I. -
y
Consolidation of Zb Wcaltbmakers and the Lincoln Independent.
VOL. XI.
LINCOLN; NEBRASKA, DECEMBER 21, 1899-
NO. 32.
Site
lifciei fat
GREAT DAILIES NO GOOD
When the Mt Importaat Battla af tka
" Cantury w Being Fought in Ceu
grt They All Kept Silent.
The editor of the Independent care
fully reads nine great dailies- every day,
- Three of them come fromNewlork
One tea gold hug anti-imperialist, one
a free silver anti-imperialist and one in a
straddle bug imperialist Of the others,
two are gold bug Hannaite, one straddles
on imperialism and is gold bug and the
others are free silver anti-imperialist.
Thev cover the field in the east, the
middle west and west. Now while the
greatest parliamentary battle was being
fought in the house of representatives
that has been fought since congress
first met, what was the matter that fill
the columns of all these great dailies?
It was mainly made up of murder trials,
poison cases, divorces, foreign wars, and
society gossip. But the scantiest space
was given to the great intellectual bat
tle in the house of representatives.
Effort was made by the associated press
to impress upon the people that the
members of congress were engaged in a
contest for a place on committees and
were more deeply concerned over the
number of wives one of the members
was said to have, than in the economic
condition of 80,000,000 of people.
Meantime congress, under "the whip
of McKinlcy and Wall street, was en
gaged in the passage of a bill that
changed the, value of $22,000,000 of debts,
but the people were lead to think that
no one was at all interested in the bill
and that the opposition had practically
laid down and was doing nothing at all.
It was even asserted that when the bi
metallista were challenged to debate
that they refused to come into the ring
at all. That was the portent of the
news printed in the great dailies of all
parties.
Finally the Corgressiocal Record
it's a wonder they have not suppressed
that too came lumbering along by
freight, and this editor learned to hissur
prise that the 'Whole face of the facts
,1,1 t . 1 rM . r
naa oeen cuungeu. -iue- rejorm- lurce
are putting up a splendid fight in the
halls of congress and knocking the gold
bug orators crazy every few minutes,
whenever they were allowed to got in a
word.
The fight was opened by the gold bugs
and Overstreet was their orator. He be
gan by reiterating the old exploded ar
guments urguments that the newspaper
writers on that side of the question have
dropped out for very shame. Overstreet
based his whole case on the theory of
"intrinsic value." Then he went on to
talk about "measuring values," contra
dicted himself, as evsry gold bug orator
always does every few minutes, and as
suming that certain propositions were
accepted by all men when in fact they
ere denied by all men who have any au
thority in the field of political economy,
the world over. Hear him:
The legal tender quality adds no value
to the money, but merely makes provis
ion whereby debts may be discharged
by the tender of specific kinds of morey
which, being good, the creditor is bound
to accept. I do not deny but that there
are those who claim that legal tender
adds value, nor that governments have
repeatedly undertaken to supply a defi
ciency in money by giving it the legal
tender quality and attempting to force
it into circulation.
The universal end absolute failure of
all such efforts is sufficient evidence
that this quality is not a quality of val
ue. There is not a hingle instance in
the history of finance where the legal
tender quality added to a money has
enaojea ii iu circulate at a greater value
than its intrinsic value, where it does
not possess equally the pledge and faith
of the government for it full radeinp
tion.
b
We have come to a pretty pass when a
man can get up on the floor of congress
and lie like that and not a daily paper
in the land that has courage to call at
tention to it. Silver and greenbacks
have circulated side by side with gold
more than a quarter of aentury, green
backs with,) coramercRfl value what
ever and silver with less than half of its
face value and there has been no "re
demption" of either except to receive
them and pay them ont again. Over
street and every member in the house
knew that that statement was absolute
ly false, yet it is upon such assertion
that the argument for the gold standard
rests. Can a system based on falsehood
be beneficial?
We should like to have been on the
floor of the house and had the privilege
of asking Mr. Overstreet a few quest
ions. We would have handed him a
hat or a coat and asked him to "meas
ure" the value. We would have gotten
Into the Congressional Record the fact
that Values are "estimated" not meas
ured. Our men were not quiet however as
the Record proven. A little further along
in the speech thia occurred:
Mr. Pieice, ol TennesseeWill the
gentleman allow me to ask him a question?
Mr. Overstreet Yes.
Mr. Pierce In reference to the silver
dollars, when they are titken to the
treasury and are redeemed in gold, what
is to become of them after they have
been received by the treusuiy? Are
they to be paid out again or not
Mr. Overstreet There aretwoalterna
tives, The first is, they may be returne
to trade upon the presentation of gold
for their exchange, or they may be trans
ferred by the secretary of the treasury
from the redemption fund to the hsca
fund and used in the discharge of the
government expenses.
Mr. Pierce Then if they are paid out
in due course of tiade and transferred
to this fund that the gentleman speaks
of, do they not become an endless chain
in themselves, the same as you say the
trie greenbacks and treasury notes dor
Mr. Overstreet No, sir; for tue fol
lowing reason
jvir. fierce Will the gent.eman an
swer that? If they are paid, out in tho
due course of trade, can they not be
taken back and gold demanded, and
then go the round again for another
endless vonain, like the one the gentle
man has talked of in reference to green
backs and treasury notes? I would like
the gentleman to make' that clear.
Mr. Overstreet I am perfectly willing
to answer the gentleman s question. 1
may say that I think I have answered it
very conclusively in the argument I have
prepared, but in order to deal with en
tire fairnees with the gentleman I will
answer his question now. Under the
present law an endless chain is created
because the greenback is reissued linuie
diately and may again seek its way to
the treasury for a second redemption
That is stopped by the proposition I
have just elaborated in my argument
Under the proposed law the silver dollar,
if exchanged for gold, would be returned
to trade upon presentation of gold for
another exchange of the silver; or it may
be returned from one fund, to another,
the fiscal fund, by. the secretary of the
treasury. Just at this point is to be
found the reason why an endleas chain
of silver dollar- can not occur. It is the
secretary of -the treasury who has the
option and right to transfer the silver
dollar and pay it out, and it only goes
out in the payment of thee expenses of
the government.
Air. Pierce Ihen, if I understand,
under this act the option is left absolute
ly with the secretary whether he will
keep them to be redeemed by gold or
whether he transfers them to a fund that
can go into the channels of trade and be
paid out by the government. Is that
what you mean?
Mr. Overstreet I understand the gen
tleman. - :
Mr. Pierce Is that what you mean?
Is that the option?
Mr. Overstreet - If the gentleman will
pardon me, I think that the part of my
argument to which 1 am jnst about to
direct my attention answers his ques
tion; and n it does not, when 1 am
through I am perfectly willing to yield
to him.
A little further along this occurred:
Mr. Cochran, of Missouri I will ask
the gentleman if under tho bill all forms
of currency, including greenbacks, treas
ury notes, silver certificates and silver
dollars are not a charge upon the gold
fund and may be exchanged by the sec
retary of the treasury for gold?"
Mr. Overstreet They always have
been. Are they on the gold fund now?
Mr. Pierce No sir.
It will bo seen that the falsehood so
unblushingly stated was immediately
met and denied. Our men are fighting
to the best of their ability and doing
everything that they can do under Czar
Reed rules. The impression given out
by the great dailies is' as false as the
statements of Overstreet, the gold bug
champion.
From the above statements made by
the gold standard champion, it will be
seen that all money is to bo made re
deemable in gold, and gold is to be the
only legal tender. That is just what they
intend to do. The greenbacks with whi'-b
wc fought the war.the treasury notes that
have helped to hold up prL'cs. the silver
dollars that have been "the money of the
common people since civilization fir.-t
dawned, are all to be destroyed as money
and it is U- be doue without the knowl
edge of the people, because the money
power controls all the avenues of infor
mation. It is time' that thinkiug men who
read this paper take account of stock.
Are we to be swindled out of our heri
tage in this way? If only tho voters of
this country could bo informed of the
facts, there would be a sudden stop put
to it. Is it not about time that some
one got "a move on him?" Two months
from now this matter will begin to ap
pear in the weeklies. Then it will be
too late unless this conspiracy can be
held up for a while in the senate.
There is to be nothing but gold for
for legal tender. Taxes both state and
national must be paid in legal tender
that is, in gold. When the farmer starts
out a year from now to get the gold to
pay his taxes where will he find it? It
will all be locked up i the bunks. If
they issue notes they will have to keep
it there to redeem their nob's. When
the mortgage comes due, it will have to
be paid in gold. Where will the farmer
get the gold? The last act in this aw
lul tragedy is lout to be enacted and
the people are all unconscious of it
V hat can you do? You can do one
thing at least if no more. You can pass
this article around among - your neigh
bors until the paper is worn out You
can do that much. If you know of any
better thing, do that If any plan seems
feasible to spread information you can
write a line to the Independent about
it If we are not willing to fight for our
liberties we ought to be made ilavei.
Aid we will be.
TWO McKINLEYS
One U for Free Silver, the other for the
Gold Standard One for Trust, the ,
other aKainxt tlieiu. -
. Washington, D. C, Doc. 10, 1899.
Special Correspondence Washington
has come to life again. The fifty-sixth
congress has assembled and organized,
been sworn except Mr. Roberts his
adopted the Reed rules, and will soon
have itself in elegant shape to squand
oratory and the people's money. To re
ceive the president's message and tho
departmental reports, pull for committee
assignments and to institute a prelimi
nary squabble over the financial meas
ure will be all that will be accomplished
by the nation's solons before the holiday
recess. ,
ine anti-trust portion of the prest
dent's message is being paraded as J
sure indication that Mr. McKinley holds
views on that great question which are
not in accord with those of Mr. Hanna
Not so. It only indicates that the chief
magistrate isjonging for new world's to
conquer. , lie has demonstrated hisabil
ity to stand on both sides of other great
issues and in due time will add the tru.
issue to his list. His name will go down
in history as the prince of political pres
tidigitators, and one of the most siiu
cessful lightning change artists of the
nineteenth century.
in 1S5J0. William McKinlev. M. C. do
clared on the floor of congress for equal
ty between silver and cold. He wa
then an avowed bimetallic. On Dec. 5,
1899, William McKinley, president of
the United States, said in his messaire
to congress, "I urgently recommend the
support of the existing cold standard
In 189(3, Mr. McKinley's platform pledcr
ea an proper ertorts to secure interna
wonai oimeiainsm. in nis last mossage
ne says"i he very situation points o
the present as the most fitting time to
make adequate provision to insure the
continuance of the gold standard." Can
t be that there are two William Lc-
Kinleys? Can it be possible that these
utterances are by the same man? I
To thoso who favor tho plan of benev
olent assimilation and who would have
he government sro into the missionary
neia wnn me army and navy, 1 would
commend the following tacts shown in
secretary Gage s recent report. In bis
estimates for the fiscal year,brginniv
July 1. 1900, the various items for war
and navy Htrcreirate more than two hun
dred and hfty-six million dollars. Hi
estimate for total expenses of the general
government for the same vearajnrreirRtcs
over six hundred and etchry-nve million
dollars, or eighty millions more than the
expenses of 1899, the year in which fell
he brunt of the burden of the war with
Spain, and over two hundred and forty
millions in excess of the total expencli
tures for 1898 see pages 7 to 12 of re
port. Truly imperialistic luxuries come
mighty high.
It was refreshing to seethe republican
majority in congress ignore the prece-
ent they set in by seating polyga-
mist Cannon of Utah, rudely refuse the
ip given by the administration in an
pointing polygamist postmasters in Utah
nd worst of all, give a black eve to the
residents Sulu pension policy bv
promptly turning 15. II. Roberts down
lefore he had a chance to take tho oath
f office. Ve more than suspect that
the fact that Mr. Roberts was elected as
democrat added very much to the al
most fat-iil attack of virtue from which
the majority wdo of the house has a
most fully recovered. The minority
howed good sense in sanctioning bv a
majority ot their votes the first right po
tion taken by tho republican majority
n many days, and one which comdemns
past, and present republican practices.
Ihe supreme court will be beloved
nd revered by the great mass of the
people for its recent deci-ion adverse to
he trii-ts, rendered against tho Addy-
stone pipe trust. If Mr. McKinley would
rovide an attorney gonoral who would
prosecute infractions of the preent en
trust statute the people would rise up
nd call him blessed. Hut they aro not
pt. to ph up for that, purpose noon.
l.npt.ii.i;. I'almer, of Omaha, is at
present in the city. Also Mr. (!po. W.
irby and family, of Hastings. Neb., are
pending a fortnight, here on their way
south, where they will spend the winter.
MILITARY DESPOTISM
The Idaho Hull IV n and their ImprUuo
mrnt of American Citizens with
out Trial to he IiiTraMRatel.
Washington, Dec. 8. Representative
Lentz, of Ohio, today introduced a joint
resolution reciting the charges growing
out of the presence of the United States
troops under Brigadier General Merriam
at the centers of mining troubles in
Idaho, and asking for an investigation
hy a special committee of nine members,
to be appointed by the speaker.
The resolution says that it is a matter
general information that United Statps
troop were sent to Idaho in definnce
of and contrary to the federal constitu
tion at the individual request of
the governor, when no riot or insur
rection existed, and without consulting
the legislature or the local sheriff.
His asserted that General Merriam
declared martial law, and "arbitrarily
and without warant of law" arrested
hundreds of citizens and held thera un
der "most brutal and tyrannical condi
tions." The arrest, it in charged, include?)
many members of the miners' union and
the local nheriff. It is asserted; that
many men were imprisoned in a "bull
pen." a place unfit for human habita
tion. Allegation is made that one prisoner
became lanane from the treatment, and,
escap ng, was shot as he jumped into a
river,
In another case, it is charged, a dying
pruoncr was denied spiritual cousola-
non.
Specific acts of cruelty are given, in
eluding compulsory standing erect for
seven hours each day in the hot sun,
under penalty of death if attempt was
made to move or sit down,
It is alleged also that a captain under
Hen. Merriam "amused himse f bv call
ing prisoners 'cowardly curs' while these
jjuniMiuieiiui were ueing lnuicieu.
The resolution also recites that the
wives and families of miners were in
sulted by negro soldiers, and it is al
leged that responsibility for tho various
actions recited rests with the mining
companios of the locality.
Trampling Right and Justice
The house of representatives yester
day violated the constitution of the
United States by refusing to receive a
lawfully elected representative of the
people. The personality of Roberts and
the question whether he should have
permitted to hold his seat do not enter
into the matter. The house has trans
gressed the right of representative Gov
ernment, the supreme law of the repub
lic. In the same spirit of lawlessness the
sneaker of the house went on to appoint
he c mn ittee to sit as Roberts'
ju Jgos, nine men who had voted against
admitting mm, and to appoint as chair
man of that committee, as director of
its "judicial" proceedingr, Mr. Taylor of
unto, the man who stood up in the house
as Roberts' accuser! -
The tramplintr of a fundamental prin
ciple of right was followed by the tramp
ling oi a iunoamemat principle of jus
tice. The crimes charced airaisist Roberts
are abhonent to the moral sense- of the
American peoplo. Rut what is tho rela
tive importance of Roberts' alleged pol
ygamous practices, his alleced violations
of the moral sensibilities of civilization,
in comparicon with such reckless law
lessness as this?
If in a moment of ereat national peril
the representatives of the people were to
violate fundamental principles under
stress of dire necessity, they might have
a plea m justitication for their grave of
fense. Hut what shall be said of such
disregard and disrespect for rieht and
justice under no greater stress than a
craven panic?
A dangerous precedent has been es
tablished, a dangerous inroad upon the
rights of an accused person has been
made. No feeling about Roberts should
obscure these facts ot rapidly growing
disrespect for personal and constitution
al rights from the public view. New
York World.
Joe Sibley's Fix
When Mr. Sibley (Pa) arose to speak
at the conclusion of Mr. Olmstead's re
marks much inteiest was manifested ow
ing to the report that he had changed
bis views upon the silver question. Mr.
Sibley, however, disappointed his audi
ence. He had risen only to say that he
proposed to print his views in tho Rec
ord. He had been offered time by tho
republicans, but as he had spoken against
the republican candidates in twenty
seven states in 1890 he did not dosiro to
accept favors at their hands. On tho
other hand he did not desire to embar
rass the democrats by asking for time
from them. He would vote azainst the
pending bill, he sai 1, but that he did not
entirely areo with the views of members
upon tho minority side. He would, there
fore, content himself with printing his
opinions.
Air. Richardson, the minority leader.
called Mr. Sibley to witness that he had
been otfered thirty-tive minutes within
which to present his views.
lo this Mr. Sibley assented, but said
he had not availed himself of the proffer,
as ne did not aesiro to ombarrass
the
gentleman who had tendered it.
Would Beat Tfiem All
The Washington Star in speaking of
he nomination on the democratic ticket
for vice president says:
The west will haw to content itself
with tho head of tltp ticket, leaving the
tail to be flttid elsewhere. But tlieie
i no populist of any prumincnen - of
sufficient prominence to aspire with rea
son to the vico presidency-available
elsewhere. If Senator Alien lived in
New York or Illinois or Pennsylvania ho
would easily defeat that wbolo manikin
shoolingmatch of Williums, Belmont
t Juggenheinipr, McLean, et al. He
ould walk off with tho vice presidency
as he has just walked off with the Ne
braska henatorshin. leavincr a sound of
emocritic pouters Ix-liind.
lhoKtars sug'e-tion that Mr. Bryan
accept the senatorship, would have left
no heartburnings. Kvery Nebraska
democrat and populist would Kladly
ave made way for him. And to what
crowded houses the senate would have
played throughout the whole of the
pretent session !
Mr1 Hitchcock's Card
The next day after lb appointment
of Senator Allen, Mr. Hitchcock pub
lished the following card in the World-
Herald:
"To the many friends who so Gener
ously and enthusiastically Kunnortnd me
in tn recent candidacy for the senator
ial appointment at the hands of the
governor I herewith tender my thanks.
"I cannot honestly deny that I have
been deeply disapjwinted, and I feel
most keenly the sting of ingratitude;
but above all I have been deeply moved
by the unexpected and almost unani
mous support of the people of Douglas
county and the generous indorsement of
representative men in all parts of Ne
braska. Gilbert M. Hitohoock."
STATE FINANCES
A Republican I.i-Kiiilature Hun Forced
the Creation of a ret Ktale Deltt,
Editor Independent: An editorial ap
pearing in the Omaha Bee relative to
Nebraska's state finances is worthy of
more than passing notice. As an exhi
bition of lamentable ignorance regarding
conditions in Nebraska, it is surely en
titled to tho palm-yet it may be that
Mr, Rosowater wilfully sought to de
ceive the people.
Ho says: "The exhibit of the state's
finances at tho end of the fiscal year just
closed is not as roasHUjino- to taxnnver
and property owners of Nebraska as it
" "
should he." No doubt Mr. Rosowater is
correct in this statement but let hlra
place the responsibility whore it prop.
erly belongs. The state treasurer does
not himself collect state taxes; he re
ceipts for whatever is paid him; but re
quiring prompt and froquent remittan
ces from comity treasurers and bv fre-
quent calls for outstanding registered
warrants, he raves to the state a larco
amount that wou'd be paid out in intt r
est if he had followed the republican
plan of holding large balances requiring
infrequent remittals by eountyre
urer's and making but one or two calls
per year for outstanding warrants. Tho
auditor does not make appropriations;
he must satisfy himself that a claim is
just and correct and that an appropria
tion therefore has been made by the
legislature; and when that is done, he
has no option he must draw the war
rant. The auditor does not collect state
taxes; but he settles with county treas
urers once a year for collections they
have made during the year. Neither
the auditor nor the treasurer nor the
governor (all three members of the state
board of equalization)ean be blamed be
cause the total valuation of all taxable
property in Nebraska was returned for
tho several years as follows:
1890 Ki7.078,270.37
1 , . . ..... 4fiS.Kn.7a6.42
1898 107.810,7I4.I9
1899 109,10r,5.10
None of these ntato officers held the
responsible position of assessor. They
nave no power to raise or lower the as-
sest-ed valuation of any county. They
are required by law to levy sufllcient
taxes to meet the appropriations made
by the legislature, but aro by another
provision of law, forbidden to levy more
than 5 mills on the dollar valuation for
general fund purposes. Now, five mills
on the valuation for 1897 and. 1893 if ail
Collected, would prod. ice a revenue of
81.(i(!r.,(J1.73 for the two years; but the
legislature of 1897 made appropriations
against the general fund amounting to
over two millions of dollars! The valua-
tianof 1900 will probably not greatly
1 - i . r.u. ... . . . "
exceeu mai oi iwii), anti l ne two levies
will amount to about 81,700,000. But
the legislature of 185)9 also appropriated
over two millions of dollars out of the
general fund, notwithstanding the uni
versity levy was increased from I mill to
one mill. Hence, one law prohibits ftc
tual compliance with another law and
the legislature is primarily responsible
for whatever may be undesirable in the
present condition of Nebraska's finances.
Mr. Rosewater seems piqued because
Treasurer Meserve will :ot jump at his
becic and call and countout the cash for
Mr. Rorewaters Inspection every whip
stitch. 1 he treasurer gives a surety
company guarantee bond for $1,500,000;
the bond company's agent checks up the
slate treasury once or twice a year,
counts the cash, and carefully examines
everything connected with the olllce and
ne always nnas every item right to a
cent. Ihw bond company is really more
vitally interested in the matter than Mr.
Rosewater could possibly be, and so
long as it makes no hostile move, Mr,
Uosewater may rest assured that every
penny of state money is safely cared for
and will e turned overto Mr. Meserve s
successor in January, 15J01.
In order to vent his spleen because a
populist treasurer hasn't found it neces
sary to consult with him on every trifling
ojiai-ion, Mr. Rosewater stoops to the
nxt-t puerile arguments. Listen to him
' Vheu the disclosure was made, three
years ago that State Treasurer Hartley
h;it! allowed the floating indebtedness to
mount up to the sum of il.900,000 the
people held up their hands aghast.
Since that time we have had three years
I prosperous conditions with increased
promptness in tax payments not to men
tion several hundred thousand dollars
which had simply been held out by
Hartley in tend of uing it to redeem
the warrant indelietcdness. Yet with
an wins, inn nontmir acirt has been re
d need by only $200.UK) when it sbonld
by rights have been entirely wiped out'
"Held out by Hartley" is a ifood term
About $1 l.r),(XK) of the general fund held
out by Bartley was "held out" so well
that none of it ever paid off a dollar of
general fund warrants. The following
la oio may assist. Mr. itosewater some
what in readjusting his figures:
Amount of outstanding general fund
warrants (loth regiMtered and unregis
tered) at ditierent dates
Nov.30, IMS); $1,930,273 47
Nov.), JH98 l,r71.!84 01
Nov. 30, 185W 1.774.586 34
It will le observed that during the bi
ennium ending November 30, 1898: the
floating debt of Nebraska was reduced
$'k;i;8H.40; but that during the fiscal
e;.r ending November 30, 1H99, this
flouting debt was increased $202,!X)2..'13,
leaving the net reduction made in such
floating do jt during three yearsof fusion
slaw administration, lbl,87.1.J.
If Mr. Roscwatcr's personal niuue will
permit his memory to go back to the
year 185K5 (and early in 1S97) he will per-
haps recall that the "people held up their
hands aghast" Dot so much because
t iere was k large amount of outstanding
general fund warrants, but principally
because Mr. Hartley had or claimed to
have nearly $,')!t0.000cash balance in the
general fund which should have been
applied to a reduction of the floating
debt, but which, as he said, ho was 1
afraid to pay out on outstanding war
rants for (ear the enormous strain might
break some Nebraska banks, operating
under the "best bfn'dng system tue
world ever saw" if we really believa
what such papers as the Bee tell us dur
ing political campaign-, Had Mr. BarV
luy uf ed ordii ary hi siness sagacity ui
honesty in his administration of the
treasury, there would have been uboat
13'0,0 0 of outstanding general fuad
warrants on November 30, 1896.
"Three years of prosperous conditions
with increased promptness in tax- pay
ments" has a familiar ring to it. But
will it bear tho light of investigates?
Le us see:
The collections of general fund state
tax (that derived from the 5 mill levy
county) for several years past my
t . , u - : - ui.i j,.
question:
llWIM
nienninm ending For hlenninm per year
o. 1M, JNWZ W.filKt.iCtO rKlS.lll 4
Nov. 80. 1MM 1.1KW itt in ur.t (is aa
Nov. ai, iswi , i,fifi-,;ti txi,cu 4
'n. miw : 1.1'is.jiAH m xi ai
Year endiu- Nov 90, 1&I9 HM.'aW M
Tata it appears that the averare
yearly collection of general fund slat
tax during 1891 and 1892, with Harrises
"nrosnerit v" envelmninir Avnrvthini?
every body, was slightly less than th
avernire collection in 1895 and 1806 after
the Wilson bill bad ruined everybody
aIa l" T ttT1
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tions during 1893 and 1894, notwith-
-tanding panics and short crops, wer
nearly tlOO.000 each year greater ' thai
forlSMJ-the third year of McKiiler
"prosperity," truts, gold standard, aid
benevolent assimilation." So much far
the Bee's "three year of prosperous con
ditions with increased promptness in tax
payments."
"Yet with all that he float nr debt
has been reduced byonly $200,000 whea
it should by rights have been entirely
wiped out" Yes, it ousjht to ba wiped
out, but that cannot be done without
some action of the legislature. Can the
treasurer do it otherwise? Let us :
Deducting the available cash on kind
November 30, 1896. from tbeout1andi
warrants, would leave a net floating
debt of $1,4(32,000, During the thrr
years from that date to November JO.
1899, new indebtedness in the sum of
about $2,081,000 was incurred by the is
sue of general fund warrants, or about
$994,000 per year. Total colleation mt
taxes, fees, and all other receipts for tke
general fund during the same thre
years amounted to $2,972,000, or about
$991,000 per year. Now, the natural re
sult of such eruditions would be an in
crease in the floating indebtedness of
about $9,000 in the three years, plus
whatever interest accrued on the out
standing warrants. There i no. escape.
If the editor of the Bee can take 1hre
millions of dollars and "wipe out" feur
and a half millions of Abating debt.
his claims of genuine prosperity under
the gold stnndHrd will be accepted with
out question by every populist in Ne
braska; the one is as much an impossi
bility as the other.
in his usual ambiguous style Mr.
Rosewater continues:
"The state's finances have been too
long neglected by the state authorities
and tho legislatures. The lenger Ihey
are allowed to drift without a determined
attempt to apply the the remedy and re
ducs the treasury management to a
business basis the greater will be tho
inevitable loss inflicted upon the tax
payers Half-way measures will not
serve the purpose. It is high time for a
thorough reform of Nebraska's financial
methods."
It is indeed high time that the legisla
ture took 'some measures calculated to
place the state treasury on a cash basis
and for the better investment of tho
educational trust funds. Notwithstand
ing tho fact that every . legislature pro
tends to look upon uncollected taxes as
an "available asset" for the purpose of
predicating an appropriation of a greater
sum than can possibly be raised by a
five mill levy in two yerrs, it is notorious
that the amount of such uncollected
taxes increases year by year, thus show
ing that a large amount is absolutely u
pollectable and worthless. The following
table shows amount uncollected at dif
ferent periods:
November 185x5 $2,307,781.1o
November 30, 18! .$2.439,009 12
November 30, 1895) (est.) . . .'.$2,519,742.64
Conservative estimates place the
amount of uneollectable taxes at a mil
lion dollarswhich is not far wrong. A
seven mill levy for general fund purporos
would yield about $.'120,000 per year ad
ditional taxes, and in not to exceed five
years the state could be placed on a
cash paying basis.
ith constitutional provision permitt
ing the investment of the educational .
trust funds in city and school district
I onds, iu addition to the avenues for in
vestment already open, it seems probable
that every dollar of these funds could
le kept invested as fast as received.
Were it not for investment in general
fund wariants now, there would be over
$800,000 of idle money in the permanent
school fund alone. New constitutional
provisions mean a constitutive al conven
tion. Lot us hope the next legislature
will have tho wisdom to provide for hold
ing one.
Chablus Q. Da Fbakck.
Lincoln, Neb.
The Independent called attention to
the fact some time ago that this last re
publican legislature appropriated $400,-
000 more than could be collected under
the constitution. It is the steady policy
of that party to create great publie
debts.
One cannot escape the clutches of tho
coal trust, the oil trust and several hun-
dred other trust that are crushing out
all competition. But it seems passing
strange that anti-trust newspapers clinf
so closely to the ready print trust There
is a Nebraska anti trust rnadv print
house giving eminent satisfaction and
struggling to avoid being crushed by its
mighty competitor. And more than half
of the anti trust papers in Nebraska
watch the contest with much interest,
vet buy their ready prints of tho trust
in order to save 10 or 20 coots per wool
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