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LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, SATURDAY, MAY 31, 1903.
ESTABLISHED IN 1886
THE, GENTLEMAN FROM NEBRASKA
The Honorable Elmer J. Burkett and the Unprecedented Honor,
of a Third Nomination ).
Conferred Upon Him by the Republicans of the First District
9f
Last Tuesday evening Congressman
E. J. Burkett was, for the third time,
nominated for the membership in the
American house of representatives.
This Is an honor never before con
ferred upon any one In the First dis
trict of Nebraska. It is all the more
manifest when taken In connection
with the fact that the last two nomin
ations have been by acclamation. The
unanimity with which Mr. Burkett's
re-nomination has been asked for by
the people has also been slgniflcant.
For a year it has been apparent that
the great majority of the republicans
of the district were for him for a third
term and there never has been any
serious consideration of any other
candidates. In fact, there have been
no other candidates.
It may be said that the district was.
and has been, pratically unanimous
for Burkett's re-nomlnation ever since
the last convention. This can be ac
counted for on two grounds. The iirst
is personal to Mr. Burkett and the sec
ond is the advantage of the district.
The people have made up their minds
that experience is worth something to
a man in congress just as it is In any
other business or profession and that
If Nebraska is ever to attain any great
prominence in national affairs It must
keep men in congress until they have a
right to ask for that recognition. That
this feeling was general and Is grow
ing throughout the district there is no
question and that it helped Mr. Bur
kett there Is no doubt.
But Mr. Burkett has a strong per
sonal following among the people.
They like him and have confidence in
him. The most partisan democrats
speak kindly of him. That he has
grown in the estimation and affections
of the people, one has but to recall the
convention In the latter days of June.
189S, when he was a candidate for the
first time. It has been gratifying to
those early friends of the young con
gressman to follow his rapid rise In
public esteem.
When In 1898 a few men began talk
ing Burkett for congress some people
were inclined to smile, for he was new
In the community and young In years-.
But his friends were legion, the coun
try was almost solid for him, the un
expected happened and Lancaster in
structed Its delegates to the congres
sional convention for Burkett. The
district convention was thirty days off
and there were many candidates from
the several counties. Judge Stull was
an aspirant from Nemaha county and
Otoe brought out the late lamented
Senator M. L. Hayward. In addition
to these, names were sugested in
Cass and Pawnee and possibly others.
Judge Hayward concluded to be a
candidate for governor In response to
the great popular demand from all
over the state and others dropped by
the wayside until finally when the
congressional convention met. Judge
Stull of Auburn and Mr. Burkett were
the only candidates left In the race.
Mr. Burkett was nominated on the
first ballot, receiving 151 votes out of
173 in the convention. He had been In
and won out In the longest and sharp
est contest ever waged In the state for
a congressional nomination. Twice
since then he has been re-nominated
without a voice being raised against
him.
In his speech accepting the first
nomination Mr. Burkett said among
other things. "Appreciating the honor
as I do I shall endeavor to serve you
and the whol people of my district to
the very best of my ability." That he
has kept his promise is testified to by
his record and his popularity among
all classes. No man has ever been
Jieard to utter a complaint against
Mr. Burkett's work' as congressmanr
Many democrats have announced
openly and publicly their gratitude to
him and their obligations for his ser
vice. Within a month several promi
nent democrats In Lincoln have pub
lished In the press their words of
praise for him.
Mr. Burkett has performed a very
effective service for the old soldiers.
There are about a thousand veterans
and their widows who have received
Pnslun3 through his help and these
have carried almost $100,000 back pay
for this one district alone. In Lincoln
there are 150 old soldiers whose claims
have been allowed through his efforts.
During the three years that Mr.
Burkett has been In congress he has
almost grldlroned his district with
rural free delivery routes and as a re
sult of his energy In this direction
nearly thirty thousand people have
their mall delivered at their door,
where formerly they traveled from one
to fifteen miles to the postofflce for It.
All this has made Mr. Burkett many
friends and that, too, among u class
of people who will not forget his ser-"vloes,-
The m2nthus helpednr- not.
the kind who trade and traffic with
their political franchise but who recog
nize ability and reward It with faith
ful allegiance.
But there are still many other calls
upon him. Everybody who has a
claim against the government of any
sort has needed him; everybody who
kwCy? tiaJrt ,it K IVIES' "iwJS-
CONGRESSMAN E. J. BURKETT.
Renominated Unanimously for a Third Term.
is getting a patent or copyright has
called upon him for assistance. To all
he has been obliging, punctual and
courteous. Mr. Burkett's success may
be summed up In few words, lie has
really tried to do something for the
district and for the people. At the
last session of congress he secured an
appropriation of $250,000 for the Im
provement of the banks of the MIs
cr.uri river at Nebraska City. Itulo and
Plattsmouth. He has been Industrious
In betteilng the postal facllltlod, ami
additional allowances and additional
clerical force has rewarded his efforts
In many of the postof flees. In short,
there Is scarcely a man In the district
that has not received a favor from
Mr. Burkett and these acts of kindness
and deeds of service have made him
popular. Here In Lincoln he first se
cured a new sidewalk around the gov
ernment square and other improve
ments amounting to about $13,000. and
finally a $300,000 appropriation for an
addition to the postofflce building
Itself.
A little incident may be related to
show how Mr. Burkett is ever on the
alert to find something that he can do
for his constituency. He saw the let
ter carriers of this city one chilly, cold
day last November perched on the
stone coping that borders the steps In
front of the postofflce. He asked why
they were not In by the fire and found
out that the law did not permit of
their entering the work rooms except
on duty and that they either had to
stand up In the public corridor or g
out of doors and sit on the stone stepj.
It didn't take long for him to find a
way out and within thirty days he had
secured an order from the department
at Washington for a swing room or
lounging room for the carriers. He had
the room fitted up with tables am!
chairs and individual lockers for ev
ery carrier, and now the three score
of mall carriers are fast friends of the
congressman.
But he has not consumed all his time
with material things; he has brought
honor and credit to the district by rea
son of his ability and conscientious
work In the halls of congress. That he
has the confidence of the strong men of
the house Is testified to by the fact
that Speaker Henderson placed him on
the appropriations committee at the
beginning of his second term. It may
be assumed that he never would have
received the appointment If "Uncle
Joe" Cannon, of Illinois, and chairman
of that great committee, had not looked
upon him as likely material. His ad
dresses have attracted attention all
over the country. His speech on pen
sions was published In the National
Tribune and sent broad-cast all over
the United States.
He Is credited with changing more
votes with a speech than any one has
done in congress In ten years, and by
it defeated the ridiculous and extrar-