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About The Nebraska independent. (Lincoln, Nebraska) 1896-1902 | View Entire Issue (June 24, 1897)
THE NEBRASKA INDEPENDENT. June 24, 1897 Nebraska Mcpcnucn Ctmlidatfou "" THE WEALTH MAKERS 4 LINCOLN INDEPENDENT, PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY T THE i Independent Publishing Go, At 1120 M Street, LINCOLN. - NEBRASKA. TELEPHONE 638. $1.00 per Year in Advance Address all communication! to, and make all traits, mono orders, etc, payable to TUS INDEPENDENT PUB, CO., Lincoln, Nib. STATE COMMITTEE MEETING. To the Members of tbe state Committee of the Feopel's Independent party ot tbe state of Nebraska.' Gentlemen: We, tbe secretary and chairman Ol the state committee, do hereby announce tbe official call ot each committee, to take place at the city of Lincoln on Jnly 8th at I p, m, at tbe Lincoln Hotel, (or the purpose ol fixing the time and naming the place of the holding of the state convention of the People's Independent Party of Nebraska, and attending to any other bnslnees that may come before It, Each member of the committee Is owed to attend the meeting, as matters of Importance will be considered, B. It, B. WKBEO, 3, H. EDMI3TEN, Secretary, 'Chairman, Aa Bartley gats nearer to tbe peniten tiary state warrant! get nearer to par. A remarkable coincidence. Oar ability to produce excels that of every otber nation in tbe world, but as for our distribution its bad. A few men, with the aid of congress, get it all. Statistics show that as our popula tion increases the per capita expense of government increases also. In tho face of such a record should We pursue the policy of annexation? Some chapters in hsstory should be carefully studied by custodians of public money" Barrett Bcott," "Maxey Cobb," "City Treasurer Bolln," "State Treasurer Bartley." Tbe next chapter that will be added will be entitled "Eugene Moore." The Wahoo Wasp, a republican paper cites the fact that the treasury depart ment coined f 1,500,000 new silver dol lars lost month as an evidence of re turning prosperity. If a little , coinage brings a little prosperity, why not have more coinage 0! silver and more pros perity? . 1 tfl ' ' -;r "" It would be a very proper subject for the present congress to consider favor ably a bill providing for a protective tariff, and bounty upon the production of republicans in Nebraska. It is aU in dustry that greatly needs protection or it may die out entirely. It has passed through tbe infant and middhrlife stage and Is now in its second childhood and needs more protection and fostering care than ever before. Senator Thurston should prepare such a bill without delay. A Washington News letter sent out by the National information bureau speaking of Congressman W, L. Green ay; Representative Green the brilliant sat ellite of the plains, who even excells Mr. Bryan in oratorical ability, has been confined to the bouse by the sickness of his daaghter. We hope to see Mr. Green stirring up the auimals on trie floor of the House before long, for at the present time, it seems that tbe House is in a condition of what Grover Cleveland would call a state of "innocuous desuetude." They do not even get up a decent fracas. If we remember there were certain re publican papers in the state that were asserting not very long ago, that the attorney-general was not vigorously prosecuting the case against Ex-Treasurer Bartley. Wonder what they will say about it now? Come, speak out Tell the people when the republican party ever elected an attorney -general that performed his dut,''. fearlessly and faithfully as has the Hon. C. J. Smyth. Tbe Independent acknowledges the receipt of a large and very valuable map of tbe United States aud a late volume of the coinage laws, front Hon. A. E. Sutherland, congressman from the Fifth district. Tbe editor returns thnnkt and hopes to be remembered again. Sutherland Is the right kind of a con gressman. He has a mind large enough to remember bis friends in all parts of the state of Nebraska. In outlining the future pnlioy ot the Holt County ludependeut, its editor, Mr. O. F. Blglin very properly take a broad and liberal view of the situation that confronts him in Holt county. II ays he will not recognise factions. That Is correct, A people's party paper hoald consider only the welfare ot the populUt party as 4 whole. Factions and cliques generally rvpreewnt the corn, blned aelfUhfe ot a set ot Individuals, organised to prey upon the community, TWy hav no plae in ths populUt party, and ar not eniilled to ths sup port ot pcpuliat ajrs, Ths editor ays: The ann ol the Holt County In dpndtt vlll b to prvmulgat the doctrine ot the people's party enun ciated hf ths Omaha and Kk Laul fJatfoftaa." Its a food Wit, stUk to Ik THE I'OLICY OF ANNEXATION. It is a surprising fact that every t ime the sugar trust succeeds in getting a multi-million dollar steal through con gress, the question of the annexation of the island of Hawaii "bobs up serenely." It wouldseem that the Congress and Sen ate were very anxious to divert the atten tion of the people from their latest act of robbery. li has been so in tbe past, but will hardly work so well this time. Tbe American people know that their repre sentatives have passed a sugar schedule that will enable the great trust to take more than $ 53,000.000 from the pockets of tbe sugar consumers of the United States. In the language of Senator Allen, it is merely "legalized larceny." As for annexation the people of the United States do not favor it. Their reasons are many. It would prove to be a very expensive luxury to control tin island 2.500 miles from tbe American cdast. The American people will not al low foreign nations to increase their holdings in the western hemisphere, That is tbe Monroe doctrine, and should be stoutly maintained. Annexation is entirely different. It is a scheme of tbe millionaire bondholders of Lambard and Wall Street. Tbey hold tbe almost worthless securities of the Sandwich Isl ands, and desire to boom them at tbe expense of Uncle Sam. It may be argued that $4,000,000 is not much for a great nation like this. Little or big a steal is a steal and should be denounced. It establishes a very bad precedent. There are man v islands 'in the various oceans ol the world. The bondholders will bond these islands, one or more at a time, for many times their value, and then with a corrupt lobby secure their annexation to the United States with the proviso in the treaty of annexation that Uncle Sam shall assume and: pay the bonded in debtedness. It is a great scheme, but its suicide for tbe party that dares to up hold it. THE TRIBUNE'S EVOLUTION. The Chicago Tribune has been establish ed for more than fifty years. It has seen the rise and growth of the republican party. It wnl probably live to seejts complete downfall. Tbe Tribune has been the most vicious of any of tbe Chi cago papers in attacking and abusing tbe populist party and its principles and platforms. Since tbe Mast election it seems to have made great advancement and speaks favorably of many populist principles. ! Republicanism in Illinois like' republi canism In Nebraska, has decayed past all endurance, Tbe last legislature, Wbich was overwhelmingly republican, sold out the entire state to the monopo lists of Chicago. One of tbe most cor rupt acts that ij passed was the Allen bill, and the republican governor ifas signed it. The bill, as ' orlginall intro duced, contained a populistic referendum clause, providing that tbe act must be approved by a majority of tbe voters of Chicago before the law would become operative. This populist principle was offensive tothe republican legislature and it was stricken out of the bill before It was passed. Concerning this the Tribune says: "Tbe legislature and Tannerhave done their worst. The boodle council is pre paring to do its worst. Tuesday night Alderman Walker offered a rule provid ing that when an ordinance is introduced extending an existing street car franchise no action shall be taken on it within thirty days. This is to give tbe people a chance to be heard the chance they would have had if the referendum clause had not been stricken out of the Allen bill. But though the legislature has sold out the city and a treacherous governor has betrayed it, and althoug a venal council is already preparing to barter public rights tor private gain, those citi zens who have fought so long against Yerkes and his imps should not give up tbe fight now. All is not lost. Something remains to be done before Yerkes gets the lease of 700 miles of city streets for half a cen tury. The council bos not acted yet. The people must rally end see to it that it does not act." But the council will act and Yerkes will win. Chicagoans and the Tribune are in an excellent position to appre ciate tho beauties of the referendum, so long advocated by the populis party. The Tribune abused Altguld in the last campaign in every way it possibly could, and supported tbe present governor, Tanner. Comparing Tanner with Alt geld it now says: , "Gov. Tanner has dons something which on his election day no one would hnv deemed possible. He has made t'tiicagonns deplore tbe defeat of Altgeld as a choice of evils. Violent, revolu tionary ns he was, and shady In his otll el ul actions as he was, he never would In we digued the Allen bill; he would rather have lnt his right band. Altgeld two years ago vetoed street railway measures which were not one tenth part as offensive as the Allen bill which this tegis'ature has corruptly passed. He wn nut afraid to give his reasons lor doing no. Governor Tanner has signed ths rasrally Allen bill in detinues ol the prntent til the whole inn of the people ol Chicago, but bas not ventured as yet to give his reasons lor doing so, if he has any he -We exhibit to the light." Thcitiina o! Chicago and Illinois should follow th exampl set by ths citiieus of Nebraska sod vote ths entire republican gang out ot ol'lee and elect populists to take their ptacsc. The e'tiiens ti Illinois are complala in bitterly at Cor. Tanner and ths last WtiUlatart. They derv ao sym pathy tor they deposited ths ballot that ubsiUnwd Tranr lor Altgeld, Senator Tillman ot South Carolina when discussing tb tariff bill said, "And I say plainly, if we are to have this stealing I want my share for South Car olina." Since that time the republican papers have been claiming that Tillman has been converted to the theory of protection. We are aware that the prevailing method among republicans in making tariff converts is to offer to di vide tbe swag, but very few of the re cipients are so frank in admitting it as Tillman was. We think tbey will have to try again before they make a very ardent protectionist out of Mr. Tillman. He Is only "forging on the enemy" by competing them to divide tbe benefits of their iniquitous legislation. Bixby in the Journal says: "A man never knows bow many staunch friends be bas until he gets in trouble and needs their kindly offices." We presume that Bartley and Moore can testify to the truth of that state ment, as they think back over tbe kindly acts and favors which they have shown to tbe State Journal and now read in its columns its crylngs for their blood. The Journal has suddenly been seized with a spasm of honesty, aud will sacrifice any of its past political friends in tbe effort to have tbe republican party returned to power in order that it may practice again its nefarious schemes of public plunder and robbery, Tbe Journal com pany has fattened on the dishonesty of republican officials and now in their time of need it deserts them. Ingrati tude is the basest ot crimes, ilA ill., In the month of April last year the sugar trust imported 388,381,830 pounds of raw sugar. In tbe month of April this year it Imported 773,527,477 pounds. In May last' year the trust imported 544,106,452 pounds. . In May of this year its importations were 790, 324,053 pounds l!in the two months. Tbe importations were made to avoid the payment of the small revenue duty on raw sugar. The duty allowed in tbe schedule just passed by the senate is about 91 cents per hundred pounds and On tbe six hundred and thirty one mil lion and odd pounds of sugar which httve been imported during tbe last two months over and above the amount usually imported would net the trust a profit of $5,745,395.25 for their two month's speculation. The sugar trust was operating on a "sure thing." Ttiey owned the tariff committee and a major ity of the senate and knew they owned them. The trust can afford to dosble or treble its contribution to there publican campaign fund for tbe purpose of "maintaining our credit abroad" and preserving the existing gold standard and other existing conditions. ' , McKinley seems to have fa Ilea into Cleveland's practices very easy. 'While he does not fish he spends his time boat riding, and such work, that does not help the Cubans whatever, His mind is not on tbe Cuban question as much since the campaign of last fall as it was then. lie has even forgot the plank of his platform that touches upon that ques tion. Red Cloud Nation. 0. If we are to have annexation, why not liberate Cuba arid begin the policy by annexing Cuba. Cuba is worth as much to tbe United States as half a dozen Hawaiis, whether considered in a commercial or military manner. Its products are greater and more valuable, Its people more nearly civilized, and from a military point of view Cuba com mands the entrance to the Gulf of Mex. Ico. The arguments favorable for the annexation of Hawaii apply with three times greater force in the case of Cuba, It is practically a part ot this continent, and is inhabited by people already fa. miliar with our form of government. As a national policy annexation is bad, but the horrible war ot extermination now being carried on by Spain in the island of Cuba would Justify almost any kind of action by this government, cal culated to put a stop to the horrible butcheries. ,.... The great republican dailies of the United States are almost uuaniraous in their denunciation of the proposition to tax inheritances. It is well known that the wealthy do not pay their fair share of taxes for the support of the govern ment. The proposed inheritance tax would serve in a small degree to equalize the burden. It is certainly a just tax. It can be easily and inexpensively col lected through the probate courts. It will yield a large amount of revenue, as a little study' of the following figures will show. Among the great estates that would sometime be required to pay this tnx, there are 200 persons worth $20, 000.000 each-f 4,000,000,000. There are 400 persons worth $10,000,. 000 each-$t, 000,000,000. There are 1,000 persons worth $5, 000,000 each$3.000,000,000. There are 2,000 persons worth $2, 500,000 eneh-$3,00O,0O0,000, There are 0,000 persons worth $!, 000,000 aoh-tl,000,000,000. Twenty-four billion dollars owned by O.floo person. There are 15,000 people who own $300,000 each, making $7,5tMl,oOO,000, TbMM24.flHexipUown$31,&MV)00,. 0O0, or uiore than one-halt ol the wealth 01 the United States, Can anyone glv a reason why this wealth should not bear a part ot ths burdea ot the eipeas ot govern uat? If It cannot b taxed, by aa income tax, whit ths men ho control It are alive, why not tat II after they are dead? It certainty ought to b taied. - THE N'EIIUASKA PENITENTIARY. Tbe special correspondent for the Chi cago Record at Lincoln, Nebraska, who ever he may be, should be awarded the "liar's belt." He has written an article, more than a column in length, for the Chicago Record in wbich there is less truth than many article ot the same length ever published. The first sen tence of tbe article is as follows: "Ne braska bas something like 1400 desper ate and healthy convicts that tbe state authorities are anxious to know what to do with." The next paragraph reads: "This extraordinary condition (1400 idle convicts) of affairs is one of the consequences of the' views of tbe late populist legislature on tbe subject of po litical economy. The populist leaders were of the opinion that the penitentiary should be self-supporting. They so re solved and seemed to think that settled it, for all appropriations for tbe sup port of tbe penitentiary, with the ex ception of a small item for salaries of employes, was cut off." The article con tinues in tbe same untruthful manner to the close, , The exact facts in tbe case as learned from an interview with Governor Hoi comb and Warden Leldigh and the rec ords of the penitentiary show, first that instead of 1400 convicts there are only 329. Of the 329 there are 165 that have regular and steady employment in tbe workshops and manufacturing insti tut ions inside tbe penitentiary walls, S3 are employed in operating tbe peniten tiary at such work as cooking, cleaning, mending, etc.; 9 are females, 7 are in the hospital; 15 are too old, crippled or otherwise disabled; 50 unemployed. Tbe fifty that are classed as unemployed are those that the warden would lease to a responsible contractor at a reasonably figure, , The warden has furnished tbem work most of the time in repairing the penitentiary building, or on tbe farm, gardening or attending to the live stock. Last winter he had them put up a large quantity of ice for the use of the prison and the state is paying no ice bill as has been customary under', all preceding ad ministrations. The, next statement; of the Record's correspoudeut, that the last legislature made no appropriation except for salaries is also false. It is true that the appropriation t made was $40,000 less than the amount usually appropriated by republican legislatures. It bas been customary to appropriate $100,000. Warden Leidigh asked and received $60,000, or 40 per cpnt less than preceding managements bad re. ceived. He is and has conducted the penitentiary entirely within the appro priations made by the legislature. He has turned into the state treasury since January 1st, 1 897, $5,700. The appro priation made by the legislature in equal to $2,500 per month and Warden Lei digh bas not allowed the expenses to ex ceed that amount at any time. Some of tbe contracts that were made before the change in administration are not as advantageous as they should be. Tbey will be cancelled, and new con tracts at a better price will be made aa soon as possible. Governor Holcomb says the provis ions made by the last legislature for tbe support of the penitentiary are ample for its maintainance as it Is now con ducted, and if satisfactory contracts can be made, or a part of the prisoners put to work on the state's account, as is be lieved can be done in a short time, there will be a very satisfactory surplus ' to turn back to the treasury at the end of tbe biennium. The figures show that the peniten tiary is being conducted at this time with at least $$j)00 per month less ex pense to the taxpayers of tbo state than ever before. Tbe discipline at the penitentiary is good. The prisoners are satisfied. Health and Sanitary provisions were never better. The Chicago Record should devote more of its space to exposing the cor rupt and vicious acts of the last legisla ture and the governor of tbe state of Illinois, and tell the truth about Nebras ka, that tbe populist legislature and tbe present populist administration are tbe best tbe state of Nebraska ever bad. Explain to the people that the legisla ture of Illinois appropriated more money and passed more corrupt acts than any legislature in tbe history of the state; that the legislature in Nebraska made ample provisions for the care of nil tbe state institutions with about half a mil lion ot dollars less than tbe preceding administration. Tell them that the greatest defaulter In tbe history of the state, the republican ex-treasurer, J.S, Bartley, has been prosecuted and eon vie ted under the present administration. Tell them that although there have been many defaulting state olllcluls that Hartley is the first that was ever con-j vlcted. Tell tbem that there are other cite pending and that more con vktiou will follow. Tell them that two war ago state warrants were worth 03 cents, but that under th prewnt populist ad ministration, despite th hatred and prejudice existing in ths east, tbey ara worth tSeir face In gold. Tell th truth and deearv th rpect ol your reader. TbeearulbM ut thetolmeco trust tor th year Just cUmmhI loot up to $3,59.1, 179. All of the trusts eoutilbuM to th McKlnUy raatpalgrt toad, and tbey deaurv to b prosperous. Th IHngUy bill will m that their prosperity dor ot grow U. BBYAN'g REPLY. The fire test of intrinsic value was the jposie of tbe last campaign. Mr. Bryan illustrates it with a story. Mr. Sound money meets Mr. Popocrat and says, Pop, look here. I have $100 in gold, $100 in Bilver and $100 in paper in my house. House burns down- Paper is entirely gone. Silver is worth $50 but gold is worth $100. Gold is tbe best mouey. How do you get arouud that?" Popocrat answers: "I go out fishing on the sea. with $100 in gold, $100 in sil ver and $100 in paper. Boat turns over Gold goes to the bottom. Silver goes to the bottom. Paper floats. Paper is best money." One illustration is as good as tbe otber. Money was not made to bui n except by tramp million aires like Berry, and only fools will go fishing with anything inthe boat except tackle, bait and Kentucky refreshments. Published by the St Louis Journal. FBEE EMPLOYMENT. The bureau of labor have more calls for girls to do general house work than tbey have applications for each posi tions. If there are any who are out of employment and desire a position they can secure it by addressing the labor commissioner. There is also more de mand for stenographers and type writers, and for farm hands than there are applicants. Anyone " who Is out of employment and desires work should address Hon. S. J. Kent, labor commis sioner, Lincoln, Nebraska, giving quali fications and particulars of tbe kind of work required. All information is fur nished absolutely fiiee. It is a state bureau and there are no charges, to either the applicant or tbe employer. Those desiring help of any kind should write tbe bureau for information and lists of applicants. It is contended by administration or gans that Hawaii should be annexed be cause it is a nplendid winter resort. What a convenience it will be for tbe coal miners of Pennsylvania, Illinois and, Iowa, the factory hands ot the east and the farmers and merchants of tbe whole country to have such a resort, only 2,100 miles from San Francifco. fn which to spend tbeireuperfluoustimeand cash. This would certainly supply a long felt want of tbe masses. St.' Louis Journal. The republican party promised tbe American people that as soon as tbe news of McKinley's election was flashed over the telegraphic wires, that confi dence would be restored, business would revive, money would circulate, the mills would open, there would be work for the unemployed, wages would increase, in ternational bi-metallism would be as sured, our credit would be preserved, the people prosperous, quiet, and con tented. It seems that tbe republican party was considerably mistaken. Many of the people were fooled by their pledges and promises, others Here frightened at their cries of danger. In 1900 the American people will not be so easily fooled or humbuged. It will be a differ ent story then but it won't go. Tbe expenses of the government of the United States has been increasing very rapidly in tbe past twenty years, Tbe per capita expense of conducting the government in 1876 was $7.24. Last year it bad risen to $8,22. Our popula tion bas increased very rapidly but the exp nse of the government has increased at a greater rate. This may be ac counted for in a measure by our system of indirect taxation. The people do not pay their taxes direct to the government and consequently have no knowledge of the enormity of the amount. Taxes are levied npon the goods they buy, upon tobacco, cigars, playing cards and the like, in tbe form of internal revenue tax and upon woolen clothing, sugar and lumber, in the form of tariff taxation. It is certainly unjust to tax men accord ing to the amount of food and clothing tbey consume, for it makes the poor man pay as much or more than tbe wealthy man. The one that works eats more and wears out more clothing than the one who is idle. If taxation was direct, if men paid money according to the amount of property' tbey bwfl, for support of the government as they do- for state, county, municipal and school taxes, it would be a more just and equitable system o' taxation. They would have a better idea of tbe amouot it requires to run the government and would more carefully scrutinize and criticise extravagant appropriations made by congress. Congress would fear public sentiment and would be more con servative and economical in its appro priations. The present system is unjust and leads to extravagance. STATE COMMITTEE MEETING. Chairman J-H. Edmlsten has called a meeting of the state central committee to be held in Lincoln July 8h. We pub. lish the call At the head of our columns. Tbe chairman anu secretary are anxious to have a full attendance by the mem bers of the ycommittee. He especiall urges npon every member the impor tance of attending this very important meeting. Those who cannot attend are expected to write a letter giving their reasons for not attending an 1 stating their views as to the date and place at which the coming state convention should be held. Those who do not at tend must not complain at any action tho commlttoo may e fit to take con cerning the state convention or any other action In connection wittniU affairs ot the party. AN UNflRINU WORKER. We worked through spring and winter, Through summer and through fall; But the mortgage worked the hardest And tbe steadiest of all. It worked on nights and Sundays, It worked each holiday; It settled down among us, And it never went away. The rust and blight were with us Sometimes and sometimes not, ' The dark-browed, scowling mortgage Was forever on the spot. The weevil and tbe cutworm Tbey went as well as came; The mortgage stayed forever, Eating hearty all the same. It nailed up every window, Stood guard at evey door, And happiness and sunshine Made their borne with us no more. Till with failing crops and sickness We got stalled npon the grade, And then came a day upon us When the interest was not paid, , And there came a sharp foreclosure, And I kind of lost my hold, Aud grew weary and discouraged, And the farm was cheaply sold. The children lett and scattered, When they hardly yet were grown; My wife she pined and perished, Ana 1 lound myself alone. What she died of was a 'imysteryl" And the doctors never knew; Bnt I knew she died of mortgage, " 1 V As well as I wanted to.rt; si i If to trace a hidden sorrow Were within tbe doctors' art, They'd have found a mortgage lying Oa tbe woman's broken heart. Worm and beetle.drought and tempest, On a farmer's land may fall,- ttu 1 ; ... But for first-class ruination f "ti .! 'Trust a mortgage 'gainst them all. ' ? -" ' ' ' u ;-Ctning Salion; THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE. In this column we will publish commoulcatiutie of worthy and suitable character, received from subscribers to this paper. No communi cation should contain more than 800 words, Manoecrlpt will not be returned, By the Contraction Route. Giltneb, Neb., June 14, 1897. Editor Independent: Find enclosed postofflce order for $1.25 as pay for re newal for the Independent and "The New Time" (B. 0. Flowers' paper.) I would not know how to get along with out such papers. The gold standard avalanche is sweep ing the homes of industrious Americans into the valley of bankruptcy so fast that the people are becoming alarmed. It seems . as though they have to be knocked down to get a lick of sense. Why don't the money oligarchy demand immediate payment of mortgages, in stead ol keeping the people in suspense trying to disentangle themselves from the octopus? They will own all eventu ally anyway, by the way of th', contrac route. (The poor cowardly dupes.) Yours to the finish," B. F. McDannel. When bilious or costive, eat a Case ret candy catbartic.cure guaranteed, Oo 25 The Dingley bill was a tariff for pro- tAetinn with innirinnfr.al Kk,n 'in,A Senate committee chanired it to . tariff ior rooonry wiin incidental protection. New York World. F (iffllt.r.ltMeJ.li.' )) j ((P Lincoln Paint & Color Co., 9th & M Sis.