12
-- THE NEBRASKA INDEPENDENT
JUNE 1 1, 1903.
THE EFFECTIVE BALLOT
A an Introduction to the Subject Mr.
Wakefield Points Oat Soma Dafvcta
of tha Presanl System
Editor Independent: To the thor
ough student of eociology nothing is
more surprising than the zeal of
many reformers in urging measures
which can be ocured only through
the political voice of the people, yet
utterly ignoring tne necessity of mak
ing the peoples wishes effective at
the ballot box. To obtain and to re
tain any truly democratic measure re
quires a tmlv uemocratic form of
government a" form through which
the people as a whole can speak ef
fectivelycan voice their wishes in
legislation can have equal voice !a
congress and legislature and in se
lection of executive officials. To say
we now have this form of govern
ment, this system of registering th 3
people's will, is to display gross is-?
norance of the science of govern
ment. We rely too much upon the wisdom
of our revolutionary forefathers, for
getting that they had been reared
and educated under the British mon
archy and had no democratic model
from which to copy. We also forget
that there was in the constitutional
convention a strong and able tory,
or aristocratic element, led by Hamil
ton, Dickinson and others, who be
lieved that "government is the bus!-,
ness of the rich and well .born," and
not of the masses. It is no accident
that Alexander Hamilton Is today the
patron saint of the republican party,
or that that party hates Jefferson, th i
father of American freedom, the mai
who said he was not afraid to trust
the common people with the power of
self-government, the man who so
cured the first ten amendments and
bill of rights, all there is of liberty !;u
our national government, and did '.t
against the active opposition of Ham
ilton and his monarchist followers.
WHAT IS AN EFFECTIVE BAL
LOT? ,
An effective ballot is a ballot that
affects something one that is effec
tive in the legislative and executive
functions of government, one that
gives the voter a representation in the
government under which he lives and
upon the character of which his wel
fare depends.
To say that a ballot cast for a de
feated candidate, cr that is wasted la
piling up a useless majority any ma
jority of more than fifty-one per cent
-is an effective one, is to trifle with
words, to distort language. How the
average voter would rage to be told
when trying to vote that he had been
disfranchised, yet he will cheerfully
deposit a ballot for candidates he
knows cannot be elected, or which do
I; ot represent his views if they ars
elected, or waste his vote in piling up
an unnecessary majority.
A ballot is effective only when cast
for an elected candidate, and not then
if the candidate was elected or the
measure carried without its help if
it was unnecessary, one more than a
majority.
Even the monarchies of Europe d
not elect by a minority plurality, is
we do. but require a second ballot be
tween the two highest candidates
when there is no majority on nrst
ballot.
,As a matter of fact, we rarely elect
congressmen, legislators, or state ot
firers. bv a maioritv vote, but by a
plurality only, this- plurality being
usually a minority or tne wnoie vow,
leaving the majority of voters total
ly unrepresented in fie government
.When we remember that this mi
nority plurality is cast for candidates
and measures dictated by a few ieaci
rrs in control of a political machine,
we see how much we lack of having
"a government of. by. and for thvi
people," and how Boss Hanna, B033
Piatt. Boss Aldrich. Boss Quay, etc.,
retain their power to plunder the
people.
"Of course the majority should
rule. ' is the popular maxim, but ma
jority rule Is practically impossible
so long as rs continue to elect by 1
nluralitv. Not since 1888 has the state
of Kansas elected a state government
nor a majority of congressmen by a
majority vote, though fusion has been
resorted to to prevent republicans
electing by a minority plurality.
Though it be true that th majority
should eovern. yet : does not tonow
that, minorities should be unrepre
sented, nor that their right to be
heard in legislative councils is lesn
sacred than that of the majority, ai
r.rnarrpss originates in a minority-
usually with a single person at first,
and it is a mistake to deprive these
progressive minorities of a voice In
rminril until they h?ve become a ma
jority plurality. - All shades of new
thought should be heard.
W. H. T. WAKEFIELD,
Mound City, Kas.
Five months trial trip, 25c.
Twenty-second annual meeting of
Nebraska state pharmaceutical asso
ciation adjourned at Grand Island,
Thursday. Officers elected: President,
Charles E. Hopping of Beaver City;
Oscar Baumann of Grand Island, sec
retary; Carl Spielman, Sutton, treas
urer; first vice president, Charles
Wilson of Brock; second vice presi
dent, P. G. Frandesen, Elba; third
.Ice president, Carl Phelan of Shel
by; fourth vice president, W. Shup
pach, Columbus; fifth vice president,
C. W. Root of Tec-mseh. The follow
ing were recommended to the state
board of pharmacy as members for
the board of examiners: Short term,
E. II. Dort, Auburn; W. Shuppac-V
Columbus; C. W. itoot, Wolbaeh; Ions
term, Harry Harper, Beatrice; George
Barth, Lincoln; W. M. Tonner, Lynch.
Cattle Ranches Make Geod Mwney
Here 13 a ranch in Keith county
wfth 1,400 acres: of deeded land and.
U4D acres of scnooi lana leasea; 11
miles from Ogallala and 2 miles froru
postoflice. One mile south of the
'latte river; the alfalfa land is sec
ond bottom Platte valley that nevsr
overflows; in an excellent neighbor
hood and near good school. One-third
of the land is smooth, one-third roll-
ng and one-third rough not bluffs.
but rough. 30U acres, of this is first-.
class alfalfa land; 130 acres under
cultivation; 80 acre3 in alfalfa, 30 n
orghum, 20 in corn. Good bundin&b,
sheds, etc., in fact every convenience
or handling cattle. The ranch Will
hanoie 200 to 300 head of cattle the
e.tr around wilii 'tne rcsent acreage
of alfalfa and with more alfalfa wi'J
handle more cattle. Price of the
ranch just as it stands, $10,000. Caa
give time on $3,000 of this if desired.
Owner also has 100 head of cows with
calves that he .will sell at market price
if desired. A gilt-edged ranch propo
sition that no one should overlook.
This Is No. 724.
Here is 1,650 acres of deeded land.
nearly all choice bottom on the Re
publican river in Hitchcock county;
alfalfa land some now growing as a
test. There goes with thi3 a lease
to one section of school land. Ex
ceptionally good frame buildings.
Fenced and cross fenced; 350 acre
under cultivation. An ideal ranch
proposition and this land will doubla
n value in a few years. Price com
plete, $19,000. This is No. 713.
This is a ranch In Dawes county of
5,280 acres of deeded land and three
sections leased adjoining; 36 miles ot
ence; improvements are good, frame
buildings; cuts 1,000 tons of hay; 600
acres fine bottom that will raise al
falfa; never failing running water.
No sand hills in this deal and everv
bot of the land would make good
farms. Price $5 per acre. We have
another ranch near this in Box Butte
county of 6,400 acres deeded -land, x4
miles from Alliance, fenced and cross
fenced and cuts 2,01)0 tons of hay; this
ranch owned by a banker and no ex
pense has been spared to make it the
very best. Price, $5 per acre.
A splendid ranch In Perkins county;
800 acres deeded land; 200 acres in
cultivation; smooth land, good black
soil and will raise anything; 9-room
house that cost $2,500, 4 barns, ono
38x44, one 14x44, one 22x36 and one
12x24, all frame; old house 30x36.,
suitable for tenant; cribs, granary,
coal house, repair shop, etc Cattle
barn 36x46, 4 corolls, 2 wells and wind
mills, etc. Ranch will handle 400
head of cattle annualy and has done
so for several years past 8 miles
from Vernango. The present owner
has lived here for 17 years and has
built up the ranch for a home; has
maue all his money here and as his
children are all grown and married ho
wants to move to town. Price of the
ranch complete, $10,000. He has 70
head of shorthorn cattle and 25 head
of horses that he will sell if desired,
worth $5,000. No. 683.
We have ranches large and small
and at all price? : can suit any one and
save buyers money. Write us just
what you want and allow us to submit
some of our bargains.
WEBER & FARRIS,
Lincoln, Neb.
Two Systems Wn hi
(A Lincoln gentleman, who is net
much enthused with the idea of a doti
ble telephone system in this city,
handed The Independent the follow
ing clipping from an towa paper, with
a request that it be reproduced The
"sweet singer" of Moline is one of tha
promoters of the new system here.
Ed! Ind.)
It takes a good deal of hard luck to
persuade some people, says the Da v
enport, la., Democrat, but by the per
sisnt hammering of stubborn facts
into them they finally get wisdom. It
hurts when it comes hard in that
way, but it comes to stay when l.
comes. .
Two or three years ago Moline
could not wait till she got a new tele
phone exchange. ndtening to the
siren song of that sweet singer, Frank
L. Bills, she believed that all she had
to do was to give him a franchise, and
tnen proceed to talk over a nice, new,
"independent" exchange, and throw
away the Central Union Telegraph
company's instruments. Bills sail
that this happened everywhere he
came down to earth. Whenever he lit
the grasping Bell monopoly withered
away like Jonah's gourd, and the new
"independent" exchange took the bus
iness at less than half the rates and
paid as high as 36 per cent dividend?.
Those are the very showings he made
r-gnt there in the office of the Demo
crat And Moline believed him.
The first thing that Moline's trust
ful souls discovered was that not all
the Central Union , telephones wero
taken out. Then they found that the
promises of limitless toll line cot
nections through the new exchange
were all wind. Then they discovered
that the instruments of the new ex
change were worse than the old ones,
and demanded a change. Then the
found that they couldn't; get service
with much of anybody outside Moline.
And at last they have come to u.
conclusion that the Democrat was
right when it told them that thoy
would be simply saddling themselves
with the burden of two exchanges,
higher rates, and no better service.
The Mail of Wednesday evening talks
down in the mouth after this fashion ;.
"After months of agitation of the
telephone situation in Moline mem
bers of the Retail Merchants' assocla-;
tion at their meeting last evenimj
faced the situation as it is and not as
they hoped it would be.
"They found that all the efforts cf
the past had firmly fastened upon the
bac- of the municipality the burden
of a double telephone system, and they
were unable to see how there is to be
a change. Under the present circum
stances the only thing they could see
to do is to have both systems.
"The directors of the association at
their meeting declared that they were
ready to order out the old telephones
at once and the question was put to
tie membership. Many declared their
willingness to do so If the new sys
tem would put in better transmitters
and meet its promises of good service
Others declared that as the situation
s at present they would not abandon
the old instruments because they
could not cover the field in the new.
The meeting was evenly divided be-
twesn the old and the new, and 1
larger number declared themselves
compelled to have both.
"This will probably end the tele
phone fight as far as the merchants
are concerned unless the future de
velops something new."
Farmers.ftttention!
Do you wish to sell your farm? If
so, send full description, lowest price
and best terms. Or, if you wish to
buy a farm, ranch or Lincoln home,
write to or call on Williams & Bratt,
1105 O st, Lincoln, Neb.
K. L. Gaylord, Arthur, la.: I would
be willing to spend some time cir
culating The Independent, but the av
erage Iowa mullet head is so well sat
isfied with the "unprecedented pros
perity" that he won't read ar.ythiiig
that does not bear the g. 0. p. label.
leaving voted for Abe Lincoln, Peter
Cooper, Jim Weaver, and twice for W.
J. Bryan, I confess to being disgustel
and discouraged.
Names of Farnws Ytatad
Tha Missouri Valley Farmer wants name and
addresses of farmers anywhere ia tha want.
Thoy want to get them interested in thair big
farm atajraaiae which now has a circulation of
oyer 100,600 copies nnd is acknowledged to be
tha best farm paper m the West. The subsorip
tiaa a iaa is 50c per year, but if you will send
them Ira farmers' names aud addresses aad tun
eeats in stamps or siWor they will enter yon as
a saasoriber fully paid fur a wholfl year. Ad
dress Ma. Valley Farmer. Tcpika, Ks.
W. I. Stephen of Ord, Neb., had 2
cars of nice fat heifers on the South
Omaha market the 10th inst. that
brought the fancy price of $4,75. Th jy
were sold by the Nye & Buchanan Co.
The total receipts of cattle, hogs and
sheep received by this enterprising
firm last month were more than fifty
cars above the total received by any
other firm.
Particularly - low are the rates to
Colorado which will be in force early
in July.
Detailed Information as to through
car service, cost of tickets, etc., win
be furnished by nearest Rock Island
ticket agent, or by writing
F. H. BARNES,
1045 O st. Lincoln, Neb.
Our friend, Jess Miner" of . Friend.
Neb., sends us a communication of
his clipped from the Friend Tele
graph giving some interesting remin
iscences relative to the civil war, in
which he was one of the boys thai
wore the blue. Miner is one of tho
populist stand-bys and never fails' at:
a state convention to have the civil
war veterans stand up and be counted
for the cause of right and justice. ,
Send an order to the Farmers'. Gro
cery Co. for one of their combination
orders of groceries. Hundreds of our
readers, have found thejr combination
bargains exactly as represented and
entirely satisfactory. Mention TIi?
Independent
H. I. Little, Dayton, Ark.: The In
dependent is to be commended for it J
outspoken opposition to corruption if:
church and state. The churches gen
erally are as rotten as the two old
parties. Cry aloud and spare not
Give us a gospel sermon occasionally
like that in last week's paper.
God give us men. A time like this
demands
Strong minds, great hearts, trua
faith, and steady hands.
Men whom the lust of office doca
not kill;
Men whom the spoils of office,
cannot buy;
. Men who possess opinions and a
will;
Men who have honor and will
not lie.
Improve the Vacation.
The summer vacation is the 'opportune
time to start your son or daughter in the
study of music. If already started the
summer months offer the greatestamount
of leisure time for study and practice.
Get a proper instrument, piano or organ,
and give them the opportunity to acquire
a musical education.
The Prescott Music Co. of this city
are offering some excellent bargains in
high grade instruments. See their ad
on another page. You will find the com
pany reliable and honest in their deal
ings. Write them fully as to your needs.
E. J. Benton, 250 E. Church st,
Macon, Ga.: As long as the columns
of The Independent are open for the
free discussion of the vital questions
affecting our common interest, I am
glad to support it. I do not see how
we can move the republican adminis
tration until the true democracy and
the populists unite. Cleveland Hill,
Gorman and Parker, along with o ir
Senator John T. Morgan as well, also
gentlemen of the opinions similar to
Henry Watterson's, are all connected
with the republican familya crovd
of fawning "poor relations." I am
puzzled whom to trust. In truth :
feel somehow Hearst is unsound at
heart. Would prefer men who had
risked and won, or risked and lost
iom Johnson, Carter Harrison, Bryan.
J. C. Chambers, Holbrook, Neb.: I
am thankful I can read the best inde
pendent paper published. Feel likj
writing some and expressing my views
on certain subjects, but I am a pojr
speller. (It would astonish Mr.
Chambers to know that plenty of col
lege professors can double discount
him in poor spelling yet they have
no hesitancy about rushing into print.
The secret is: They let the editor
look after the spelling and that is
what Mr. Chambers should do. Come
ahead with your views. Associate
Editor.)
Perry D. Plain, Atwater. 111., wouU
like to . correspond with some first
class printer who would publish a
small paper.
ROCK ISLAND SYSTEM.
LOW RATE BULLETIN
No need to stay at home THIS
summer. All sorts of low rates are
offered by the Rock Island and thev
pnply to all sorts of places. No1
these:
To California, in June, July and
August
To Colorado, in June, July and
August
To Detroit and Boston, in July.
H. E. De Blanc, New Iberia, La.:
I consider The Independent and The
Commoner the very best papers pub
lished in Ihe United States and will
not stay without them. I wish ev
ery citizen in the co:inty would sub
sprite T; trcm and adopt the prin
ciples they advocate. IV st'"?n. to be
th general telief that we cannot
shun a revolution in this country.
Well, if so. we better begin to prepare
fci it light now and pick good and
able men to put at the head of it We
nr. iv rest assured that the money pow
er is already prepared to fight us.
J. P. Bridger, Mt Airy, Ga.: I
could get 50 subscribers for The In
dependent here if the people wers
able to take it. They are actually
not able. Keep on hitting the ras
cals and especially these hypocriti -.a!
money kings arid the injunction bu:',i
ness. I do wish the people could un
derstand it and were able to buy anl
read your paper.
