mixtures. II Is risky. .-a-
Pine Is one OF the oldest remedies
known to civilization, but many OF the
extracts contain roesins and Impurities
that cause nausea ana other bad after
effects. For safety get only the above
60.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-27
Canadian Farmers Seek Markets.


The farmers of western Canada,
/ 900 OF whom went to Ottawa and
demanded that the government hasten
negotiations with the United States
for better tariff relations, are at least
awake to the necessity of better mar
Gets for their products as a means of
maintaining the present rate of deyel-
opment In their territory They have
placed the premier in the position of
having to decide as between the farm
crs of western and the manufacturers
OF eastern Canada, and the premier is
feeling his way cautiously.
Reciprocity between these two ooun-
tries ought to help both in the way Of
western development, but it is not as
a political principle that the Canadian
farmers hit upon reciprocity. They
ere willing TO call II free trade or
downward revision Of the tariff, II that
will help their case any. AS a matter
OF fact, they do demand free trade on
the implements they have TO buy from
the United States Their sole object
is new outlets for their raw material,
and that is necessary before the
dominion's western provinces are ade-
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-27

Our amiable democratic contempt
rary the World-Herald, is rightly dis
tressed over the inexcusable eXtrava-
gance of the United States senate,
which gets away with over 100000
year for salaries of its members,
their needlessly numerous clerks,
stenographers, Wallets, stationery min
eral water, perfume. snuff and so
forth. When the editor of the World
Herald enters the senate all this will
of course be forthwith stopped. If he
can't put the brake on his colleagues
extravaganza, Senator Hitchcock can
at least refuse himself to have any
share in it, But will he? Wait and
see.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-27
Rank Discrimination.

The Filipinos are soon to enjoy the bene-
fits of a parcels post to Hong Kong, in
which packages weighing as much as eleven
pounds are to be carried at the rate OF
u cents a pound. We can send packages
abroad up TO eleven pounds In weight, pay
Ing postage at the rate Of 70 cents a pound,
but within the limits OF the United States
we have to pay at the rate OF 1s- cents
pound for packages limited to four pounds
in weight. The discrimination seems to be
without justification.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-27
M1RTHFUL REMARKg

why do YOU read go many -c. uufo
aud phIosophic works.
MY motive is purely pracucUh l'pUcd
Miss cayenne. when ] nave ul'No.ne
sure to get sleep, and 80 homie w wash.
ington star
And how did the young people fare"
"ENCelleutly. The grooms mother do
mated tOO0O trading stamps. and the brides
to furnish their parlor Kansas t'tv
journal.
Teacher And now. Willie. who holds Tho
ascension record at the present ume'
Willie Instantly Elijah.-Puck.
Redd-rhey say whales cannot swim
faster than ten or twelve miles an hour.
Greene don't blame Jonah for getting
out Nonkers statesman.
The occupant OF the fourth floor fiat was
looking through the pages OF the diction-
airy the agent was trying to sell him.
No" he said. closing the book and
handed it back, ~ don't Whnt tt. u Is
twenty years behind the times il defines
'ianitor as the 'Caretaker' Of a building
He's the caremaker'-Chicago Tribune.
u like wideawake men In the office and
Jaggsby seems so stupid"
"Oh, Jaggsby Is the most wideawake
II never thought he was enterprislng"
Tile isn't. That Is not what makes HIM
wideRwake He's got insomnia H. -Balti-
more American.
Lives of fuel men all remind US
There IL money in their biz,
When they bring their bills. they find uA
Saying such things as Gee Whizz!
Judge.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-27

If Jim Bledsoe could look down or
up from where he is now and see peo-
pie wading the old Mississippi,
wouldn't it make him feel foolish for
Holding her nozzle gin the bank"
too long?
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-27
A GROUP OF DISASTERS.
shddeninE Record OF Life Loss Among
Fire Fighters.

Fire Fighters.
Boston Transcript
The tragedies of peace are usually more
startling than those OF war, because their
occurrence is, as a rule unexpected
Within less than seventy-flve hours fires
in three cities have taken the lives Of more
than an eighth as many men as were
killed in action during the four months
OF the Spanish-American war. The series
opened in Cincinnati with a S2,O0O.OOO CON
Migration, in which two firemen lost their
lives and others were injured. The Phila-
delphia holocaust followed, the fatal ex-
tent OF which is not yet definitely deter
mined, and the sensational events Of to-
day were opened by the fire in the Chi
cago stock yards, burying in burning
debris score Of fire fighters. including
two of the highest officers of the depart
ment
Were the grewsome list to stop here il
would make the year now closing almost
unprecedented in the list of fatal fires.
so far as 1t affects the fire fighters. There
have been more terrible results to others.
as in the Iroquols theater fire and a num-
Der of others of mournful memory. in
which panic aided the flames In their
work of death, but fire fighters arc sup
posed to be exempt from that and so far
as possible to have the way open TO re-
treat when danger becomes too imminent
But there are frequent occasions when
large risks have to be taken, and II is not
probable that those who have suffered in
three of our large cities were more ven
turesome than the conditions called for.
The annual reports of the London fire de-
partment make no mention OF losses to
property, but only losses of life and injury
TO limb. on such a basis the years ex-
hibit would be more tragic than almost
any OF its predecessors
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-27
Denmark's Champion CRATER.

There was something very much rotten In
the state OF Denmark. according to the sem
tence imposed on It's grating late minister
OF justice OF eight years in prison and
fine Of 100000. The trusts are considered
big operators m this country, but the graft
which calls for this punish ment In a single
individual reveals an Industry in the matter
that FAR surpasses our own national re-
sources.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-27

II has been discovered that votes
have been sold to the highest bidder
in Ohio for twenty years. They will
be raining them OF at church fairs
there next.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-27

William Allen White in his Empo-
ria Gazette is waging a fierce warfare
against whiskers. lie will be pulling
them out by the roots the first thing
you know.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-27

The present rules in the senate may
be bad. but Senator Bristow. who
talked six days against the omnibus
claims bill, must at least admit they
give a man a chance to speak his mind
hindrance.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-27

TnlIaucIpnIa IttCOTu'
The Carnegie gift Of S1O.OOO,OOO to promote
International peace is followed by John ID.
Rockefeller with the donation Of like sum
to the Chicago university. How other null
timllhonaires must envy these public bene-
factors for liberality which they are in
capable of initiating.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-27

sprlngfleld Republican.

bpTInBIIcIu HtpuDTCUU.
There Is certainly one railroad in the
country which should not be allowed to
raise its rates. This is the Lehgh valley
whose dividend rate has just been lifted to
10 per cent. Railroads which can afford to
pay 10 per cent on the stock can better be
asked to reduce their rater than ask for
public indulgence in an advance
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-27

In answer to Attorney Brandeis. it
is asserted that the percentage Of rail
way efficiency. in this country is at
least as great as the percentage Of
efficiency in the legal profession. Some
railroads and some lawyers.