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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (June 5, 1904)
Builders of Nebraska and Their Achievements .ROM May 28, 1854, whon Nebraska became a territory, to May 28, 104, covers Its history as a ter ritory and state. The tract of land of which Nebraska forms a part passed by salo from Napoleon Uona parto to tha United States In ISO. From Its territorial organization to Its admission as a sUUe of the union in 1867, Nebraska made rapid progress, notwithstanding it had been placed on the early maps as a part of "The Great American Desert," which was detrimental to Immigration. Being a bone of contention during the slavery agitation in ante-bellum days and the consideration of Senator Douglas' "Kan sas Nebraska Bill," the tide of Immigra tion was checked for a time, but was speedily resumed and Increased at the close of the civil war. As population expanded and commerce and agriculture, Increased, tha Missouri river ceased to be an adequate means of carrying its commerce and tha demand for railroads became Imperative, and they in now running to every ao ceaslble part of the state, furnishing ade quate transportation. But I cannot enter Into the history of Nebraska, being en joined to confine my remarks to tha state as I know its representation in congress. Anong the distinguished men I have per somily known who represented the state in tha United atates senate and in tha house of representatives and who added to Its name and fame are General Charles F. Henderson of Omaha, Algernon S. Paddock Of Beatrice, John M. Thurston of Omaha, William J. Bryan of IUnooin, William A. McKelghan of Hed Cloud, Omer M. Kern of Broken Bow, Eugene J. Holner of Aurcra, Iavid H. Mercer of Omaha, Oeorga D. Melklujohn of Fullerton. William I. Stark of Aurora, Rhoderick D. Southerland Of Nelson. Kilmer J. Burkett of Lincoln, William U Oreaaa of Kearney, William Neville of North Platte and John 8. Rob inson Madison. To as intelligent a constituency as Tha Bee possesses, it would be superfluous to peak In detail of these gentlCTnen and Um 'services Ibey have rendered to tha state. Politically, I had nothing in com mon with Senators Manderson, Puddock and Thurston; nor with Representatives Ualner, Mercer, Melklejohn or Burkett, al though our personal relations were always Pleasant, while the other gentlemen were my political associates and friends. Tha Nebraska delegation in both houses during my services sustained kindly rela tions and worked in harmony to serve tha Interests of the state. I take pleasure in aaying that Nebraska was ably represented to the senate by that brilliant statesman ' and scholarly gentleman. General Charles J". Manderson; by Hon. John M. Thurston, an orator of signal power and my lovable friend; that splendid gentleman and good business roan, . Senator Paddock. It was We'll represented by Messrs. Ilalner, Mer cer, Melklujohn and Burkett in the house, ' and. It .would be needless to add, that among my colleagues, Messrs. Bryan, Mo Keighan, Kem, Oreene, Stark, Southerland, Neville and Robinson, It was In my Judg ment represented with superior ability and statesmanship and by men of rare ora torical gifts. All these gentlemen, regardless of their political faith, worked honestly and intel ligently for the upbuilding of the state, the outgrowth of which Is found in the construction of many public buildings, the appropriation of many acres of land and much money for schools and the improve ment of the navigation of the Missouri river and the Transmlasisslppl Interna- ' Uonal exposition of 1S98. It is difficult to speak of those wih whom we have been associated in terms of ade quate praise without being regarded as attempting to flatter, but all I have said f these gentlemen, and more too. Is true, and they era entitled to tha gratitude of the people of this state for their eminent aervloes. It Is not so difficult to speak of the Nd whose virtues and worth should be borne In constant remembrance. But the monu ment of those who contributed to tha mak ing of this commonwealth and have passed from the scenes of life to those of eternity, that their history is written not only in their deeds, but In the current literature of the day, and time and spaoe forbid ma to speak of them further. I think I ought to be permitted to deflect from my subject far enough to say that anions the living who have bean powerful factors In the upbuilding of this state, tha names of Kdward Rosowater, Dr. Miller, Governor Furnas and John M. Thayer should not be overlooked. But let ma speak of Nebraska herself, tha peerless queen, crowned with tha e frac tion of her sons and daughters. Fifty years ago ah was an almost trackless waats. Inhabited by nomadlo raoea ' of savage men and wild beasts, her eastern border had Scattering and feeble settle ments, but from that time to this aha has grown to be one of the brightest Jewel in tha diadem of tha union. I hava no doubt that fifty years hence will see her Stand well at tha head of tha sisterhood of states. Through the Introduction ef Arbor day, which Is indigenous to Nebraska, but which, like a beautiful rose, has found root in other nollm, trees hava been planted on barren plains until bow vast forests grow on what was waste land, and herbaga and crops of all kinds are prodcued In abundance. Schools and churches Innumerable hare been erected and are maintained by aa Intelligent, thrifty aad Christian people, and the educational Institutions of tha state stand well to tha front at this time, and being Inhabited by a sober, Intelligent, Good Cause for Pardonable Pride TANDIND at this fiftieth mlle- Sl stone of Nebraska's progress we I may. I think, view itbe work of our hands with pardonable pride. Fifty years In the life of an in dividual is a long time, but In the existence of a stata Is brief indeed. The great nat ural advantages which ao materially as sisted In tha building up of the other atates, such aa navigable rivers, large bodies of timber aad great mineral de posits, were entirely wanting la Nebraska. As a farther Impediment, the early ex plorers represented this stata as a part of the Great American Desert, and of course worthless. It seems when God made Nebraska He Just gave It two tal ents, which those who might come into possession might occupy. He mixed up for It tha very best kind of soil and gave It a climate unequaled for its health-giving and energising Qualities. Upon these two tal ents the people in Nebraska have been trading during the past fifty years, and In their use have made them many talente more, Ihe Increase being in homes and schools, railroads and cities, churches and colleges, and a citizenship of a million and a quarter, representing the best educated, most advanced and up-to-date of this, the most advanced nation in the world. It seems difficult, to realise the wealth accumulation of this first half century. The grand assessment roll of the state for the year 1903 was one hundred eighty-eight and one-half millions of dollars. That was supposed to have been made upon the basis of one-fifth of the actual valuation. But we are all very well convinced, from the amount of complaint now going up over the assessment under the new revenue law, that really that roll represents less than one-tenth of the actual value of Ne braska property. So we are safe In saying that Nebraska holds more than one billion eight hundred and eighty-eight millions of dollars of actual property. The report went abroad but year that our crops were Years of iKTTEP. fifty years of Europe than B a cycle of Cathay," sang Eng land's choicest modern poet, x- rwiA pressing an idea truly Anglo Viiil'iim iJ Saxon and held In common by all progressive races, that activity is preferable to passivity, work is more de sirable than play, that it is better to wear out than to rust out. The half century that has elapsed since May 30, 1854, when the signing of the Kansas-Nebraska bill by the president of the United States opened virgin fields for conquest, by calling into existence new territories for exploration and settlement, has been a period whon the restless ac tivities of those who took up the burden of life In tha transmlssourl country has had full opportunity for display and ample chance afforded for the efforts of tireless energy and the accomplishments of virile labor. Those vho entered this land, then so little known, were possessed of "hearts of oak and spirits bold." "Whether life oould be sustained upon these wind-swept plains was a serious problem. The geographers bad proclaimed It a great desert. Those who had trav ersed the broad expanse between the muddy river and the lofty peaks of the Rockies, having no thought to stay until they came to where gold would reward their search tor the new El Dorado, spoke of the stifling heat and scorching winds of the dry summer, the freezing oold and fierce blunts of the terrible winter, of the absence of trees to afford grateful shade for protection from the summer's sun and needful fuel for the winter's cold,' and de clared It fit only for the sneaking coyote, the shaggy buffalo and their lit com panionthe wild Indian. The tomahawk - and the scalping knife were better fitted to the environment than the shovel and the hoe. Truly the outlook was most discouraging, the prospect most uninviting. But the spirit of the adventurer and the nerve of the conqueror are ever present. Ttiey actuated LaSalle and Marquette in the palmy days of New France as they prompted Lewis and Clarke in the time of Jefferson. Tha fascination of exploration la only equaled by the satisfaction of subjugation and the glorious results of the last fifty progressive. God-fearing people, Nebraska has made marvelous progress during the rears af bar existence, and her sons and daughters love her with, aa affection be yond tha power of dJVa-tptton. Ia her agricultural and gracing pursuits aha baa few equals and ao superiors, and while bar storms aeem at times Inhospita ble, bar breezes are laden Iwith health giving quaUtlea In tha professions aba Is represented by amlneat Jurists, great physicians and sur geons aad equally great editors, all of abort; and yet there were produced one hundred and seventy million bushels of corn, and forty-four million bushels of wheat. Nebraska's agricultural production of all kinds last year goes well towards the one hundred million dollar mark. All this vast production ia agriculture has been built up from a strip of the great desert in the brief space of nTty years. And while this growth in production was being made, thousands of rich farms and beautiful homes, surrounded with groves and orchards, and showing and possessing taste and refinement of their owners, sprung up as by magic upon the treeless plains. Cities and towns have kept pace with agricultural development, using every appliance af the most advanced civilisation. Car beyond the older states. A propbet fifty years ago that would have dared to picture Nebraska as it Is today would have been considered a vision ary dreamer. Kven those who have wit nessed this rapid development can scarcely believe their own senses. The splendid advance made by Nebraska la this Bret half century la due largely to the character of Its peopla Many of tha pioneers were veterans of 'C1-'G5, who were given the privilege of accepting the task of creating a new state under the guise of the donation of KO acres ef what was gen erally thought te be desert lpjnd. To this work they brought the same heroic bravery and untiring energy which characterized their work of saving the union. About this time many young men from the east, who wished larger opportunities than oould be afforded them there, came to try tbeir for tunes in the new west. They all brought with them hope aad brains. They began the building of the new state at the point the older atates had already attained, so the first public work to receive attention was the school. Neither lumber nor timber (or making it was to be bad. but building material ia unlimited quantities abounded la the native sod, and this became the first Adventure and years In Kansas and Nebraska " need no detailed recital. Since the great day when the Declaration of Independtnce was read from the front step of the old state house In Philadelphia, while the bell "proclaimed liberty through out the land and to all the' people thereof," no event In American history was fraught with greater importance than the passage of the bill signed by the chief executive on May 30, 1854. Its repeal of the Missouri compromise measure that for over thirty years had held the sections apart, was the beginning of that oft predicted "Irrepress ible conflict" that, starting on the prairies of Kansas, led by tragic succession to tha hanging of John Brown in Virginia, the firing upon the flag in South Carolina, the arming of tha Indignant north, the four years of bloody war with the sacrifices upon over 2,000 battle fields, the emancipa tion of millions of slaves and finally the culmination at Appomattox and the birth of a puissant nation, mighty because by war's dread arbitrament It was decided that this union of states is Indestructible. The day whose semi-centennial we are 1 tory of Nebraska as Written by Nature and Man (Continued from Page Seven.) , sanitary inspection, but most of all In the vastly increased outlay for educational (both primary and higher), forming from one-third to one-half of the total publlo expense, has created a floating state debt of (3,000,000 and brought the people face to face with Its latest problem more reve nue or fewer functions. Fifty years ago there were less than a thousand white peopla In Nebraska terri tory, today more than a million The total wealth then was probably not $100, 000, now between one and two billions. Then there was not a single cultivated farm today there are 125,000, with crops worth $1,000,COO. Then not a factory or mile of railroad. Today 5,414 manufactur ing establishments, with a product worth $144,000,000 each year, and 5,700 miles of railroad. Fifty year a ago this summer a single newspaper, the Palladium, at Bellevue. Today 600 newspapers and ma gazines. Fifty years ago not a school In active operation. Today 10,000 common schools and higher onrs by the hundred. Fifty years ago an ur.fencej buffalo pas ture, with aa rank in civilized societ whom have contributed in a large measure to her development. I do not possess tha language to enable me to speak In fitting terms of my love of Nebraska, a state that has so signally honored me and on whose soli I have lived for many years and In whose bosom Z Iiope finally to rest. material for the school bouse as It had been in moat Instances of the residences. Many churches were erected from the en me ma terial. From the very beginning, then, though crudely housed It may be, Ne braska has had those things which marked the best civilization of the older states. Today the neat whits school house In more than 8.000 school districts, 400 city and vil lage high schools, many seminaries and colleges and our grand state university are the evolution upward from the little sod school house on the prairie. One most important factor m Nebraska's development must not be overlooked. Of all to whom credit Is due, there are none entitled to more honor than the pioneer -women of our state. Ttie great majority of these came from cultured homes, accus tomed to the association of the most re fined surroundings; they bravely assumed the task ef creating like conditions In a region .having none of them. Who may know the long dsys of loneliness, the hun ger and longing for even a sight of the cool, shady groves to rest the tired eyea from the monotony of the endless plane? "Men must work, but women must wait," and the waiting is often much harder to en dure than the working. We lift our bats and pay homage to the pioneer women who by their heroic helpfulness and patience made possible the beautiful Nebraska of today. Every Nebraskan should be proud of hia state and its splendid progress. Any young tnan owning a quarter section of this rich aodl and la ving one of Nebraska's fair daughters for a wife Is a king over a realm that will yield hhn perpetual revenue and happiness. It is the common lot of hu manity to want, but such a one will never need. Conquest soon to celebrate brought forth Lincoln, and Grant from obscurity and placed, the emancipator and the conqueror in the most prominent niches of the temple of fame. The battle Tor the preservation, won by the wisdom of the one and the genius of the other over the disbanded hosts of free dom, seeking homes In a new land, turned naturally to the transmlssourl country, opening great opportunities by the build ing of the Union Pacific railroad, con structed through government aid as a war necessity. The gallant hosts spread from the river to the mountain slope and entering every branch of industry carved out, with in vincible hands and creative brains, the two magnificent commonwealths that exult la the event of the SOth day of May. "God unfavored the land. That he hid long time in the west. As the sculptor uncovers hlH statue. When he has wrought his best." afei Today-in tie union of forty-five sister states, which forms the strongest nation In the world her rank Is tenth In total value of farm products, eighth In produc tion of wheat, fourth In production of corn, fourth In number of cattle and swine, third In manufacture of meat products, and first of all In education qualification of her people. In fifty years Nebraska has given the world Its central battle ground for the settlement of the most pressing world problems, from slavery to monopoly; she has given national leader ship to both sides in these struggles; she has given the nation twice a leading candi date for president she has given the world an Arbor day. Highest of all, her broad prairies end lofty table lands, have given birth to a race of clear vluioned, Inde pendent minded, progressive men and women. Unfettered by. the dogmatism of the past In politics. In religion, In econo mies. In human sympathy aad aspiration, may Nebraska never fail In her leadership. Nor heed the sceptic's puny hands, While near her school the church spire stands; Nor fear the blinded bigot's rule, While near her church spire stands tha school.