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About The Nebraska independent. (Lincoln, Nebraska) 1896-1902 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 13, 1902)
TIC T f'V 7 - - .. II I II V I II I II I I II 1. w mm VOL. XIII. LINCOLN, NEBRASKA FEBRUARY, 13, 1902. NO. 39, CARMACK'S GREAT SPEECH Hot Timet in the Senate Dietrich Ap pears in Such a Dirty Condition as to Cause General Disgust Washington, D. C, Feb. 8, 1902. (Special Correspondence.) As I told you in my last letter to The Indepen dent, the country received a gem in the speech of Senator Edward Ward Carmack, of Tennessee, on the Philip pine tariff bill. It was really a gem, and the members of that august body, together with the crowded galleries were held spell-bound by the match less eloquence of the senator from Ten nessee. From the beginning to the very end, he assailed the republican party for its retreat from the principles announced at its ordination, and for its barbarous warfare upon the Fili pinos. His speech covered the ground made during the last campaign; but here he did not stop and bitterly ar raigned the party for its intention to a bill of which they had made no study. Senator Carmack is the ranking mem ber of the democratic minority on the committee on insular affairs and he, from knowledge obtained as such, charged that the republicans had mane no study of the question, he charged that the bill had not even been read in the committee, he charged that they Avere intent upon passing a bill, which, although it had been recommended by the Taft commission, had been under discussion in the committee room scarce a half an hour. He denounced this as an outrage, and openly stated "that no five men alive had ever framed a tariff bill that did not need amendments." The republican leaders were completely taken by surprise and after a hasty consultation, decided that the speech should be answered by "the wasp- of the Wabash," Senator Bev eridge of Indiana. Mr. Beveridge would not stick to the subject when ques tioned by the democratic members, and persisted in jumping from one sub ject to another with such rapidity that the Senator from South Carolina, Mr. Tillman, arose and stated that Jf Mr. Beveridge would "stick to one subject and not hop over the senate like a grasshopper, that the democrats would be pleased to have an opportun ity to reply to each of his charges." whereupon Mr. Beveridge proceeded to hop. In one of his jumps he charged that no republican of the earlier days could be quoted upon the question of the present day. Whereupon Mr. Carmack asked him to listen to a quo tation from Lincoln. Mr. Beveridge replied that he was glad that the dem ocrats 'after thirty-five years had. come to recognize Mr. Lincoln, as a great leader. Mr. Carmack in his retort said that it did not surprise him, however, that the republicans after thirty-five years had ceased to quote Lincoln. He said that in all of their speeches during the past four years he could not find a quotation from Lin coln. The laugh was on Beveridge and he resumed his seat much humiliated by the rough handling he had received during the afternoon's session. Mr. Carmack read an interview with Sen ator Depew (rep., N. Y.) made ju.st before the opening of the hostilities with the Filipinos, in which he said that it was -not the purpose of., the United States to indulge in a": "col onial policy" and said that there could be no empire without its adjuncts. Mr. Carmack asked Depew for an ex planation; but the adroit Chauncey failed to respond. The speech of Mr. Carmack will be sent broadcast, for it is acknowledged-to have been the best speech delivered -in the senate for many a day.. I would advise that any of your readers who desire it should write Senator Carmack, and I am sure that he will be glad to send it to them. It is a masterpiece and both from the standpoint of logic and literature it has few equals. But the staid and august senate did not confine its hot discussions to Mon day. On Thursday, Senator Foraker introduced an amendment to the Phil ippine tariff bill, providing that any one declaring sympathy or friendship to the Filipinos in the field, should be dealt with its traitors. In other words, to declare your opposition to the pol icy of extermination of the Filipino should be considered as treasonable. (The Independent had better mind its P's and Q's.) indictable as such. Then came a dreadful war of words. Sena tor Tillman said that his sympathy was for the down-trodden Filipino, and declared that he was ready to live or die for such sentiments. Foraker re plied that Tillman's privilege as sen ator relieved him from the necessity of dying for his sentiments. Tillman asked the republicans what they wero going to do with the Filipino, and For- . aker replied that a bill of rights close ly alMed to the Declaration of Inae pendence had already been given them. Tillman asked if that was the system that denied the Filipino a right of trial by jury and of the writ of habeas corpus. Foraker replied that he could not answer all the questions that the minority might ask. Well! what do you think of that? The democrats . have had their eyes open this week, and have caught the republicans in some mighty tight places. While I am speaking of the senate, I might remark that Senator Dietrich's personal appearance was the subject of much talk in the senate on Friday. Of course I do not mean that it was spoken for the senator to hear, or that it was reported verbatim in the Con gressional record. But I do mean that many talked of . his appearance. To say the least, he was dirty and that puts It mildly. Many wondered that a state that had within its midst a Bry an, should be represented by a Diet- x rich. The senate has had the Philippine tariff under consideration all, of the week. -It has brought out much ma- TfnaT Tnr paTnrqignworK. ,; ana, tnere probability continue three week3 longer." 1 .:.' The house has been considering the question of oleomargarine . all the week. In all probability it -will con sume three days longer. ;;,On Friday many private bills, pensions, etc., were passed. Saturday, was devoted to eulogies on several of the members who have died during the past year. It has been definitely .settled that this country will have- another repre sentative at the coronation of Edward the seven times. . It. will.be Miss . Alice Roosevelt, who has persuaded her father to allow her to go over on the mission with' ' Whitelaw Held." " ' The question that .perplexes all is, how will she be received. It is openly in timated that she will be ranked as a princess of. the royal .blood An. Am erican princess of the royal blood. Whew! Mark Hanna has said that her visit will hurt the' republican party that it will be wrongly construed. Well, suffice it to say that she will go, and there have already been received at the White house a number of peti tions from various societies in the middle west protesting against her visit. One says that if she does it should be as "an American girl and that she should carry with her the pro test of a" united; American people against a barbarous and destable war in South Africa." She will go, how ever, and she will not carry any pro tests. An American princess of the blood royal. Well, wouldn't that jar you? The president leaves tonight for the bedside of his son, Theodore Roose velt, jr., who is lying at Groton, Mass., ill with pneumonia.. . Mrs. . Roosevelt has been with him since yesterday, and it is reported that he is in a pret ty bad way. They report' (the latest bulletin) that his condition is un changed, but the president's hasty- de parture leads many to believe that the lad's condition is serious. A com plication of pneumonia and typhoid fever is liable to set in, and if this stage is reached, there would be seri ous doubts as to the result. However, the prayers and wishes of the entire country are centered in the hope that the lad will recover and that the president will not sustain such a ser ious personal loss. The amendment to the Dingley bill regarding the reduction of tjie tariff on all articles made by the steel trust, was reported back to the house by an adverse majority of one vote. - The re publicans seem determined that this bill shall never come up on the floor of the house for it would put . them !u a pretty , tight place. The epUbiicans on the committee, with the exceptions of Babcock and Tawney, voted unfav orable to action. " One of the last acts done by Admiral Sampson before his retirement today was to submit to the president an ob jection to the report made by Admiral Dewey on the Schley trial. He posi tively asserts that he was in command of the fleet at the battle of Santiago, and as such was entitled to the credit for the victory over the fleet of Cer vera. Well, that's a pretty closing of a career so marked as Sampson's. He was retired today at the age of sixty-two years and his physician re ports that his life is slowly ebbing away. The end is not so far off. . The anti-anarchy bill introduced by Mr. Ray of New York has been re ported favorably by the committee. There was a minority report sub mitted byMr. Lanham of Texas, in which he recites that such an action is to place the suppression of anarchy in the federal government would take from' the states their "police power." He said that there have not been many instances of anarchy, and these few have been dealt with speedily by the states. He thought that there would always be men so depraved that they would by their anarchistic actions at tempt to make themselves appear as martyrs.. 'He thought that the placing of thexure In the hands of the national government would lead many to act in the belief that it would give them more prominence in their evil work to be tried by a United States court. It will afford much food for discussion when it is considered on the floor of the house. WILLIAM W. BRIDE. SOLDIERS TESTIFY They Had Enough Of War In the Philip pines If Trust Magnates Bad to do the Fighting: War Would he Declared off in a Week ; Editor Independent: I left Cam bridge, Neb., on the 27th of last nionth for Oxford. There i changed cars for Orleans. On , that : train were 34 sol diers on their way home from the seat of war in the Philippines. I asked them why they did not re-enlist. The reply from each one was,: "I have had enough of the war over there.". . I asked how many or their regiment were killed, but they, did not know. One said that eleven of his company were killed and wounded and that, 19 died of disease, .Some of them lived in Illinois, some In MissourL.. some In Kentucky and some in Indiana. Four lived in Ohio. They all said that the government .would hare - to keep. i large army, in the Philippines for years to come, that the only thing that wouia pacify the Filipinos, was to give them independence. These men belonged to different companies of the 22nd In fantry. They were stationed at Oma ha previous to going to .tlie seat, of war. ,Theysald that If the trust mag nates and money power magnates had to go to the . Philippines and - do the fighting, the l war -would be . declared off . in a week. ; myself am an. oil soldier of . the 60's and belonged" to the 48th Indiana infantry. I want -jus--tlceand freedom for all peoples. COMPTROLLER AT IT AGAIN Falsifies Condition of Banks Shrewd Ones Take AdTice of Independent and Keep . . Fnnds in the West Editor Independent: I have received No. 26 pf the comptroller's abstracts of the reports of national banks, end ing December 10, 1901. Under the head of "Changes in Items of Resources and Liabilities" is a remarkable mistake. It is made to appear that in ten weeks there has been an increase of' $81,349,071.07 in loans and discounts. The enormous increase of $61,709,542.43 in the eleven weeks preceding or the still larger increase shown by previous abstracts) was bad enough, of course, to make such an increase as this possible, or at least not unexpected, but it ought to have been observed at a glance that a mistake had been made by taking the : difference between the aggregate on December 10th and July 15th, , in stead of September 30th. Mistakes will occur, but that such a mistake, in such an abstract, could escape detec tion is remarkable, if it is assumed that the abstract was prepared or ex amined by any one who had any con ception, of the relation that exists be tween "deposits," "loans and dis counts", and 'reserves." The increase of "loans and discounts" ought to have been stated at $19,639,528.64. In the ten weeks covered by this abstract there was an increase of 7? banks, 1 central reserve, 1 reserve and 68 country banks. The aggregate cap ital stock at the end of the time was $665,340,664, or an increase of $9,998, 784. Some very significant facts are shown by this abstract. 1st. The country banks and reserve city banks increased and the central reserve city banks decreased their loans and discounts as follows: 3,953 Country banks, In crease $21,929,081 70 276 Reserve city banks, increase 10,473,692 67 Total increase $32,402,773 37 62 central reserve city banks, decrease 12,763,245 73 Net increase of loans and discounts in lfr weeks $19,639,528 64 2nd. The deposits In the central re serve city banks and the reserve city banks have been decreased, and increased in the country banks as fol lows: . 62 , central reserve city , banks.decTeasejl . . ."$?9,S9T70O5 -81 276 reserve city banks, " -' ' ; v- decreased ......... 20,007,533 22 Total decrease . .$59,904,539 03 3,953 country banks, in creased 28,350.390 57 Net decrease of. ;.de- . posits in 10 weeks';$31;554i48 46 3rd. The following changes ; are shown to have occurred in the re serves in the ten weeks: 62 Central reserve city banks Cash reserve required, decreased $ 9,865,448 95 Cash held, decreased... 23,935,038 33 276 Reserve city banks Cash reserve required, decreased $ 2,453,749 16 Cash held, decreased.. 523,239 97 3,953 Country Banks Cash reserve required, increased $ 1,636.993 25 Cash held, increased.. 5,673,512 41 4,291 National Banks Cash reserve required, net decrease $10,632,204 8C Cash held, net decrease 18,784,765 89 Now, what does this disclose? First That the New York banks are contracting . their "loans and dis counts." This alone is sufficient to ac count for the condition of the stock market. Speculation cannot be active in the face of shrinking bank credits. Second That the central reserve and reserve city banks have also had a loss of "cash held" of nearly $25,000, 000 in ten weeks while the country banks have gained nearly $6,000,000.' The nearly $19,000,000 not accounted for by the gain of country banks can be accounted for on the supposition that private banks prefer to keep their money at home rather than risk, for a small interest, a repetition of the selfish and rascally conduct of the New York banks In 1893. Third That the 338 central reserve and reserve city banks have in 10 weeks lost nearly $60,000,000 of their deposits, while the 3,953 country banks have gained over $28,000,000. . Fourth That' the aggregate of in dividual deposits in. all national banks was increased $26,664,732.49, whila the amount of deposits of national banks with reserve agents was de creased $23,679,689.82. It is clear, therefore, that the loss of cash reserves and of deposits by the central reserve and reserve city banks is the result, largely, if not entirely, Of the withdrawal of the deposits made by country banks and private banks. These banks, all over the country, have a lively remembrance of the audacious violations of law by the New York banks in 1893. They ar beginning to understand that it is wiser-and safer to keep their reserves at home. In 1893 the contraction of bank cred its that resulted so disastrously to the business of the country, was the vol untary and premeditated act of the New York banks, but It is questionable if the contraction of credits by these banks during the ten weeks ending December 10 was voluntary. It looks, very much as if the withdrawal of de posits by the country national banks and" the private banks of the west And south had compelled the New .York banks not only to reduce tbelr'loans and , discounts," but that it had made it impossible for them tb . furnish money to pronote the gambling trans- tember ,30, covered by No, 25 of the abstracts, there -was a manifest '; at tempt of the New York banks to ac cumulate money. ' They increased their cash by over, $8,000,000. I During that time,, the, aggregate of loans and dis counts : was. "increased $61,709,542:43, but most - of i thia; Increase . was made by the country banks. . I repeat what was stated in , a former article: : Central reserve "banks in- ' crease '. . . . : . i-. . ... $ 7,503,956 90 Reserve city banks, in- crease . . . . . . . 4,831,809 04 Country ; banks, increase. .49,373,676" 49 Total increase . . .,. .$61,709,542 43 At . the en4 . of the eleven weeks during which .this increase of credits took., place, ; that is, ending September 30' last, the, central reserve 'and re serve city, banks'' . held in cash $409, 076,738.40 as against the country banks, holding of $I30,478,83.73. An examination of the abstracts for the last year will- show . the enormous increase of bank credits, and the sud den falling off during the, last ten weeks reported. The increase was as follows:, ... ' No. ,22, S weeks ending ' Feb. 5', 1901. . . . . $107,853,703 10 No. 23," 11 weeks ending April "24,- 1901.'. . . . . . . 97,137,929 55 No. 24, 11 weeks-ending - July 15, 1901 ... . . ..... 45,380,099 97 No. 25, 11 weeks ending Sept. 30, 1901........ 61,709,542 43 No. 26, 10 weeks ending Dec. 10, 1901......... ,19,639,528 64 To me it does, not appear that it ought to be difficult for any one .to understand, froni these figures, what is going on. Outside of New York city there was no contraction of credits; on the . contrary, there was an expan sion of $32,402,7X7.37, but in New York city and Chicago (principally in New York) there was a contraction of $12, 763,245.73;, C- :M'. V..-- The attempt made, by the New York banks, during the eleven weeks end ing September . 30, has every - appear ance of a result not expected by them. The loss of $40,000,000 of-deposits was not anticipated-, The -outside banks were on the alert aiid withdrew de posits, until that which had a volun tary beginning for a distinct purpose was . continued-7-because -they could not help it into an actual contraction of credits and a -loss in cash of $24, 000,000 in the ten weeks as against a gain of - $8,000,008 ifl ,the preceding eleven weeks. Of course, $40,000,000 taken out of reach of, the gambling bankers of Kew York city, and $20", 000,000 out; of other, reserve bankn, has been' ia, ..weti blanket over stock speculations; ' This $6ft,000,000 has gone back where' iti: belongs and where it ought to stay; . and where it ought to be followed .by over $432,000,000 still in the hands , of the so-called reserve agents. It has appeared like .a paradox to these financial (gamblers that. whlle stock speculations 'ave flattened out; legitimate busiiiess4 has not been muclr disturbed. The $60,000,000 has goue out of speculation, but it has not gone out of business. It has gone home to do its legitimate work. It is announced that, during the week ending February 1, 1902, there was a" sudden - expansion, of. loans in New York- city- amounting. to almost $20,000,000. Evidently, they- are trying to start speculation again- but this will fail unless they can attract deposits from the outside, . or they can induce the treasury, department to make addi tional deposits or purchase more bonds. If congress really wants to do some thing for legitimate business, and that will tend to put an end to the Satur nalia of the New York stock gamblers, let it abolish reserve agents and pre vent national banks from depositing any part . of their reserves in , other banks. FLAVIUS J. VAN VORHIS. Indianapolis, Ind.. DON'T UN,1T1GHT . ' Since imperialism was adopted in the United States thousands of men . have gone to ' northwest Canada. All the railroads report a great exodus that way. Canada is in fact .a free country." It is nominally a colony of Great Britain, but Is in fact a self-governing denjocracy. Their, Immigration agents make a great point of this ;as tney talk to citizens of the United States ad tell .them of the fertile lands that He in the great -northwest awaiting home builders. The old glow of pa triotism i which - fired men's breasts when this was the home of the free. holding1 aloft the torch of liberty en lightening the world, has begun to" grow, dimmer. A trust ruled country fighting . wars of conquest . does not inspire men's hearts as they. weres in spired by Lincoln when he used to talk about the declaration of independence. Then men loved their country with an all-consuming passion. When, the declaration of independence was dis carded, and the constitution trampled underfoot, men began to lose their en thusiasm. It is because of this feel ing of despair that they are willing to emigrate to a country where the peo ple really do rule and where monied syndicates have riot yet got! control of the government. , ' But . they cannot escape even there if they, neglect their duties as citiiehs or are willing to sell their principles for a dinner pail. The .time will . come in Canada when the same conditions will prevail. They had better stay here and help fight this last great battle for a government by the people - for the people. If the spirit of imperialism gets a firm foot hold here; it; will soon invade Canada. Don't run away. Stand up and fight - " - 1 ' . . ' 1, -'-,' .-- 'i - - - " : . ' Have you T sent-for a block of five RAILROAD ASSESSMENTS Reformers In JCrery State in the Union ' Must Demand That Railroads Paj , Their Just Share of Taxes V The constitution of Nebraska de clares that "the legislature shall pro vide such revenue as may be needful, hy levying a tax by valuation, so that ,e very person and corporation shall pay a tax in proportion to the value of his, her or its property and fran chises, the value to be ascertained in such manner as the legislature 'shall direct." " The manner of "ascertaining the value" is thus left to the legislature. A recognition is made of the distinc tion between property and franchises. Both may be taxed. Acordingly, both the property and franchises of rail road companies should be taxed; and it; is left to the legislature to say how the value may be ascertained. . Our present revenue law provides for a list to be made by. the railroads and returned to the auditor, but the Items enumerated do not cover the railroad franchise. They are: The number of milea of such railroad In each county and total number in the state, includ ing roadbed, right of way, and super structures thereon, main and side tracks, depot buildings and depot grounds, section and tool 'houses, roll ing stock, and personal property nec essary for the construction, repairs, or successful operation of such railroad. This return is to be made on or be fore the 5th day of April, and on or before the 15th day of May the board of equalization (the governor, treas urer and auditor) "shall have made and determined said valuation, and assess ment," which is afterward certified to by the various county clerks. The law also says: "In making up such val uation or assessment the said board snail examine and consider the return herewith required to be made." But no direction is made as to arriving at the ' value of the railroad's- franchise and that is not taxed. It' must be conceded that the valud of a railroad does not depend upon the cost of construction. It does not depend upon the present value of its roadbed, rolling stock, etc., although these have something to do with mak ing - it valuable. Its value depends upon its net earnings.- A road which cost ' ten million dollars is no more valuable than one which cost six million dollars . If - the net earnings (that is, what Is left of the gross earn ings after paying operating expenses) are equal. But the road which .jcost i ten mil lions may be capitalized at ten mil lions only,, while the road which cost six millions may also be capitalized at ten millions. In each case the divi dends paid by each could be the same. The stocks of each would doubtless sell at about the same figure on the stock exchange. Again, the ten million dollar road might be capitalized at twenty mil lions (ten. millions of "water"), and the six million dollar road remain it the ten million. capitalization. In this case the latter would pay double the rate of interest in dividends, as com pared to the former, and its stock would sell at a much higher figure on the stock exchange. But such would not change the fact that the two roads are: equal in value so long as they continue to be equal In net earning capacity, regardless of what they cost, or the present value of their tangible property, or the selling price of one share of their stock. f-As long as the stocks and bonds of a railroad company sell at par, It can not be ! regarded as over-capitalized. The physical property in possession might be duplicated for half its capi talizationbut the .other half repre sents the value of Its franchise, and this our constitution permits us to tax.. Colorado and Illinois have tried the experiment of using the road's capital ization as a basis of ascertaining its value, and this is the only reasonable method of getting at the value of tho tangible t property and the franchise at the same time. Both are allowed to be taxed in Nebraska, under our constitution, but'up to this time we have exercised ' only a part of our con stitutional rights and what we did do has not t been wholly satisfactory, the, persistent cry being that the rail roads are not bearing their just pro portion of the burdens of taxation. This brings" np the question of a dif ferent ; revenue system entirely, dis cussion, of - which is reserved to an-, other time. . .An illustration will best explain The -Independent's idea of a rational method of ' "ascertaining the value" cf the railroads for taxation purposes. In 1898 the C, B. & Q. railroad owned 5,654.33 miles -of road. Under Its sys tem of accounting this mileage was di vided into 2,205.65 miles east of 'the Missouri river and 3,448.68 miles west. That year its mileage in- Nebraska was 2,255.88 miles. The road's entire capitalization was $210,740,100, or at the rate of $37,270 per mile.. It was stocked at $82,004,200, or $14,503 per mile, and had a funded .debt of $128.- J.35,900, or. $22,767 per mile. The rate per mile on both stocks and bonds was uniform throughout the system, regardless ; of the divisions noted above. At the rate mentioned the par value of'the railroad's property in Nebras ka that year was $84,076,647. Yet it was assessed at only $10,192,871 by the State board of equalization, and so far as 'concerns the actual tangible prop erty of the road in this state, thp board's valuation was 'doubtless fully as high as the - assessed valuation placed on other property, if we except bank credits and such other items as usually are most successful in tax shirking. But the Burlington railroad owned something more valuable than all the physical property it has in th state and to earn a reasonable rate of interest on its "watered" capitali zation. . Other industries, must take chances on making a profit, but the railroads are superior and are entitled to take "all the traffic will bear." The next , legislature should pre scribe a rational method of ascertain ing the value of railroad property and franchises. ; About 40 per cent of the Burlington's entire mileage is in Ne braska; it should pay taxes on the market value cf 40 per cent of its en tire capitalization. An equitable meth od would be to make an average of the selling price of stocks and bonds for the twelve months preceding the assessment,- say, by' adding together the highest selling price in January, the lowest selling price in that nionth, and so on through the twelve months, and divide by 24. This would give the average value of a share, and this mul tiplied by 40 per ' cent of the road a entire capitalization would give the true value of the road in . Nebraska. This is one of the things which must receive attention by the next populist convention. The Independent Invites discussion of the question and asks its readers to help it, formulate a plank for the platform oile that will cover the question clearly and concisely. THE POVERTY LINE There Is no Doubt That the American Rnl lng Class Is Prosperous, but Bow About the Millions of Others? Mr. B. S. Rowntree has recently pub lished a book called "Poverty," deal ing with that subject as applied to England. He estimates that of Englands . 32,500,000 population at least 7,500,000 are living below what h 5 calls "the poverty line." In order that this may be more clearly under stood," we must take Mr. Rowntree"? definition of what he considers th? poverty line: . "A family living upon the scale al lowed for in this estimate must never spend a penny on railway fare or om nibus. They must never go Into ths country unless they walk. They must never purchase a halfpenny newspaper or spend a penny to buy a ticket for s popular concert. They must writs no letters to absent children, for they cannot afford to pay the postage. The must never contribute anything to their church, or chapel, or give ar.y help to a neighbor which costs them money. They cannot save, nor can they join sick club or trade union, be (Continued on Page Two.) LIBERTY BUILDING POSTALS Going in Blocks of Five and Ten to Every Part of the United States. From Maryland to Oregon, From Michigan to Texas. Truth Travels Triumphantly INDEPENDENT: READERS ENTHUSIASTIC EVERYWHERE All Willing to Contribute ofTllieir Time and fleans to Aid In the Struggle Against the Aggressions of Plutocracy. . A Mighty Army for Oood Government Receipts of orders for Liberty Build ing Postals for the past week have been most: encouraging for. The Inde pendent Nothing shows so clearly the deep interest the ; people have in the cause of good government and the preservation of their liberties as the enthusiasm with which they have tak en' hold of ! this undertaking to stab- lisb. on a firm foundation at least one pnbliqaUqTrt.halr. tan- he depended upon to protect their interests at all times. It demonstrates that ; ttie; people love the truth. and that they.: can be de pended upon to aid in spreading it ev erywhere. ; The encouragement and assistance, we -are ; receiving is not from; any. one, locality ?. but comes from every '-corner of; the , union. Everywhere the ' people : are beginning to realize the necessity for action in their own behalf If they would avoid th3 con ditions that have overtaken the people of every European and Asiatic coun try. Already they see imperialism beneath the stars and stripes. If plu tocracy can govern people In the Phil ippine islands without their consent; if pIuiocracy;;:canerecti multitudes of new offices in Cuba and the Philip pine islands' and send thither swarms of carpet-bag officials 'to harrass thosa peoples and eat out, their substance; if plutocracy can make judges and courts in those islands wholly depen dent upon its will for the amount and payjnent of their salaries and the ten ure .-q? 'their offices; if plutocracy be neath the. folds of liberty's flag can tax and govern ' those peoples with out their consent; if plutocracy can plunder the seas, ravage the coasts, burn the towns and destroy the lives of the pedple of those Islands with Im punity, how long will the liberties of the American people be. safe against the same - depredations? "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty," is a motto as appropriate now as when first uttered by John Curran In de fense of Ireland's liberty. The Independent already has' faith ful watchers In every corner of the land. Every mail adds new names. Every new name adds strength to our army and encourages every soldier in the ranks. If you have not already done so. why not join the ranks of lib erty defenders and help to spread the gospel of truth. Why not help to build The Independent A HOME, a fortress that plutocracy will , never be. able to capture? Every reader of The Independent knows of Its fearleso denunciation of public corruption and the courageous contest that .it has. waged for many years for the, rights of" the plain peo ple It is the greatest foe that organ ized greed has to contend with in the central and western states. Other newspapers have been bribed and co erced into doing the bidding of cor poration managers. , The Independent has defied them. It is recognized to day as the leading paper of its class in the whole United States. The great , corporations withhold much of their advertising patronage because they cannot control the edi torial columns of . The Independent because it will not mortgage its soul for a portion of their ill-gotten: gains. It has chosen to champion the cause of the plain people, and must depend upon their patronage for its support. What we need most is a home. At present we are located in a building which we rent. In the midst of a cam paign or, other inconvenient time we might be compelled to move. To that extent we are at the mercy, of land lordism. What we desire to do is to buy a little spot .of mother earth from which we can fearlessly champion the cause of good government and defend the plain people from the aggressions of -organized ' greed," and from which a "Liberty Building," dedicated to th defense of the liberties of the plain people. In time of peace we wish to prepare for war. We need a building 30x142 feet, two stories high, of the most economical construction. ' We will use it without plastering, heat it with ordinary heating stoves and be thoroughly happy and at home to and for all our friends and patrons. .We wiil.get along without the luxury of steam heat or hot air furnace. The plan adopted to accomplish the undertaking is to sell "Liberty Building Postals" in: blocks of five for $3.00. Each postal is good for a year's subscription to The Independent to o? sent to any address in the United States or Canada. What we ask of our friends and patrons is their co-operation in disposing of 2,000 of these building postals. We have made tho price low to make It easy for them to dispose of the cards. When you ask your neighbor to buy one of these cards you are not asking him to con tribute or donate anything. You are in reality offering to sell him a year'a subscription to The Independent at 40 cents' less than he could buy the sub scription direct. We can afford to make this low rate for these cards in blocks of five for three reasons: First, we do not have to pay an agent his wages and traveling expenses to secure tho subscriptions. All that expense, which is usually heavy, we avoid by thU method. Second, we will use the mon ey to build a home for The Indepen dent and quit paying rent which now costs us $65 per month. Third, we wished to make it easy for our friends to sell the cards. Those are the plaiti reasons why we are selling "Liberty Building Subscriptions" In blocks of five at the low figure we are. We have been as , liberal In our offer as possi ble. It costs more money to publish a paper devoted to the defense of the plain people than to publish one ad vocating the cause of plutocracy. Tho money power would gladly furnlsn material to fill all our columns free of charge if we would accept it. They would be liberal with their advertis ing patronage and generous to a fault if we would indorse their legalized robberies. That's why plutocratla sheets cost so little. Shall we give yos that kind of a paper? Never! Wo will print the truth and sell the paper as cheaply as we can. Invite your neighbor to try it for a year. Ask him to compare it with the hand-me-downs and ready made stuff furnished him by the organs of plutocracy. Here is the roll of Liberty Guard and what they have done to date. Let us ad your name to the list: No. cards ordered. H. C. Stoll, Beatrice, Neb 3 A L Caskey, Oregon, Mo 5 Jas. A. Haley, Philadelphia, Pa... 5 F. M. Hayes, Rensselaer, Ind Z A. C. Cameron, Brownsdale, Minn.. 5 L. E. Hallstead, Petersburg. Neb.. 5 Chas. M. Bowen, Bath, N. Y 3 Connor Shotwell, Cambridge. Neb.. 3 O. Z. Zook, Hlllsboro, Ore 5 P. B. Neal, Madison, N. C 3 J. Miner, Friend, Neb 5 W. E. Billeter, Alnsworth, Neb 5 R. C. Snyder, Eaton, O 3 J. M. Elrod, Madison, Neb 5 Peter Johnson; Gordon, Neb 3 J. W. Rooth, Londonvllle, 0 5 Geo. Glllett, Burwell, Neb ! J. E. Guthrie, Comstock, Neb 3 E. S. Gilbert, Weeping Water, Neb. 5 Louis Berry, Pawnee City, Neb.... 5 S.,G. Halle, Clearwater, Neb...... 5 J. P. Bridges, Mt. Airy, Ga 3 Mrs. Ellen Rice, So. Dayton, N. Y. 5 J. N. Dlffendal, Finksburg. Md 10 J. L.. Brouse, Stratton, Neb 3 C. W. Kinch, Lexington, Neb 3 S. G. Mower, Falls City, Neb 20 Albert Beals, Omard, Mich 7 mi J M -r ,nM p'-- ! m int in 1