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jt Peoples Party
Paper In the U.S.
VOL. XI.
LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, MARCH 22, 1900.
NO. 45.
fiiY Iff fT
CS1 Iff! ' JTf- H
8
A GREAT CONVENTION
Tbe Largest, Mont Enthustastlo and Hr
monlo us Eter Held by the Popn
lists of Nebraska
We were all astonished beyond meas
ure. There was not a man in the state
who expected to see assembled in Lin
coln perhaps the . largest and certainly
the most enthusiastic and perfectly har
monious populist convention ever held
in the state of Nebraska, but that is just
what occurred last Monday when the
farmer's laborers, business men and pro
fessional classes assembled at the audi
torium to elect delegates to the peoples
party national convention to be held at
Sioux Falls, S. D. May 9th.
It seems that the assault made upon
the integrity of the populist party by
Clem Deaver stirred up all classes in the
state and especially the old farmers as
they have not been stirred since the
Farmers Alliance days. Copies of Dea
ler's paper ' had been sent all over the
state to the farmers and they came troop
ing to Lincoln by the hundred to make
answer and they made answer that will
be heard in every part of the United
States, The old men did not send their
sons this time, they came themselves.
Standing on the platform and , looking
over the convention of twelve hundred
men, it could be plainly seen that five
heads out of six had gray hair upon
them, or had no hair at all.
All the proceedings of the convention
were dignified. The business was con
ducted with decorum. The immense
hall was packed with delegates and
spectators and it was the universal tes
timony of all, that there was never a
convention held in Nebraska by any po
litical nnrtv that, onulrl ha romnared to
.Vw. i .
it for the average standing and ability of
the delegates, for the propriety that
marked every movement, and the hon
esty and fairness of its proceed
ings. There was an overwneiming ma
jority cf farmers and they acted as tne
' intelligent American farmers always do
when serious business is on hand.
The convention was called to order by
Chairman Edmisten at 7 p. m.
He made a neat little speech which was
received with cheers. Judge Westover,
and R. II. Rohr were nominated for tem
porary chairmen. Mr. Bohr received
661 votes and Judge Westdver received
;,600i votes.,.The election of Judge WestrJ
over was maue unaniinuua.
Col. Frank D. Eager and W. A. Brad
bury wero elected joint secretaries by ac
clamation. It was announced that there was a
contest from Douglas county, which an
nouncement was received with a ringing
burst of laughter. J. M. Whi taker
moved that a committee of one from
each congressional district be appointed
on credentials. The motion was adopted
and the chair appointed as such com
mittee, J. M. Whitaker, Eric Johnson,
Elmer Thomas. C. F. Wheeler, M. F.
Harrington ana R. A. Tawney.
. Some discussion occurred at this point
and it was pointed out Elmer Thomas
was a member of the contested delega
tion. The chair said that was an inad
vertence and Mr. Thomas declined. Mr?
Whitford of Washington was then ap
pointed to fill the vacancy.
. A motion was made to adjourn for one
hour to allow the Sixth district to meet
and, select their delegates, Objection
was made to adjournment as it would be
very difficult to get the delegates back
into their seats in that crowded audi
torium and because all the other con
. gressional districts had already held
meetings and selected their delegates.
The Sixth was allowed to retire lor 30
minutes and was also the Third which
had not selected their delegates. They
took an hour to do it and the time was
filled up with short speeches from various
parties who were celled upon, among
, them George W. Berge, Sec ' Porter,
Uncle Jake Wolfe and Rev. William
Murphy of Seward. Father Murphy
Soke very earnestly describing some of
e dangers that immediately confront
this nation, from the concentration of
wealth and imperialism.
The committee on credentials made
their report which was to the effect that
they had met and sent notice to the
contesting delegation from Douglas and
that the contestant refused to appear be
fore them. They therefore recommend
. ed that the credentials presented by the
regular delegation be accepted and ap
proved. The report was unamimously
adopted.
- The temporary organization was then
made permanent.
- . Martin Langdon of Douglas county
moved that D. Clem Deaver be expelled
ber of the national committee of the peo
ples party and a successor be elected to
fill the vacancy. Thisnotion was adopted
unanimously and witn a vim.
. Elmer E. Thomas andT. H. Tibbies
were placed in nomination. A call of
counties was made and the vote ' result
ed; Thomas, 559: Tibbies, 509. Mr. Tib
bles moved to make the election of Mr,
Thomas unanimous and complimented
that gentleman on his record and abili
ty. Both of these gentlemen were call
ed for and made short speeches. Jesse
Miner of Co. A, 33 Iowa, asked that all
the soldiers of '61 to '65 stand and be
counted. Upon request of the chairman
they did so and the secretary counted
101, about one-fifth of all the delegates
present in tne hall at that time, thus
showing that nearly 20 per cent of the
delegates were soldiers of the Union
Army.
After a lone wait and short speeches
by several gentleme'n the committee on
resolutions reported . as follows:
Preamble. We. the representatives of
' the people's independent party of the
' State of Nebraska in convention assem
bled, do hereby adopt the following
piatiormof principle:
v "Resolved. We re-affirm the cardinal
principles of the people's independent
party as enunciated in national platform
adopted at Omaha, and re-announced
and re-affirmed by the last national con
vention at St. Louis. f
"Resolved. That we are in -favor of
the Declaration of Independence and the
constitution of the United States and be
lieve that the principles of these vvener
ated documents apply to all men alike
and we recognize no such thing as a
subject.
"Resolved, That we enter a solemn
protest and warning against 'the impe
rialism of the McKinley administration.
We define imperialism to mean the gov
erning and taxing of any people without
that people's consent. We denounce
such as tyranny, just as great and dan
gerous as that sought to be imposed up
on the American colonists by George
III.
"We denounce militarism as danger
ous to a republican form of government
and declare the safety of a self-governing
people is better subserved by. a citi
zen soldiery than by a standing army as
proven by all history.
Resolved, That we are in favor of a
liberal pension to all disabled union sol
diers and we believe that said pensions
should be graduated to disability and
not according to rank in service, ,
"Resolved, That we endorse the pres
ent state administration of Gov.Poynter
and his official colleagues, and we point
with pride to the congressional career of
Hon. Wm. V. Allen and the fusion mem
bers of congress from Nebraska. -
"Resolved, That we sympathize with
the Orange Free State and the South
African Republic in their - heroic strug
gle for liberty.
"Resolved, That we recognize in
William J ennings Bryan of Nebraska a
tried and worthy leader of the reform
forces of the United States and heartily
endorse his bold and fearless stand in fa
vor of the great common people.
"Resolved, That we recognize with
gratitude the valliant services of the sol
diers who have followed our flag in the
Spainsh-American war and have also
obeyed the orders of our president in
subsequent complications.
"In the country press we recognize
possibly the. greatest agency for good
within our reach and we denounce the
ready print trust wTiich exercises a cen
sorship over the ready printed pages of
our country newspapers. We commend
the effort of our reform editors to rid
themselves of this evil influence over
their respective publications and their
efforts in behalf of reform.
The delegates selected to represent
the Btate in the national convention at
Sioux Falls from the several districts
are as follows:
.FIRST DISTRICT
W. F. Moran OtoftBJEAJlep, Cass;
T. 11. Tibbies, Lancaster; W. li. Swan,
Johnson; Wm. Bailey, Nemaha; Geo. A.
Abbott, Richardson; W. IL Talcott,
Pawnee.
Alternates B. F. Littlefield, Joseph
Clark, S. R. Hall, Scott .Whitney, Edgar
Farnow, James Whittaker, O. E. Hall.
8ECOXD DISTRICT
E. E. Thomas. IGeorcre Maenev. L. J.
Ouinbv. C A. Whitford. M. D. Schaal.
J. W. Fowler, Allen Root.
Alternates J. H. Peabody, F. W.
Woodby, Victor E. Wilson, C. B. Sprague,
James Tannehill, D. A. Nay, J. H. Tay
lor. ..
THRD DISTRICT
n r n.n.i r t. t t ra nv;
mer, C. L. Gerrard, J. H. Felber, Frank
C. Scott, I. B. Gentry.
Alternates Chas. Crocket, Neil Nye,
W. F. Porter, Edward C.Van Allen, J.
L. McKeon, Mr. Cruickshank, J. R. An
derson. FOURTH DISTRICT
W.H. Taylor, Butler; John W.Stev
enson, Fillmore; Geo. A. Wilkinson,
Gage; J. li. JbJdmondson, Hamilton; Kev.
William Murphy, Seward; Eric Johnson,
Saunders; H. M. Powers, Polk.
Alternates J. M. Hamilton, J. B. Ire
land, Sherman Taylor, L. La Chappelle,
Commodore Beaver. W . 11. Barnes, ; li.
D.Rogers.
FIFTH DISTRICT
L. A. Beltzer. Hall; R. D. Sutherland,
Nuckolls; E. L. Adams, Kearney; Theo
dore Mahn, Harlan; F. H ouch in, Web
ster; M. M. Burgess, Adams; C. W. Jes
ter, Clay.
Alternates M. M. Chase, John Hig-
fins, R. J. Evans, A. J. Shafer, William
)unn, L. M. Graham.
8IXTH DISTRICT
J; H. Edmisten, -M. F. Harrington,
General Barry, J. J. Adams, Marshal S.
Eddy, J. J. Taylor, Judge Westover.
Alternates C A. Munn, W. L. Hand,
G. F. Cooper, B. B. Gross, H. M. Matth
ews, C. H. McClure, H. F. Carson.
A resolution was passed recommend
ing that Mr. Edmisten be made the na
tional chairman of the people's party
and pledging the Nebraska delegation
to work to that end in the national con
vention, v.- .'
Another resolution was also passed
warning the populists of the state against
a paper puDiisnea in umaoa, called
"True Populist," and asking the reform
editors of the state to explain to their
readers that said paper is a Mark Hanna
adjunct to the republican party in this
state.
A committee was then appointed to
call upon Mr. Bryan and ask him to ad
dress the convention. It was nearly 11
o'clock when he appeared. He was re
ceived with prolonged cheers lasting for
several minutes. He made one of his
characteristic addresses which was punc
tuated all the . way through with ap
plause.' The convention then adjourned sine
die.
The Thayer county populist delegation
voted solidly for D, Clem Deaver for gov
ernor in 1893 until Douglas county de
serted him. Now comes F. X. Pearl of
Gilead and in last week's Independenf
gives Clem a "roast that must cut to
the quick. Mr. Pearl says the populists
of Thayer county who know Clem have
sized up the True (?) Populist accurate
ly and that they are not deceived by its
assistant repuoiican urcuca. .
THE PORTO RICAN BILL
There Is no Place Under Our Form off Gov
ernment for Wretched Creatures
' : - Without a Citizenship.
I understand and appreciate the situa
tion of the gentlemen who are support
ing thi3 bill. They realize the utter im
possibility of governing celonial posses
sions according to the constitution of
the United States and they have resolved
upon the dangerous course of boldly set
ting the constitution aside. If I could
derive a personal satisfaction from any
circumstances which I deemed a mis
fortune to. my country, I would rejoice
in their decision, because it abundantly
confirms what I said in the very begin
ning of this controversy. Eighteen
months ago when the fever of war and
conquest was in the blood of our people,
when men talked only of battles and vic
tories, when the music of the fife and
drum had aroused our martial spirit, I
did not yield to this general excitement;
but in the midst of it all I stood un
moved, and warned my countrymen that
the constitution of this free - republic
could not be applied to the government
of colonies. When emotional statesmen
cried out to know who would take flown
the flag, I dared to say that I would
take it down" from any land where the
constitution of my country could not
follow it.
Gentlemen of the republican party, are
you ready to the world the anomaly of a
government restrained by a constitution
in one quarter of the globe and yet pos
sessed of despotic power in all " other
regions of the earth? How long will our
constitution shield us and our children
if we withhold its protection from the
meanest under our jurisdiction? It was
ordained to limit the powers of this gov
ernment at all places and over all men;
the greatest are not exempt from its lim
itations, nor can its protection - be de
nied to the humblest.
Under this new and strange philos
ophy which we are now invited to em
brace, the people of our new possessions
will neither perform its obligations nor
enjoy its blessings. To them those sa
cred guaranties which we hold more
precious than our lives are meaningless.
Their houses may be searched; the altars
of their religion may be leveled to the
ground; soldiers may be quartered on
them in times of peace, and when they
have peaceably assembled to petition for
a redress of their grievances they can be
dispersed at the point ' of the sword.
They can be arrested without a warrant;
they can be tried without a jury, or con
demned without a trial. The' greed of
one American pro-consul may strugem.
of their property, and the lust of aftotjier
may despoil their homes. And yet, sir,
against these unspeakable atrocities they
can not invoke these great provisions
Which our fathers deemed the heritage
of all freemen.
Gentlemen, are you ready to divide
our people into citizens and subjects
half monarchy and half republic? Let
me borrow the immortal words of Lin
coln, and applying them to this new. con
dition, let me remind you that this re
public can not endure one half slave and
the other half free. Either we must all
be citizens or else in time we all shall be
come subjects. I did not want these
alien and inferior races, and I fervently
pray that we may yet be delivered from
the impossible task of assimilating and
governing them. But, sir, if you will
take them, you must make them a part
of us; we must share their destiny with
them, and they must share their destiny
with us, for there is no place under our
form of government for that wretched
creature without a citizenship. Every
man who stands beneath the ample folds
of that flag which adorns yonder speak
er's stand shall have the right to face
the world, and with that prouder than
Roman boast upon his lips, proclaim: "I
am an American citizen. Extract from
a speech by J. W. Bailey in House of
Representatives.
A PATHETIC APPEAL.
The Helpless Porto Blcans say they only
ask the Right to Karn Bread
"from one Another."
The planters, merchants, manufactur
ers and people of Porto Rico have sent
a statement to congress of their condi
tion that is full of pathos and patriotism.
A great many of our people have been
deceived in regard to the amount of
boodle that the sugar and tobacco
trusts had planed to tax out of these
suffering, islanders. There has been so
much talk about a fifteen and twenty-
five per cent tax that the ordinary man
has been led to believe that it meant
that much upon the value, of the goods,
whereas the lowest ad valor m tax is 25
per cent and runs all the way up to 160
per cent. Think of these trust ghouls
proposing to .tax these starving people
160 per cent on what they produce!
The appeal of the people to this trust
ridden congress is in the following
words: , .
"San Jan, Porto Rico, March 12. We
beg to submit to your earnest considera
tion the following views as to the finan
cial policy of Porto Rico. . v
"We note with reeret the prineinle
communicated by certain speakers to
the lower house of Congress that tar
iff between Porto Rico and the . United
States is the proper method of raising
revenue for this island. To this we are
unchangeably opposed, for the following
reasons: '
"First Because taxation on our ex
ports means an embargo on our foreign
commerce. . ,
"Second Because curtailment of our
commerce with the United States would
lock up our products here and prevent
us irom gaining our legitimate propor
tion of profit on our productions.
"We can never become independent
financially if forced to trade solely
among ourselves. We must have a mar
ket-other than Porto Rico or else we
cannot gain wealth.
-'Do not mistake the proposed 15 per
cent of the Dingley rates for a reason
able rate. It is a fact that no class of
goods produced here from leaf tobacco
will be taxed less than 2o per cent ad
valorem, while one of the most import
ant of the class will be taxed 160 per
cent ad valorem under the bill adopted
by the House of Representatives. If
this is not an embargo on our trade,
what can it be called?
"We earnestly ask for free trade, be
lieving that with a mutual interchange
of products between the two countries
the United States will be more' than
gainer. The " United States will for
many years supply our 1,000,000 people
with their manufactured products.
"In general we recognize the fact that
a revenue to support tne insulor gov
ernment would be necessary; but we
are decidedly of opinion that the better
method of raising that revenue will be
by internal taxation, and for the follow
ing reasons:
"First Because by that system no
restriction will be placed on our com-
"Second Because the adoption of
that system will be as simple m opera
tion here as it is in the United States.
"In considering the "amount of rev
enue needed fortjhis island, we beg to
submit the- following calculations,
which, after due '. consideration, we be
lieve can be realized: Rum, 1300,000
gallons, which is 1.10 per gallon, works
out $1,430,000; cigarettes, 250,000,000,
which at $1.50 per thousand, works out
at $375,000; cigars, 120,000,000, which at
$3.60 per thousand, works out $132,000.
Total,
'We estimate the entire special li
cense tax as, nominally, $15,000. This
will give us a total revenue of $2,252,000.
One-third of that equals about $750,666.
A fair estimate of the annual cost of ad
ministration is $600,000. - Add for inter
est and sinking fund on -bonds to be is
sued $150,000. Total required, $750,000.
"Even with free trade with the United
States there would be an additional rev
enue of at least $200,000 annually from
customs dutiesjon. goods coming here
from foreign cotfn tries. . ,
"If Congress will authorize Porto
Rico to issue $2,000,000 of forty year five
per cent bonds, the above will provide
for them viz., for interest, $100,000, and
for sinking fund, $50,000; total, $150,000.
"Therefore we infer that it will be un
necessary to adopt, for, this island the
the full revenue fates of 'the United
States. One third of those rates will
give ample receipts to cover all the
above, ' Porto Ricp has no . bonded or
other debts. Therefore $2,000,000 of
bonds to ,,be . issued for internal - im
provements would be conservative.
"We call your attention to the fact
that it has been the custom for all coun
tries to make internal improvements by
the system of bonded indebtedness,
which divides the expense. among suc
ceeding generations. We do not desire
to have the burden of internal im
provements placed on us solely. J.t
it must be so, then we ask that it be
dens by a system of internal taxation
that will not prevent the increase of
our commerce witn tne states oi tne
American Union and that ' will not
starve us. -'. '-
"The fact cannot be disputed that
our people are in sore distress. All
commerce is now hampered. The in
vestment of capital is : stopped. Our
farmers have not the means to plant or
to gather ' their crops. Building and
improving are impeded. . . Capital re
fuses to come here for investment . in
either manufacturing or agricultural
pursuits, for the reason that the sov
ereignty of the United States over this
island has deprived us of free trade
with Spain and Cuba, .which formerly
took-our exports at fair prices and en
abled us to live.
"We now ask as a right in equity
that free trade with the United States
be given us. We ask bread as a right
from , our mother. Do not, we pray,
give us a stone, we ask lor an im
mediate decision. .
The First Supreme Judge
The following is the opinion of the su
preme court delivered by that great
Chief Justice, Marshall:
The eighth section of the first article
gives to congress the power to "lay and
collect taxes, duties, imposts, and ex
cises," for the purposes thereinafter
mentioned. This grant is general, with
out limitation as to place. It conse
quently extends to all places over which
the government extends. If this could
be doubted, the doubt is removed by the
subsequent words which modify the
grant. These words are, "but all duties,
imposts, and excises, shall be uniform
throughout the United States."
It will not be contended that the mod
ification of the power extends to places
to which the power itself does not ex
tend. The power, then, "to lay and col
lect duties, imposts and excises" may be
exercised and must be exercised,
throughout the United States. Does
this term designate the whole or any
particular portion of the American em
pire? Certainly, this question can ad
mit or buz one answer, it is tne name
given to the people of the United States;
but, as an American, I am proud to know
that the government of the United States
is not unlimited in its sovereignty.
The people in their aggregate capacity
do not make treaties or laws. The peo
ple, it is true, act through represent
tives, but no act of those representatives
can be performed outside of the consti
tution. The constitution was made by
the people as a check upon their repre
sentatives. The people may amend the
instrument, but, until changed by them,
in tne mode provided therein, that con
stitution, with all its limitations, oper
ates upon and restrains every net of
every department of the government.
Sharpies Cream Separators Profit
able Dairying.
GOLD BUG TRICK
They Publish to the World That Senators j
Allen and Butler Had Abandoned
Free Sliver.
Washington, D. C, March 19 During !
the past week the republican papers
had much to say about what they j
termed the - abandonment of the free
coinage of silver by Senators Allen and
Butler. It made no difference to these j
advocates of the policies of imperialism j
and aggrandizement of the national bank
syndicate, that the only basis for this j
assertion was a false . quotation of the
words of these senators, and a flat con-1
tradiction of their frequent and em
phatic declarations during the past few
weeks. The alacrity with which, these
servants of the genii of the gold standard
sieze upon this broken straw of support
for their own position inevitably leads
to the conclusion that they would very
much like to have happen what they
endeavor to make the people think had
happened, but which will not come to
pass, that is, have these senators abandon
their hght against the single gold stand-1
ard which the republican administration
and its servants have done all in their
power to fasten upon the country. Last
Tuesday Senator Allen had his attention
called to what the republican press was
saying, and he put an effectual stop . to
tne game tney were playing by, again on
the floor of the senate, reiterating what
he has said from the same place more
than once during this session. . The
language of Senator Allen is made up"
principally from the good old strong
words of every day use, and it is hard to
understand . how any body could mis
construe his declaration. -
It may be of interest to the readers of
the Independent to know just what the
Congressional Record shows that Allen
and Butler did say on this point and the
following extracts are given:
Mr. ALLEN. Mr. President, it is not
very often that I ask the privilege of
making a personal statement. I would
not consume the time of the senate this
morning were it not for the fact that
recently, I think on the 7th of this
month, the Washington correspondent
of the New York Times sent to his paper,
and through it broadcast to the coun
try, the assertion that I had ceased to
be an advocate of the free and unlimited
coinage of silver and gold at the ratio of
16 to 1. If there is anything upon
which I am tender it is upon that sub
ject, for I have so long been an advocate
of that doctrine and have been such . a
firm believer in it that I suppose no one
would have the temerity to charge me
with having,, receded . from : the faith.
ljwouid not notice it now. but ior tne
fact' that this statement . seems to have
ttn put in circulation in my own state.
'The Omaha Bee, the most prominent re
publican paper in the state of Nebraska,
and I must say the fairest paper of its
faith in the state, in an editorial in its
issue of March 11, says:
"When the conference report on the
financial bill (referring to the currency
bill recently before the senate) When
the conference report on the financial
bill was before the senate last Tuesday
there occurred a debate of which the
regular press reports said very little,
but which was interesting for the admis
sions made by two populist senators
Allen of Nebraska and Butler of North
Carolina." -
Passing over much of what the editor
ial contains, I read the conclusion:
"It is needless to say that Allen and
Butler will continue to support Mr.
Bryan, who has not abated one jot of
his zeal in behalf of free silver and who
will insist that the financial plank of the
Chicago platform shall be retained, but
none the less the admissions of those
senators show that the experience of
the last few years has not been altogether
without an educating effect upon them.
In view .. of these populist admissions
can there be any doubt that the , free
silver cause is waning."
The editor, 1 . suppose, thought that
the Washington correspondent of the
New York Times was telling the truth,
and did not look into the Congresi bnal
Record, which is the ultimate, final test
of what a man says in this body, '
There was nothing said by me in the
discussion of the currency bill which by
any kind of torture or twisting of the
English language could be construed
into a lack of faith in the platform of
my party, which declares in favor of the
free and unlimited coinage of gold and
silver at the ratio of 16 to 1, and there
never has been a . moment of my life
since I first gave my adherence to that
doctrine that I have doubted its . sound
ness. ; ' '
The correspondent of the New York
Times, whoever he may be, has been
careful heretofore not to report to his
journal any portion of the repeated re
marks I have made in favor of this doc
trine. In my first speeh on the late cur
rency bill I declared Jmyself expressly
respecting the free and unlimited coin
age of silver, and I will trouble the Sen
ate a moment by reading a brief para
graph. At that time, February 7,1 said:
"I am an adherant of silver and gold
at the ratio of 16 to 1. If there be those
who have heretofore advocated the free
and unlimited coinage of silver at the
ratio of 16 to 1 who have receeded from
it, I do not know them and I am not of
them. If the doctrine was good in 1893,
it has been good every hour and every
day from that time to the present and it
will continue to be good throughout the
ages; and no mere change in commercial
or industrial - conditions ephemeral,
false, and deceptive as they are can
change the conviction of the American
people on the subject of the relation of
gold and silver. No such fleeting change
will ever close the eyes of the American
neonle to the act that there has been a
studied, constant and sustained effort on
the part of those charged with adminis
tering the affairs of the government to
discredit silver and to injure the indus
tries and tne industrial classes of our
country, thereby to promote the inter
ests of gold and the interests of the ad
vocates of the gold standard.
Again. I said at the same time: "Mr.
President, permit me to say that I am
not an advocate of silver because I be
lieve silver to be a better money than
gold. I believe it to be equally as good,
but I advocate the use of both gold and
silver. I am not the advocate of either
gold or silver because I believe either of
to be better than paper money, for I be
lieve a well-regulated and limited vol
ume of full legal-tender paper money to
be as good as either or both.
"I utterly repudiate the idea that
there is any such thing as commercial
value in money as money; but I will not
discuss that question. That has passed
into a conviction with me long ago. It
is not open to debate any longer in my
mind. I believe it is as well established
as any other established fact, yet I real
ize that a great many men hold to the
barbarous doctrine the monstrous doc
trine, I may say; the illogical doctrine
that we cannot properly use anything as
moneyjunless the material upon which i
is stamped has a distinct commercia
value equivalent to the value of monet
itself. ' ' " ". - -' '
Some of the republican friends of the
republican : Congressman from the
First Nepraska district doubtless with
the intention of assisting Mr. Burkett to
explain why he did not push the bill for
a pension to Mrs. Stotsenburg which
Senator Allen had gotten through the
Senate, have entertained a complaint
against Senator Allen that the latter
had asked for only fifty dollars per
month and that Burkett's bill for one
hundred would be delayed on this ac
count. It has come out during the last
few days that these defenders of the po
sition taken for the larger sum were the
real obstructors and not Senator Allen.
This was demonstrated when the Bur
kett bill was reported by the house com
mittee with a recommendation that it
be allowed at the rate of forty dollars
per month.
Senator Allen, promptly, and as soon
as the congress convened after the holi
days introduced a bill for a pension
naming the limit which the senate com
mittee has fixed for its rules, fifty dol
lars. That bill was reported by the sen
ate committee and passed by the senate
within two weeks from the time it was
introduced, and it was sent over to the
House without a line or word being
altered after its original introduction.
Senator Allen pursued the course which
good judgment dictated he should fol
low to get the largest amount possible
and get it as quickly as possible. His
bill has been before the House and only
needing the concurrance of thet body in
the action of the senate to make it a
law, for over two months. The Burkett
bill was cut down by his own ' committee
of the House to an amount ten dollars
less than Allen had ' secured from' the
Senate, and the matter now stands this
way- When the Allen bill was put
through the Senate as it was, it would
have accomplished the purpose of secur
ing the. pension promptly for the largest
amount it is now evident it is . possible
to get, if Mr. Burkett has dropped his
bill which had not moved out of the
house committee and devoted his ener
gies to advancing " the Allen bill. It
does not look like Senator Allen Was
lacking in judgment or activity when he
had his branch of congress pass in two
weeks a bill for ten dollars per month
more than Mr. Burkett succeeded after
three months in getting through a
committee of his branch. Thet result
speaks for itself.
JOE SIBLEY'S FLOP.
Grave Suspicions that Standard oil was at
the Bottom of this Grand Monkey Act.
. Editor Independent. When I read in
the Independent that Joseph Sibley had
changed on the money question, I was
surprised. ; He is congressman from my
home district in Pennsylvania. '
I thereupon wrote to an acquaintance
of mine in Franklin, Pa., his home town
and asked the lady if the report was
true. I herewith enclose the letter and
wish you would publish the part that
gives his history. It will show your
readers where the index hner points, to
the most ignominious tyrant the world
ever produced: one who is crushing our
republic like a giant would crush a tiny
play house, i. e., John D. Rockefeller.
That Galena oil refinery is where the
crime points. Any man, that dare re
fine his own oil, will be bought out or
crushed out by the Standard oil com
pany. Since the Standard has gone
into the banking business, it is easy to
see the hold they have of Mr. Sibley.
As my friend said in her letter: "We will
have to await further action from Mr,
S. to know whether he will retain his
following here." I hope the Pennsylva-
nians still have "back-bone" left suflic
iently to turn down the tool of John D.
.ttocKeieiier.
The latest news is that this adminis
tration is making a reciprocity treaty
with c ranee so the standard , oil com
pany can send her oil there free, but
the poor JPorto Kicans have to pay
duty on their oil. -
My friend in her letter said: " I think
I can best answer some of your ques
tions by sending you a paper and write
a few words to send with them. It
seems impossible to say just where Mr.
Sibley stands politically as he has
changed his views "of late. .He has a
large income I don't know whether he
is a millionaire or not, nor do 1 know ex
actly his business. ' He and his brother-
in-law. Gen. Chas. Miller," have been in
the stock raising business and at the
same tim they both had an interest in
the Galena Refining company of which
(Jen. Miller is the head and 1 suppose
some oil producing interests.
Franklin, Neb..
On March 10 the United States had
over $112,000,000 deposited in the na
tional banks. This money the banks re
ceive without the payment of a cent of
interest; and they loan it out at the cur
rent rates. ;: Talk about paternalism! At
four per cent this means a gift of nearly
15,000,000 a year to these bankers. But
it is treason to talk about government
loans to any but bankers.
KRUGER'S REPLY
He Denies That The War Was Bega or
Carried on For Any Other Pur
pose Than Independence.
After Lord Salisbury made his ha irt-
ess statement in the ' house of la ds.
President Kruger sent out the follovt ing
in reply thereto: ?
Bloemfontem, March 5 The bl xd
and the tears of thousands who h ive
suffered by this war and the prosper of
all moral and economic ruin wl ere
with South Africa ' is now threatei ed.
make it necessary for both beligarl nts
to ask' themselves dispassionately, !sd
as in the sight of the tribune God, for
what are they fighting, and whether the
aim of each justifies all this appalling
misery and devastation.
"With this object and in view of the
assertions of the various British states
men to the effect that this war wa
begun and is being carried on with the
set purpose of undermining her majesty's
authority in South Africa, and of setting
up an administration over all of South
Africa independent of her majesty's
government, we consider it our duty to
solemnly declare that this war was
undertaken solely as a defensive meas
ure to maintain the threatened indeA
pendence of the South African republic,
and is only continued in order to secure
and maintain the incontestable inde
pendence of both republics and sover
eign international states, and to obtain
the assurance that those of her majesty's
subjects who have taken part with U3 in
this war shall suffer no harm whatever
in person or property. On these condi
tionsbut on these conditions alone, are
we now, as in the past, desirous of see
ing peace established in South Africa,
while if her majesty's government is de
termined to destroy the independence
of the republics, there is nothing left to
us and to our people but to persevere to
the end in the course already begun. In
spite of the overwhelming pre-eminence
of British empire we are confident that
that God who lighted the unextinguished
fire of love of freedom in the hearts of our
selves and of our fathers will not desert
us and will accomplish his work in u.-
and our descendants.
"We hesitated to make this declara
tion earlier to your excellency, as we
feared that as long as the advantage
was always on our side and as long as
our forces held defensive positions far
within her majesty's colonies, such a
declaration might hurt the feelings . and
honor of . the British' people. But now
that the prestige of the British empire
may be .considered to be assured by . the
capture of one of our forces by her
majesty's troops, and that we have
thereby been forced to evacuate other
positions which our forces had occupied.
that dimculty is over and we can no
longer hesitate to clearly inform your
government and : people in the sight of
the whole civilized world, why we are
fighting and on what conditions we are
ready to restore peace."
The New York Journal cabJed the fol
lowing questions to President Kruger:
"Are the republics determined to hght
to the bitter end if necessary?"
"Is there any truth in the ' reported
disorderly rout and demoralization of
the burgher forces?"
"Is it true that the British are ex
pected to reach Pretoria without a ter
rific struggle on the border?" ,
"Are the reported differences between
Kruger and Joubert and the. Transvaal
and Orange : Free State governments
true or false?"
To these questions President Kruger
replied: ?
Pretoria, March 13, 8 p. m. (via Berlin.
March 11, 10 a. m.) To the Editor of
the Journal, New York: The burghers
will only cease lighting with death. Our
forces are returning in good order to
our first line of defense on our own soil.
The Natal campaign lasted longer in
our favor than we expected. rlhe lint
ish will never reach Pretoria.
The burghers, Steyn, Joubert and
myself, as well as all the others, are
united.' There are no differences. God
help us. - Kkcgeb.
THE UNITED STATES "
- ' .- ;. f
In Account with One William Mckinley
and Certain Co-Partners Called "
Imperialists. -
Dr.
War with Spain - - . $259,341,291
War with Filipinos (1899) 6-M17.2S?
War with Filipinos (1900) . 10U4.tt34
Total - . - - . $424,AU.5nO
Probable Cost Army (1900) - 125.0U),Quu
Grand Total - - 549.44rMG
Annual Increase Army and nary
Expenses . - - , . 100,000,000
--v . : Cr.
Total Value of Phillipine Trade $75,000,0110
Total Value China Trade - - 50,0U0,UU0
Total Value Porto Rico and Cuba
Trade - - - - - - 130,000,000
Grand Total Colonial and Asiatic
Trade - - - - - - 275,000,000
American Command Philippine
Trade - - - - - $70,000mo
American Command China Trade 50,UXUJLJ
American Command Colonial
Trade - , - - . 150,000,000
Total Value American Trade 270.1 00.0U)
Net Profit to Traders at 15 per cent Mo,5tJO,000
Balance to Imperialism - - $So9,31i,5JO
American Sympathy
The National Boer Relief Fund Asso
ciation (offices in St James Building. No.
1133 Broadway), organized as the na
tional central body, through which all
pro-Boer sympathizers in the United
States can co-operate, is meeting with
hearty encouragement and solid financial
approval. -
On the first day the subscription books
wereopenx W. Bourke Cock ran gave
$500.' George W. Van Sicien, $250; Seta
Low, President of Columbia University,
$100; Mrs. Josephine Roebling Jarvis,
$100, and numerous smaller sums were
received.
Prom every direction the association
is receiving letters applauding the idea
of crystallizing. the pro-Boer efforts.
The association aims to raise $1,000,000