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About The Alliance-independent. (Lincoln, Nebraska) 1892-1894 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 3, 1892)
THE ALLIANCE -INDEPENMM 4 CAMPAIGN MEETINGS A Series of the Most Brilliant and Suc cessful Bailies Ever Held in Nebraska. A EEVIEW OF THE CAMPAIGN. The Independent Champions Have Been Victorious in Every Joint Debate. Good Words for Candidates. So many and so great have been the independent meetings during the latter part of the campaign that we have found it utterly impossible to report but few of them and those but briefly. Such an unbroken series of brilliant and successful rallies we believe were never hold in the state. To begin with, the joint debates be tween independent and republican can didates have invariably drawn large crowds, and almost as invariably have the independents been largely in the majority in those crowds. The repub lican papers of the state have made persistent and labored efforts to report grand victories for their champions in all these debates. In fact they have made themselves ridiculous by these efforts. Their stereotyped phrases have become tiresome even to their own partisans. We have used every means in our reach to ascertain the truth regarding these joint discussions. And we ex press no more than the simple truth when we say that in not a single joint discussion has an independent cham pion been worsted, while in at least nine cases out of ten the independents have achieved signal triumphs. The independent champions have shown the justice of their cause, and the sophistry of their opponents; they have shown their sincerity and earnest ness while their opponents have shown insincerity and hypocrisy. The independents have aroused storms of genuine enthusiasm, while the republi cans have aroused but little enthusiasm and that was mostly "made to order." Nothing has so clearly demonstrated the weakness and . helplessness of the republican cause as the methods they have adopted to get crowds. In all parts of the state, they have organized what one of our correspondents has very aptly namedflying squadrons," that is clubs c of republicans who go from place to place to swell the crowds and furnish ready-made enthusiasm. In some cases these flying -squadrons have cons' sted largely of the hoodlum element and they have lost their party votes by iheir disgraceful actions. In all parts of the state the railroads have furnished free transportation for republicans. In some cases they have had free passes. In others that formal ity has been dispensed with and a re publican badge has peen sufficient to pass the wearer. A few days ago several independent for the sake of a "picnic" donned re publican badges, and took a- free ride all the way from Neligh to Lincoln to swell a republican torch-light process ion. A reporter of this paper not long ago interviewed a member of one of the flying squadrons who lives in Lin coln. He said when they went out to rallies at outside towns, the captain of the club would get passes for theciowd. On one occasion they had only fifty passes and the crowd numbered seventy five. They all chipped in to pay for for the extra twenty-five. These in dividual instances are cited merely as illustrations. In no case has there been any denial of this free tran sportation of republicans. Another thing that has been a source of weakness to the republicans and of strength to the independents, is the mode of warfare adopted by the former. They have made relentless warfare on tho re form movement. They have de pended on brutal abuse and senseless ridicule. They have indulged in gross unfairness and misrepresentation of the independents. Instead of appealing to reason, and patriotism, they have hurled insults at tho people. At the same time, they have carefully ayoided any attacks on their old-time enemies, the democrats. On the other hand the independents have appealed to reason and a sense of justice. They have treated their opponents with marked courtesy and fairness. In a'l cases they have taken hold of the real issues with deep earnestness, and discussed them with marked ability. Aside from the joint debates, a vast number of great meetings have been held. The independent candidates for congress have made brilliant cam paigns and have been tireless in their efforts to arouse and educate the peo ple on national issues. The candidates on the state ticket have all been in the field almost incessantly talking to the people on statq and national issues. And they have done able and effective service. The candidates have been seconded by a corps of as able orators as ever poured forth burning words in defence of a noble cause. W. L. Greene of Kearney, who for thrilling elo quence and convincing logic has no superior in the United states; Rich ard Trevellick, that grand bid radical whose words of fire burn through the gauzy sophistries and lay bare the na ked rugged truth; Carl Brown wbo in his peculiar way has done a work of education that no one else has equalled; honest John H. Powers so well known and loved by the people; Hon. E. C. Rewick whose fearless exposure of republican rottenness at Lincoln has won more votes than any other inci dent of the campaign; J, W. Edgerton, W. S. Prickett and a dozen more whom lack of space forbids us to mention. The candidates and the speakers have made a noble fight. The state committee has worked hard and faith fully. One thing is needed to con summate the work, and that is for the voters" to do their duty on election day. GENERAL WEAVER'S MEETING- The exceedingly unfavorable weather has of courso militated against the suc cess of General Weaver's meetings this week. Notwithstanding that, the meet ings at Norfolk and Grand Island have been very successful. And the meet ing at Lincoln to-day (Wednesday) is the greatest that has been here for two years. We would be glad to give our readers a full report, but it cannot be done without delaying the paper, and we do not wish to do that. We are very much afraid this issue will fail to reach our subscribers till after election anyway, as report' are coming in r from many places that independent mail matter is being held back. Don't fail to put a cross opposite the name of every Weaver and Field elec tor." ;,,,'K . . - ' ' SOMETHING CROOKED- Two weeks ago wo gave a write-up of the illegal compromise effected by the state officers with the defaulting trcas urer of Valley county and his bonds men. We stated that a settlement was illegally made for $1,247 less than the amount judgment had been obtained for. The amount of tho judgment was $4,033.50. Tho amount received by the state $3,356.28. These aro tho figures as we published them. But tho gcod people of Valley county aro not satisfied with this statement. They insist that no such sum was paid by the bonds men. . Hon. E. J. Clements, a republican, who was county attorney when the suit against the bondsmen was first institut ed stated to a Alliance-Independent reporter that he know personally that the bondsmen borrowed $2,500 at the Fi-st National bank of Ord; that $600 of this went to Ilobbins and Babcock, their attorneys, and that the balance was used to pay all other expenses and settle the judgment. Two of the bonds men, one a democrat, and tho other an independent, say they aro positive none of the money ever reached tho state treasury. Clements is ono of the best lawyers, as well as ono of tho most re liable citizens of Valley county and h?s word goes a long way with all who know him. This matter first came to our atten tion through a letter written by D. McCall of Valley county. He wrote that the amount paid by tho bondsmen to satisfy the judgment was believed to be $1,800. This harmonizes with the statement of Clements. Shortly after receiving this letter, we went to Auditor Benton and asked for information concerning the settle ment. He said as near as he could re member tho judgment was settled for $1,800. Then turning to a clerk , he asked him to look up the records of the case. The clerk did as directed and found among tho papers a receipt for $3,356.28 signed by J. E. Hill, treasurer. This we took for conclusive evidence that the matter had been compromised for that amount. But taking all the facts together, Auditor Benton's first remark is certainly a strong confirma tion of the position taken by the Valley county people. Wo can get no nearer than this to the truth of the matter at present. But we propose to probe this matter to the bottom. Meanwhile, if the state offi cers concerned, desire to clear their reputations of suspicion they have an excellent opportunity. It seems thatons W. H. Michaels, an attachee of Senator Manduson, has come all the way from Washington to make a campaign against McKeighan. It seems that M ichaels left Nebrask a few years ago, and left behind him a loud-smelling reputation. Now a num ber of papers are so unkind as to give his reputation an airing. It Is very disagreeable to the olfactories of the people, but the independents can cer tainly stand it if the republicans can, for it is making hundreds of votes for McKeighan. Tobe Castor is working the Vif quain boom to beat Dech. When the returns come in Dech will be 4,000 ahead of the Frenchman, and 1.500 ahead of the Hungarian. Allen FELDhas always been a tool of the corporations, banks and rings. The voters of this district should put a period to his political career next Tues-day. VOTE TOE HIATT. There is danger that In tho political excitement of election day, some inde pendents may lose sight of ono very im portant office, that of stato superinten dent of public instruction, hence we desire to call particular attention to it. The following are good reasons why independents should work just as hard for the election of Prof. Hiatt, as for any other candidate: First Mr. Hiatt Is by all odds tho ablest and best fitted candidate to fill the office. Ho is a gentleman and a scholar. He is a man of originality and energy, a successful and progressive educator. Second He has been In the field making an ablo and very effective can vass for tho election of our whole ticket and therefore deserves the hearty sup port of every loyal independent. Three Goudy, Mr. Hiatt's republi- opponent, is a rank partisan, and the re publican papers of the state, doubtless at his instance, have abused and mis represented Mr. Hiatt. Goudy has been guilty of rank nepotism in put ting his wife in as his deputy, thus practically drawing two salaries. He has, in order to save house rent, stored his household effects in the easement of tho capitol building. Only a few months ago, the Evening News, and State Journal, two of the principal organs of his own party, severely criticised Goudy for these and other offenses. Independent voters, remember these things on election day, and help elect to tho office of state superintendent that broad-minded genial gentleman, H. H. Hiatt. FABEWELL TOMMY. The State Journal has published In its editoral columns two long letters signed by one Thomas H. Pratt. The writer avers that the independent party has deserted its principles, and done several things that do not har monize with his high ' ideas of po litical rectitude. Hence he is con strained to betako himself to the shelter of tho dear old republican fold. Just what effect these letters have had outside of Lincoln we cannot say. Here they have been a source of much amusement. Tom Pratt is well known here as a contemptible little upstart. He has had an ambition to be a Ward Heeler, but never succeeded. He has always had a great itching for office. Not ong ago he off ered to put $100 into the independent campaign fund if he could have tho promise of being made oil in spector. He didn't get the promise. Pratt never wroto those letters. Hasn't sense enough. His departure rom the independent ranks is a great recommendation to the party, just as the departure of Jones and Currie was sometime ago. Allen W. Field was a member of the legislature in 1885. J. R. Baffing- ton, a member from Gage county in troduced a bill to have Boss Stout build a lot of state prisons around over the the state and work the conviets under contract. It was one of the most cor rupt and damnable measures introduc ed in any state legislature. Allen W. Field worked and voted for its passage. This alone is enough to condemn him in the minds of every honest voter. Again we say: Beware of all sensa tional stories and exposures sprung on the eve of election. A story that will not bear publishing in time to be an swered, is not worthy of any attention