' ; V- -t-'
Will M. Maupin and Seven of the Many Reasons why he wants to be
nominated and elected Railway Commissioner of Nebraska.
CURRENT
It is with regret that we notice the
esteemed Star of our own city repeat
ing a mistake so often made by our
eminent statesmen, to-wit, that our
Declaration of Independence asserts
that "all men are created free and
equal." Of course the Declaration of
Independence says nothing of the kind.
It merely says that "all men are cre
ated equal and endowed with certain
unalienable rights." All men are not
created "free."
The house of representatives has
passed the Esch bill prohibiting the
manufacture of phosphorus matches of
a certain kind. The senate should pass
the bill without division and President
Taft should sign it without delay. The
manufacture of this brand of match
annually dooms scores of helpless
workers to death from the dread dis
ease known as "phossy jaw," which
is even more loathsome than leprosy,
though not infectious. The prohibi
tion, which is by excessive taxation,
will work no hardships, for matches
equally good or better can be manu
factured and sold just as cheaply, but
which do not contain the poison that
claims its scores of victims every year.
Congressman Campbell of Kansas
may be a good politician. He may
even be a statesman. We doubt if he
is either. Certainly he does not know
his Bible, and certainly if he has read
it at all it is without evidencing gray
matter enough to understand what he
reads. "Writing to Mr. Roosevelt in
opposition to the initiative and refer
endum, Campbell cites the trial of
Christ before Pilate and offers the
argument that "Pilate acquitted
Christ; an appeal was taken from
Pilate to the people, and the Saviour
was crucified." Of course Campbell
of Kansas may know more about this
particular case than Matthew, Mark,
and John, but heretofore we have been
inclined to look upon the three dis
ciples as somewhat of an authority.
They say that Pilate "delivered Christ
to be crucified," but of course Camp
bell of Kansas may have access to in
formation denied to Matthew, Mark
and John.
If we understand the referendum
at all it is to leave the decision of
public questions to the people to the
common people, if you please. Now
it is recorded by the Biblical writers
that the "common people heard Him
(Christ) gladly," but, as we before
remarked, Campbell of Kansas may
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COMMENT
have means of information withheld
from the men who wrote the first four
books of the New Testament. Hereto
fore we have rather prided ourselves
upon having something more than an
average knowledge of the Bible, but
if .Campbell of Kansas is right we must
proceed instanter to unlearn all we
have heretofore acquired in the way
of Biblical knowledge. It has been
our impression that the crucifixion of
Christ was not due to a referendum
a reference to the people but due to
a packed caucus.
It is a moral certainty, at least as
much so as anything can be, that this
April primary experience is going to
lead to a very radical amendment of
our primary laws. By the time the
average voter on Friday next wrestles
with that six feet of intricate ballot
he will be in a frame of mind to in
dulge in a bit of emphatic language
and insist upon a reform.
What influence has been brought to
bear upon Senator Jones of Washing
ton to cause him to so suddenly and
mysteriously change his mind upon the
Lorimer ease! At the first investiga
tion of Lorimer Senator Jones spoke
against Lorimer, voted him guilty and
declared in a loud voice his sincere be
lief in Lorimer 's guilt. But the first
investigation was not conclusive and
another was held. So a sub-committee
was selected to investigate all over
again two democrats and two repub
and two democrats and two republi
cans who had either voted for Lori
mer or had not voted at all. Senator
Jones was appointed as a republican
supposed to be against Lorimer. And
now Senator Jones turns up with his
vote every time in Lorimer 's favor.
What evidence-if it was "evidence"
has been brought to light to con
vince Jones of Washington that Lori
mer is a sadly abused and an inno
cent manf The voters of Washington
have a right to know.
Mr. Woodrough of Omaha, who has
charge of the Wilson campaign in
this state, added nothing whatsoever
to his reputation as a political man
ager, certainly nothing to his reputa
tion for being a gentleman, by chal
lenging Governor Harmon to debate
with ex-Congressman Lentz in Omaha
on the occasion of Governor Harmon's
visit to the Nebraska metropolis. It
was not only un gentlemanly, but it
was almighty poor politics..
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We recall without any mental effort
whatsoever how angry Mr. Bryan's
supporters used to become because
every addlepated ass in the country
who wanted to gain a little cheap no
toriety used to challenge Mr. Bryan
to debate. Of course Mr. Bryan was
too big a man to even notice these
challenges, just as Governor Harmon is
too big. We rejoice that Governor
Harmon came to Nebraska because
it may serve to clear the atmosphere
above the democratic camp. Cer
tainly he has as much right to speak
in Nebraska as either Roosevelt, Taft
or LaFollette, and surely he has the
right to appear in Nebraska to an
swer the serious charges preferred by
Mr. Bryan while the latter is in the
governor's own state reiterating those
charges. In our humble opinion such
tactics as those used by Woodrough
merely plays into the hands of the
Harmon supporters.
Does any democrat in Nebraska
imagine for a minute that a democrat
like Tom Smith would disregard the
instructions of the voters if elected
delegate to the Baltimore convention,
or entertain the suspicion that Tom
Smith would not be as true as steel, no
matter whether his personal eholcc
was or was not the choice of the con
vention? And what is true of Tom
Smith is equally true of Fred Volp.
These gentlemen are said to be Har
mon supporters, and that is their
blessed privilege. We opine that we
know them well enough to assert
with confidence that they will be just
as enthusiastic Clark men, or Wilson
men, if either of those eminent gentle
men lands the nomination. Isn't it
a faet that every man who is a candi
date for delegate-at-large on the dem
ocratic ticket may be trusted to carry
out the will of the democratic voters
as expressed at the primaries or re
sign if he feels as if he can not do so
in good conscience?
One of the best things Mr. Bryan
has said of late is based upon the In
cident of a New York butcher being
fined for inserting a pound slug of lead
into every turkey he sold. "If the
same law," remarks Mr. Bryan, "were
applied to Mr. Roosevelt's speeches
he could be sent up for life for in
serting chunks of the democratic plat
form." There is some class to that.
ARTHUR W. RICHARDSON.
Elsewhere in this issue appears the
announcement of Mr. Richardson's
candidacy for the republican nomina
tion for representative from Lancaster
county. That announcement clearly
sets forth what Mr. Richardson stands
for. He is Nebraska born, Nebraska
reared and Nebraska educated. He
was admitted to the practice of law in
1894, and has served as court reporter
in Lancaster county. Mr. Richardson
is a man of intense earnestness and
splendid character. He may always
be depended upon to be found fighting
for those reforms that are of most in
terest to the people, and he would be
an influential representative.
HE SECURES RESULTS.
John H. Moekett, jr., is a candidate
for the republican nomination for rep
resentative from Lancaster county. Mr.
Moekett is not a new hand at the
legislative game, having served - the
people in that capacity before. He is
one of the advanced progressives of
the republican party, and his tireless
energy has secured several reforms. He
introduced and secured the passage of
the amendment to the Lincoln charter ,
permitting this city to own and oper
ate its own electric lighting plant, and
he also took a leading part in securing
the submission of the initiative and
referendum amendment to the constitu
tion. Mr. Moekett is president of the
Direct Legislation League and has
given to that cause a goodly share of
his time and attention for a year or
two. There is never any trouble in
locating just where John H. Moekett,
jr., stands on any public question. Nor
is there any denying his ability to
push the reforms he advocates. His
ability and his experience in the legis
lature mark him as a good man to
serve the people.
A GOOD OFFICIAL.
They say that "one good term de
serves another," and if this is true
the supporters of Walter A. George,
present state treasurer and candidate
for renomination'at the hands of the
republicans, have a good basis for in
sisting that Mr. George is the man. Mr.
George assumed the office of. state
treasurer just at a time when a change
was made in the method of handling
the state's investments, and his thor
ough knowledge of the banking and
investment business has stood the
state in good stead. He engaged in
the banking business at Broken Bow
for a number of years, and achieved
marked success and the reputation of
being a safe, conservative banker. He
has reduced the work of the office to
clock-like precision, and at any moment
his books are ready for inspection. The
system in vogue may be best under
stood by considering the amount of
work accomplished by so small a force
as the treasurer has at his command.
During a single year the office has
handled an average of 2,688 warrants
a month, paying out an average of
$12,651.27 per day. During the course
of a year the state treasurer handles
almost $4,000,000. Mr. George gives
the duties of the office his entire time
and attention, and he knows at all
times just what is going on. His
knowledge of the investment business
has enabled him to profit the state in
large sums in the matter of investing
the permanent school funds, now
amounting to upwards of $9,000,000.
Mr. George is not making an active
campaign for re-nomination. He has
contented himself with merely an
nouncing his candidacy and point
ing to the record of efficient services
rendered during the past twenty
months.
LIBERTY FLOUR
From Selected Nebraska Wheat Best Wheat in the World
Best
by
the
Oven's
Test
IBERTY!
fr- FLOUR
LIBERTY
H. O. Barber
THIS FROM THE OLD HOME.
The following, copied from a Ne
braska exchange, concerns a former
Oregon school boy, and one of the
Sentinel's typos, who removed to Ne
braska some years ago, and has been
more or less mixed, up in matters po
litical, social and religious in that
state ever since: 1
"Will M. Maupin, of Lincoln, an
nounces that he is a candidate for
railroad commissioner, and in doing
so comes nearer telling the truth
about it than most candidates do.
He says that he is a candidate 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 sacri
fice in going after the job; he claims
to have no exceptional qualifications
for the office, only a modicum of
common sense, and the firm convic
tion that any man should expect to
work hard and give his undivided ef
fort to earn $250 a month. His an
nouncement will strike the average
voter as being nearer the. truth than
the usual grandstand proclamation of
those seeking an office."
We ain't no scratch er but, if he
was over in the good, old land of the
"Missouri banana" and wanted to be
railroad commissioner, secretary of
state, or what not, darned if we
wouldn't give him a boost, and we are
of the opinion there are many down
this way that would follow suit. The
Sentinel sincerely hopes that Will will
get there by a handsome majority. He
is every way deserving and thorougbr
ly competent for the job. Oregon,
Mo:, Sentinel,' Rep.
A STRONG MAN.
It is always a pleasure to Will Mau
pin 's Weekly to be given an opportun
ity to : speak a good word for such a
man as George F. Quick. Mr. Quick
is one of the. democratic candidates
for the nomination as representative
from Lancaster county. The editor of
this newspaper has not only known
George Quick for -years, but for a
goodly - part of that time has been
closely associated with him in affairs
of mutual interest. They don't build
squarer men than Quick. He. pos
sesses a fund of common sense that
would be of good service to the people,
and his rugged honesty and sincerity
of purpose is known to all who have
come in contact with him. .' Mr. Quick
has lived in Lincoln more than a
quarter of a century. He is a car
penter by trade, a member of the union
of his craft and now represents it in
the Central: Labor Union. He has
also represented it in the Building
Trades Council, as well as having
served it as president and secretary.
Mr. Quick is an ardent advocate of
municipal ownership of public utilities,
and possesses the courage and ability
to make a strong fight for the inaugu
ration of that system. You may say
all the good things about George Quick
you are a mind to, and Will Maupin 's
Weekly will endorse them. And this
is going a lot further for Quick than
we usually go when speaking of candi
dates for political office.
Nebraska
Product
Worthy oi
Nebraska
& Sons, Lincoln