Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-08-13
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BY Victor Rosewatsr.

!
torial excursion OF the State Press ASSOCIATION and
| like every without previous ocular expert
enoe, have had my eyes opened to the wonderful
| possibilities OF region put down until within a
| very few years as barren waste unht tor Guilt
/ walton or habitatlon. We have been talking See
| America First" when matter OF fact we
! would do better to preach "See Nebraska First,
at least to NebraskanS vitality concerned III the
| development OF our own state. Few OF US realize
| that go up i'll the air, altitudinally speaking,
over 5000 feet without leaving the state when we
cross from the eastern to the western boundary.
and almost as few have any adequate idea OF the
magnificent distances covered IN such a journey.
But | am not going to write up the trip, be
cause it can not possibly be done in even the most
cursory way in the space of column, but few
impressions and thoughts gained during the out
ing may interest my readers.
What struck me forciby was the change in
the character OF both town and country as COM
pared with what had seen on another excursion
of Nebraska editors that | had taken up the
| Burlington line as far as Newcastle, Wyo., TWEEN
ty-tive years ago. While an occasional sod house
survives here and there, then it was largely dug
outs that housed the people, outside of the few
little hamets that boosted of railroad stations as
contrasted with the fine modern farm houses and
town residences all over that country today.
Nearly every place where we stopped on that
early excursion trip conormed to the same type:
A wooden shed depot and few store buildings
and dwellings clustered about four to six squares,
with public we'll in the center of the intersecting
streets from which all the inhabitants drew all of
the water used for all purposes. Now the oca
ton of the smallest village is sighted at a dis
lance by the steel water tank that furnishes
gravity pressure supply to every householder,
who also enjoys the use Of electric light and tele
phone and all the Injuries of civilization, not to
mention owning an automobile. The barns and
feeding pens, the abundance of cattle and hogs
and poultry, the widely cultivated fields, thick
with stacks of cut grain or hay, practically all
the land under fence, all this notes the transfor
nation that has taken place.
The people out here today look upon them
selves as pioneers and they in truth pioneer
ing new country, but the burdens and hardships
they have to bear are as nothing beside those OF
the dug-o period to which refer. The new
corners of today have to put up with but few
discomfors, yet have far greater opportunities
and much more certainty of winning out They
have churches and schools for their children,
terprising merchants in town to supply their
needs live home newspapers, regular railroad
service and daily mails, circuses, movies
dances. country fairs, base ball, athletic tourna-
ments. all in season. The dreariness and lone
someness OF pioneering have completely disap-
peared.
A cash prize has been offered for the best
printed description of what in the irri-
gated valley surrounding Gerng and Scottsbluff.
l may submit this hastily constructed alphabetc
alliteration:
Alfalfa and altitude and auto array
Big beets bordered by beautiful buttes, bees,
butter.
Cud chewing cattle, coming chief cities,
Drouth destroying bitches doing duty diurnal.
Ever endeavoring, each entertaining,
Faucets fast flowing from
Great, generous, gracious
Hospitaltys hoard; huntsmans heaven hurt
ling horses
Irrigation incessant melting its
Just Jubilation.
Kindness. knowledge,
Loves labor learning. Level land
Midst mighty mounds,
Nature nowhere nobler.
Onions onions, ominous oraces of
Prodigious potatoes; precious poultry; people
patriotic, pushing.
Quick, querulous, quzzica;
Roads running right
Smooth, straight secure; sheep, swine send
ing skyward
Their triumphant title to
Uphold undesirable
Value verify Wanted. Visitors
Welcomed with winning ways
Ntra
Yields yet yearn your
Zeal.
In due time, if not already, the most enthu-
sastic good roads boosters of all are to be found
among the western Nebraska people. In that
land of what call magnificent distances, the i'm |
perative need Of good roads is being driven in all
the time. Everybody hikes by auto and the inter-
change of travel and traffic between the towns is
tremendous. They are discovering the high cost
Of bad roads and learning the difference between
poor roadways and good ones. They are realiz-
ing the false economy of make-shft bridges and |
cuverts, the danger of sharp curves, and the loss
entailed by steep grades. Their experience is !
teaching them that the condition OF the roads is !
factor in marketing their farm products and
that the cost of hauling comes out of the price |
received from the sale The roads are not bad |
As natural roads with little or no working |
of excellent highways, but they call urgently for
Improvement.
Another enforced lesson Of the trip heightens
regard for the boundless hospitality and the sin
cere welcome extended to strangers by the public !
spirited people throughout the interior of Ne |
braska. Perfect strangers, as we'll as friends |
undertook to make us feel completely at home |
and to impress US that entertainment was !
privilege to them instead of favor to us. Incl |
dentally | could not help remark upon the re-
sourcefuness that enabled them to take care of !
an invading army of so guests as if always in |
state OF preparedness for that very thing. At one
place the slaughter OF the chickens seemed so
appalling that luckless editor ventured the |
remark, I'm afraid you'll have to get along all ,
next winter without eggs whereupon the gentle !
matron, who was waiting on the table retorted /
Why. you ought to know that the BOOSTERS don't |
lay the eggs"
The newspaper bunch of Nebraska is also I'M
proving. Editors, like folks in other professions /
have to improve all the time to keep up with the ,
procession. These editorial excursionsts measure
up well above the average, none smaller than
body type and lots of them in big face sizes