I-- *
IMPLEMENT
J > - S"FT hi MIT1.
in the Careerof. . the
Republican Nominee.
Early Struggles With Poverty
and How He Won His Way In
Vr'- S'c-r'c * - A Boy Soldier
Business Career and Home.
Lucius Dunbar Richards was born on
a farm , of poor parents , at Charleston ,
'Orleans county , Vermont , November
26th , 18-17. Ho comes from good old
'Revolutionary stock , three of his an
cestors having fought in the great war
"for independence. -
He lived on tne old homestea/1 until
> he was eleven years old , when his home
was broken up. At this early ago ho
was thrown upon his own resources ,
and from that time forward he hoed his
own row in the world. What education
he got during his youth was that ac
quired at an old-fashioned Yankee dis
trict school. After leaving house at
eleven he lived with a neighboring
farmer for three years , during which
time he worked for his board and
clothes. At the end of this three years'
apprenticeship the war broke out.
two or liiT e more ; hands- * * < bridge
gang. The eiulM-ro governor o. lv
braska applied for and secured
A JOB OK THE PILE DRIVER ,
where he worked six weeks. After re
linquishing his position as roustabout
on the pile driver , he went into the en-
engineering department of the Sioux
City and Pacific road. It was here that
he utilized and added to the engineer
ing knowledge obtained while with his
uncle , afterwards developing into a full
fledged civil engineer. Ho began work
as axeman , the very bottom the scale.
In 1868 ho was placed in charge of a
transit on the survey of the Sioux City
& Pacific road from California Junction
to Fremont. When this work was com
pleted he wont to Sioux City and ran
the survey for what is now the Ulionois
Central railway from Sioux City to Fort
Dodge. When this work was finished
ho returned to the Sioux City & Pacific
road. This was in the winter of ' 68-69.
He was working at Arlington assisting
in cutting and ( sharpening stakes. One
aiorning while sitting at breakfast Su
perintendent of Construction Burnett
came in and laid a letter "n > - -young
Richard's plate. Thatlettei road :
"You will take charge of alt railroad
construction west of the Missouri river.
You will be respected and obeyed ac
cordingly. "
A RESPONSIBLE POSITION ,
This was a responsible position for a
young man of 21 , but he was equal to
the duties of his new place. The con
struction of the grade and all the track
laying of the Sioux City & Pacific was
finished , to Fremont xmder his superiri-
tendency the following summer. He
HIS TTAB RECORD.
Though but a fourteen-year-old lad
he was full of patriotism and wanted to
enlist. On account of his extreme
youth he found it difficult to do so ,
though ho finally succeeded on Septem
ber 5th,1882 in enlisting in Company
15th Vermont Infantry , lor nine
months' service. His regiment was
commanded by Col. Redfield Proctor ,
now secretary of war , and was one of
five regiments constituting Sfannard's
brigade , which afterwards did such ef
fective service on Pickett's flank in his
famous charge at Gettysburg.
The boy owed his success in getting
into the army to Proctor. He presented
himself , with many others , before the
mustering officer at Brattleboro. When
his name was called off he stepped out
from the crowd and started to take his
position in the ranks. He was halted
; by the mustering officer , but Proctor
-stepped up and spoke to the officer and
in a few moments the latter said , "All
right , go ahead , ' and with a sweep
of his hand motioned the lad off
< t his company. Soon after his
enlistment lie was detailed as
ORDERLY FOR COL. PROCTOR ,
and it was while serving in this capacity
that a friendship was formed between
the commander and the boy soldier
which has increased during the years
-which have followed. He served in
this capacity until the company dis-
banded.
In the summer of ' 64 he re-enlisted in
-Company K , 17th Vermont Infantry ,
carrying a musket until the close of the
war. In the winter of 1861-5 he was
with his regiment at Ft. Davis , in iront
of Petersburg , on the Jerusalem plank
TOa'd.
He was in the fight with his regiment
when it stormed and captured the works
in front of Petersburg. The re'giinent
then went with the army of Appoinattox
where Gen. Lee surrendered.
After being mustered out he went to
Michigan , where his mother had moved
in the meantime. Here he worked on
a farm during the summer of ' 65 , and
the following winter he attended East
man's business college atPoughkeepsie ,
New York.
HE LEARNS ENGINEERING.
In April , 1866 , he went to Hannibal ,
Mo. , and was for a time employed in his
uncle's office , the latter being at this
time city engineer , afterwards working
in a lime kiln. While in his uncle's
office he acquired some rudimentary
knowledge of engineering , which sub
sequently served Trim a good purpose.
He remained at Hannibal until 1867 ,
when he started for Colorado. On his
way west he ran out of money and this
-compelled a change of plans. He
stopped off at Missouri Valley , Iowa.
At this time work was progressing on
< Jho Sioux City & JPacifi road. He ap
plied at the office of the superintendent
of construction , who informed him that
there was office work to be done , but
that he had another person in view.
' la there any other work ? " asked the
willing young man. The superintend
eat replied that he guessed they needed
then accepted a position again with the
Illinois Central road as engineer of con
struction for the Cherokee divison.
Later he returned to Fremont and took
charge of the construction of the first
ten miles' of the Fremont , Elkhorn &
Missouri Valley road. The ten miles of
road was built in about five weeks , and
was afterward , in 1870 , continued un-
dec his supervision to Wisner , Cuuiing
county. After this he was promoted
to roadmaster and superintendent of
bridges and buildings for the F. E. &
M. V. and S. C. & P. roads , which he
held until August , 1872.
A HOMESTEADER.
Meantime he had excercised a right
under the land laws of the government.
He hornesteaded a quarter section of
Uncle Sam's' demain near Scribner ,
this county. This land he proved up
on and it constituted his first real estate
possessions.
In January , 1871 , he went back to his
native state and was married at Bur
lington , Vt. , to Miss CarroE. Hills.
In the fall of 1872 he went south to
Central America , where for two years
he was engaged as civil engineer and
superintendent of construction of the
first and still the only railroad in the
state of Costa Rica.
After returning from Costa Rica he
went to Burlington , Vt. , and brought"
his family to Fremont in April , 1875 ,
where they have ever since resided.
When Mr. Richards located here at that
time he had managed to save enough
from his salary to just about pay for a
modest little home , which he bought.
He embarked in the real estate and in
surance business in partnership with W.
C. Ghost , with whom he remained about
a year. Afterwards he was in the same
business with G. W. Reynolds , ther
later without any partner until the pres
ent firm of Richards. Ke"ene & Co. , was
organized several years since.
HIS BUSINESS CAREER.
in this city is known by all his fellow
citizens as one absolutely above re
proach. He has been a man of untiring
industry and successfuTbusiness activi
ty. He has during the past six or eight
years to come to be recognized as Fre
mont's foremost citizen , and has been
prominently identified with a large
number of leading industrial and other
enterprises of the city. He was one
of the prime movers in the establish
ment of the Frement creamery , the
largest concern of its kind in the
United States ; he is now the principal
stockholder in the Fremont Foundry
and Machine company ; he also has
stock in the Creamery Package Supply
company , the Fremont Carriage com-
, the Fremoat street railway , the
Eny National bank , the Security
Savings bank , the Western Trust
and Security company , and is at
the head of the real estate firm
of Richards , Keene & Co. , he de
voting his principal attention to the
land business. Ho has not now nor
never had any interest in railroads. He
was simply a trusty and faithful em
ploye as civil engineer for a-Iew years.
Me was at one time agent for the Elk-
horn Town Lot company , telling the
company's lands on a commission. This
agency he relinquished fi > A years ago.
In his financial dealinwuh his fel
low ojofl he has
He is not rich bui enjoy- comfort ?
n'iilo. ? / noetence as n reward for his
'Innj ; . jwr ; jr [ evi5 an' "heroic struggle
'
with to'ii woriu. rhtfj'yx. . 7TritMf
dishonor upO' -jif.gle dollar . r iiik
his own. ' . . * * hundreds of. farmer'V.U
whom ho .I"- , had financial transactions
stand " ; , . to testify to his upright
dealings -vhli them. He has nevermade
his neighbor's necessity his opportunity.
Ono of die fundamental principles of
his creed and his whole line of action is
acrainst exaction of usury.
C.IV1C POSITIONS.
j > Swnards has filled prominent
positions in the Maeonicfraternity. He
is Past Grand High Priest of the Grand
Royal Arch Chapter of Nebraska , the
commander of Mt. Tabor Commandery ,
No. 9 , Knigts Templar , of this city.
He was one of the charter members and
is past commander of McPherson post ,
No. 4 , Grand Army of the Republic ,
and was last winter chosen by the de
partment of Nebraska as delegate-ac-
large to the National G. A. R. Encamp
ment which convenes at Boston this
month. He has been mayor of Fremont
two terms and surveyor of Dodge coun
ty three years. He is now president of
the Fremont Board of Trade. *
Mr. Richards is not a politician in
the ordinary acceptation of the terra ,
but he has always entertained a convic
tion that it is the duty of every man to
identify himself with dome political
parly and assist : n 'Urecting it in proper
channels for the public good He haa
been a life-long and consistent republi
can. He begau A state acquaintance in
political circles in 1866 , when he was a
member of the state central committee.
Two years. later his excellent judgment
and splendid executive ability came to
be so fully recognized as to reeult in
his easy election as
CHAIRMAN OP THE REPUBLICAN STATE
CENTRAL COMMITTEE.
Under his splendid generalship the
party won its fanjous victory in the
presidential campaign of 1888 , when
the enemy was routed horse , foot and
dragoon , and such a defeat adminis
tered as had never been recorded in
the politicals annals of the state. Ono
year year ago he was re-elected to he
some position at the Hastings conven
tion , unanimously by acclamation. It
was this splendid party service , to
gether with the great popular confi
dence he had acquired through his ex
tended acquaintance that impelled
men to talk of him as a man possessing
in an exceptional degree the qualifica
tions for governor.
SPEECH OF ACCEPTANCE.
After the nomination had come to
him in the convention as a tribute of
great people to an able and upright
man , Mr. Richards accepted the honor
in this language , and every man who
knows him believes he meant just what
he said :
"I am deeply mindful of the high
honor you have bestowed on me by
this nomination. I accept it with a
realizing sense of the grave responsi
bilities which attach to the office and
with not the fullest confidence in my
ability to satisfactorily discharge the
duHes devolving upon the chief execu
tive of this great and growing common
wealth. If elected as I hope to be , I
pledge you that so far as it lies within
my power the law shall be faithfully
executed and the financial affairs hon
estly and economically administered.
HIS HOME AND FAMILY.
Mr. and Mrs. Richards have a family
of four children , namely : Josephine ,
aged eighteen ; Fred , aged thirteen ;
Katharine , aged eight , and Redfield
Proctor , aged six years. The Richards
home is on East Fifth street and occu
pies an entire block.In the midst of
the densely shaded plot stands a white
house a typical New England home in
appearance and arrangement. Here
Mr. Richards , who is very domestic in
his tastes and nature , 'is supremely
happy with his family. There is a large
library of excellent books and leading
magazines in which Mr. Richards
spends a good deal of his time with
much delight.
A Sensible View of the Situation.
Editor Fremont Tribune.
Between the abuse of the democrats
on the one band and the prohibitionists
on the other , the lines of Mr. Richards
do not appear to have fallen into pleas
ant places , to say the least. But when
we come to examine the cause for all
this fume and froth it almost makes one
despair of popular government. Why
is Mr. Richards misrepresented upon
the * one hand and maligned upon the
other ? Simply because he refuses to
pass judgment in advance on matters
which may never come before him for
action , and if they do come before him
should receive his cool , deliberate and
unprejudiced judgment , uninfluenced
y any promise and unaffected by any
hreat. Why should Mr. Rich
ards declare what he is going to
do in advance on the prohibi
tion question any more , than any
other question ? Why not ask him to
declare his position on the high license
question ? Why not on the amendment
of increasing the number of our supreme
icourt judges and increasing the salaries
of both of the supreme and district
judges ? These are before the people
precisely in the same manner as the
prohibition amendment. Had the party
whose candidate he is , seen fit to make-
any declaration with reference to these
matters in its platform , it no dou t
would be right and proper for Mr.
Richards to express either his as-sent or
dissent of such declarations. But why
should either the party or Mr , Richards
make any announcement on these
several matters ? These questions
come up in the shape of amend
ments of , or changes to be made in our
organic law. 'Such amendments or
changes can only bo made under our
system in two "ways , viz : Either by the
legifclature proposing such amendments
and have the people , regardless of
party affiliations , -either adopt them or
refuse to adopt them , or choose i con
stitutional convention whose duty it is
to prepare a new constitution , as it is
commonly called , and then submit such
constitution to the people for ratifica
tion. Jt will be. observed that in either
case the making or the more amend
ing of the organic law is not a party
measure , and never submitted to the
people as a party measure through
party platforms , but always by procla
mation by the chief executive.
If then , nli of one political party
should be fn I'avoi or Mich au ami'iiu-
meif/0 , hu majority of the other
! * ' . > ' . .v.nngahist ft. if the rpf i-Mte
Tiim'i'Vi vouju upi/jt ib , uw. " . to
ouvry : t. it would become pan . - the
organic IKW wlu'thor the party . . ! . ' ;
iu fa-or of it elected its candiilM.-- . > :
jot.
jot.The
The e questions are for the peojrio as
a whole to sutrlc not for political i if-
ics merely * Why should a candi : tte
for tlui chfuf executive office of a si.u ,
s-tatu in advance that he will or ivill not
! bound by Hie the will of the majoi-.ty
vxliKii fairly , honestly und constitution
ally exprc.-sfl.
1 &ty that any inmiidaliuit would
d < such a thiiii : > : not woirhy the high
| > sti ) < iu to which Im aspires , uriiiMuntld
n-ct iv ! the uoudi'immtiou oi r-very
Anu-rican citizen without reference to
eDit icul or party creed. A man , who
Jn the siko of obtaining votes would
,11'uiuiric iir.r to perm it curtain measures ,
ivlj 'u legally and constitutionally en-
iicti-d , to become laws , would , if once
r-ij'i'tvd and installed into his ollico ,
juu.-.iiuue it for private gain and un-
i.-tiliablu ends. Could anything be
n.ore degrading in a cauili-iute for pub-
lit ; honors ? Can the American people
think of any method which would be
nmre certain to say and undermine free
government and destroy every vestige
of independence of a public servant ?
But there is "ti'i ' unothei yiew to the
question under consideration. Suppose
a candidate for supreme "judge , whose
duty it is to construe and expound the
law , should in advance declare how he
should construe a certain act , or wheth
er would hold certain ineasmes consti
tutional or unconstitutional. What
would the people say of such aman ?
Would they not "with one voice condemn
him as wholly unfit for anv trust how
ever small ? And yet wherein is the
difference ? Boyd promises , in order to
gain political preferment , to veto cer
tain measures if passed by the duly
chosen reprsenatives of the people
Are the people of a free country will
ing to wink at such an outrage of the
fundamental principles of their system
of government ? Are they willing to
place a man in office who is willing to
promise in advance to disregard the
will of the people ? Are they willing
to place him in a position where he can
sell them like cattle and make of them
a marketable commodity , to be used for
no other purpose than to give him a
position which in advance he agrees to
use in the inlerests of his chosen friends.
Let us not be deceived. This is not a
question of a cln > .f executive returning
a measure because in his opinion it is
not for the public good. It is not veto
ing a measure which does violence to
the rights of the people as is sometimes
the case. Such an emergency has not
arisen , and no such claim can be mado.
It is a promise in advance made in the
nature of a bribe to gain votes , to obtain
what he otherwise has no hope to gain ,
political preferment. It is a bribe pure
and simple and should be treated as
such by every honest man ; it should re
ceive the condemnation of every citizen
in this fair state , and Mr. Boyd should
and will be.-defeated at the polls in such
an emphatic manner that in the future
no candidate for governor or any other
office will offer bribes of the kind and
character of the one in question.J. .
J. E. F.
Richard's Business Life.
The estimation the public have of a
man who has accumulated property
and money depends much on what has
bean the general trend of his business
schemes. If he is a hoarder of money
for the money's sake a taker of usurious
and exorbitant interest , a greedy grab
ber of money to hoard and hide it
away for himself , or if he has accumu
lated wealth by speculation in grain on
the Chicago board of trade , playing
games of chance with the world's bread ,
organizing corners on the necessities of
life , robbing both the producer and
consumer of our cereals , if he has gained
his financial foothold by any of these
questionable means , honest people nat-
uraily , while admiring his genius , con
demn his methods as hostile to the pub
lic good. In these times when men are
critkusedforaccumulatingpro.pertyitis
well to inquire into the uses
or abuses they have made of
their opportunities as financiers.
L. D. Richards , in all his operations as
a business man , has been most con
spicuous as a builder. A builder of
business enterprises and organizer of
manufactories and industries that fur
nished employment to laboring men ,
and bring people and capital to his
town and state. The city of Fremont
owes more to the public spirit , the or
ganizing genius and the untiring en
ergy of L. D. Richards than to any
other of her citizens. He might have
used his money making genius with
better profit to himself had he been sordid
did and selfish , lending money at the
highest possible rate and hoarding it
away. But on the other hand , his en
ergies have all been directed in the or
ganization of enterprises , that while
they added to his own income , also
built up his town and gave empleyment
to new capital and new people. When
ever any public scheme is to be inau
gurated , everyone in Fremont natur
ally turns to Mr. Richards as the recog
nized leader and manager.
Among the industries of Fremont ,
whose existence is directly attributable
to Mr. Richards as organizer and found
er , the folio wing may be mentioned to
show haw the general trend of his busy
life at Fremont has been fer the public
good , in furnishing employment to
working men , and establishing home
industries.
The Fremont Foundry and Machine
shoos einDlov fiftv men.
The i'rempnt stock yaras and lumber
company , with ample capacity , owning
three miles of-rail road track , connect
ing the institution with all the lines of
road , with a packing house whose ca
pacity is 1,000 hogs per day , employ a
large number of men. In connection
with this institution is the hemp mill
and twine works , employing forty men.
The Freemont planing mill em-ploys
thirty men.
The Fremont canning company , now
in successful operation , gives employ
ment to 100 people. , *
The Fremont creamery , one of the
largest in the world , is of inestimable
benefit to the farmers of five or six coun
ties within its radius of operations.
The Western Trust and Security com
pany has been instrumental in procur
ing the loan of eastern capital to the
farmers of northwestern Nebraska at
reasonable rates , ranging from OJ to 8
percent per nmut This company
has taken spi ! < s : i . , . to prevent he
taking of usurious t.'rust or illegal
fees frero borrow ai. Ir. Richards \
the trustee for HI ! Ji. . tstern capital.
vj..h ; shows in \ . i cimution he is
.ield by men of iu . . . . 'ins. who trust
him with the management and control
of their property-
It is said hj democrats that he is a
8 per iont money shark. J'o show how
utterly false this charge is , and how
contrary it is from his Kti'udy pur
pose as "a financier , it.rr.iiy Im mentioned.
that the Fremont * . * aioua ! ! > ank of
which he Is a director ami part owner ,
has never taken more than 10 per cent.
per annum on loans and in all his busi
ness experience as a lender of money ,
he has never taken one dollar of
usury from : iny man. Mark this 'state
ment and show it to democrats and
challenge them to prove their charge of
usury or let them stand convicted of
misrepresentation and falsehood against
a man who has been in his general bus
iness dealings a protector and benefac
tor rather than the oppressor of the
poor man. Of the above business en
terprises Mr. Richards is not the sole
owner , and in some of them his finan
cial interest has passed out of his bunds ,
but the procuring of their organization ,
and the establishing and developing of
of them into permanent and profitable
industries is his work , and the people
of Fremont are proud to place him fore
most in their list of enterprising men.
Summing up the general result or these
institutions , it may be said they employ
300 men , supporting a population of
1,500 people. These are the lines in
which his genius as a business
organizer has been employed. Let the
people read it and criticise it if they
can.
* * * * *
Contrast the life history and business
career of L. D. Richards from boyhood
to manhood , as a citizen and a soldier ,
as a financier , as a builder and de
veloper , as a citizen among his neighbors ,
as a home builder and a lover of his
home , trusted by every man of his ac
quaintance , respected by every wo'man
and child for the purity of his life , with
nothing of his life's history to conceal ,
read it and then contrast it with the
character and history of his opponent ,
and when you vote let your ballot say
that the governor of Nebraska must be
a man for whom no citizen will ever bo
called rpon to apologize.
A month ago many alliance men be
lieved there was a 'chance of Powers'
election. No well informed man will
now claim that there is a ghost of a
show for Mr. Powers. The fight there
fore , has narrowed down between
Richards and Boyd.
Either Richards will be governor
Or ,
Boyd will be governor.
Boyd's election can be accomplished
only by republican alliance men throw
ing away their vote on Powers.
Every republican vote for Powers
Is a vote for Boyd.
Every prohibition vote Payne
Is a vote for Boyd.
TOM MAJORS.
The Old War Horse From Nemaha.
Tom Majors has been conspicuous in
Nebraska for thirty years. He was one
of the first to enlist as a union soldier
in ' 61 and one of the last to retire from
service in ' 66. Courage and aggressive
ness are his characteristics. He com
menced his life in Nebraska asa soldier ,
and has continued it asa - citizen , with
these two elements in his character al
ways prominent. As a volunteer sol
dier for five years he was brave , active
and efficient , As a farmer citizen for
the last twenty-five years he has been
not only thrifty in business , a splendid
example of what a farmer can do for
himself in this state , but he has steadily
maintained a proud * place as a coun
seller to his class in business
affairs , a counsellor to his party
and state in state affairs , and a law
maker and state-builder of the best and
broadest type. In all these things he
has been conspicuous for his good sense.
No man ever listened to his words ,
whether in the state house of represen
tatives or the state senate , as a law
maker , in the conventions and councils
of his party , or in the agricultural con
ventions of his class , without being im
pressed with his personal courage , his
straight , forward honesty of purpose ,
and his always conspicuous good sense.
It is these traits of character that have
made his name a household word in
every Nebraska home. He has always
stood for the people and has steadily
opposed every tendency to monopoly
and the centralization of political power.
He is a practical farmer and works with
his own hands. He has been successful
in his line because he has been indus
trious and lias used good judgment and
good business management , good sensi
ble farm economy , things that no enact
ment of law can put into the character
of any man. If he has suffered finan
cial reverses at o.uy time , he has not
blamed it on the republican party , but
where wrongs have existed in his party
he has like a true patriot and citizen
striven to right these wrongs through
the power and agency of those of his
own political faith. As a parliamen
tarian he is quick and accurate and will
preside over the state senate with a
manly dignity that has no haughtiness
and accuracy that is quick and positive.
Tom Majors is eve'ry inch a manly
man and the vote this fall will show
that the farmers of Nebraska appreciate
him as a splendid representative of
their class.
J. C. Allen , Republican Nominee for
Secretary of State.
John Cla3ton Allen , the republican
nominee for secretary of state was born
at Hinesburgh.Vt , on February 14,1SGO ,
and received suih advantage iu the ed
ucational way as the public schools of
his native village could give him until
he was old enough to cuter the Hiaes-
burgh ac'idemy. where ho spent several
tcrm = . lie finished his education in
New Haven academy , after which he
joined his father in the lumber business
in his native town. lie came to Ne
braska in the spring of 18S1 and en
gaged with Raymond Dros. & Co. ,
wholesale erocers. and' from that time
nrrH : tft ? . cu nw oJ UMiJ wus a traveling ,
man lor HIM " .nusu. In November ,
188(1. ( h ojwii } : -iiDci : ol i Mit-nt } mcr ,
chnn < H. j in.Mo ( Wik. where ho mi * since
resided. Ho li . b n president of the ,
ccuncUor thrift year.Ho has been a
5fu loiiy rvpitficiu. ! : .vl has a largo
state lieqiiiuiuauo' . . jftjwchiiiy m th '
Second cougrtds. ; nt ; district. He. Is
thoroughly posted in public iiu K * m.
His own persevering efforts have
brought him where li i i . - iv stands. On
August 2. 1881 , hov.i - tri--d iu Lin
coln to Miss Abbie SUi."i-1'\ } niece
of Gen. C. J. DihvorU They have
one child. Both on the road u traveling ;
salesman and as a merchant at McCook
ho was very successful and made hosts
of friends.
TOM BENTON.
Something Concerning the Repub
lican Candidate for Auditor. 4 ,
Tom Benton is nervy , and is personal
ly very popular. Everybody concedes
him to be the best individual vote
maker on the republican1 ticket , and the
usual expression on his candidacy is ,
"It will bo a cold day when Benton ,
gets left. " There is an element of push
in him , and certain indomitable energy
that men admire. Tom Benton started
in life on his own hook when yet very
young , At fourteen ho was a bright
student at Doano college. At fifteen he
was a practical telegraph operator
earning a good salary. At .sixteen he
was recorder in the county clerk's office
at Fremont , the youngest recorder in.
the state , and whatever he did ho did ,
well and when yet a mere boy in years ,
he was a model of swiftness and , ac
curacy.
At twenty-one ho was second assist
ant clerk of the Nebraska house of rep
resentatives. At twenty-two ho was
made bookkeeper in the auditor's office.
Bo has been in this office ever smco ,
naving been deputy ( the real acting
auditor ) for several years before his
election in 1888. He knows everything ,
about the duties of the office. There
has never been an encumbent of that
office in this state who had so extensive
a knowledge of the duties of the office
and so complete a system as Mr. Ben-
ton. No one will challenge his splendid
business qualifications. There is a sys
tem . in his management and an accur
acy in his conduct of the affairs of this
office that has made it easy for the busi
ness public to transact their business
with this department. In all his de
cisions qn'the validity of bonds offered
for registration , the courts have sus
tained him in every instance , thus show
ing that he not only has good managing
business ability , but ripe judgment in ,
passing on important questions. Mr.
Benton was born in the city of New
Haven , Conn. , in 1858 , of sturdy , Puri
tan stock. He was brought up on a
farm , and in early life learned the stern
lesson of working with his own hands ,
and earning his bread by the sweat of
his own face. Industry , accuracy and
honesty have been -his chief character
istics , from early boyhood up to the
present time , and there is a certain ,
gaminess in his make-up , a certain
plucking individuality that makes him
magnetic and gives him sympathy iu ft
race. Whoever runs well in this race ,
Tom Benton will not be behind , mark
that down. There is no man In
the state of Nebraska of his age , who
has so general and complete knowledge
of the business affairs of the state as
Tom Benton , and there win De thou
sands raise up to work for him on elec
tion day because of this , and because of
his personal popularity and because of
his personal loyalty to his friends Tom
Benton can forgive an injury and for-
get an enemy , but he never lorgets
friend. He will be elected.
John E. Hill.
John E. Hill , present state treasurer
and republican candidate for re-election
was born in Berlin , Ohio , and is now
about.50 years old. He was raised on a
/arm and the practical experience of
his youth is still manifest in his plain
sensible bearing. He enlisted in 1861
in the 14th Ohio Infantry , but was soon
prostrated with-a fever which entirely
disabled him for nearly a year. In 1863
he recruited and was unanimously
elected captain of company F ,
Ohio Infantry. During the winter of
1862 and ' 63 Capt. Hill had charge of
Ft. Baker , Kentucky. During the
campaign in Tennesee. he was made
provost marshal by General Scofield
and had command of the captured
towns of that state.
He was with Sherman in his memora
ble campaign from Chattanooga to At
lanta , one of the longest periods of con
tinued fighting in the history of the
world. The guns of the two armies
were not silent a day from the Sth ) of
May until sometime in September. He
led his company in the hottest of the
fight at Ressaca , Peach Tree , Kenesaw
and Atlanta. After the war he engaged
in the mercantile business at Hey worth ,
111. , with his father , under the firm
name of Hill & Son In ' 71 he settled
at Beatrice , Nebraska. For four years
he engaged in the nursery and stock-
raising business , He was a member of
the first city council of Beatrice when
it was made a city of the first class and
in ' 75 was elected county clerk of Gage
county , which position he held for SBC
years. He served also several years as
member of the board of education and
also was a member of the county
board of supervisors. These things
are recorded to show that Cap
tain Hill always stood high
in the confidence and respect of his
neighbors and that his life has been full
of activity and good works , not only asa
holder of'importaut , and remunerative
offices , but he has hail care for the edu
cational affairs of his town and the gen
eral business and financial manage
ment of his county. He was Governor
Thaver's private secretary from ' 87 un
til he was elected state treasurer in ' 88
by ' 8.000 majority. He has been faith
ful anil honest in the dischai'ge of this
important tru-.t. No criticism is made
against Capt. Hill and he has few per
sonal enemies in the state. His manners
are .kind and in the meeting of his com
rades of the G. A. R. he is conspicuous
for the genial temper of his character.
Asa citizen , he is universally respected ,
as an old soldier he is hono'red by his
comrades , as a republican he is true as
stec ! and as : i candidate in this year of
our Lord , 1800 , he will be triumphantly .
.elected.
