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About Will Maupin's weekly. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1911-1912 | View Entire Issue (March 24, 1911)
AWAKENING OF NEBRASECA Everywhere there are signs that Nebras ka is awakening to a full sense of her duty to herself. For more than a quarter of a century one of the wrorst corporation-ridden states in the union, Nebraska is today prac tically free frrom corporate control, work ing in harmony with those great interests that represent the development of a ter ritory, and ready for the great work of de velopment already too long delayed. There v are sixteen millions fertile acres in Nebraska as yet untouched by the plow of the husbandman. There are vast sections without railroad facilities. There are wonderful opportunities for the development of industries that will work up the raw material produced on Ne braska farms into manufactured products of immense value. There are opportunities for the develop ment of vast water power that will turn the wheels of industry and put Nebraska in the forefront of the manufacturing states, just as she is already at the forefront of agricultural states. What needs to be done now to bring about the full accomplishment of Nebras ka's development is working together, earnestly, tirelessly, to that end. . Nebraska has, in times past, been throttled by railroad greed. That day is past. Today practically everybody is sat isfied with the control we have of these great transportation companies, save those who would tear up the tracks and sow the right-of-way to weeds and Ihistles. It has been a hard fight to control these corpora tions, but the fight has been won in Ne braska. Now let us get together for the purpose, not of hampering the railroads but of getting more railroads,. more branch lines reaching into new territory and opening up fertile lands to the settler seeking a home. There are several counties in Ne braska wholly without railroad facilities. It seems a bit queer, does it not, that the most violent denunciations of "railroad greed" come from those sections that are wholly without railroad facilities. Nebraska wants more railroad, mileage. It . wants new lines into new territory. It wants the assistance of the big-, brainy men of the railroad service in developing Ne braska and bringing to us the industrious men and women who shall make the pres ent waste places bloom and blossom like, a garden. cause the legislature has refused to enact a stock yards law. It holds that if the leg islature can declare the stock yards a "com mon carrier" it may also declare a mill, or an elevator, or a wholesale feed concern a "common carrier." Nor does it believe that it is at all necessary at this time to "take a fall" out of the stock yard company at South Omaha. What are the facts? A few years ago the farmer who had stock to sell had to ship it to Chicago, pay ing immense freight tariffs and losing heav ily because of the long distance shipped. Or else, having only a few head to sell, he drove them to town and disposed of them to the local butchers, failing which he drove them back to the farm. Today Ne braska farmers have a magnificent market almost at their own doors. There has never' been a time in the history of the South Omaha market when it could not and did not absorb all the live stock sent to it. It has been one of the biggest incen tives to the Nebraska live stock industry, and , since its beginning there has been a v steady growth for the better in the cattle industry. What are the prices charged by the stock yard company? A charge of 25 cents a head for handling the cattle, and a feed charge that is the subject of complaint. But the fact still remains that despite all the charges of the company the cattle rais ers of Nebraska are better off today than ever before, they have a better market, are subject to less loss in shipments and get quicker action than ever before. Instead of desiring to see the .Union Stock Yards company of South Omaha hampered by restrictive laws, Will Mau pin's Weekly wants to see that company grpw and expand and prosper in proportion as1 Nebraska grows and expands and pros pers. So far as this little newspaper can se'e, the time has come to cultivate friendly relations with these great agencies that are helping to develop Nebraska, and have done with "corporation baiting" that too often has its inception in some personal trouble. We have secured great and needed re forms in Nebraska during the last decade. We have been so busy securing them that we have not had time to devote to other matters that now assume the aspect of greatest importance. Nebraska has equit able freight rates and a railway commission that possesses greater powers than given to most bodies of a like nature. It has reach ed that point where it may now give its tin divided attention to the work of develop ment. What it needs now' to do is to join with these great agencies of development, and instead of "tear-up-the tracks" and "down-with-the-stock-yards" line of dope, it wants to secure the co-operation of the men who have builded these great enterprises in building Nebraska. Will Maupin's Weekly is not of those who weep and refuse to be comforted be- THE GOOD RECORD OF REPRESENTATIVE FRANK P. LAWRENCE We want the immense water powers of Nebraska developed and hitched to the wheels that are working Nebraska raw mat erial into finished products. We want to secure farmers for the six teen million acres of fertile lands that are now lying idle. We want to enlarge our cattle market instead of restricting it by ill-advised legis lation. We want to attract capital to Nebraska instead of repealing it by actions that be lie the intelligence of an awakened people. We want railroads built into new sec tions, thus throwing them open to settle ment. Step by step, through all the years gone by Nebraska has freed herself from corpo ration control. Let her not now make the mistake of being as unjust to the corpora tions as the corporations were unjust to her in the days of corporation power. The 2-cent fare law, the state railway commission, physical valuation, and at last the initiative and referendum this is a part of what Nebraska has secured. There remains but little to be done other than to safeguard what we already , have, and meet contingencies as they arise. - And now let us turn our undivided at tention to the great work of "developing Nebraska. Let us put producers upon the sixteen million acres of vacant lands. Let us build railroads into vast regions as yet deprived of market facilities. . Let us make right here at home the things that Nebraskans con sume. Let us be reasonable" and fair and just, depriving no corporation of its just rights, and standing firmly for the rights of the public. . - What wonderful progress Nebraska has made along safe and sane lines ! What a glorious outlook ! What glorious possibili ties fronting a state whose people even can not realize as yet what has already been wrought ! What a privilege it is to be a Nebras kan ! And what a glorious privilege we should deem it to be to have an opportun ity to be a part and a parcel in the great work of development that is already begin ning, and which live, earnest Nebraskans are going to push to success. Frank P. Lawrence, representative from Doclge county, has been nominated by the democrats of Fremont for the office. of mayor. This serves as an excuse for Will Maupin's Weekly to say a few words con cerning an unjust charge brought against Mr. Lawrence, said charge . being to the effect that he has biven little thought or as sistance to some of the bills sought by wage earners to be enacted into law. Perhaps the editor of this paper knows as much about what has been going on in the way of effort to secure labor legislation as any man in Nebraska. And the editor of this paper knows that any charge that Mr. Lawrence has been indifferent is false. So also is the charge that Senator Volpp of Dodge has not. been friendly. The union label bill in the senate was defeated by a vote of 18 -to 12, Senator Volpp voting for the bill on, roll call, then changing his vote before the result was announced so as to be in a position to move a reconsideration should opportunity afford. When the same bill, introduced in the house by Hospodsky, came before the house committee, it was recommended for indefinite postponement, having already been overwhelmingly de feately in 'the senate. Mr. Hospodsky did not make an effort to save the bill, and Mr. Lawrence was unavoidably absent, attend ing a meeting of the finance,- ways and means committee. Mr. Lawrence has been the consistent friend of all effoits made by the labor repre sentatives to secure needed legislation. The representatives of the. railroad brotherhoods have found him responsive to their every appeal, and he has been' of great assistance to them. Two years ag he stood squarely for the only labor bill introduced by labor representatives that succeeded in getting on the floor of the house. In short, I -ank P. Lawrence's record as a friend of labor legislattion is as clean as a hound's tooth. Those of us who have been on the ground since the legislature convened are, perhaps, in a better position to know what has been going on than those who must depend wholly upon hearsay. And Will Maupin's Weekly desires to remark right here that if wage earners had more-friends like Frank P. Lawrence in the legislature, there would he more legislation in the interests of those who work for Wages. ; The workingmen of Fremont sould not be decived by vague . rumors ; let them make inquiries of the men who know at first hand what has been go ing on at the state house.