THE PROGRESSIVE PLATFORM Of NEBRASKA DEMOCRACY
We, the democrats of Nebraska in state convention assembled,
send greetings to the democrats of the nation and congratulate
them upon the good results at the Baltimore convention in the nom
ination of Woodrow "Wilson for president and Thomas R. Marshall
for vice-president, and in the adoption of a good thoroughly pro
gressive platform.
"We hereby express our unqualified approval of the nominees
and of the platform.
"We point with pride to the leadership Nebraska's democracy
has taken during the past eighteeu years under the guidance of
William J. Bryan.
We congratulate the democrats of the nation that they had in
Nebraska's distinguished citizen a man who dared defy the ele
ments that had wrecked the republican party and that sought at
Baltimore the destruction of the democratic party; that with su
perb courage he challenged the right of those elements to dominate
in democratic convention and stood for what he believed to be the
interest of "the folks at home;", that through his leadership the
convention at Baltimore was transformed from what at one time
seemed to be a reactionary gathering into a real democratic conven
tion with real democratic candidates standing upon a genuine dem
ocratic platform. We cordially approve Mr. Bryan's course at Bal
timore and we heartily commend him for the course he adopted,
and we congratulate him upon the magnificent victory.
We approve the work of the democratic house of representa
tives, and we heartily commend the Nebraska democratic delegation
in either branch of congress for their faithful efforts to represent
in the votes they have cast the democratic sentiment in Nebraska.
1 We invite attention to the fact that there are important prob
lems of state government, and we pledge the best efforts of demo
cratic members of the legislature and other democratic officials to
the solution of these problems by the way of constructive legislation.
We favor the adoption of the proposed constitutional amend
ments providing for the initiative and referendum.
We favor the adoption of the proposed constitutional amend
ment giving to cities of more than 5,000 population the privilege of
framing their own charters consistent with the constitution and
laws of the state.
We favor the adoptoin of the proposed constitutional amend
ment providing for a board of control for the government of state
institutions, and we promise that the democratic governor will ap
point as members of the state board men upon whose integrity and
capability the people may rely for economical and businesslike eon
duct of all the affairs of the state institutions.
We favor zealous guardianship of the right of the state to reg
ulate common carriers with relation to interstate commerce.
We favor the passage of a law haying for its purpose the abo
lition of vote trading, commonly called "log rolling" in the legis
lature. We favor a law requiring the governor to make public the
names of all persons who petition him, either verbally or in writ
ing, to approve or veto any measure. -
1 MEN AND MATTERS
Governor Wilson has every reason to be profoundly grateful as
well as uncommonly proud of the reception tendered him by the
people of Nebraska. The reception in Omaha was hearty enough to
satisfy any man, but it was exceeded in every way by the reception
tendered in Lincoln. Lincoln has turned out some wonderful crowds
to see and do honor to distinguished citizens and guests, and in this
she has been aided by the citizens of the state. The reception to Mr.
and Mrs. Bryan upon their home coming six years ago was, perhaps,
the greatest demonstration ever made in honor of private citizens,
either here or elsewhere. But even that record-breaking demonstra
tion was excelled upon the occasion of the visit of Governor Wilson.
But foolish indeed is that man who imagines that it was not, in part, a
demonstration also of the love and esteem in which William J. Bryan
is held by Nebraskans.
Nor can the meaning of that remarkable demonstration be mis
understood by observant men. It was more than curiosity that at
tracted thousands to Lincoln last Saturday. It was indicative of
something far different from the usual enthusiasm of the average
campaign. ; It was a portent of a great political change. The cheering
was enthusiastic, to be sure, but it was not the racuous shouts of polit
ical zealots or partisan fanatics; it was straight from the hearts of
men and women who have, in large measure, cut loose from party and
who no longer are content to take their politics at second-hand. There
was something, undefinable to be sure, about that great demonstration
which points to the overwhelming election of Woodrow Wilson to the
presidency of the United estates on the hitta day ot next month. ,
The Omaha reception to Governor Wilson wras marked by a
peculiar combination of political circumstances. We have heard
much of democratic divisions in Nebraska. But what about this?
Governor Wilson was introduced to his largest Omaha audience by
Senator Ilitchcoek, who was the leader of the Harmon forces in the
primary campaign. He was welcomed to the city by Mayor Dahlman,
who defeated Shallenberger for the gubernatorial nomination. He
was accompanied by Shallenberger who defeated Thompson for the
senatorial nomination, and by Shallenberger 's side sat Thompson,
who defeated John Byrne for the position of chairman of the demo
cratic state committee, and Byrne was along all enthusiastic for
Wilson, all conferring together with a view to making the Wilson
vote as big as possible. That strikes us as being indicative of "Har
mony" with a big II.
, Ill-health is assigned as the reason for the withdrawal of Moses
P. Kinkaid from the congressional race in the Sixth district. It will
be- readily accepted by those who believe it. The truth is that Mr.
Kinkaid had reached the limit of his "pussyfooting" tactics and he
preferred to withdraw rather than suffer inevitable defeat. The pro
gressive party in the district refused to endorse Mr. Kinkaid's can
.didacy and nominated Thomas Armstrong of Kearney. This meant
the election of Taylor, the demo-populist candidate if both Armstrong
and Kinkaid remained in the field, with Kinkaid doubtless a poor
third.' Ralizing this, Mr. Kinkaid's health suddenly became of great
concern to him. Of one thing the voters of the Sixth district may be
We commend the last democratic legislature for the passage of
the Ollis stock yards bill, and we promise such further regulation
of stock yards as the public welfare may require.
We promise the faithful enforcement of the anti-lobby law to !
the end that such a law shall no longer be a dead letter upon the
statute book.
We favor the enactment of a law creating a state highway com
mission in order to help systematize road construction and thereby
further the good roads movement.
We favor the eight-hour day for all toilers, especially in the
case of state and municipal work.
Our state is rich in natural resources not yet developed, a con
dition due to the lack of public knowledge of such wealth.
We therefore favor a liberal appropriation by the legislature
for the purpose of giving publicity to the state's resources.
We favor the enactment of a law directing and empowering
the state, and to limit the earning power of such corporations to
accounts of all public service corporations .doing business within
the state, and to limit the earnig" power of such corporations to
reasonable proportion of the capital invested. '
We recognize in the merger of the telephone companies of the
state an effort to establish a complete telephone monopoly. We
promise that our member of the railway commission will do every
thing in his power to see that the telephone business is properly
regulated and that rates charged for telephone - service are reason
able. We further promise such additional legislation as may be
necessary to protect the interests of the users of telephones in Ne
braska. .
We deplore the needless delay in the disposition of controver
sies throughout the courts of the state, and especially that of the
supreme court, and pledge our candidates to the legislature, if
elected, to support such measures and endeavor to crystalize into
law an act of the legislature which will result in the speedier dis
position of eases in the higher courts of the state, and at the same
time safely guard the rights of litigants.
Nebraska's awkward and inequitable taxation system should
be replaced by a twentieth century method. We favor, therefore,
taxation reform by separation of the sourees of the state and local
revenues, thus giving to counties and towns the privilege of enjoy
ing the taxes from purely local valuations. Land held for purely,
speculative purposes and without improvements ought to carry a
larger share of taxation than it now bears.
To this end we promise to submit to the vote of the people a
proposed constitutional amendment enlarging the powers of the
legislature with respect to the enactment of the taxation system,
and then provide for the selection of a commission whose business it
will be to investigate and report for the consideration of the legis
lature its idea of the taxation system best suited to Nebraska's pe
culiar needs.
We favor insurance reforms for "old line" as well as fraternal
companies. -
We favor automatic benefit in case of lapse of policy after three
annual premiums have been paid.
assured Whether they elect Taylor or Armstrong they will be repre
sented in congress by a four-square, upstanding man . who will not
shilly-shally or evade, but will come out squarely for- something.
Both have served in the Nebraska legislature and both made good
records as faithful servants of the people. The district has gained
by Mr. Kinkaid's withdrawal from the race.
We mean no disparagement of any other candidate when we give
it as our opinion that Clarence E. Harmon is the logieal man to elect
to membership of the railway commission. Mr.-Harmon's knowledge
of conditions in Nebraska is not academic. He was born in south
western Nebraska and for many years has been a traveling salesman.
This occupation has put him into close touch with railway conditions
and given him a splendid opportunity to acquaint himself at first
Land with what the people want and deserve to have. In other words,
he is a fitting representative of the freight and fare paying public.
He is a young man of energy and of unquestioned integrity. It is no
more than right that the commission should be representative of the
whole people by having its membership come from different sections
of this immense commonwealth. As now constituted the three mem
bers all come from within fifty miles of the Missouri river, and two I
Securities in which insurance reserves are invested shuld be
deposited with the state for the protection of the policy holder, and
the initiative and referendum should be given to fraternal organiza-
tions for the protection of the rank and file.
Recognizing the growing demand for scientifically trained
teachers to the end that the best results may be realized from the
vast sums of money annually expended for the maintenance of our '
public schools, we favor liberal appropriations for our four state
normal schools and for normal training in the high schools. , We
point with pride and approval to the fact that the last two demo
cratic legislatures appropriated more money for the permanent '
equipment of normal schools than had been before expended for
like purpose during the entire history of the state. We pledge our
selves anew to the support of these institutions commensurate with
their growth and demands. ' ,
We point with pride to our state university and agricultural
college and favor liberal appropriation for institutions. .
We denounce the usurpation of power on the part of the fed- ;
eral judiciary, as shown by the decision of Judge Daniel Thew
Wright of the District of Columbia, wherein he sentences to impris
onment such champions of the wage earners of the nation as Samuel
Gompers and John Mitchell for daring to exercise the perogatives
of free speech. And we call upon Nebraska's representatives in
congress to investigate the record of this procedure with a view to
the judge's impeachment.
We favor a just working man's compensatory law and pledge
the passage of such a measure by a democratic legislature.
We favor the enactment of a law prohibiting any. person or
firm engaged in the sale or manufacture of intoxicating liquors
from contributing money or valuable things to any person or or
ganization, or to any contest where the question of liquor is in
volved. The penalty for a violation of this law shall be forfeiture
of license and . fine. . .
We pledge the best efforts of democratic members of the leg
islature and all other democratic officials to the following described
policies with respect to state government:
Reservation for the people of control over the water power pro
vided by Nebraska rivers and the leasing of rights with supervision
over the rates that are to be paid by consumers of this power, s
A "blue sky" law patterned after the Kansas law and re
quiring investment schemes to undergo examination by the state
board. '
Prison reform with the abolition of the prison contract, the es
tablishment of a binding twine factory for the. more desperate men,
and the purchase of a large farm for the training in agriculture,'
horticulture and manual training of those prisoners who are willing
to be helped to an improved view of life. - ,
The dependent wives and children, of the inmates of the state
prison should not be derived entirely of a father's or husband's
earning power, but a certain portion of the regular hire, as well as
overtime earnings of the prisoner having a mother, wife or child
dependent upon his labor, should be devoted to the support of those
innocent people. .
of them have long been residents of Lincoln. The southwest section
of Nebraska has problems which are best solved by one who is fa
miliar with them, therefore the election of Mr. Harmon would seem
most fitting. - : ,
' , In one brief sentence of his auditorium address last Saturday
evening, Governor Wilson expressed this newspaper's reason for its
disapproval of the plan to hold another "union evangelistic meeting"
in Lincoln. "I am opposed to emotional conversion," said Governor
Wilson. That is about all that results from such meetings as the one
under consideration, and we are of the decided opinion that better
results could be obtained in other directions by the; expenditure of an
equal amount Qf time and money; It is highly proper that the Lord's
business be conducted upon a business basis, but when the salvation
of human souls is put upon the sordid basis of dollars and cents and
evangelists engage in the business of evangelization exactly like other
men engage in merchandising, we draw the line. The thousands that
will have to be paid to imported evangelists and "team workers"
could be spent to far better purpose and with vastly more lasting
results. ' 7J,7V. . .. ':-y '..
Asked to Make Ruling.
The right of candidates for the leg
islature to sign statement No. 1 under
the Oregon plan after the primaries
has been disputed, and Secretary of
State Wait has been asked to make a
ruling. He's inclined to the belief
j that candidates can . sign : the state
ment any time before the official bal
lot is prepared. Some contend that a
candidate is not entitled to have it
appear on the ballot that he has
signed the statement unless he signed
prior to the primaries. . Those who
sign the statement agree to vote for
the candidate for United States sena
tor who receives the largest number
of votes at. the general election this
fall. They contend that they are
morally bound by the statement
whether they sign it before or after
the ' primaries, and it matters little
whether their agreement to be bound
is printed on the ballot or not '
Prison Population Decreases.
The population of the state peniten
tiary has decreased to 394. Libera
tion of prisoners by parole and by
pardon and the discharge of prisoners
by reason of the expiration of sen
tence and the lack Qf committment of
prisoners by the pourts during the
summer vacation are : reasons given
for the decrease. During the past
year or two the number of prisoners
has averaged about 450. ,
Kearney, Neb. In a modest but sub
stantial way the state of Nebraska is
now prepared to do something in the
fight against tuberculosis. An "open
air hospital" has been completed at
the state institution for tubercular
patients, situated near this place, and
eighteen patients are now Ireceiving
treatment and there is room for many
more. :'" ' -
That Morning: CMl
Too early to start the furnace and the chilly
mornings and evenings are uncomfortable.
Take out the Chill
with a Gas Heater
A few miuutes in .the morning and evening,
and dining room and living rooms are warm
as toast. No dirt, no kindling, no work.
Cheaper than coal. . -..
Wc .Sell the Heaters
All Sizes and Designs. OrnamentalComfortable
I n
Lincoln Gas & Electric Light Co.
Fourteenth and O Streets