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About The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 17, 1890)
/ A SHORT SKETCH * 3ofHon. Geo. H. Hastlnors , Kopubll- can Nominee for Attorney General. Crete Vidotte. Goo. H. Hastings the republican candidate for atb aoy general waa torn on a farm , where his father and mother still reside near Merenuo. McHenry county. Illinois , on thoiiOth d y of August , Jf > 40 ml cousyquentlv is 41 , " years old His early years \vnre spent upon tintarm whore he lean.ed * 11 th. - derail * of a farmer's oc < : upation received u liberal edueation and in the fall of 1 SG9 came to Lincoln. Neb. , then a new village. The only means of conveyance to and from that place then being by stage. Hero ho found Seth. Robinson , an old Illinoisan wheat at that time was attorney general of Nebraska , and at once went into his office as a student. He completed his stuey of too law which ho commenced some time before coming "west and in December , 1870 , was ad mitted to the bar at Lincoln. Ho re mained with Mr. Robinson and in his office until July , 1871 , when he went to Pleasant Hill , Saline county , Neb. , which has just been made the county seat of that county , formed a copartner ship with E E. McGintie under the firm name of Hastings & McGintie and be gan the practice of law , and strange as it may seem that copartnership under the same name still exists. In 1877 the county seat of Saline county was re moved from Pleasant Hill to Wilbur , and ? tr , Hastings went to Crete , and Jdr. McGiutie to Wilbur and since then , while the firm has two offices , one in each town , the firm has remained as when first formed nineteen years ago. In the fall of 1873 Mr. Hastings "was elected county judge of Saline county , which office he filled until Jan uary , 1875 , when he resigned in order to take his seat in the house of repre sentatives , to which office he had been elected in the fall of 1874. In the presidential campaign of 1688 ins ie- ceived the unsought nomination ol presidential elector , almost unani mously , and at the election received more votes than any other elector upon the ticket , and for this reason ho was chosen as messenger to carry the vote of Nebraska for Harrison and Morton to Washington , which he did. He has been the city attorney for the " city of Crete almost" since he has re sided there in 1877 , and he still fills that position. He is also serving his ( second term as county attorney ol Sa line county , to which position he was elected in 18S8 by a practically unani mous vote of his county. Ho has the absolute confidence of every man with whom he is acquainted and his word , on any matter , is as * good as a bond. He is six feet and a trifle over tall , straight and broad shouldered , weighs 190 pounds , dark complexion , dark hair , eyes and moustache. An easy , fluent SBpaker , good debater and rattling stumper. , In the Second congressional .district , where he is best known , he will command a large vote from the demo cratic and independent parties as well as a solid and enthusiastic support from the republicans. * * * ' Hastings "is a splendid typo of .the i - oroad-minded manly man. As a lawyer lis abilit3r and .his integrity stand un challenged. With a clientage 'extend ing all over the second congressional district , composed of all classes of pee pie , he has the confidence of those who seek his services , the respect of the court and the good will and warm , per sonal friendship of the bar. He has Bone/v of that secretive cunning , that underhanded foxy shrewdness so much attributed to lawyeis by those who are inclined to distrust the profession. His methods are open and fair , and his pro fessional career will hear the daylight. It would be impossible for George Hastings to be the tool of any political ling or any corporation. His'character and personal make-up are directly an tagonistic to such an attitude , while he has noue of that arrn uiiv that make men tyrannical. Win n in power. In- has a certain personal ind > pendcuco and manly bearing that itKtku him a leader rather than a foll'-wer. He is popular with farmers , laborers ami working men wherever known , being land in his manner and generous to a fault. He will be elected attorney general , and no Nebraskan will ever have cause to apologi/e for any act. of George H Hastings. Augustus R. Humphrey , Republican - Nominee for Commits.one of Public Landsancf Buildings- 'Augustus R. Humptirey , commonly caKed "Gus" by all who know him. is a native of Indiana , and thirty-two years of age. In early life he. removed with his parents from Indiana to Davis county , Iowa , and assisted in opening up a farm in that then western country. Mr. H. remained on the f.irm up to the year 1882 , but during the Ia , t six yeais of farm life he spent the fall and winter in teaching and going to school. la 'Si he finished the course of study : it the S. I. N. at Bloomfield , Iowa , aad in 1882 graduated from tlu > law depart ment ef the state university of Iowa. In 1883 he taught school in Utoee.ounty. Nebraska , and in 1884 entered the prac ticc of law. He has the entire confidence of the whole community in which he resides , and is regarded as a successful practi tioner and business man Commencing life : is IK * did on the farm , and following it until recurt years , he is in a position to knou' the wants and needs of the laboring uhi.-si 3 Alwa3'S a great student and a close ob server , he has that other qualification accessary to make a good Hommissionc.r for a great state , viz. : Tin- backbone to carry into effect what lie believes to be just and equitable and right between man and man and .between the people and the corporations. In Custcrcoimty , where he is widely ami generally Icnown , he will receive the hearty sup- yortofboth the democrat ? and hide pendent party , while not a iv.ubUcaD will scratch the commissioner hccaust. Gus is there. His interests and sym pathies have been with the laboring classes , and whatever he could do at any time to assist the weak as against the stronger , has tyeen doiie with hearty good will. THE RATE QUESTION , An All AbsorblngTopioto the People of Nebraska. What It Costs to Parallel a Road Should be the Basis for Fixing Freight Rates. Progress Has Been Made. Speech of Judie O. P. Mason delivered at B okcn Bow Culler county. i vill address myself briefly first to the railroad rate question , that is trans portation. Second , the finance ques tion as it concerns the laboring classes of the people. Let mo say at the open ing that while all things are rapidly sinking into that mysterious night of death that must inevitably envelop the whole human family , there yet remain certain considerations which survive the ravages of time. These are the united efforts of communities , political , moral and social , for the betterment of the conditions or the human family ; and it is well in thia republic where facilities for free government and the hope of the people depend upon the intelligence of the masses that these great political questions should be calmly considered with judgment , with discretion , with wisdom , and so ordered that our chil dren may reap , where they have not sown , gather where they have not strewn , and enter into our toils pre served and maintained by the fabric of free institutions , intelligently and morally guided. At the outset of this transportation question , let me address myself and ap peal to the intelligence of the farmer class , of the laboring class , and all classes , and let me eliminate all pretext and fraud of the single movement ; the cry that goes up from every oemagoguo in the land , from every socialist in the land , from every man who lays his sac- religious hand on the fabric of human progress to pull it down. And preced ing that question , let me say this to you : You are householders ; you have families. In those families you have a class of help. Now , did one of you ever have a man or woman in your family who was simply a fault finder , finding fault with everything , but doing nothing to remedy the evils of which they com plained , "and did you not feel like kick ing them out of the back door ? [ Laugh- terj Now , does this alliance party do any thing but find fault ? Do they offer any remedy ? Are they simply fault finders in the family , offering no remedy ? Let me meet one question : I have nearct it suggestea oy canaia men , oy honest men. I have heard it on the street today , they say our railroad stocks are watered. . For instance , take the Union Pacific , it is in debt one hun dred thousand dollars per mile. Now the farmers say : "That effects me. " Stop a moment my friend. Does it mat ter now much they owe or what they nave watered their stock ? On what should rates be based ? On the unmoor of dollars it would take to parallel the road or roads today , and that alone , is what they ought to be permitted by the interstate commerce commission and by the state commission , on that alone should they be permitted to earn four or five per cent interest. If that rule is applied , does it make any difference to you what they'value , their road at whether it is one hundred millions or one million ? When you have got the number of dollars that it would take.to parallel the road , if it is twenty-five thousand dollars a mile or twenty "thou sand dollars a mile- that is the basis upon winch rates should be made. Oue other suggestion. Let me appeal to any one of these ftir't finders and'appeal to you , and say , i.- not that so ? It' it is not , hold up yo i'liHs. . do not go around to your sn-tifhbors lying about it herr-after. [ i. f.itrhler and applause. ] In the ! is- c"-s .1.1 oi'fore the stute hoard , of trans irmn. when Mr. Kimball said ws MO".00 ! ) n , mile , some gentleman it Mate hoard of traiisportatiou i 'A 1 at difference docs it. make to P.al is not the question. It is HV cold dollars will it take to , /oiirroid ? If it is 825.000 or ' < ' / . i nit is the basis on which the > - < . - . 'I th'j people that are paying " " - . . . ' ! pay on. Xow , taking "that loea uoi that end the contro - . i is no ! tins watered stock , 01 > nil buine.all trumperyy j.-- it , matter if I have a farm in i .jv that is wo Lh , say , a half a . .oiiars. and a man wants to . i I ho < r ts it ata I'ent cm th- ? ty , S .OiJO , is he hurt if in my : I swell osit like a hisMmj : nf- -ty , it is worth lour millions ? t is with t.'iu nil I road question one other qiii'Siion 1 desire , " : nr ; attention to plainly ami They will tell you that Gur.id they ivii ! ! ihe.ir money out of . 'u ot'railroads. . That Ls not . - Hiruiti tlit-'ir money byvreek - { uitis : ; by watering stock- vii'ing these stocks to > r * not in operating roa'is * ' ti is is oft what 1 was abotn to i.-y. ( ho fan ! flinders , approach rly cQinmunifetiu principles y would lay their saerelhiious ' ' i'any man's'property to coulis- Kor once # ive these uouunu- te of blow ! , and what be-oines nncrsaixi sin-ail holdre when Mrale a communistic , ' : ) - > ' < 'y ' "ia : ire roote'l and located , iM.y aliars and your hearth- id youi houses and lands uin- : ii . uov Ml. Yon euunotqueneh . . . ' ' . ai d wlr lle for your dogs v o av. ay. You have got to stick ie in this community urn ! you re-ted in tin : well beinjr of the iiiric and its preservation. The -r. of all men. should be the fur- - remove.d from anything that sa- . nr communistic principles. lie - o < l shun that as he loves his clul- > i i , i > he loves his home the only - it'i'Ml place of earth. Now having said } i. ' ! t me say one other thing. Sup- po-ti , ou , tliis audience , owns the fifty .t.iliioiH or the hundred millions of Gould or Vanderbilt , could we use it to u bolter purpose than spanning the micrhty rivers of the country with iron bridjjes ; tunnelling the "mountains , cru&ing the gieat morasses and bttild- Ing great highways of commerce the poor man's highway for his household goods and products. Compare this in vestment of surplus capital with the in vestments that were made six hundred year ago. Two hundred years of the world's earnings were put into the- cathedral of Milan , with the fourteen thousand saints stuck up in the niches cut out of marble , shimmering in the sunshine , mocking at the labors of the world. Monuments of superstition ! To day that money goes into rail roads , into bridges spanning mighty rivers , into causeways , crossing great oswamps , into tunnels passing through the mountains carrying the rich products of the hand of industry making a highway for the toilers of the world and a Messing to mankind. And. yel , listen to this voice of raillery that goes up from every demagogue in the land , that would tear down the spirit of progress. Now having said this much let me pass from these geneeal principles more in 'It-tail , to the rate question , and to the farinur cla-s ; let me say that there " are some tilings in this "state which might be complained against. There are also many thinjis which are greatly to jour favor. L t me s.iy to yon sigri- eulluvalists. wliii" you -trujrgle with want I don't mean want I will say with poverty , coin f i uv \ < > nr condition wil > the -peo5 > le ol Xebra ka in 1838 and iSK ( ) . 1 met men here today who live in this ' ta'.e then There is not a uin aere but that will tell you that it was more trouble 4iid labor to get live dollars then , than to gt oue hundred dollars todav Thene sod our dre.-sed pork at one dollar and one dollar lar and twenty-five cunts j > er hundred pound ? . . Wesold ourA\li al and hauled it many niiU-s o the nun' . , * lor tlnrty- live cents a bushel in it > > S we had seven territorial hunks and they all busted 1'Ui one and lull lli ' currency in the hands of the farmer ? nd the hands of thu laborer. That was inn-r ! demo cratic rule. No democrat complained , but now the alliance and { he democrat S"iid up the wolfibh howl against United States banks Why , it is not the.Uniled States banks chat arc hurting you people ple out x"etU law puiii-i ! -s tlieMi. i : eis 10 et iifiMt n of .irupur:1 : , J ! t y taku lo u.\ceed toil per cout. i will toil you what is hurling you , it is these little swindling shaving shops. Since I have been in Lincoln , three boys have grad uated from my law office. They came out into these western communi ties , they borrowed fifteen hun dred dollars , they went to loaning that out and they got from our farmers four and live per cent a month , on an average , that would send a United States bank to the penitentiary , and one of these boys today is worth , hfty thousand dollars and another one twenty five thousand dollars and they borrowed their money at six per cent , fifteen hundred dollars apiece , started a little shaving hop. Those are the in stitutions that are killing you grangers , you Alliance men , and not the United States banks. ( Applause. ) coir ) . ' 'Thorn sponiB fn hn but three ways for a nation to acquire wealth. The first is by war , as the Ro mans did in plundering their conquered neighbors. This is robbery. The second end is by commerce , which is generally cheating. The third is by agriculture , the only honest " \yay , wherein man re ceives a real increase of the seed thrown in the ground , in a kind of continued miracle wrought by the hand of God in his favor as a reward for his innocent life and virtuous industry. " But whether this be so or not , you represent in a largo measure the labor- ng element of society the great sub stantial interest upon which we all de pend ; no feudal service , no predial toiler or irksome drudgery by one race , sub ject , on account of their color or condi tion , to another ; but labor , intelligent , manly , independent , thinking and act ing bi' itself , earning its own wages , accumulating those wages into capital , educating children , maintaining wor ship and schools , exercising the right of elective franchise and upholding the great fabric of the state : that is Ameri can labor , and all my sympathies are with it , and my voice , till I am dum'b , will be for it. I sometim-es ( think that excessive wealth is noc desirable , it brings neither glory nor happiness. TJje cold sordid wretch who thinks only of himself , who draws his head within his shell and never puts it out but for the purpose of lucre ostentation or political preferment who looks upon his fellow creatures , not only without sympathy but with arrogance and insolence as if they were made to be his vassals and he to be their lord , as if they were made for no other purpose than to pamper his avarice , and toil to contribute to his aggrandise ment ; such a man may be rich , but trust me. he can never be happy , nor virtuous , nor good , nor great. There is in the acquisition of fortune , a golden mean which is the appropriate region of virtue , intelligence and goodness. The agriculture I communities of this country , in a large degree , occupy this region. Be content with thatand'if the horn of plenty overflows , let the drop pings fall upon your fellow man ; let them fall like the droppings of honey in the wilderness to cheer the faint and weary pilgrim. The farmers have been struggling against ruinously low prices for their nroducfc for several and against high freight rates and are a long distance trorn the market. Your E resent law , establishing the state oard of transportation , so far as the regulation of local rates is concerned , is all that could be desired ; and it is simply a question of its efficient ad ministration. The commission or board should be elected by the people instead of dividing up responsibility , as at the present time. There is a growing sen timent in this country , unfavorable to the accumulation of enormous fortunes in single hands , "and as a reverse of this , is a disposition on the part of those who are possessed of enormous fortunes , or who are in the way to acquire them , to strengthen themselves against the feeling , hostile to them. This can not be done in any way so effectively as by multiplying the holders of enormous fortunes , and enlisting the zeal of their followers and combining against the people. By their influence in the press , in the national and state legislatures , in the courts , in official life , in political parties , and in primary conventions , in solid ramifications , in literature , in the pulpit , in social life , we see developed a body of opinions which comes to be a part of the. state and national life , and the sentiment which aims to dislodge it is reprobated Hiid denounced as communism or revo lution , to be suppressed summarily. The .source of this spirit is not in tfie walks of oommeriM ) tis they have been i Known , mercantile banking , manufac turing , but in that relation which a class bears to a republic wherein the public has no alternative but to accept the offices of this class in such spirit and such manner as it chooses to render them , unchecked by competition which governs ordinary commercial relations , and so amenable only to public senti ment which is nowgroping its way to find out how to asp < r.elf attentively. Now , gentleman , where 0003 * that public opinion , which is seeking to as sert itself , eventually find its most effi cient co-workers ? You are to decide. You have heard what Mr. Dodge said about the republican party its legisla tion in that direction. I might pause here and read to you many pages as to what they have done. But it is for you to decide at the polls. It is for you to converse with your neighboring friends and say whether you find that efficient agent to accomplish these results'in the republican party ; finding its great sup porters in Grant , in Abraham Lincoln , in Seward , in Cogkling and the great writers of the present age ; or do you find that efficient agent in such dema gogues as Van Wyck , Kem and the bal ance of these men ? Railroad transportation , telegraph and telephone transportation in connec tion with the enormous landed interests , which go with the former , are ttie chief objects toward which reform legislation is now directed. My faith in the future of this country is unshaken and knows no limit. God has watched over and guarded and guided its counsels in peace and in war and overruled all for 'eood. He was with the nation at Mon- mouth , Saratoga and Yorktown , at Wilmington , Lookout Mountain , and Appomattox. He was with the coun cils of the nation in its financial strug gle'after the war and through the dark days of 1873. And when \ve look back a il has been overruled for good. Legis lation on the subject of railroad rates has made progress , and in the inter est of the people and not to the injury of the railroad. Pro gress has been made. That the movement against railroads should come , was inevitable. When first granges -were formed , the 'purpose of the or ani/ttioa was to render the farm er's homes attractive ; and secondly mak ing farming attractive ; as a means to this second , they sought to diminish the ex penses and one of the most important elements was the cost of getting goods to the market. It was thus that they became interested as an organization in the question of transportation and of railroad control. Their utterances on this matter were moderate. It was gradually they became instruments of popular agitation. The first tangible result was reached in Illinois. The con stitutional convention of 1870 made an important declaration concerning the state control of rates , on the basis of which , a law was passed in 1871. extab- lishing a system of maxima. The law was pronounced unconstitutional by Judge Lawrence. The result was , he immediately failed of a re-election on 4 1.if fTt.m-in.1 olorio TVin flnfAofnf Llllll * LI A. V.1 I * U V4 , lL J4Vy. . * _ % > VIV1AW WA Judge Lawrence showed the true sig nificance of the farmer's movement. They engaged in securing what they felt to be their rights , and they were not willing that any constitutional barriers should be made to defeat their v ill. They had reached the point whorev were dangerously ncr revolution , ut they did iiot pass the point. The Illi nois law of 1873 avpided the issue , raised by Judge Lawrence ugainst that of 1871. Instead of directly fixing a maxima , it provided that rates must be reasonable , and further provided for a commission to fix reasonable rates. Similar laws were passed by Iovra and Minnesota al most immediately afterwards. The leg islature of Wisconsin went even further , fixing by the so-called Potter law , the rates on different classes of roads at a figure which proved unremunerative. The railroads made a vain attempt to contest these regulations in the 'uirts. They were defeated again and agin , and finally , in 1877 , the supreme court of the United States sus tained the constitutionality of the Potter law. But a more powerful force than constitutional , or statutory law , or the decision of the courts "was working ag ainst this-system of regulation of fix ing rates by statute. This was the power of the laws of trade and com merce. The laws of trade and com merce could not be violated with tm- puuitv. The efTect cf the law was most sharnlv felt in Wisconsin. The ; law fix- a maximum rate and reducing rail road rates to the basis which competi tive points enjoyed left nothing to pay fixed charges. In the second jrearof its operation no Wisconsin railroad paid a dividend , and onljr four paid interest on their railroad bonds. Railroad con struction in the state ceased and the facilities on existing roads could not be kept up. Foreign capital refused to in vest in Wisconsin and such as could withdrew their capital from the state. The development of the state was sharply checked. The very men who most favored the law found themselves heavy losers. These points were plain to every one. They formed the gist and theme of the governor's message at the beginning of 187G. The very men who passed the law in 1874 hurr'edly re pealed it after two years trial. We should at this time heed the lesson taucht bv this experience. Auv legis lation which seriously affects railroad profits , reduces them below cost and fixed charges , will check the increase of railroad facilities. Such increase of facilities is essential to the development of any growing American community. If such a community passes laws hostile to the railroad interests , it soon feels the evil effects. The Potter law of Wisconsin ian instance on this point. This lesson should admonish us at this time. The great reduction in rates caused a reduction of profits. This stopped the growth aud construction of railroads. The growth of the state was thereby brought to a standstill. The very interests which were most clamorous for the law in 1874 , were most urgent for its repeal in 1870. The spring flies up with a force pro portionate to that which has pressed it down. The pendulum which is drawn far in one direction swings as far in the other. The joyous madness of intoxi cation in the evening is followed by the languor and nausea on the morrow , and so it is in politics. It is the sure law that every excess shall generate its opposite. The man or political party does not deserve the name of states man who strikes or legislates without calculating the effects of the rebound. It is too often that such calculation is infinitly beyond the authors of popular agitation. Be sure if you go to ex tremes , to the crippling of the railroad interests of the state by reducing rates boiow actual cost ot trail spoliation an fixed charges , the j cacti ou will be sure to come. It will strike hardest the agricultural and industrial interests of the -jtate. It will create a reign of terror , capital wil. leave the state and will cease to come here. The history of Wisconsin from 1874 to lb7G will be re peated. On the other hand , a rate too nigh or an extortionate rate brings th i same calamity upon the agricultural aud industrial classes. In the medium , safety and prosperity lies. All our through freight is subject to a long haul. In other words wo are at the enu of a long haul , and nine tenths of our tonnage is carried over this long haul. The problem is comparatively new in the Uiiited States. It is old in Eu rope and the result of European experi ence has been to give up trying to pro hibit pools and discrimination , at the same time. The question presented to the state board of transportation In Ne braska is , how can the law be most ef fectively applied or administered to benefit the public without detriment or injury to the railroad interests of the state. This can be best accomplished in my judgment by using the power over local rates to crowd down through rates to the lowest point practicable. The great virtue of the law'is not in the use of the power it confers , but in the po tential power to exercise the authority , if necessary. I have been willing to pay a comparative high local rate in Nebraska , if thereby we could secure low through , interstate rates , and for the following reasons : First We pay about ten dollars' through or interstate to every one d . i- lar in local rates. A cut , therefore , of one per cent per hundred pounds on the through or interstate rates Is equal in benefit to the people of the state to a cut of ten cents ou the hundred pounds on the local ; and I ought to add in this connection that the thro ugh or interstate tonnage is largely more than ten times as'great as the local tariff. It was for these reasons that I was willing to com promise -with the rail-roads and accept a cut off , from three to five cents , per hundred , on through rates or interstate rates and reduce locals to the B. & M. local tariff. The B. & M. have always had the lowest local tariff in the state ; and threu years ago when it was my duty to deal with these matters , the B. & M. local tariff was fully twenty- five per cent lower than any road in the state , and the locals on all roads in the state were reduced , by the voluntary actions of the railroads , from three to five cents per hundred pounds. The people of the state under this arrange ment saved from oiia and a half mil lions to two and a naif million dollars , annually in amount paid on freight , and it was further stipulated at that time with the roads , interested , that they would use their influence and pow er to crowd down through or interstate rates , and upon their doing so , locals would not be seriously disturbed. This " arrangement , so far "as I am advised , has been fairly well carried out by both railroads and the State Board of Trans- oortation. I illustrate the situation of Nebraska rts compared with the shipments to oth er states. The figures are for the dis tance of five hundred , five hundred and fifty , six hundred , six hundred and litty , seven hundred , seven hundred and fifty and eight hundred miles from the bas ing point of making rates , and the points are supposed to be equal dis tances from Chicago. Let me say in this connection that wo runabout live hundred miles from Chicago and we strike Nebraska. So in this table I start at the five hundred mile point. Then I take three points ; one in Dakota , oue in Kansas , one in Nebraska , and give the rates to the points ; Onasalka , Wisconsin , that is for live hundred miles I will skip and come down to six hundred miles , Lens- dale , Minnesota ; Fairmont , Nebraska and Council Grove , Kansas. The dis tance of each of these points is six hun dred miles from Chicago. I will only give the figures in a few instances. First class from Chicago to Fairmont is 81.05 ; Lousdale , the same distance , $ L- 22 ; and to Council Grove. Kansas , SI.19 Now in first class I do not suppose many of the audience understand this classification. But in a general way , first class freight includes timers and all bulky wares such as baskets ; it includes frail breakable articles that are likely to break. But in the fourth class is where the farmer is interested. It is them his sugar is shipped , his coffee , his tea , tus groceries , nis flour and ins liara- \varo and nearly everything comes in the fourth class. I say that by way of explanation. And they give you a rate of six huudred miles on fourth class , Lousdale , Minnesota , . 57 : Fairmont , Nebraska , 53 ; Council Grove , Kansas , 55. You observe from the above figures , Nebraska enjoys a cheaper rate for the same distance "than that given to Kan sas , Minnesota or Dakota because the volume of traffic is much greater in Ne braska , than in sparcely settled Dakota ; but the volume of traffic in Kansas and Minnesota , and the population to the miles of railroad compare favorably with Nebraska. Is'ow , I do not say tnat there is no cause for complaint at the present time , but I do desire to say before I close that the board of transportation has saved the state at least two and a half million dollars every year. A greater saving is possible under the exigencies , it may be true , but it is possible you may go as far as they went in Wisconsin and the reaction will come , fatally crippling the progress of the state , and crippling your lands by crowding down prices. And , let me sny further , that while you hear these men complain of some state officers , Mr. Benton , for instance , I can say this for him ; he has a great many legal questions come before him , the registration of bonds , and a great many others , and so far in his past official life for two years he has never made a mis take. They have gone to the supreme court iu some ten cases , the attorney general against him , and in every in stance his decision has been main tained. He is a young man , but he has efficiently discharged his duties. The reason I name him especially is because they seem to be making an especial figliit on him that is , the granger ele ment as I hear it but no more efficient officer has ever occupied a place in the state. < vow , in conclusion , the hopes of this state in my judament are in the repub lican party. Turn to the state of your condition compared with that of Kan sas , which is endowed just as richly with , a school fund a- your state , and come with that school fund ; with her six hundred thousand more people than yourb , liur tchool t'umi amounts to 'nf nerh-tos. Unee millions : - yours to twenty immona 10 uio and more than forty millions in lands. Whose hand has husbanded this for tha rich inheritance of the children that are. and are ynt to bo , whose hand , except - copt the hand ot the republican party ? You never have had a defalcation among the republican officers of the state. Show mo the place yrhevo , the democrats' have had the power , either in city , county or state , that they do not have two defalcations a year. Now , I sav this , not to traduce or abuse anv- bodv , but to call upon you. by the memory of the past by the memory ol from 'GO to ' 65 , by the memory of a Garfield - field , by the memory ol a Grant , by the memory of a Lincoln , by the memory of the hosts of dead that fell upon the battlefield , to stand by these drvmest blessings , that have been transmitted through the agency of tbe republican party. And not only stand by them , but go into the field and work for them , now , when the grand old party is as sailed by those who have been and' ought now to be her friends , and labor with them , hand to hand , upon Novem ber next , you wrest victory for the state - and the national ticket. [ Applause. ] First Congressional District Ropuo- llcan Platform. We , the republicans of the First con gressional district of Nebraska , in con vention assembled at Plattsmouth thia 28rd day of September , 1890. do adopt- the following as our platform : 1. We reaffirm our adherence to the principles so clearly and strongly enun ciated in the republican national plat form of 1888 , and by the resolutions- adopted at the republican stale conven tion recently held at Lincoln , Ne braska. . 3. We cordialty endorse the admin istration 'of President Harrison and. congratulate the country upon the wise- and able meaner in which he lias dis charged the duties of his high office. 3. We approve of such methods and rules as are now existing , or which may hereafter bo adopted by the United States or house of representatives as- will permit the transaction of the legis lative business of the nation. While we favor a full and fair presentation and consideration of the views of & minority ; we are opposed to the methods and tactics whereby obstruc tionists seek to prevent the transaction- of public business. A majority must be permitted to legislate for it alone la responsible to the country. f 4. On all economic questions we fa vor independence of action by Western representatives in the interest of the great and growing Northwest. Wo cordially approve and endorse the course of our representative in congress , tin' Hon. William J. Conuell , ami cor- dia'.tv finiii mi Mm to to the voters ol the jfirst cougruastuuul district of Ne il braska as worthy of their support. Wo especially commend him to independent voters as well as to all republicans in I the district , for his independent advo cacy of free and unlimited coinage of silver , and for his able and successful efforts in securing the passage of the eig nt nour" out auu otner measures.in thelnterest of workmen , laborers and mechanics. - 5. We most heartily approve the ac tion of the republicans of th ° present congress in passing so many measures in the interests of the agricultural and laboring classes ; prohibiting trusts ; pro viding for meat inspection ; endowing j' * agricultural colleges ; preventing the ' fraudulent branding of farm products ; providing for the purchase of 4,000,000 ounces of silver each month , thereby greatly increabing the supply of the circulating medium ; declaring that eight hours shall constitute a day'a work for all laborers , workmen and mechanics employed by the government or government contracts ; and providing for the protection of free labor against contract labor and alien contract labor. C. We condemn the democratic doc trine of free trade , under the operation of which thousands now engaged in manufacturing , mining , and like indus tries must be driven from their present occupation and compelled to indulge in- agricultural pursuits , thereby unduly increasing our farm products and de stroying a remunerative market there for. i 7. We believe that a home marked with millions of consumers engaged in Hi the various industries is the best mar ket in the worl ! and for any perishable- artiele the only available one. I ? 8. We favor the most radical reduction - i tion of the' tariff nossible consistent - ? with the protection of American indus tries and free American labor ; such re duction to be made as far as possible on the necessaries of life and articles in eii'un'on use. At the same time we favoi MIC ! ) : t tariff upon the imported product * of low-priced foreign labor , fairly -ind justly distributed as will pro- tcet tl e interests of American wage- workers without adding to their bur- deiit > 'JVa most heartily endorse the sys tem of reciprocity in trade , proposed by the ! Ion James G Bhune , as a fitting- suj' | > lt ment to the republican theory of proU'cMiMi 10V approve the action of the pres ent nvuMicuu congress in restoring to- the jut ibe domain over eight million- aenMf 1-nid heretofore granted to rail- roa > ' - . \Ve are opposed to the granting , of any cart of the public domain to cor- 1 1 UV favor such wise national legislation - islation in th regulation of commerce betn . .MHlates asvil ! prevent extortion. b' - . neil carriers and securu for the ! /r r the. transportation of his pro- in i > ad in irkcts at a roa on-ibeand ) pn- i > ; < t ami xvunout unjust uiscnm- ii -i In favor of any class , interest or section i- \Ve declare our approval of the JH.I.ind constant republican policy o ! ai ! < - * ' ! _ r yeucroMs pensions to depend ent id 4l. ih.ed a union soldiers , and as < a'jju IM a i democratic promises and pre- teii' ' x We proudly recall the fact that all important pension legislation h a been phe.-d ou the statute books by ro- pubii-tns ! We favor the enactment of such a-i'litional pension legislation as will fiitsHi eun-v Dl * drre made by a loyal peopV to defenders and preservers of our lonntry. 18 We cordially endorse the bill in- troilm-fil in congress by Hon. W. J. , Conn..l for the location of a Unite'd % Stat. > - ( .ranch mint within the limits ol the -t"i - . .f Nebraska. Since there is a genenu demand for more coinage and the pre-ent capacity of the mints is known to be too limited , and as we are * in favor of extending foreign trade through reciprocity between this and other countries , aud Omaha furnishes one fourth of the silver required by the United States treasury department , we would respectfully ask congress to pass the Counell bill in order to provide for the necessary demand for gold and sil ver coinage.