If i km 7' The Wealth Makers and Lincoln Independent Consolidated. VOL. VIII. LINCOLN, NEBR., THURSDAY, March iS, 1897. NO. 44. She WATSON ON MCKINLEY A Verdict Against 16 to 1, but Not 'Against the Existence of the Greenbacks. PEOPLE AGAINST THE TARIFF The President "Will Let the Power Behind the Throne Carry Him Too Far. Thomson! Ga., March 8. Presideut McKinley's inaugural ad dress discloses his danger. He is assum ing that the election meant more than it it did mean. He is going to let the power behind the throne carry him too far. Mr. McKinley's election looks more like a matter of course now than it did in October last. It is all very natural for the general after his victory, or the mariner safe in port, to think lightly of victories overcome, but it is wiser to re flect soberly concerning that critical moment of the tight when the event seemed to hang upon a thread wiser to reflect a little upon that tremendous moment when the incoming ship trem bled and shivered in all her timbers as she touched the bar. In the opinion of many competent judges, Mr. McKinley was more danger ously Dear defeat than any presidential candidate who ever triumphed. Too much stiffne-s of neck on the part of democratic managers at the begin ning of the campaign; too much con temptuous talk unbottled upon popu lists; too much concealment and double dealing on the part of the senatorial coterie who had charge of the fusion schedule; too much arrogance and intol erance shown by the fusion populists to wards those who opposed uncondition al surrender of populism to demo cracythese were the causes of McKin ley's election. WHAT ELECTED MCKINLEY. There were sufficient. anti-McKinley votea in this country to have defeated him last November. There is a sufficient number to defeat him now were the eloc ution ta vbs held again. He succeeded be cause the anti-McKinley vote could not be concentrated. The same thing might happen again, but the more opposition he provokes the greater is the probability that its concentration will be effected in 1900. Mr. McKinley believes that the verdict of the late election was in favor of higher tariff duties. In this he is profoundly mistaken. It may be conceded that the majority of the people of this country favor the raising of necessary revenues by indirect taxation, knowing that even arevenue tariff protects the home man ufacturer of the article which the for eigner must pay a license to sell here; but there has been no verdict 'ever ren dered at the polls which can be fairly held to mean that the majority of our people favor tariff duties which create a monopoly for the sole reason that they do create such monopoly. Prohibitive tariffs laid for protection only create a monopoly, and the people so under stand it, NOT FOOLED BY THE TARIFF. If Mr. McKinley believes that any con siderable number of our people credit the statement that duties upon foreign goods compel the foreigner to pay our taxes for us, he entirely understands the political intelligence of the average voter. When his lieutenants on the Ways and Means committee shall throw wide open the doors of their room to the manu facturers who demand the monopoly of the American market, and shall invite those manufacturers to write the tariff schedules to suit themselves (as was done when the McKinley bill was framed), he will hear the thunder begin to roll again , and the storm come driving on as it did in 1890, and his monopoly nursed tariff fall into ruin like a house built on sand just as it did then. A VERDICT AGAINST 16 TO 1. If there was any clear meaning in the verdict of last November, it was that there should be no free and unlimited coinage of silver at the old ratio of 16 to 1. Mr. McKinley would be justified in holding congress and .cabinet to this view, but he certainly errs when he as sumes that he is authorized to proceed against the greenbacks. It was popular clamor which put a stop to their de struction in 1878. Popular clamor will be heard again if the purpose is shown now. The pretense that they , endanger the treasury by affording to speculators the opportunity to raid the gold reserve de ceives no one. It is well understood that Cleveland could have stopped the raiders at any moment by simply complying with the statute which commanded him to coin the silver bullion purchased, and to use either silver or gold as he saw fit for the purposes of redemption. There is no debt of the government which in law or honor could not have been paid in the standard silver dollar, and the majority of the people know it. If the greenbacks shall be destroyed, their place will either be taken in bonds bearing interest or by nothing at all, unless it be national bank notes. If they are funded fn bonds, the effect will be that a debt which bears no inter est and which benefits the country by furnishing a safe circulating medium is exchanged for a debt which bears an nual interest, burdens the country and &empts more millionaire! from taxation. And even these evils are not so great as those which would flow from a contrac tion of the currei-cy to the extent of the greenbacks destroyed. THE CURRENCY PROGRAMME. Evidently, however, the general pro gram is to maintain the gold standard, destroy the greenbacks and supply their place with national bank notes. This is foreshadowed in the selection of Mr. Gage and in the inaugural address of the president. The "Baltimore plan" will probably come forth again in its modest loveli ness. The credit of the uovernment is to be made available to a few bankers, in order that these bankers may accumu late fortunes by lending its credit to the people to whom it belongs. This is the real marrow of our present national banking law, and it is the es sence of the "Baltimore Dlan." A few bankers wish to exercisea governmental power for private profit, and they are not content with the present system, which permits the government to issue a portion of the paper money. The bankers want a monopoly in this usurpation of the governmental prerog ative of creating paper money just as tlie manufacturers clamor for monopoly in their province, the trusts in theirs, and the railway syndicates in theirs. The patience of the American people is very great, and the power of party names is still stronger, but in my humble judgment the plutocratic programme which seems to have been prepared by Mr. McKinley and his councillors will di vide the voters of the country with a cleavaire unparalleled since Jackson's dav into McKinleitesand anti-McKinley ites those who stand for the trusts and the privileged and those who combat trusts and privileges. The majority of our people are not yet ready to acquiesce in nolicies and laws which will give to our corporations (which do not die) those special privileges and powers which in Europe are held and exercised by hereditary nobles. , THE PAST AND THE PRESENT. The war which centralized and consol idated political power in the national government and radically changed our industrial and economic systems ien ine people shackled in absolute servitude to two great political parties. Political education closed. Letfders led and the herd blindly followed. This Is no longer so. Education in matters political and economic has made marvelous strides since the days , when the brave pioneers of reform, under the name of greenback ers, first flung down the gauntlet to both the old parties, and cried, so that it rang from sea to sea, "A plague on both your houses." . ' ': Fusion wrecked them as fusion lias, perhaps, wrecked populism but the sen timent lives;andthe principles donotdie. Thousands of ournewspapers are send ing back and forth the swift shuttles of thought, and the loom weaves on for ever. It was not written that this God favored continent should fall back into the cast-off systems from which our fathers fled and against which they fought. It was not written that seventy mil lions of people, born in freedom and nur tured in the etrenght and inspiration which freedom gives, should sit still and let the cunning spiders of class legisla tion weave about them the bonds of commercial and industrial servitude. That is my faith my unfaltering be lief. And I have not the slightest doubt that the voters of the republic 14,000, 000 strong who have been moving rest lessly back and forth between the two old parties for the last twelve years, first trusting the one ana men we oiner, auu being deceived both in turn, will in the appointed time spurn the professions of both and look elsewhere for a means of escape from industrial bondage. Thom as E. Watson in tne aew lorK worm. THE BANKRUPTCY BILL. Senator Allen Replies to the Resolutions Sent by the House. Sometime ago the legislature sent a communication to Senator Allen asking him to support the Torrey bankruptcy act, and asking hira to urge the passage of some measure that would afford re lief to those men who become bankrupt through no fault ol their own. The sen ator sent the following reply: Washington, D. C, March 9, 1897. Hon. Frank D. Eager, Chief Clerk, Lincoln, Neb. Dear Sir: I have the honor to ac knowledge the receipt of the resolutions recently adopted by the Neb.aska house of representatives respecting the pas sage of a bankrupt law by congress and in reply to say that I am decidedly in favor of a judicious voluntary bankrupt act, but I cannot support such an act containing involuntary features which will permit a creditor to ruthlessly push his debtor into bankruptcy and dissi pate his property without affording him a full and fair opportunity to handle his own estate and realize the full value of his property for the payment of his debts. 1 am quite confident that the legislature of Nebraska does not desire me to sup port an act like the Torrey act, drawn altogether in the interest of the credit ors of the country, and whose chief sup port comes from the "creditor's asso ciation." A careful examination of the Torrey bill will show it to be vicious throughout. Very truly yours, Wm. V. Allen. The associated press has given out a very erroneous report, of the Torrey bill. The forcing of involuntary assignment is certainly a dangerous procedure and the senator as usual is guarding the in terests of the man who needs the pro tection of the law. His position has met very general approval by those who have examined the bill in detail. Do not fail to examine carefully our ssubcription proposition on page 5. MESERVK AND THE BANKERS. The State Treasurer did not Obligate Himself to the Banks. Since assuming the duties of his office State Treasurer Meserve has collected and paid out over $700,000, most of of which has been paid in from county treasurers for taxes collected and due the state. He has issued another call for $50,000 worth of Btate warrants for March 20th beginning with warrant No. 31531. The treasurer is using every effort to reduce the debt of the state and is saving all the interest charges possible. In regard to his relations with the banks in connection with his bond Mr. Meserve said: "I am not in the habit of making state ments in my own behalf, but I hear it so repeatedly charged by members of both the house and senate 'that the state treasurer's hands are tied because there are narties unon hin hond who are inter ested in banks' that I feel lik settling this matter now and forever. "I have collected and p-fd out over 700.000 since I came into office and not one dollar has gone through banks whore any of their people was on my bond, nor will they until those banks get in line with my policy, which I am glad to say thev are trying to do. "I refused signers on my bond to the amount of $500,000 becauss those par ties wanted conditions, and each' party who went upon my bond did so with the express understanding that h sign the same as any other citizen and must de- pend upon mv judgment for any court sies extended him, considering capital and other surroundings of the bank, and that his interest must be secondary to the state. - ; - "By the time I have been in the office one year those who have not done so by this time will discover that the state has no money to loan, but is simply a bus! ness institution which pays its debts as fast as it can and all the money it has on deposit are its current balances which it must carry from day to day. If Mr. Meserve could get the money from his predecessor due the state he would apply it to the payment of the state's obligations and state warrants would not sell at a discount of 3 and 4 per cent. Since the change in adminis tration the price of warrants has raised from 95 cents to 97 cents on the dollar, The credit po much boasted of by the preceding administration seems to have been preserved, in fact improved by the election of an honest official. REFORM PRESS MEETING. A Business Corporation Organized, About forty of the reform editors gathered at the Lincoln hotel Tuesday A close business corporation was formed with about thirty members. The object of this corporation is to provide for re form ready prints, advertising, Wash ington news etc. It is a practical move and in the right direction. Hon. W.'J. Bryan was present and made a short address, which was re ceived with appropriate enthusiasm Mr. Bryan was elected an active mem ber of the association by a rising vote, R. L. Metcalf, editor of the Omaha World-Herald and J. W. Cutright, editor of the Lincoln Evening Post, were also present and joined the association. Thebusiness association formed yester day will meet again on the second Tues day in April. All reform editors in the state should become members of the cor poration before that time. REED WILL BE SPEAKER. Republican Members of Congress Unan imous in Their Choice. The republican members of congress met in caucus March 12th with 192 of the 203 members present, and selected Thomas B. Reed for speaker without a dissenting vote. My. Payne of New York placed Mr. Reed s name before the caucus. Mr. Grosvernor of Ohio, the chairman, called for other nominations, but there were none. The chairman designated Mr. Payne of New York and Mr. Cannon of Illinois to bring Mr. Reed from his private office and notify him of his selection. Mr. Reed appeared in their company and accepted the honor in a short but grateful and appreciative speech. Chairman Dingley of the finance, ways and means committee of the last house explained his labors on the bill to be introduced at the extra session and expressed the hope that it would meet with favorable consideration. He said that it had been framed with two objects in view, to raise sufficient revenues to run the government and the encourage meat of American industries. A resolution was passed requiring the chairman to call a caucus upon the writ ten request of twenty-five members, after which the remainder of the house officers were elected as follows: Henry Goudon of Michigan, chaplain. Alex McDowell of Pennsylvania, clerk. Benjamin F. Russell of Missouri, ser- geant-at-arms. W. J. Glenn of New York, doorkeeper, PECULIAR ACCIDENT. Son of Peter Burgess Smothered to Death In a Strange Way. On the cattle ranch of J. K. Baker near Shelton, Nebraska, Peter Burgess had charge of a power feed grinder. The grinder was located in a basement, over which was constructed a large bin for receiving shelled corn, and from which, by means of a trough, the shelled corn could be run into the mill hopper. Mr. Burgess noticed that the corn was not feeding into the mill in a proper manner and thrust his hand into the corn to find the cause. To his surprise it came in contact with a shoe and he idealized at once that sameone had fallen into the bio, The side of the hopper was at once torn out and the body removed. It was the 13-year-old son of Mr. Burgess, He bad been suffocated by being ouriea in the corn and could not be revived. It is not known how long he had been in the corn or how he happened to fall in. WON'T QET SEATS IN THE SENATE Both Parties Against the Men Appointed T '. by Governors, Washington, March 11. Conferences held by senators of both parties render it certain that the men appointed to the senate by the governors of Kentucky, Oregon and Florida will not be admitted. The republican managers say that it would be a fruitless waste of time to bring the cases before the senate, as even after a debate, of which no one could predict the duration, it is not at all likely that a favorable vote could be ex pected. - MUST PAY THE TREASURER. Banks Holding State Funds Must Pay The State Treaaurer, An interesting question was presented tq Attorney-Gen'l Smyth for his decision by the Lincoln banks. Ex-Treasurer Bartley had deposited money in those banks in his own name, J. S. Bartley or Joseph S. Bartley, The question pre sented by the banks was as to whom they should pay the money, Bartley or the present treasurer, J. B. Meserve. The attorney-general replied that all moneys deposited to the credit ot J. S. Hartley of right belonged to the 8tateof Nebraska and must be paid to the present treaS orer. The same instruction was sent to all of the national banks in Lincoln. Any other course would place the great er part of the state's funds in the hands of the ex-treasurer, who is already under arrest for defalcation in bis ollice. COLD STANDARD FOR JAPAN. Adopted by the Lower House of the Im perial Parliament. London, March 12. A dispatch to the Times from Yokahaina states that the house of representatives of the Japa nse parliament has adopted the gold sMnuard currency. DEAF AND DUMB INSTITUTION. The Committee on Asylums Makes Their Report to the Legislature. The committee on insane asylums made a careful investigation of the charges preferred against the manage ment of the institution for the deaf and dumb located at Omaha, by those who had been formerly employed in the insti tution. They submitted the following report to tne legislature, wnicn seems to indicate that that institution has been conducted in a very creditable manner, There seems to have been no corruption and the errors in the books are certainly small when compared with the usual defalcations. the report. Mr. peaKer: lour committee ap pointed to investigate the deaf and dumb institution at Omaha, submit the following report: Charge 1. An addition was built to the house on the superintendent's farm in the year 1883, by the state employes in the amount of $12.00 which was not credited to the state until February 8th 1897, which should have been credited to the state December 1st, 1893, the super intendent does not deny the charge, but claiming it an oversight. Charge 2. In the spring of 1896. one of the employes was sent by the superin tendent to seed his farm, which was not credited to the state until February 8th, 1897, the amount being one dollar. Charge 3. Other work done by the employes of the Btate in different depart ments which the state has no credit for. Not sustained by the evidence. Charge 4. Money has been drawn from one appropriation to pay deficiency of Another, we find it was no loss to any person or the state. " - Charge 5. Your committee find where contract has been entered into for dry goods specifying amount and quality the same has been approved by the state. The Matron purchased a very superior quality of table damask and napkins, and took enough less in quan tity to make the amount. Charge 6. We find on the book that the matron owes the state a sewing bill of $129.00, one hundred and twenty nine dollars, which has been an open ac count for over two years which we be lieve should have been settled up, and the state given credit for the same. The committee finds in the children account book where some children hav ing accounts with the state have left the deaf and dumb institute, showing credits to such children on the book, which has never been called for as the law does not provide for disposition of such money. Your committee resom mends there should be some rule adopted by the board of public lands and buildings whereby children having such credits. said money uncalled for shall in certain length of time become as escheated. The superintendent usually visits the school every day, but not so often the cottage school. He is very kind to the children and in our judgment the educa tional departments are conducted suc cessfully and the children seem to take great interest in their studies. Peter Uerlino, D. S. Woodard, S. S. Tan Horn, James Casebeek, George U. Jones THE RECOUNT CA8E. The Legislature Appoints a Commit tee to Take Charge of the , Ballots. Considerable excitement in the house was stirred up on Wednesday afternoon when Mr. Sheldon introduced a motion in relation to the recount of the ballots for supreme judge. The motion as read was as follows: Moved that the committee heretofore appointed to confer with a like commit tee from the senate relative to the re count of the ballots cast for the consti tutional amendment, be and is hereby authorized and empowered to at once proceed to the office of the secretary of state, and in conjunction with htm, the said secretary of state, take possession of and hold until further order of the house all the ballots, poll books, tally sheets, abstracts now iu possession of the said secretary, under and by virtue of an act to recount the ballots cast on the constitutional ameudment relating to the judges af the supremo court and their term of office on November 3d, 1896, to compare said ballots, declare the result and fix the penalty for viola- ion of the provisions of this act, which act was passed by the twenty-tilth ses sion of the legislature and approved the 20th day of Fepruary, 1897. Said com- mittee is hereby authorized, empowered and directed in case of resistance to sum mons to its aid the aergeant-at-arms of this house, and to use all force necessary to iram possession and hold possession of said ballots, poll books, tally sheets and abstracts until further order oi mis house. It had been reported during the after noon that the mdee of the district court ol Lancaster county had issued an order to the csheriff directing him to take charce of the ballots and poll books etc., and this motion was introduced to have the ballots in the hands of the legisla ture before they were secured by the sheriff and in this way beyond the reach of that officer. After a short and excit- insr discussion the previous question was moved and prevailed which brought the house to a vote on Sheldon s motion. It prevailed by a vote of 59 to 26 and the committee retired to take charge of the ballots as directed. What disposition the legislature will make of the ballots is as yet unknown. THE UNIVERSITY BILL PASSES An Appropriation of $30,000 to Construct a Building for" Mechanic Arts. There has been great interest mani fested bv the citizens of Lincoln and friends of the state university In the pas sage of house roll 203, providing for the construction of a uew building on the university campus for the school of me chanic arts, and the appropriation of $30,000 for that purpose. That the buildine was badly needed none denied. but there was strong opposition by those who argued that the state s flnan cial condition would not warrant the ex penditure. The bill came up for final passage on Wednesday airernoon. ine roll was called and a majority had failed to vote for the bill. Two more votes needed. The friends of the bill moved a call of the bouse which showed three members absent and unexcused Messrs. Wiebe. Jenkins and Rouse. 1 be sergeant-at-arms brought the three be fore the bar of the house and the. roll call was completed. Messrs. Jenkins and Rouse voted for the bill making tne necessary five votes and the speaker de clared the bill passed. WORTH REMEMBERING. A Plan by Which You Can Easily Secure Your Reading Matter With out Cost. You can get a ticket good for 5 cents in subscription to this paper for each one dollar you trade at the following firms: Herpolsheimer & Co., dry goods, de partment store. Tne Hub clothing store, doming, Frod Schmidt & Brother, dry goods boots and shoes. Webster & Rogers, boots and shoes, Hardy Furniture Co., furniture. H. W. Leighton & Co., books and sta tionary. Humphrey Brothers, hardware and implements. When in Lincoln call on the above firms and do your trading. Ask for sub scription tickets and they will give you one ticket lor each dollar you have traded. These tickets are good for 5 cents each in subscription to this paper. Five tickets will pay for three months subscription, ten tickets will pay for six months subscription and 20 tickets will pay for a year. SUBSCRIPTIONS TO OTHER PAPERS. In the same manner you can secure subscriptions to any of the papers con tained in the following clubbing list up on presentation of the number of tickets named. CLUBBING LIST. The Nebraska Independent together with tickets The Silver Knight, both one year 35 The Nebraska Farmer 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 to get cost, by Address The New York World " " The Nonconformist " " The Weekly World-Herald " The Weekly Bee " " The Semi-Weekly Journal " Your local paper " This is a good opportunity your reading matter without trading with the firms named. all communications to the Nebraska In dependent, Lincoln, Neb. SALARY BILL PASSED. Shows a Decrease of $22,475 From The Amount Appropriated Two Tears Ago. - HO FAT FOB COUET 00 MM IS 8105 EE3 The Bill Passed Nearly as Recom mended by the Ways and Means Com. Superintendent's Salaries Reduced. On Wednesday afternoon the house resolved itself Into a committee of the whole to consider the salary appropria tion bill. The bill was read through and Mr. Clark, the chairman of the finance ways and means committee, made cer tain amendments agreed upon by the committee since t'u-ir report on the bill. They all related to the reduction of the salaries of the superintendents of the different state institutions. Those insti tutions when the salary had been $ 2500 were reduced to $2000 per annum and those formerly $2000 were reduced to $1800. The salary of the superinten dent of the fish commissioner was re duced from $1200 to $1000 per year. There were other minor reductions. When the chairmanof the finance ways and means committee had submitted all the agreements agreed upon by the committee, Mr. John A. Robertson of Holt county introduced a motion . to strike out the $2500 appropriation in tended to pay the salaries of the supreme court commissioners, lie made a good argument in support of his motion and was supported in his position by Mr. Hull. The motion prevailed and there will be no fund from which to pay the court commissioners and their services will be dispensed with. If the state cannot have real judges it will have none at at in preference to republican makeshifts. Thefollowing comparative table shows the appropriations of this year compared with those of 1898: 1895. 1897. 14,800 3,600 Governor $ 15,400 Adjut Gen - 2,000 Com of Lab.. 5,000 5,000 15,000 25,600 17,200 10,200 - 9,600 tv. 27,200 224,000 85,200 4,800 5,000 5,000 13,600 40,000 , 9,400 7,000 7,000 11,200 197,000 17,400 9,400 23,000 13,200 14,200 2,000 5,500 9,720 3,680 Sec of State 15,600 27,400 ; 18,400 , 0,200 9,600 Auditor Treas Supt Pub Iustruc'n. Attyenl. . Com Pnb L. & Bids. 28,200 District Court......... 224,000 Supreme Court 5d,000 State library Banking Dept Home of Friendless Board of Trans.. ...i 5,400 5,000 5.000 12,000 State Normal i 83,500 Lincoln Insane As... 10,400 Hastings " " ... 8.000 Norfolk " " ... 8,000 State board irrigat 9 600 . State Uni..... 196,295 Kearney In. school. 20,400 Geueya " " ... 10,400 Omaha deaf &dmb. 26,500 Beatrice Feeble M'd 13,000 Neb. City blind inst 15,600 Fish Com. 2,400' Indus Home.Milford 6,500 Grand Is. Sol. home 9,880 Sol. Home, Milford.. 1,800 Total ...$808,475 $786,000 Decrease ., 22,475 The largest furniture and hardware firm in tre west have an advertisement on page three. You should read it and write for their catalogue. CANVASSING THE BALLOTS. The District Court of Lancaster Count y Issues a Restraining Order. The republicans are desperate in their efforts to cover up their acts in relation to the constitutional amendments dur ing the last election. Now that it has become evident that the result of the re count will be to seat the two populist judges they have had the county attor ney of Lancaster county, a republican, make application for a restraining order against W. F. Porter, C. J. Bowlby, Frank M. Ross and J. N. Campbell and prevent the further progress of the count. The application was made before Judge Charles L. Hall, a republican district judge in Lancaster county who issued a temporary order preventing further count until a bearing can be had, and set Monday, March 15 as the day for the hearing. If the restraining order is made permanent the count cannotproceed. Lambertson and Whedon are the attor neys who have the matter in charge for the republicans. The canvassing board is composed of secretary of state, and two populists, two democrats and two republicans, ap pointed by the governor. It is con sidered a fair and impartial board, rep resentative of all of the political parties, and there is no valid reason why the count should not proceed. FOB FARMERS. The farmers of this state should exer cise care in the selection of seeds of all kinds to get that which is free from weeds and of a quality certain to grow. A little care in this line saves a large amonnt of cultivation and replanting. The Nebraska Seed Co., located at Oma ha, Neb., the oldest and largest seed house in the state, exercise particular care in these lines. Farmers and grow ers should write for their catalogue bo fore buying elsewhere. See advertiee4 ment on another page. f it! i a l! J It if t h Li '