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About Will Maupin's weekly. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1911-1912 | View Entire Issue (March 15, 1912)
MAUPIN FOR RAILWAY COMMISSIONER. K During my almost thirty years' ex perience as a newspaper man in Ne braska I have helped to boost a lot of men into office. They exhibited no modesty in asking me to write pretty things about them, and now that I am a candidate myself I don't purpose al lowing my modesty which is so char acteristic of me to interfere with my telling the people just what I think of myself. I am asking for the demo cratic nomination for railway commis sioner because I want the job. It is WILL M. Candidate on his own motion for Railway really a good job, with a good length of service, and the pay is quite satis factory. The story of my life is short and pretty much devoid of exciting inci dent. I wasn't born in a log house; I didn't have to hustle like thunder to get an education, and I wasn't thrown upon my own resources at the age of 7 or 11. I was born in Missouri of re spectable parents, who gave me good care, who clothed me well and gave me every opportunity to acquire a common school education. I got along pretty well at school, but never grad uated from anything but a printing office. I learned the printer's trade in a country print shop and followed it for a number of years and it led mc all over the United States. Finally I drifted into the newspaper business, and there I've been ever since. I am married, have six living children, and will own my own home as soon as I pay a little more on it. That's the sum total. To date admiring and long-suffering citizens and taxpayers if there be such have not nocked around me to beseech me to come ' to their rescue and run for railway commissioner. To date I have heard no one crying to me to rush to the rescue of the com monwealth. The plain truth of the matter is I am after the office because I want it and need it, and if I get it I will give" an exhibition of a man doing his level best to serve his employers faithfully and well. I am not paying myself any particular compliment when I say I believe I can fill the job fully as well as some who have had it.. In seeking this office I do. not do so as a shipper, nor as a receiver of freight. I represent a larger and less considered class the ultimate consum ers. If elected I will not deem it my official duty to "rip hell out of the cor porations," nor to protect the cor porations against the just demands of the people. My conception of the duties of a railway commissioner is that he is to study conditions, acquaint himself with the facts and decide con troversies and complaints upon their merits, dealing justly with all parties and showing especial favors to none. I believe in the right of the state to regulate traffic within its borders; in ascertaining the physical value of a public service corporation and allow ing i to earn a fair dividend on the actual investment, taking into account the ordinary business risk; in squeez ing the water out of stocks and pre venting in future all efforts to sy phon more into them; in the freest and fullest publicity of the business transacted in every department of the state government, and in giving the ,f " MAUPIN for the Democratic nomination Commissioner state just as loyal and efficient service as one would give a private employer-. It is my belief hat I know Nebras: ka about as well as any man in the state, and that I have done pretty much a man's share of boosting for the commonwealth. Furthermore, I believe I know Nebraskans about as well as anybody; that I am acquaint ed with their needs and their desires, and that I can serve them, well and in telligently. I am not seeking the po sition because it is an honorable one, and it is an honorable position, for honor alone buys no shoes for the kid dies and fills no empty stomachs. I am seeking it because it carries both honor and salary; because I believe that I can. earn that salary by giving the people just the kind of service they want and the people want only justice and square dealing. There will be no "sacrifice of business interests" on my part if I am elected. If it wasn't a better job than the one I now have I wouldn't look at it. I never got a job in my life that. I didn't ask for, and I never lost one by reason of in ability to make good. It is impossible for me to prosecute a " whirlwind cam paign" for the nomination, first be cause I have got to keep busy on my present job and second because I haven't got the money. I'm just vain enough to believe that if the voters will get right down to business and investigate the claims of the various candidates, and investigate their rec ords, I '11 stand a pretty good show. I'm willing to take chances, anyhow. I'm not going to rend my nether garment in chasing after this job. I want it, and you know I want it. If you want me to have it, say so. If you don't want me to have it, say so; and I'll either stick to this job or look for something else. I haven't any "platform." All I promise is that I'll do my best to earn the salary, deal as justly as my mental limitations will allow, play favorites with nobody, and stand up for Ne braska all the time.' If this statement appeals to you, then you appeal to your friends for me. My candidacy is in your hands. WILL M. MAUPIN. We'd Expect You Too. Fairbury Journal (Rep.) "Will Mau-. pin, of Maupin's Weekly, has an nounced his candidacy for the demo-. cratic nomination for state railway commissioner, and it is entirely unique in that he does not claim to have ob served a crisis in the history of the state that means commercial, financial and moral ruin unless his services can be secured right away quick. He frankly admits that the state may be able to get along without his serv-' ices, and that he has not mistaken a desire to connect with the salary of that office for a call to duty. In other words, he is a candidate just because he wants the office and perhaps needs the salary worse than the state needs his services. Such frankness is entirely out of the ordinary with politicians seeking a job ,and while this paper is pretty strongly rooted to the republican faith, we are forced to admit that the sort of a campaign he is making appeals to us, and if he gets the nomination we will probably vote for the other fellow. Says a Plenty. Plattsmouth Evening Journal (Dem.) Will M. Maupin, editor of Will Mau pin's Weekly at Lincoln, has come out for railway commissioner. Well, all we have to say is that there is not a more competent man in the state for the position, and you can bet your bottom dollar that if he is nominated and elected the interests of the people of Nebraska in that department will be most carefully guarded. Good Service for Good Money. Kearney Daily Hub (Rep.) Will Maupin, publisher of Maupin's Week ly, at Lincoln, announces that he will be a candidate for the democratic nomination for state railway commis sioner. Unlike most candidates who . have heard a loud call to duty, Maupin declares that he simply wants the office for the salary attached, with the intention of course of giving serv ice as an equivalent. It is any way gratifying to find a man occasionally who does not make the pretense' of being a patriot when he is just' a joli- tician looking for a good job, anct if he" will faithfully deliver the goods there are few who care whether he is really a patriot or just a politician. We Both Hope, Then. Cortland Sun (Rep.) Our good friend Will Maupin announces himself as a candidate for the democratic nomination for state railway commis sioner. In his announcement, Mr. Mau pin gives the public to understand that he isn't in the raoe for the honor of holding the office, but that it is the salary attached that attracts him. Mr. Maupin is in every way qualified to fill the position which he seeks. As deputy labor commissioner he made, good, and advertised the resources of Nebraska as they had never been ad vertised before. He is a genuine Nebraska booster. The Sun hopes the democrats will nominate him, and that the people, regardless of politics, will elect him. , , Do His Level Best. Grand Island Free Press (Ind.) Will Maupin has filed as a candidate for railway commissioner on the demo cratic ticket, and is out with a state ment that is unique, in which he frank ly states that he is attracted by the $3,000 per year, and teels confi dent that he is capable of manning the job, and if elected, will devote his entire time to the office, and will draw his salary only after having earned it, by giving value received. He Was Our "Devil" Once. Holbrook Observer (Ind.) Will M. Maupin, editor of Maupin's Weekly, SuMOfdun spuauj jo oj psq ou sbu; published at Lincoln, has announced himself a candidate for railway com missioner. Mr. Maupin held the posi tion of deputy labor commissioner un der Governor Shallenberger, and proved the best and most efficient com missioner the state has ever had. In fact Mr. Maupin is the man who resur rected this office, brought it out of its dormant state and made it one of the most popular branches of our state government. In truth, while in office "Bill" Maupin used to sit up nights figuring out Nebraska's wonderful re sources in agricultural and other lines. He probably did more to advertise the possibilities of Nebraska along agri cultural lines during his tenure of office than any Other one man in the state during a like period of time. He is particularly proficient in figures and could tell almost ; to the width of a gnat 's heel just what proportion of Ne braska 's egg crop, if the eggs were laid end to end, would reach around the world. If 'there is a man in the state who deserves recognition for the good he has done, and for his effortsin aid ing in the development and showing up the state's great resources, through publicity, Mr. Maupin is one of them, and if he can land the nomination we will be only too glad to boost for him during the campaign. A Disinterested Champion. Nebraska City News (Dem.) Will Maupin,. who has been in the newspa per business in Nebraska for the past twenty-five years, has announced that he is a candidate for railway commis sioner. He says that he wants the of fice as bad as the office wants him. He has not had a lot of friends importun ing him to "accept the position" but he is frank enough to say that he wants the office because it pays $250 per month and that for six years. In that time he will be able to save a lot of money for the wife and kiddies. He is of the opinion that he knows what common fairness is, and that is all that the people ask between the rail roads and themselves. Maupin is also of the opinion that he knows as much about the needs of the people as any physician or attorney who never had more than a speaking acquaintance with railroad men. Maupin promises to do a good job for the $250 per month, and will be Johnnie on the spot all the time. He is competent for the position and we believe would give the people good satisfaction. We are for Maupin even if he has only $25 to put into the campaign. " It Was the Whole Truth. Albion News (Rep.) Will M. Mau pin of Lincoln announces that he is a candidate for railroad commissioner, and in doing so comes nearer telling the truth about it than most candi dates do. He says that he is a candi date of his own volition; that he has not been urged by his friends; that the salary of $3,000 a year looks good to him; that he is making no personal sacrifice in going, after the job ; . he claims to have n? exceptional qualifi cations for the office! only a, moSicum of common sense, and the firm convic7. tion that any man should expect to work hard and. give his undivided efforts to earn $250 a monh. His an nouncement will strike the average voter being nearer the truth than the usual grandstand proclamation of those seeking an office. We Agree on This. "WJayne Democrat v(Dem.) Will M. Maupin asks the democratic nomina tion for railway commissioner, and he plainly says he wants the office for the salary and thinks that he can earn the same as well as the next man. It is certainly a novel way to an nounce his aspiration for the office thus frankly. Maupin has the good common sense to know that the peo ple are not fools; and we believe that he has honesty and common sense enough to make a good official if nomi nated and elected to the position. "Mac's" The Real Booster. Polk Progress (Ind.) Will M. Mau- , pin, of Lincoln, has decided to become a candidate for the democratic nomina tion for railway commissioner. The Progress believes that the . voters of Nebraska, regardless of party lines, could select no better qualified man. to fill that position than Will M. Mau-, pin. lie has been in the newspaper business in Nebraska for twenty-five, years, and is now editor of one of the; best papers for the upbuilding, of our fair state that has ever been published within her borders. He's Walked the Section. Nebraska City Trnscript (Ind.) Will M. Maupin is a democratic candi date for railway commissioner. He used to live in Missouri, that tells what kind of a democrat he is. He has lived in Nebraska twenty-five years and .by profession is a newspaper man. He has never had experience in the railroad business, not . having even worked on the section, but he knows what is right and fair and would make a good official. , We Yearn For the Job. Beaver City Tribune (Rep.) Will Maupin admits that he would like to be the democratic candidate for rail way commissioner, frankly stating that his chief desire for the job is based on the fact that it has a six year term at a salary of $3,000 per year. He further declares that he is willing to go the limit in his effort to earn the salary. It is really refreshing to locate a candidate who is not claiming willingness to sacrifice his own per sonal business affairs to serve the "dear people." Yes, Why Not? Red Cloud Chief (Dem.) Will Mau pin has announced himself as a candi date for the nomination on the demo cratic ticket for railway commissioner and true to his character he states in plain terms that his object in making the race is to secure the three thousand dollar salary that goes with the job. He makes it clear that there was no large popular demand for him to come . out but on the contrary he is acting on his own motion and his own advice. And why not? Why should not all candidates be frank? . It is true that there are occasions which bring men out for certain offices regardless of their own will but under our present primary system it takes a terrible jolt to get the great public to demand a man to "sacrifice" himself. But ; Brother Will is in the race and we cannot see why a newspaper man of twenty-five years experience in the state should not be a first class man to have on this commission. If there is any man who is in touch with public "inatte'rs it is the newspaper man who -, has been in the thick of the fray like Will Maupin. Of one thing we would all be certain and that is the public would know every minute just what was going on and you can rest assured that Will knows nothing but honesty and fair dealing. The people do not want more than is coming to them and the railroads may always be dended , upon to act fairly if a matter is pre- , sented to them fully. Well, Clarence is All Bight Too. Riverton Review (Dem.) Will M. Maupin has anounced himself as a " candidate before the primary, for the ' office of state railway commissioner. He declares that he has no especial fitness for the position that other men do not have. That he. .isn't out hunting ' for honor and has no money to spend, but the salary of three thousand dollars a year looks mighty good to him and he wants the job for the salary it draws. This is pretty frank declaration from a pretty brainy man, but out in this neck o' the woods," Clarence Harman has got a lead-pipe cinch on too many '" democratic votes to permit of Will Maupin having a just share of them, ' ' we are afraid. . ; We'll Always Stand Up! Minden Courier (Dem.) Will Mau-' pin, of Lincoln, has filed for railway commissioner and states boldly that" it is not from an earnest desire tof" serve the people but rather on account'' of its being a good paying office. Wilr:: has been one of the men who havd" "stood up for Nebraska" at all times and under all circumstances and de serves most generous support. Some Qualities, These. ' Moorfield Chronicle (Ind.) Will' Maupin, is a candidate for railroad' commissioner. He is making a very' frank statement of his case. He says' he is not yielding to the earnest solici tations of his many friends, nor is he making a great personal sacrifice for