LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, APRIL 5, 1900.
WILL OVII US ALL
It Will be bat a Short Time if the Present
Republican Policy la Followed Un
. til the Standard Oil will Govern
; For twenty-five years this writer has
been pointing out to the people of this
state what the result of concentration of
; wealth woud result in, which was given
its first start by the crime of 1Z. The
people of . Nebraska that is a consider
able majority of them have foreseen
the result and done their best to warn
others. It seems that a few of the east
ern people are beginning to recognize
the danger and are raising a cry ' of
alarm. The following from the New
York Journal will open the eyes of some
people who have persistantly kept them
circid for th last twentv vaara.
"Here are some little facts to consider.
The Standard Oil Company was or
ganized in 1870 with a capital of f 1,000, -U00.
It has just distributed a quarterly
dividend in cash and script of 123,000,
000, representing an annual profit of $92,
000,000. But even if we admit that the
last dividend is exceptional, the actual
returns for nine months show that the
Standard Oil profits for the current fis
cal year can hardly fall below $60,000,000
There was a dividend three months ago
of $10,000,000, and one three months be
fore that of $8,000,000.
The United States Government was
organized under the constitution inl789.
Its total gross- income not profits was
less than $52,000,000 as late as 1862,
' when it was seventy three years old.
The net profits of the Standard Oil com
pany are greater now than the gross in
come of the United States Government
was at more than twice its age,
In the four years, 1896, 1897, 1898 and
1899 the profits of the Standard Oil Com
pany amounted to $127,000,000. In the
saine four years the income of the Unit
ad States Government ran behind its ex-
Enses to the amount of $170,414,307.27.
not Mr. Rockefeller already a "bigger
man" than old Uncle Sam?
The Standard Oil Company, which
thirty years ago was worth $1,000,000 at
the outside, is worth now on the basis of
the market quotations' about $550,000,000
an increase of fif tyfive-thousand per cent.
As an income producing property it is
worth twice that. '
In the same length of time the aggre
gate wealth of the United States has in
creased from $30,068,518,507 to about
$100,000,000,000, or about 230 per cent,'
, ' How long will it take for 55,000 per
cent to overtake 230 per cent? Work
out that problem and you will know how
soon Mr. Rockefeller and his partners
will ownthe UnitedTStato. ' '
You will not put the date quite early
enough, however, for these ' figures do
not show the full extent of the growth
of the Rockefeller monopoly. In the
first place the Standard Oil Company
is making money faster than it ever did
before. It is going ahead with accelerat
ed velocity. In the next place the oil
business is altogether too small to fur
nish opportunities for the investment
of all the wealth that is pouring in upon
the magnates of the Rockefeller group.
They are reaching out for the control of
every branch of industry. ' They employ
35,000 men in Standard Oil alone a
larger army than the United states had
before the war with Spain but that is
only a detail.
They own the greatest iron mines in
the world, carry their ore to the lakes on
their own railroads, and thence to mar
ket on their own steamers. They have
enormous fleets of freighters on lakes
and ocean. They are heavily interested
in the great passenger ships of the Inter
national Navigation Company. They
come near to controlling the copper sup
ply of the world. They own coal . mines,
railroads and gas works all over the
country. They have a share in the new
salt trust. They have immense interests
in street railroads. They are building
- up colossal banks and controlling the
money supply.
With from $50,000,000 to $100,000,000
to invest every year in income produc
ing property which makes the revenue
6till larger the next year, what can keep
the Standard Oil Company from; own
ing the United States? Nothing but
another trust too rich to be bought and
too strong to be crushed, or legislation
to keep the concentration of wealth with
in bounds. There are no indications of
the appearance of the former ' antidote,
and the people will have to get to work
without much more delay if they wish to
be in time for the latter.
Keep Out of Debt
The following very sound proposition
came to the editor's hand without any
name attached. Such a resolution ought
to be adopted by-every populist conven
tion,' county, state and national, when
ever and wherever one assembles. While
no such resolution' was offered at the
state convention held last week, the edi
tor of the Independent pressed that point
upon the attention of the delegates in
the short speech that he made.
"I offered the following resolution at
our caucus meeting which was referred
to the county, convention and there
adopted and sent to the state conven
tion at Lincoln. I know not what be
came of the matter so send it to you that
you may use as you see fit.
Whereas, By the grace of the republi
can party we are to nave the gold stand
ard established by law, together with its
wealth absorbing and pain producing
attachments. Therefore be it
Resolved, By the peoples party in con
vention assembled at Grand Island, Neb.,
that we respectfully and earnestly call
upon the people everywhere, especially
all reformers, to absolutely ref ram from
debts from the period of inflation which
is bound Xo fall on the passage of this
law, will be followed by a period of con
traction which will surely wipe out all
debtors whose debts are one-fourth or
more of their nominal assets.
I write this from memory but believe
it to be strictly like the original. It
caused great enthusiasm and owing to
the opposition of one man, was adopted
by a rising vote." They also passed a res
olution affirming the initiative and ref
erendum."
Republican Idiots.
Editor ; Independent: I wish you
would ray something about the law, on
silver in your paper. : The . republicans i
here say that under ' free ' coinage we
would have to purchase all the silver
and pay gold for it. I tell k them, no.
All the silver purchasing laws have been,
repealed, and that there is no law re
quiring the government to buy silver.
How is it? W. H. Bishop. "
It is hardly worth while to waste time
on such idiots." They belong to the true
mullet head breed. Free coinage means
just the same thing when applied to
silver as when applied to gold. Any
man who has gold can send it to the
United States mint and have it coined
"free" of any charge into full legal tend
er money. Free coinage of silver means
that any one having silver could send it
to the mint and have it coined free into
full legal tender money. You might
ask these mullet heads if they ever heard
of a president-named - Cleveland, or if
they Knew that seven years ago he call
ed a special session of congress and that
that congress assembled and after
months of hard fighting repealed the
purchasing clause of .the Sherman act
Having read nothing ' but republican
papers, they perhaps never heard of it.
Robbing The Taxpayer
The reckless expenditure of public
money in the United States has not been
confined to any particular political di
vision or any particular geographical
section. The national, state and munici
pal governments have seemed ; to vie
with one another in the plunder of the
taxpayer. From the north, the south,
the east and the west have come the
same complaints of excessive burdens.
But figures are needed to give these
statements the . vividness . of reality.
Beginning with natibnal -expenditures,
Mn Roberts says that during: the decade
from 1820 to 1830 they were $1.07 per
capita; . from 1851 to 1861 they were
$2.06: and for the year 1894, $8.08. "In
a word," he adds,"the per capita expense
of the national government in 1894 was
nearly six ; times as . great as it was in
1820, and nearly three times as great as
it was in the decade Vore our great civil
war. The per tpit ?rpenaltures of
the state of ;New York; in" 1830 were
$1.30, thirty years later they were $1.89,
in 1890 they were $2 15; and "in 1897 the
estimated per capita expenditure reached
the alarming amount of $4.95." ' That is
to say, the combined expenditure of the
state and naticr-i f-rcTTw-nts gave a
rater as high aj .7. - Jtin France
before th'e outt tJkT:tst revolution.
"The tendency -to. Increase," says Mr.
Roberts, commenting on these figures,
"is a persistent one. In 1881 the amount
expended by the state was $9,878,214.59;
in 1884, $10,479,517.31; -in 1887, $14,301,
102.48; in 1890, $13,076,881.86; in 1893,
$17,367,335.98; and in 1896, $20,020,022.
47." Coming to municipal expenditures,
where the hand of the prodigal has been
most' lavish, Mr. Roberts says that
"between 1860 and 1880 the municipal
debts of our union increased from $100,
000,000 to $68200,000, and in fifteen
cities, believed to represent the average,
the increase in taxation was 362.2 per
cent, while the increase in taxable valu
ation was but 156.9 per cent, and of pop
ulation but 70 per cent. In the year
1860 the direct taxes for state, county,
town and city - purposes in New York
were $4.90 per capita, in . 1880 it was
$8.20, and in 1896 it had reached $10.43,
an increase in thirty-six years of 213 per
cent From A State Official on Exces
sive Taxation," by - Franklin Smith, in
Apple tons' Popular Science Monthly for
April. v-f:V&j'-1 x'' '
"In another part of this same article
Mr. Smith calls attention to the robbery
of the taxpayers of New York by the
creation of numerous commissions with
large salaries attached; whose work he
says, has resulted in the printing of
stacks of reports that no one reads and
the drawing of salaries which amount
in the last few years to $31,769,899.85.
This form of robbery is worked to per
fection by McKinley. Hardly a month
passes that he does not create a commis
sion on which he places a lot of political
pets with salaries ranging from $5,000 to
$10,000 per year. Ed. Ind.
Great Saving to the People
' 1. One of the great advantages of na
tional ownership is that the bonded debt
necessary to acquire these roads could
be placed by the government at . from
one and a half to three per ' cent less
interest annually than the bonded debt
of these roads are now placed under cor
porate management, and this great re
duction of interest would be an im
portant factor in cheapening the cost of
transportation upon the products of the
people. . . ' j ,
2. But a greater advantage, a more
overshadowing advantage of government
ownership is that then we would be
able to shake off the grip of these mo
nopolists from the throats of the people.
.But some good men fear the power of
patronage which the national ownership
of railways would give the party in
power. I do not fear it That can : be
controlled by civil service laws. But
even if the national ownership of rail
ways would be a source of strength . to
the party in power, they would be
obliged to be responsible to the people
for a just, honest and fair administra
tion and management of the . great pub
lic properties in the interest of the
people. Liockwood. .
AFTER THE BOODLE
Nebraska Bankers Being Roped in to
Change to Nationals by Eastern
Bankers.
-There is no doubt that a large number
of state banks in Nebraska will change
to national banks. No one can blame
them. They are as much entitled to a
share of the . boodle as the - gentlemen
east of the Alleghanies, but it is prob
able that they will find before the end
comes that it is not all gold that glitters.
There will be a day of reckoning in the
not far distant future when the inevita
ble result of a flood of paper money
redeemable in gold will come as surely
as the days gone by. Dr. Hall, the state
commissioner on banking, has given out
an interview that is full of good horse
sense on this subject, but it is hardly
likely that the mullet head bankers of
this state will pay much attention to it.
The idea of depositing bonds and getting
their full value back in money to loan
to the people and then get .interest on
the bonds is a very alluring one, and
they all seem anxious to go into this new
John Law scheme. Among other things
that Dr. Hall said to them was the fol
lowing: "The large national banks of the east,
which have loaded up with bonds before
the raise came, are favoring state banks
with circulars, it is reported, in which
are set forth in alluring terms the ad
vantages of reorganization. There is
good reason for believing that their
interest in the state banks is not alto
gether a philanthropic one. In the first
Elace they would profit by the sale of
onds to the banks reorganizing, and in
the second place they would not be
adverse, of course, to being made depos
itories of banks which now intrust their
deposits to Lincoln, Omaha, Sioux City
and other western institutions.
"We will lose some of our state banks,"
said Dr. Hall, "on account of the new
currency measure; probably twenty or
thirty, possibly more. I am of the
opinion that most of those that leave us
will regret the change. There is but one
advantage to be gained in leaving the
state for .the national, and that is the
privilege to issue currency, and it will
be found to be a privilege of small profit
bearing value when tried, especially
with the'smaller banks. Assistant Sec
retary Vanderlip of the treasury depart
ment estimates the profit of $100,000 of
the new currency to be $1,093 per annum,
based on 2 per cent bonds at 106. If
that is the profit on $100,000 used all the
year round, then the profit on $25,000,
used only a part of the .year, is indeed, a
small matter, i r. "-' r
,"However, any profit derived from this
privilege will be more than offset by
losses by reason of ' other privileges
denied under the national banking act.
For example, under the state law -a bank
may loan an amount equal to 20 per
cent of its capital stock to any one
individual firm or corporation, while
under the national act it may loan but
10 per cent, and there are other features
of the laws governing the two systems
which are favorable in smaller com
munities to banks operating under the
state system.
"The new currency bill I can readily
see is an advantage to the large bank in
the large financial center, and especially
is this true if they are already heavy
holders of bonds, but time and experi
ence I am satisfied, will demonstrate it
to be of no particular advantage to the
small interior banks. I notice among
the banks which have indicated an in
tention to change to the national system
some which, in order to comply with the
requirements of the national banking
act, will be forced, in my judgment, to
overcapitalize. Overcapitalization I
consider a danger and a menace to a
community. A $25,000 bank in a $10,
000 community is a constant menace to
every interest in that community. The
reason fcr my position in this matter is
that when a bank stockholder misses
his expected dividend or it is smaller
than he anticipated, he is naturally first
inclined to question the management
and especially the salary account of the
officers. These in turn protect them
selves against the contingency of reduc
ed salaries by straining the profit pro
ducing capacity of the bank, which in
the end can bring but one result. My
experience in this department long
since convinced me of the correctness of
my position in this matter. I am speak
ing of the tendency. The safety of a
bank depends entirely upon the man
agement, and not upon the amount of
its capital stock. .
"Then again, it is well to remember
that in the event of an overissue of
bank currency inflation, or a repetition
of the panic, this currency that goes in
to the channels of trade, so easily now
may come back for redemption when re
demption money is hard to get, for the
currency issue is an added liability of a
bank and a liability which may need at
tention at the most inopportune time.
When a bank has built up under the
state system by long years of conserva
tive management a business that is not
only the pride of its management, but
the pride and strength of the communi
ty in which it exists, the same careful,
conservative management will . dictate a
very slow movement towards this new
and glittering 'Klondike
"There was a time in Nebraska, as
well as elsewhere, when the word 'na
tional' was supposed to add prestige to a
bank, but here in Nebraska that fallacy
has long since been exploded. It is rec
ognized now everywhere that Nebraska
has one of the best banking laws, if not
the best, of any state in the union, and
the law is obeyed. This fact is generally
recognized, not only by the business
world outside of the state, but by the
people of the state. ., Many of our banks
are becoming old and strong with the
communities in which they are situated,
and to the people of their communnities
the name of the head - of a bank, the
master hand, has supplanted in a meas
ure the bank title. It is Folda's bank,
Cruzen's bank McDonald's bank, etc,
and compared ith the prestige the
names of these master . spirits give to
their institution the word national is as
a gewgaw in a diamond.
"I am told that our banks are flooded
with circulars of the green ' goods style,
showing in catchy computations pos
sible profits in the new currency. These
circulars come from banks in eastern
cities, anxious to. act as reserve agents
for the new nationals. .. Probably 90 per
cent of the reserves of banks under state
jurisdiction are held in banks situated
in Nebraska, Sioux City, and St. Joseph.
Our eastern friends desire a slice of this
business.
The Apportionment
, The legislature (of 1899 stood as fol
lows: v I ' .
House: Republicans, 52,
Fusionlsts, 48. s
Senate: Republicans, 21,'
Fusionists, 12.
By the' unseating of Anderson and
Benjamin, , however, the house finally
stood 54 to 46, giving the republicans a
majority of 17 on joint ballot.
Computed on the basis of the vote
cast for Holcomb and Reese in the last
election, the legislature of 1901 would
stand as follows: .'"
House: Republicans, 22, -
Fusionists, .78.
Senate: Republicans, 7, v
..- Fusionists, 25,
Joint Ballot;. Fusionists, 104,
Republicans, 29.
Or a fusion majority of 75. . But let
no friend of reform be lulled to sleep by
these figures. A similar calculation based
on the vote cast for Sullivan and Post ip.
1897 showed fully as big a fusion major
ity on joint ballot, and the election of a
republican legislature in 1898 was as un
expected by the fusion forces as an
earthquake would be. In the face of the
1897 vote, it seemed an impossibility.
But it was a stern 'reality. It was ac
complished in part by what the State
Journal calls "an adventitious appor
tionment of the state into legislative
districts;" in part by the skillful . politi
cal manipulation of D. E.; Thompson;
and in great part by the- apathy of fu
sionists that year, who, feeling secure,
made no special effort to win.
This must not happen again. The
"adventitious apportionment" cannot be
avoided; neither can the. skillful politi
cal work of. Mr. Thompson; but the
friends of reform must "up and be
doing." I
', Seventeen senatorial districts, which
in 1899 were represented by 18- republi
cans and 1 fusionist, may be regarded as
close districts. Mr. Reese carried but
two of these districts in the last elec
tion, receiving but 310 majority all told.
Holcomb carried 15 of these districts by
5,899 majority. With harmony in the
fusion ranks, these districts ought to
elect not more than six republican sena
tors or fewer than 13 fusionists. . .
Thirty-eight representative districts,
which in the legislature of 1899 . were
represented by 38 republicans and 19
fusionists, are classed as close districts.
At the last election Mr. Reese carried
but 7 of these districts, receiving , 679
majority, while Holcomb carried 31 , dis
tricts by 7,368 majority. With reason
able care in the selection of candidates,
the fusionists should elect not fewer
than 39 members in these districts, and
the republicans not more than 18 mem
bers. ...V .
Nominations must be made with care.
Put up the best men without regard to
the brand, be it democratic, populist or
silver republican. , And never quit fight
ing until the votes are counted., ,
A Comparison
In my boyhood days I listened in open
mouthed wonder tov a Texas cowboy's
graphic description of cowboy life. I
shall never forget his thrilling stories of
stampedes which came near costing him
his life. But his description of cattle
"milling" left an impression which time
cannot erase. Frequently a large herd
of cattle would be started across a deep
river. If the leaders swam directly for
the opposite shore, the whole bunch
could be landed safely on the other side
and given fresh pasture. But sometimes
the leaders were obstinate. Half way
across they would start back. Soon the
whole herd ' would be swimming in a
circle. Before long it would seem that
each ' beast was making a frantic en
deavor to climb upon . the back of the
one in front, and, unless some fearless
horseman, swimming his noble horse
near the maelstrom of cattle, could rope
one of the leaders and start him on a
straight course, it would be only a matter
of a short time until the whole herd
drowned, each '.one trying to escape
death by climbing upon the back of his
drowning brother. V
There are some Nebraska politicians
who are right now acting much in the
same way as the foolish cattle. These
politicians imagine that the only sure
way to reach the green pastures beyond
is to climb upon; and destroy v their
fellows. u Db Feanck.
What do our republican friends think
of the proposition to hold the Philip
pines as colonies, when ' viewed ' in the
light of the United States supreme court
decision in the case of Scott vs. Sanford
(19 Howard, U. S. Court Reports:
"There is certainly no power given by
the constitution to the federal govern
ment to establish or maintain colonies
bordering on the United States or at a
distance, to be ruled and governed at its
own pleasure, nor to enlarge its territo
rial limits in any way. except by the ad
mission of new - states. That power is
plainly given; and if a new state is ad
mitted, it needs no further legislation by
congress, because the constitution itself
defines the relative rights and powers
and duties of the state, and the citizens
of the state and the federal government.
But no power is given to acquire terri
tory to be cheld and governed perma
nently in that character."
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION
An Interesting and Instructive Paper
Written by Mr. C. F. Beck, Deputy
Superintendent .
The following extracts from a paper
read by Mr. C. F. Beck," deputy state
superintendent, before the Ceatral Ne
braska Educational association at its
recent meeting at Hastings, should be
read and - carfully considered by the
farmers of Nebraska. It is a worthy
and commendable off ort by Mr. Beck to
improve the public schools in lines to
benefit the agricultural classes. He de
serves their united and enthusiastic
support along the lines he has mapped,
out. In his paper Mr. Beck says:
":' "There are three very important sub
jects, which, in my estimation, should
receive immediate and enthusiastic at
tention at the hands of educators and
those who are responsible for the direc
tion of educational affairs. These sub
jects are manual, training, political
economy and agriculture. The first and
second of these have received more or
less attention, and have, according to
the efforts made proven exceedingly
beneficial. The subject of agriculture
has, on the other hand, been entirely
ignored or but. vaguely hinted at, if in
deed it has not been treated with con
tempt by teachers generally. I do not
mean that agriculture as an occupation
has been the recipient of so little atten
tion,' but as a possible subject to be
taught in the schools it has been, as far
as "this state is concerned entirely over
looked. I am aware that ' the subject
has received some attention at the
hands of those who take part in farmers'
institutes, and by editors of agricultur
al journals these people have awaken
ed to the necessity of the case and it is
my purpose to show the importance
and necessity of taking up this subject
in the schools.
In considering this question it is ne
cessary to consider how far existing
school facilities in rural communities
meet the needs of young people being
educated in those communities, and also
to what extent boys and girls living in
the rural districts are availing - them
selves of the opportunities for education
offered in the high schools. -We are . all
agreed that the standard of rural schools
is not as high as we would desire. - This
is due, in part, to the fact that many of
the teachers in these schools have not
had proper training. From the very na
ture of things this is unavoidable; from
the further fact that their work is not
properly supervised. Do not misunder
stand me.JLknQw that our county sup
erintendents are men and women of
ability, the majority of whom are fitted
by training and experience to perform
their duties satisfactorily, but they can
not perform impossibilities, and it is
sjmply a physical impossibilty for any
man or woman, however energetic and
willing, to successfully supervise -the
teaching of from 75 to 250 schools scat
tered over hundreds of miles of territory.
Another element which militates against
the best results is the insufficient length
of the school year, the average for the
rural schools being six months. There
are other conditions incident to the
scattered population and the exigencies
of farm life. All of these conditions
combine to make it impossible to give
the kind of training and instruction in
these schools which is needed to give
the best results. I ask the question,
then, does the common school in rural
communities equip the boys and ; girls
attending them as they should be equip-
ped to successfully meet the conditions
of rural life as they exist today?
The farmer feels the press of competi
tion at the present more than ever before
in the history of this country. The
farmer of the future must not only be
intelligent in his farm work but he
must be a business man as well. To
farm successfully today requires greater
intelligence that ever before. In other
lines of industry it is coming to be rec
ognized that technical -training and
skill, based on scientific knowledge are
absolutely essential for success , in com
petitive fields. The same is true of
farming. " The farmer must know some
thing of the scientific basis upon which
successful results in agriculture depend.
He must be able to read intelligently
books and journals which present the
results of the latest investigation,
thought, and experience in his line of
work. Not only must he be able to do
suph reading but he must know the ne
cessity for doing it, and he must have a
desire to do it. He must also know how
to carry into his work on the farm prin
ciples of business such as are required
in any other field of industrial or com
mercial enterprise. He must know
whether a given crop or stock product
is costing him year by year more than it
returns to him, and if so, he must under
stand what changes it is necessary to
make in order to prevent loss. He
should also be familiar with the princi
ples of economics, at leas V in so far as
those principles in their; application
effect him -personally.
In this state last year, the total en
rollment in the public schools was 277,
769. Of this number, 152,88455 per
cent were enrolled in the rural schools.
There were 2,550 non-residents who at
tended high, schools. These were no
doubt from the rural communities, leav
ing 152,884 enrolled in the country
schools who get practically no further
school training than that afforded by
these schools. The greater number of
these boys and girls will continue to
live in the country, although many of
them will drift to - the cities, some to
achieve success, others to fail.
Will any contend for a moment that
the instruction given in the rural
schools is sufficient to adequately equip
these 15284 boys and girls to meet the
problems of farm life in the "most satis
factory manner?.
y The province of Ontario, in Canada,
answers this question by putting into
every rural school a textbook on practi
cal agriculture, which is to be taught by
the teacher of those schools. This book
treats in Part I, of the' plant; r Part II,
the soil; Part III, the crops of the ' field;
Part IV, the garden, orchard; and vine
yard; Part V, livestock and dairying;
Part VI, other subjects, which include
chapters on bees, birds, forestry, roads
and the rural home; and an Appendix
giving list of weeds, trees, and spraying
mixtures. Who will deny that a know
ledge of the subjects just mentioned is
desirable, even though one never ex
pects to become a practical farmer?
How much more to be desired to - those
who,' from necessity, or from, choice,
make their home on the farm! -
Cornell university has organized a bu
reau' in ' its agricultural department
which is this year expending 118,000 in
an effort to secure an intelligent consid-
eration of nature study in the common
schools of New York. Leaflets are is
sued for the teachers which give in de
tail lessons along this line, and which
serve as a guide for the teachers in car
rying on the subject in the schools.
A number of the agricultural colleges
of the country have organized short
courses for the purpose of meeting the
wants of . the - farmers boys who have
had no other education than that afforded
by the country school. Our own state
university has a department devoted to
this great industry, and at the " present
time 115 Nebraska boys are availing
themselves of the privileges of this de
partment. There is no reason why this
numbdr should not be largely increased
as the importance of the subject is real
ized. I believe the most expeditious
method of awakening a general interest
in the matter is by the introduction of
the subject into the -' common schools.
Call it nature study if you will, but carry
it further than the examination of moss,
scum and toadstools, in the vegetable
kingdom; and angle worms, crawfish,
and tadpoles in the animal world. The
school which is best to fit the boys and
girls for farm life, or for any other kind
of life, for that matter, should train
them to observe intelligently the things
about them.' It should not only train to
observe intelligently, but should . direct
the observation so that it shall concern
itself with what is worth observing, and
so that the results, of the observation
shall be not merely curious or interest
ing information, but knowledge -which
shall be of value. The study, of nature
to be of most value for the purpose under
consideration must go .beyond mere ob
servation of phenomena, and seek for
reasons lying beyond the phenomena.
In Ireland, agriculture has been for
years a compulsory : subject for boys of
the fourth and higher classes in all rural
schools, and. is optional for girls.., The
commissioners of national education
have laid down a program 'which -covers
the various branches of agriculture. ;
In France, instruction in "Elementary
Ideas of Agriculture" is compulsory, and
a complete schema in the form of a prac
tical guide for the use of teachers for
giving such' instruction has been formu
lated., "The aim of elementary instruc
tion in agriculture' is to initiate the bulk
of our country children into that degree
of elementary knowledge which is neces
sary to enable them to ' read a modern
book .on agriculture with- torofit, or to
derive advantage' from attending an ag
ricultural conference;' to inspire them
with a love of -country life, so that they
may prefer it to that of towns and fac
tories; and to convince . them of the fact
that agriculture; besides ' being the most
independent of all means of TiveLihood,
is also more remunerative than . many
other occupations, to those who . prac
tice it with industry, intelligence and
enlightenment."
Dr. C. C. Rounds, superintendent of
the New York Normal schools, in a re
cent interview, expressed ' himself as fol
lows in regard to schools - in France:
"France has the most perfectly organized
system of common schools on earth. At
tendance ia compulsory from 6 to 14."
Besides visiting the Paris schools, I vis
ited also many of the country schools to
study their agricultural system of edu
cation." He says: "It is to this inten
sive culture that France owes the extra
ordinary prosperity, of her farming pop-,
ulation. The whole of France is one ag
ricultural garden. It is the educational
system of the country that has made its
agricultural population so thrifty and
prosperous." - ---'
In Germ any, agricultural education
has broadenad out sq as to include train
ing in every technical part of a farmer's
work. . The royal commission appointed
to investigate the census of agricultural
depression in England, in 1897; report in
part as follows; "We believe that it is
essential for the welfare of agriculture
that there should be placed within the
reach of ' every young farmer a sound,
general school education, including such
a grounding in the elements of sciences
bearing upon agriculture, e. g., chemistry,
geology, botany, and animal physiology,
as will give him an intelligent interest
in them and familiarize him with their
language."
In- Norway, Sweden, Denmark and
Finland, agricultural education has
reached a high stage of development.
Nearly every country of Europe has or
ganized schools for the purpose of in
struction in this subject.
It is a kind of knowledge, both in
scope and character, which will rarely
be obtained by the individual unless ob
tained through the school. '"'"
One of the chief purposes of education
should be to develop interests, and one
of the very necessary outcomes of such
a course of training would be to develop
an intelligent interest in the activities
incident to rural life. "The best educa
tion for any race of. men is that which
best fits each ; generation to meet and to
master the life problems just before it.
If this be true then it follows that chil
dren, who, from the nature of things,
will, in all probability, spend their lives
on a farm, should receive instruction
which. ; will "best ? fit .them to meet and
master , the '. problems which 5 will con
stantly confront them. . .
In one of his reports, the Honorable
James Wilson, secretary - of agriculture,
says: "There is a growing interest in
education that relates to production. - All
classes -of; intelligent people favor : it.
Congress endowed colleges to teach it,
and progress is being made, out not so
' - Continued on 6th page
ARID AND SEMI-ARID LAUDS
Governor Poynter Suggests That the Gem
eral Government Cede Them to
.the States
There has been - considerable interest
taken by the people of western Nebraska
and other western states in the plans of
the general government for the dispo
sition of the arid and semi-arid lands of
that region. 'I Governor Poynter has
given the subject careful consideration.
At the request of the : Independent he
has contributed the following1 valuable
communication upon that subject: '
Editor Independent: There is no ques
tion of more ' interest to our state just
now, and especially to the western part
of it, than the disposition of the arid
and semi-arid lands. To this question I
have been giving a good deal of atten
tion during the past four months, espec
ially since the matter has been called to
the attention of congress through a bill
introduced providing for the leasing to.
the highest bidder of all the public lands
now unclaimed, under ' the homestead
law. It seems to me if such a law should
be passed by congress that it would re
sult in all the grazing lands of the na
tion passing into the hands of great
cattle syndicates to the: detriment if
not the destruction of the small cattle
owner. ; Then too a general law such aa
must be passed by the national govern
ment, which might prove satisfactory to
some sections of the arid regions, would
not be satisfactory to Nebraska. The
western portion of our state is being1
settled up more and more by a class
known as small stock men. By those
who own herds. This gives us what is
much to be desired in our state, an in
creased . population of thrifty citizens
who are materially increasing the wealth
of the state. -
By the system of government least nsr
such as proposed by the general govern
ment, this class of citizens would in all
probability be forced to give place - to
great syndicates who could gain control
of vast areas of land, and who would not
add really to the taxable property of the
state. This was the unanimous opinion
of eight governors whose states em
braced arid or semi-arid lands, who re
cently met in .Washington City. After
a full discussion of this matter the eight
governors who were then present agreed
to ask congress to withhold action upon
the pending bill until the governors of
the entire area of arid lands could meet
and devise , a solution of this land ques
tion which would be in the interest of
the people of our various states.
After a lengthy conference with the
secretary of the Interior v we pre
sented our request to congress and called
a meeting jot western governors to be
held inSalt Lake City, Utah, April 18th
next. Our state embraces the very best
of what is known as arid land. Much of
this land can be made productive by' ir
rigation, and , it .would be disastrous to
the interests of our - state ' should this
land be classed with the millions of acres
which is utterly j irredeemable waste.
and only fit for grazing - purposes; such
as the vast area lying west of us.
The time has come when , the genera!
government is going to take some action
upon this question. r And when action 13
taken we want that action to be such as
will be for the interests of our people in
Nebraska. The lands suitable for home
stead t is practically exhausted. '- Conse
quently the maintenance of various land
offices entail a loss upon the government
which is sought to be avoided by leasing
all the remaining lands which now com
prise the - public domain. It seems to
me that if the government . could be in
duced to cede these lands to the states
in which they are located, the legisla
tures of these states could dispose of
them for the interest of the people much
better than any disposition which the
general government might make.
If the government should cede tne
lands in Nebraska to . our state, I feel
confident our . legislature would make
such laws concerning the disposition of
them as would protect the small stock
men, the irrigation farmer, and be of
great benefit to the entire , state. The
revenues derived from them could be
used for the development of our western,
country, and certainly be decidedly fo
the best interests of our people.
j Very truly yours,
W. A. Poywteb,
Governor.
Just One TrusC -
Here , is what one trust proposes to
monopolize. What show has your son
or any other young man to engage in
any of the linen of business in its cata
logue? It is taken word for word f rem
the articles of incorporation of the Car
negie trust recently organized:
To mine; prepare for market and trans
port coal, steel and mineral substances.
To manufacture, buy, sell, deal in and
deal with iron and steel' and metallio
compounds, coke and coal, and tho pro
ducts and by-products thereof.
To promote, construct, prove, acq uire,
carry out, maintain, improve, manage,
develop, control, take on lease or agree
ment, sell, lease, let license to use, work,
use and dispose of roads, sidings, rail
ways (outside of New Jersey,) pipe lines,
quays, wharves, docks, bridges,reservoirs,
canals, watercourses, hydraulic works,
gas works, gas ; wells, electrical works,
mills, factories, furnaces, warehouses,
shops, buildings, dwellings for employees
and others, and other works and conven
iences... : ; j' - v ;
, To ; construct, lease, ' own, operate or
sell transportation line or lines, by land
or by water, in any state or country, sub
ject to the laws of such state or country,
either directly or through the ownership
of stock of any corporation. ,.
-If you attempt to do any one of these
things you will fail completely and dis
astrously. They belong to Mr. Carnegie.
Mr. Carnegie has $300,000,000 at his
back to put you out of business in case
you try to make a living at any one of
the aboye methods.