The farmers' alliance. (Lincoln, Nebraska) 1889-1892, September 20, 1890, Image 2

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    THE FAEMERS' ALLIANCE: lilNCOIiN, NEB., SATURDAY", SEPT. 20, 1890.
THE ALLIANCE, ...
FwUSHED EVERY SATURDAY WRHIK6
CT'rai!' ft,-
MICE FODLISHHIG: CO.
Comer 11th ad M Sts.,
Lincoln, - - - Nebraska.
JL BURROWS, : : : Editor,
i. DL Thompson, Business Hanagcr.
M In the beauty f the lillies
Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in his bosom
That transfigures you and me.
As He strove to make men holy
Let us strive to make men free,
Since God is marching on."
Julia Ward Howe.
M Laurel crowns cleave to deserts,
And power to him who power exerts."
A ruddy drop of manly blood
The surging sea outweighs."
Emerson.
He who cannot reason is a fool,
He who will not reason is a coward,
He who dare not reason is a slave."
EDITORIAL.
Independent State Ticket.
vernor,
JOHN H. POWERS, of Hiteheock
Lieutenant Goyernor,
WM. H. DECH, of Saunders.
Secretary of State,
C. X. MAYBERBY, of Pawnee.
State Treasurer,
J. V. WOLFE, of Lancaster.
Attorney Genera),
J. W. EDGBRTON, of Douglas.
ualtor,
JOHN BATIE, of Wheeler.
Osmmitsloner of Publio Lands and Buildings,
W. V. WRIGHT, of Nemaha.
Superintendent of Public Instruction,
PROF. A. D ALLEM A ND.of Furnas.
For Congress First Congressional District.
HON. ALLEN ROOT, Deufflas.
Congress Second Congressional District.
W. A. McKEIGHAN, of Webster.
Congress Third Conjrrefroional District
CAPT. O. M. KEM. of Custer.
Lancaster County Independent Ticket.
State Senators.
J.M.THOMPSON.
JAS. G. TAYLOR.
Xepresentatives,
ELIA8 BAKER.
W. S. DEMAREE.
I. F, DALE.
J. F. EGGEEl.
ROBT. MCALLISTER.
Commissioners.
L. S. GILLICK.
AUGUST ANDERSON.
D. A. STOCKING.
Oounty Attorney.
N. Z. SNELL.
THE FARMERS' ALLIANCE.
.Published Weekly by the z
Alliance PnMshing Co.
J. BURROWS, Editor.
J. M. THOMPSON, Bus. Mgr'r.
SUBSCRIPTION $1.00 PER YEAR.
INVARIABLY IN ADVANCE, OR FIVE.
Subscriptions, in one order
ONE YEAR FOR $4.00.
The Alliance is the official organ of
the State Alliance. It is conducted
solely in the interest of the farmers and
laboring men of the state. It is abso
lutely fearless and untrammeled in the
discussion of all questions. IT AC
CEPTS NO CORPORATION PAT
RONAGE. ITS EDITORS HAVE NO
FREE PASSES, AND ITS OPINIONS
ARE NOT FOR SALE AT ANY
PRICE, In the above particulars it is
a new departure in Nebraska journal
ism. We confidently appeal for support to
all who can appreciate the value of
such a paper.
SPECIAL NOTICE.
The most important political cam
paign ever made in Nebraska is about
to open. On the one side will i-be ar
rayed the farmers and laborers of the
state; on the other the corporations and
their henchmen, ana the newspapers
which for years have prostituted their
columns to the uses of corporations.
The Alliance will be the special or
gan of the farmers and their society in
tne contest. jNoi only should every
Alliance man take the paper himself,
but he should aid in extending it to
those who are not yet members. To
enable our members to so extend it, we
offer it,
Di CLUBS OF TEN, TILL JANUARY
1st, 18 1, FOR 30cts.
PREMIUMS.
The Alliance one year, and Look
ing Backward, postpaid $1.30
Ditto and Labor and Capital by
Kellogg.. 1.10
Ditto and Caesar's Column 1.25
Ditto and Our Republican Mon
archy by Venier Voldo 1.10
The above books for sale at this of
fice, or sent postpaid as follows:
Looking Backward 50 cts.
Caesar's Column. . . 50 cts,
Labor and Capital 20 cts.
Our Republican Monarchy 25 cts
Address,
Alliance Pub. Co.," Lincoln, Neb.
ALLIANCE BADGES
We present herewith an
illustration of the badge
which is being made in
Chicago for the Nebraska
Alliance. it , is a very
prettv thing, in the form of
a scarf or bosom pin. Its color is gold,
and red. white and blue. It is about
half an inch wide and six-eighths of an
inch loner, and is a very neat and orna
mental pin.
Secretary Thompson will furnish this
badge to Alliances at the rate of $17.50
per 100. Sing, i samples, sent oy man,
20 cents each.
POTATOES WANTED.
Persons having potatoes to sell by the
Inad rrtease address Cha's E. Sta-
berg, Westmark, Phelps Co., Neb.,
stating kind, quality and price f . o, b.
reran
ONLY TWO PARTIES.
There is room for only two great po
litical parties in this country. There
will always be certain leading princi-
pies around wnicn a majority ui iuy
people will roup themselves until they
become' the established laws, vv ere
government by party uncomplicated by
the power of public patronage, which
after a party has been long in power
degenerates to public plunder, the
change in the character of parties and
partisan issues would be much more
frequent than it is. , As a rule parties
achieve power through considerations
of principle. They too often retain it
solely by force of the'money there is in
it. The republican party arose out of
a great national emergency. It was
heir to a noble cause bequeathed to it
by that Kttle band of patriots who
formed the abolition party. These were
made of sterling stuff. They made no
compromises. They denounced any
concession to slavery as a compact
with hell. They had no hope of office.
They braved contumely and contempt
and derision. They were martyrs when
there was need of martyrdom. They
were composed of that noble metal that
mankind begins by hating and ends by
canonizing. They were men who were
dissatisfied with the existing order of
things. Their memories illuminate
history, and good men blush at the
treatment the world gave them in their
lives. Through the events arising out
of the rebellion the abolition cause
achieved its final and lasting fulfillment.
But this victory developed a powerful
party, with hundreds of millions at its
disposal, hedged about with all power
ful influences, and glorified by the pres
tige of success in a great cause. But
this very aggregation of patronage and
influence made the control of the new
party a brilliant prize for the financial
power which the necessities of the
country had called into being. Uuscru
pulous and aspiring men conspired with
this power to sieze and hold the ma
chinery of this party for their own self
ish purposes. Under their control our
laws have been perverted into a gigan
tic system of taxation and oppression.
Interests too powerful for individuals
to grapple with extended the arena of
politics and gave the aphorism of Jack
son that "to the victor belongs the
spoils " a biting application which the
American people will never forget.
Railroad corporations, standard oil
corporations, bank corporations, joined
to hold the people's hands and pick
their pockets. No era of the world's
history has seen so much wealth ex.
torted from producers through the
agency of perverted laws as the past
twenty-five years. Under the blighting
influence of these vampire interests the
republican party became the party of
the monopolists, the party of the weal
thy and exclusive, the party of the pro
fessional politician, the party of those
who are enlarging and extending the
privileges of the few and absorbing and
blighting the rights of the Wftny, Many
of its noble founders have gone to their
long homes. Its old-time record has
passed into liistory. Beneath the aegis
of its name brigands and plutocrats
seek shelter. That they may be buried
in its ruins is the earnest prayer of
many patriots. The people are aroused
as never before since '61, and in their
Samson strength are grasping the pil
lars of its temple.
The democratic party is as much
un
and . It
der the control of the railroad
money power as is the republican
is idle to suppose that it can ever be re
generated to become a party of the peo
ple. Burdened with the memory of a
disloyal record, divided in its councils
to-day between two distinctly opposite
ideas, the delusive hope of power is its
only cohesive principle.
With the two old parties in this situa
tion there is going on a great upheaval
of the people, the underlying idea of
which is "the rights of the many in
stead of the privileges of the few."
This upheaval means what the same
thing meant in 'ob and 'bl. It means
that the American idea has taken a new
start. It means that the patience of
the American people at the daugerous
centralization of commercial and politi
cal power is about exhausted, and that
they have again determined that a gov
ernment by the people, for the people
and of the people shall not perish from
the earth.
There will be only two great parties.H
One of these will be the party of the J
rAnrlp Tts first creat vietorv will be
I in Nebraska on the 4th day of next
November.
SENATOR QUAY AND THE PARTY,
To an old man who grew gray in the
republican party, like the editor of this
paper, the present- condition of that
party is provocative of melancholy
musings. No matter how entirely
estranged from the love of his early
years one may become, his or her de
bauchery and disgrace can never be
witnessed with any but feelings of pain
and regret. The spectacle of a Christian
philanthropist Taising a purse of $200,
000 as a campaign fund, and getting
paid for it with a cabinet position; and
the spectacle of an Indiana politician
disbursing the money in the purchase
of voters in bloeks of five, are not in
spiring to the average American citizen
to say the least, h But now comes Sen
ator Quay, chairman of the republican
national committee the acknowledged
chosen leader and representative of the
grand old party. He was ; accused of
embezzling several hundred thousand
dollars. Time -along time was given
him for a denial. 1 His lips remained
closed
He is bow openly branded on
the floor of the house of representatives
as a convicted thief. He remains silent.
More than that, he remains at the head
of the party,' and as ; such retains his
leadership in the senate, and no senator
rises in his place and demands that he
clear his skirts or step down and out
Are all those men so corrupt that they
dare not call down one of their num
ber? Have they all shared that pigf
A prominent man in this state was
convicted of a much less crime, and his
name was promptly expunged from the
list of people's speakers, and he was
relegated to the obscurity which all
such seoundrels deserve. Woe to the
party that becomes bo corrupt that it
dare not expel its villains. ,
THE JOURNAL AND THE RAIL
ROADS. ,;
In one of its late articles in defence of
the B. & M. R. the State Journal has the
following:
"But the object of this discussion is to
show why Nebraska and her cities are
thriving -while in Iowa especially no com
mercial eenter has thriven since the adop
tion of the exceptionally low local tar
iff by the railroad commission, for the
plain reason that it is against the inter
ests of the roads to build up a distribut
ing point where the local rates are so low
that it is unremunerative to the roads
to break bulk and take short hauls for
the benefit of the wholesale trade of a
town.
To wa's jobbing trade has gone glim
mering since the railroad commission
got in its work. You can be pretty
sure that if by law you fix things so that
a railroad will lose money in hauling
goods from any distributing point to
the surrouading'small towns, the roads
will be pretty sure to make it unremu
nerative for the jobbers to do business
in that city."
The above is compounded of fool
nonsense and villainy. The man who
can look around him and assert that
Nebraska and her cities are thriving is
either a purblind ass or a knave. There
isn't a city in theT state that hasn't the
sign "for rent" in the windows of busi
ness houses on every street. There
isn't a city in the state in which less
than three-fourths of the lots are mort
gaged, and the editor of the Journal
knows it. There isn't a city in the
state that is inaugurating any business
enterprises which are not based either
on real estate speculations or on gov
ernment or municipal bounties and
taxation. The editor of the Journal
knows, if he knows anything, that the
country is on the ragged edge of a finan
cial crisis which is averted from time to
time oy tne government bolstering up
Wall street with supplies of U. S. funds.
It is true that as you go east activities
are duller, and as you go west the re
verse. This is simply the natural dif
ference between new and older coun
tries. That there is to-day any practi
cal difference between the prosperity of
Iowa and Nebraska is absurd.
Now let us look at the villany of it
Look again at the last sentence of the
above extract. It is the railroad organ
and brigand combined, and that's what
the Journal is. Jay Gould told the peo
pie of Columbus, from the rear of his
palace car, that if they did not comply
with his wishes he would "make the
grass grow in their streets." The Jour
nal says if you do not make things
satisfactory for the roads thev will
throttle your trade and ruin your towns.
Government ownership and control is
the only true solution,
fc-The Bee says, "A city rock-pile
for tramps and vags would rid this city
of hundreds of worthless beings who will
not otherwise workand who readily de
velope into tramps and highwaymen."
The " citv rock piles" accumulated by
millionaires and would-be millionaires
like the editor of the Bee are what makes
tramps and vags. To be without money
and without employment is to be a vag,
in the estimation of these virtuous gen
tlemen. There are honest young men
without either under the same roof with
this editor now. Getting rid of them
in one place would inflict them on some
other place, wouldn't it, and would not
benefit community much, on the average.
If Mr. Rosewater would exert himself to
provide honest labor for those who want
it instead of setting them at stone-piles
like felons, he would seem a little more
like a human being. The man who would
set men at stone-piles would kick them
off from the edge of the world if he could.
True, they " rapidly develope" into crim
inals. Institute some fair system of dis
tribution that would equitably divide the
surplus city " rock-piles " and you would
cure most of that. What would you do,
Mr. Rosewater, if you had no money and
no credit and could get no work, and
society treated you like an outcast, as
you propose, and your wife and children
were starving? Just sav, now. You'd
" develope," would ntt you?
SLANDERS THICKENING.
)THE EXPENSES OF THE ST. LOUIS
DELEGATES.
We are , informed bv our esteemed
friend Richard Willard, of Thayer Co.,
that it is being reported that $150 00 were
appropriated for the expenses of two del
egates to the National Alliance last win
ter, and that John H. Powers and J.
Burrows were the recipients of the mo
ney. The facts are that $150 00 were ap
propriated, and that the money was di
vided between twelve delegates, making
$12 50 each, or less than the railroad fare.
And no delegates had free transporta
tion. All the . slanders connected with
the Alliance will be found to have the
same kind of a foundation ; and it is ex
tremely doubtful whether the men who
originate these slanders would make the
sacrifices for the cause which are made
by the men they malign.
Secretary Thompson has the voucher
of each delegate for his pro rata share o
the money appropriated by the Execu
tive Committee.
There is a healthy sentiment growing
in the different states to have the consti
tution so changed . that United, States
senators , will be : elected direct by the
people. The, Bee championed this re
form sixteen years ago and secured the
insertion of the clause permitting the
people to indicate their choice for United
States senator into the constitution o
1875. Omaha Bee. , T ; , , '
What cause the Bee championed : six
teen years ago, or five or two years ago,
is immaterial. How are you shooting now
is the question.
Jed
The Long and the Short Haul.
The Lincoln Journal realizes that the
present campaign hinges very largely
on thfreight question and the manage
ment of railroads. It accordingly has
little to say about tariff clap-trap but
corses manfully up to the scratch to de
fend its client, the B. & M. railroad.
This is all riffht. It as what it is paid
C5 -
for doing, the same as an attorney is
paid for defending a rogue. But it has
a . very bad case, and is compelled to
handle it in a very gingerly manner on
very narrow principles. The question
really at hand is not whether the farm
ers of Nebraska are robbed a little more
or a little less than those of the neigh"
boring states, but whether the princi
ples upon which rates are adjusted are
correct and statesmanlike, and whether
the rates themselves are just.
The same assured margin of profit
that will give a retailer full control of a
local market will give a wholesaler con
trol of a remote one. If A. in Nebraska
and B. in Chicago can manufacture a
product at equal cost, they are upon
an equal footing as regards their own
local market, provided the rates of
freight are fair and equitable. But if
B. was to distribute his goods in Ne
braska from Chicago for one-tenth of
one per cent cheaper than A. he can
crowd A. out of the business. This is
the exact state of affairs at present, ex
cept a vastly greater percentage, and it
applies to the valleys of the Mississippi
and Missouri rivers, modified by cir
cumstances. Cheap through transpor
tation for the cereals affords no solution
of the problem. If the ordinary Ne
braska farmer could have his wheat and
corn transported to Liverpool from
river points for nothing, the business of
raising it for export would eventually
land him in the poor house.
This is an enforced system, and dis
crimination between the long and short
haul or a high rate on what the roads
claim is only ten per cent of their busi
ness,is responsible for it. Its results are
as inevitable as those of any other well
known law of trade.
Let us now inquire briefly into the na
ture of some of those results.This system
tends to build up great commercial cen
tres at the expense of the interior, con
centrating in those centres a dangerious
proletariat population, which is a con
tinual menace to our Republican iosti
tutions. It prevents the establishment
of manufacturing and wholesale houses
at rural centres, and thereby prevents
the diversification of farming industry,
confining our agricultural productions
to a few staple products which will bear
long transportation. It concentrates
wealth into the hands of comparatively
few people, and retards civilization and
education in the same ratio as it pre
vents the general diffusion of wealth
It is thus building up a monied aristo
cracy, fostering a government of class,
and endangering our republican institu
tions, and it finally re acts against the
best interests of the railroads, which
would be largely promoted by the great
est diffusion of wealth among the whole
people.
Other things being equal, manufactur
ing interests nna tneir oest location
near -or at the point of consumption,
ven a lack of raw material is neutral
ized bv the fact that raw material can
be transported cheaper than finished
products. Under a pro rata- system of
tariffs, or one in which the short haul is
possible, manufacturing and wholesal
ing would follow this natural law, and
at every convenient distributing point
establishments of these kinds would
spring up to fill the demand. This
would result in diffusing through the
interior that greatest element of pros
perity, labor; in diversifying the indus
try of the farmers; in bringing the pro
ducer and consumer together. It would
seem unnecessary to detail to the
thoughtful man the long line of benefits
resulting from such a state of affairs.
But the present system has precisely the
contrary effect. By such enormously
high charges as we have named for the
short haul, it forces commerce into un
natural channels to the detriment of
the producer, the operative and the
consumer, in tne case oi tne producers
their raw products are sold to the local
buyer, by him are sold to the jobber,
pay charges for a long transportation,
are sold to the manufacturer and trans
formed into useful articles.are sold again
to the jobber,are by him re-sold to the re
tailer, re-shipped to distributing points,
paying again an enchancedrate of freight
and are now ready tor sale to the con
sumer, at a cost 200 to 2000 per cent
greater than when they left the pro
ducer's hands. In the case of the oper
ative. he is huddled in unhealthy cities,
with contaminated air, high rent, costly
living, demoralizing 'associations. The
acquisition of a free hold is almost an
impossibility; squallor and ignorance
are often coacomitants of the situation.
What wonder if communistic ideas gain
a foot hold in such places, and riots and
disorder are a dailv menace. Contrast
this situation with the same capital and
same business ainusea at smaiier uis
tributing points throughout the coun
try. Cheap lands where operatives
could acquire homes; cheap rents; cheap
Irving; free, pure air; all healthy sur
roundings. Our great commercial and
ma nufacturing centres are a standing
m:nace to our free institutions. Who
does not know that New York city en
joys a republican form of ' government
only in name; and the other great cen
u" ufres of the country are the same only in
., A less de
degree.'. ';,' . ;
On the farmer the effect is equally
bad, only ameliorated by more healthy
surroundings. By this enforced system
his production is confined to a few sta-
pc .aracies wuicu wui uear mug iraus-
portation. . Deprived of home markets,
he is prevented from diversifying his in
dustry ; and without this power he is
doomed to perpetual poverty. The only
real reward which hasbeen found in wes
tern farming for many years, has been
theadvance of farming lands.' Depriv
ed as he now is of the resource of cheap
lands and at the same time continue the
present system of concentrating capital,
manufaturing and population . at the
great centres, and farming must inevi
tably drop to an occupation which will
afford a mere subsistence: and farmers
themselves become mere serfs. This is
undoubtedly the tendency f the times.
Short Sketch of Hon. John Batie, inde
pendent Candidate for State Auditor.
John Batie was born in London,
province ot untano, uanaaa, in ioy,
of parents who emigrated from England
in an early day. He settled near Rock
ford, Ills., in 1851 and engaged in farm
ing. Afterward, with a view to better
ing his condition, removed to Blooming
ton, Wis., and continued the same bus
iness. Mr. Batie, on the formation of
the republican party, united himself
with it, his convictions and predilec
tions , being in" favor of freedom. His
first vote was cast for John C. Fremont
for President. He afterwards voted
for Lincoln twice and Grant twice. Af
ter that time he rebelled against the
corruptions and . monopolistic tenden
cies of that party, and severed his con
nection with it. In 1876 he voted for
Peter Cooper for President, and ; has
voted for different reform candidates
since that time.
Mr. Batie came to Nebraska in 1881,
and engaged in the business of stock
raising in Wheeler county. He now re
sides in that county, and is in the same
business, in which he is eminently suc
cessful. In fact, he is a successful busi
ness man in all directions, always hav
ing carried to success any enterprise he
has undertaken, which augurs well for
his election as State Auditor.
Mr. Batie was the first commissioner
of Wheeler county, aad has held that
position for five terms. He was elected
county judge, and held that position un
til 1887, when he left the county tempo
rarily, and resigned the position. Mr
Batie is a gentleman in every sense of
the word. He is a man of fine presence
as well as strong convictions; and no
man in the State possesses the confi
dence of his fellow citizens who know
him best to a greater degree than he.
We most sincerely wish he could meet
every voter in the State between this
time and the 4th day of November, as
to meet him is to be captivated and cap
tured by him.
l rue iumiiAA lun kjv nun. aiixi y
ROOT.
Too late for comment in our last issue
came the news of the nomination by
the congressional committee of Hon.
Allen Root, of Douglas Co., for mem
ber of congress from the first district
The vacancy on the ticket in the first
district was as unfortunate as it was
unnecessary. The course of the man
who caused it has been beneath con
tempt. We wish it was also beneath
criticism. Any delay in announcing
his decision as to accepting the nomina
tion was upnecessary and without ex
cuse. The delay has had the effect of
deliberate treachery, has played direct
ly into the hands of Mr. Connell, and
has worked irreparable harm to the
people's cause in the first district.
Mr. Root is a man of most sterling in
tegrity; and his position upon all ques
tions in which the welfare of the people
concerned is well known. He is a
man of great ability and strong convic
tions, without the shadow of the trim
mer or temporizer in his constitution.
Should he be elected he would worthily
represent this district, and make a
mark in congress that would be remem
bered.
TAKE THE OFFENSIVE.
Carry the War Into Africa.
There is an effort on the part of the
railroad party to put the independents
on the defensive. This is good tactics on
their part, but it will be very bad tactics
on our part to permit it. The inde
pendent party has nothing to explain.
There are no credit mobilier steals, no
back salary grabs, no rapes of political
conventions, no corruption of the fran
chise, no prostitution of public powers
and duties to the uses of corporations
that the independents have to account
for. It is for the railroad partj- the
party whose ship is leaking the party of
Howe and Richards and Hastings and
Benton to show why Nebraska farms
are mortgaged, why the country is full
of tramps, why the most prolific crop of
the past twenty years has been million
aires and paupers, why, in short, it is
so extremely necessaiy to man the
pumps.
Do not go on the offensive. Carry the
war into Africa. Let the railroad party
do the explaining. ,
A NOBLE WORKER. ' '
vv. Wrights red head leaves a
glowing train of light wherever he goes.
We are receiving enthusiastic ' letters
from nearly all the places at which he
speaks. We have such letters from Nel
son, Central City and Hastings, and
other places. Mr. Wright is surprising
the people of the state by reading his
tory. Thousands of men express them
selves as amazed at the historical facts
Mr. W. presents. The history he quotes
was written by auditor Benton, and is
entitled," " Settlement of the Auditor of
Public Accounts, showing the appro
priations made and the money expended
by" the 21st session of the legislature.''
Unlike most writers of veritable his
torv.' Mr. Benton regrets that he ever
wrote1 this book, and would be glad to
suppress it. It is quite difficult to ob
tain" copies of it at the state house.
Mr. Kem is , also giving an excellent
account of himself: at his meetings.
These red headed fellows are stayers.
HSf To inake commerce" free . remove
all taxes from imports; to make land free
concentrate all taxes upon it. Henry
Geobge. s , , , . ,
When writing to advertisers be sure
to mention The Farmers' Alliance.
AN INTERCEPTED LETTER.
Tommy Benton to Church Howe.
Board of, Transportation,
; Lincoln, Sept. 18, 1890.
My Dear Church: Things are get
ting mixed. The leaks are increasing.
We are likely to get into the drink unless
something is done. My part of the old
ship is just flooded, and my pump is
busted. As you used to mix things, and
know considerable about drinks, per
haps you can get us out of the scrape.
The "dear people" dodge don't work
worth a cent. The platform fake seems
to be of no account this year. The
cussed voters are just getting too par
ticular for anything. They are looking
at everybody's record. t It's only fel
lows like Hill who never make a record,
but make careful bargains, who seem to
have any show. Men like me who stand
by their friends, are the ones to le
slaughtered. The Alliance women are
singing songs against me; and when it
comes to that a fellow might as well
come down.
You know, old fellow, when we fixed
this thing up the roads were depended
on for something. It seems to me it's
time for them to whack up. If you
needed $125,000 to fix the legislature
that didn't meet, we certainly ought to
have as much to make the board safe
"A bird in the hand," you know. What
will vour road do? And how soon are
you going back to duty? This resigna
tion dodge is getting a little thin, isn't
it? It was a mighty nice thing' in view
of the proposed meeting of the legisla
ture, of course; but that's all played now
Of course don't care much about
this election anyhow. If I'm defeated
I'm sure of a good thing, you know. The
roads take good care of the men who die
with their boots on. But its different
with vou. If we lose this election the
party is eternally gone to smash, am1
you'll never get to congress in the world
You can't afford to let it go! You must
plug her up. The five roads in this
state, the insurance men and the fellows
at the pen can afford to whack up a
million rather than lose this fight. That
icould stop a big leak, wouldn't it? An
in using the money you could fix it solit
for yourself, you know. Look it up
right away, old fellow. There isn't any
time to lose.
Yours, with a flag at half-mast,
Tiios. H. Benton.
P. S. A little red-headed devil namet
Wright is raising thunder all over the
state with figures from one of my re-
ports. You had some of these stealings,
you know.
Ihe ship is on her beam ends sure
enough, and the pumps won't work.
T. H. B.
' P. P. S. The Board has fixed lots o
pumps and platforms on the different
lines but it don't seem to be able to fix
the pumps and platforms on the politica
line. T. II. B.
Excuse my levity. I'm like the Irish
man who was to be hanged. He said,
"plaze, Mr. Sheriff, put the rope under
me arrums. O'im ticklish about me
neck." That's about the way I feel.
Tommy.
What would you think ot putting a
little sand in our soup for a regular
thing from now till November?
Tom-
General J. B. Weaver, the Iowa greenback
politician, has again declined the nomination
for congress on the union labor ticket in the
Seventh district. His flrst declination naa a
string to it, but his last letter is final and em
phatic. If Mr. Weaver has at last awakened
to the fact that his visionary schemes are im-
Eracticable, there possibly is yet a chance tor
is political salvation. Omaha Bee.
The Bee knows the above statement to
be false. General Weaver declined the
democratic nomination in the Seventh
district. He did not decline because of
any change in his principles or convic
tions, but because he had participated in
a previous convention which, with his
sanction and approval, had nominated
another man for the same position, and
he did not believe he could honor
ably enter the lists against him.
This kind of misrepresentation by the
railroad papers is dishonorable and con
temptible. A COLD WAVE IN THE NORTH
WEST. A cold wave struck the northwest Sept.
12th. It followed a heavy rain, which
turned to snow, covering the ground
to the depth of four inches.
At Pierre, Dakota, it was said to be
the most sudden change from warm to
cold ever known.
The rain and snow has done great
damage to wheat, and threshing is
stopped for a week.
Reports come also of hard cold rains
in the east; but Nebraska weather con
tinues sunny and delightful.
The professional farmers' friends,
both at headuarters and in the field, are
failing to excite the popular enthusiasm
which they expected would meet their
deceitful efforts. The reformer's skin
in which they cloaked themselves when
the campaign first started is growing
threadbare, and the ears of the fraud
are becoming longer and plainer.
Omaha Bee.
We would like to inquire what will
satisfy the Bee in the way of enthusi
asm. Isn't an attendance of 10,000 at
an independent picnic, or a parade five
miles long, sufficient? .
' THE BEE A LIBELLER.
The Bee says that Hon, W. A. McKie-
ghan has accepted railroad passes and
used them in this campaign. We'll bet
the editor of the Bee a hundred dollars
that this is a lie out of whole cloth. The
Bee and its railroad coadjutors have ac
cused McKieghan of every crime in the
calendar, but have not yet called him a
fool.
Independent Clubs..,..;
' Again we invite attention to the form
of constitution for 'independent clubs
which we havev printed. We will furn
ish these forms at cost. .These clubs
cost nothing to organize, ana all are
eligible. This last is an important
point. Send stamD for a form.
THE SAUNDERS COUNTY EXHIBIT
AT THE STATE FAIR.
Politics in the State Board of Agriculture.
Discrimination Against the Alliance.
When the question ot sending an ex
hibit from Saunders county came up be-
bre the county agricultural society it
was determined not to send one. This
caused some dissatisfaction among
those who thought the county ought to
be represented at the fair, and the mat
ter was taken before the County Alli
ance. This is strictly a non-partisan
society composed of farmers who are
all interested in the welfare and reputa
tion of their county. This body deter
mined that there should be an exhibit,,
and appointed a committee to prepare
and enter one, and attend to the whole
matter. The chairman of the commit
tee was S. II. Moss, who we believe is
also president of the county agricultu
ral society. The committee did its
work exceedingly well, and Saunders
county was worthily represented by
one of the finest and most comprehen
sive exhibits at the fair, all except
some mineral specimens procured and
prepared within her borders. This
exhibit was entered as the Saunders
county exhibit, the Alliance claiming
no credit in the matter. But it came
to the knowledge of the state board, or
some members of it, that the Alliance
was instrumental in preparing the ex
hibit, and for that reason and that
alone, all premiums and all mention
were withheld from the Saunders coun
ty exhibit. In other words, the state
board, for so-called political reasons,
withheld the credit that was justly tine
to the Saunders county people for pre
paring their exhibit.
We think that the circumstances de
manded that the Saunders county ex
hibit should receive special mention for
disinterested enterprise shown in se
curing it. But instead of this the
board allowed political narrow-minded
jealousy to iaduce them to do a great
injustice to the Saunders county peo
ple, and to cause heart-burnings that it
will take a long time to cool. The
State Board of Agriculture cannot af
ford to W influenced by any such self
ish considerations.
Questions in Regard to Charges,
Trials
Etc.
Editor- Alliance: I wish to obtain
some information for the good of t lu
Alliance in this county:
1. Can a member of any Sub. Alli
ance prefer charges against a brother
belonging to another Sub. Alliance?
2. Can a brother not a member of the
County Alliance, be tried before the
County Alliance?
3. If the wrong done is not against a
brother in the Alliance, but persons out
side of the Alliance, is it the duty of the
Alliance to notice it?
4. If a brother failed to obey instruc
tions committed to him by an indepen
dent convention, has the County Alli
ance the right to prefer charges, ami
try, and if found guilty, punish, him
Fraternallyyourv,
W. IL Stonk,
Sec. Gosper Co. Alliance.
1. Charges can be preferred in tho
Alliance of which the brother charged
is a memoer oy a oromer who is it
member in good standing of another
Alliance..
2. Charges against a brother not a
member of the Couuty Alliance can
only be brought before that body on an
appeal from the decision of a Subordi
nate Alliance.
3. If a wrong is done and charges are
properly preferred it makes no differ
ence against whom the wrong is done.
But a person not a member cannot
prefer charges against a member.
4. A brother can do as he pleases
about obeying instructions from an in
dependent or any other political con
vention. The Alliance would have no
jurisdiction in any case. The iud'iK,ii
dent party is an organization entirely
distinct from the Alliance.
We advise Brother stone to carefully
read article XI of the constitution.
E2?Mr. Wright had rousing meetings
at Humphrey Friday, the 12th, at Leigh
Saturday, and at Wisner Monday the
15th. Mr. Wright is doing first cl:is
campaign work.
BOYD A DEAD DUCK.
The nomination of Boyd, and the de
fection and indifference to the ticket of
such sterling democrats as Brown.
Morton, Poppleton, Wakeley and a
host of others, has fallen like a wet
blanket upon the democracy of Ne
braska. Personal character goes a long
ways, even in politics; and the attempt
to put such a man as Jim Boyd upon
the democratic farmers of this state
does not go down. These men are
flocking to the independent ticket in
larger numbers than ever, and we have
yet to hear of a ingle democratic farm
er who has deserted the independent
movement. The fight is solely between
Powers and Richards, and if the election
could be held tomorrow Powers would
get there by fifteen thousand plurality.
The republican cry that the Ailimce
is democratic is too thin, and is entirely
exploded. It Is just democratic enough
to retain the democratic members who
are disgusted with old party rule, and
gain thousands of new ones. The pro
hibs see the cat. They will throw away
few votes on their own candidate, ami
none on Richards or Boyd.
M'KEIGHAN AND HARLAN
AT
HASTINGS.
Of the so-called debate at Hasting
the Phelps county Herald says:
Personally Mr. Harlan is undoubtedly
above reproach, but in point of ability
he is a mighty poor stick, compared to
McKeighan. As a speaker he is, if any
thing of less force than Laws. At the
Hastings debate McKeichan pounded
him allover the field, and twice during
his reply Harlan became so confused
that he stammered and failed of words
entirely. r The audience shouted in
derision, ; and McKeighan twice arose
and requested that his opponent be ac
corded a respectful hearing. The peo-
fuVs candidate has the advantage loth
d personal qualifications and the prin
ciples he advocates. "
EST Read the article
Harpster, in this paper.
of Bro. C. U.
cars.
'A