Will Not Debate
Sovernor Mickey afraid to have the
extravagance of his admin
istration made plain.
FIGURES FROM OFFICIAL RECORDS
Show great increase in the current expenses of
every State department and State Insti-
/ tution , making increased tax
ation necessary.
Early in the present political cam
paign Governor Mickey was challrngi'd
to meet George W. Berge , fusion can
didate for governor , in a joint cfoatc
that the state issues might J-o dis
cussed. After a long wait Govrr.or
Mickey declined to appea * beioi the
public , evading the issues and refusing
to discuFS Ihe extravagant ndmintra -
tion of the republicans ot NebrasAa.
In order that the publii * may kno\v
more fully the conditions in the state ,
so far as they relate to the affairs Oj.
stale , Cnairmen Allen of the demo
cratic and Weber of the populist state
< x > mraittees ; have prepared an open ! et-
ter , addressed to Governor Mickey.
The letter follows :
Lincoln , Neb. , Oct. 21. Hon. John
IT. Mickey , Lincoln , Neb. Dear Sir :
We are in receipt of your letter of the
18th inst. , in reply to our letter in
which , we suggested a joint debate be
tween yourself and Hon. George W.
Borge. We regret very nrich that you
declined the 'challenge for a joint de
bate , and in place of a manly accept
ance yonhave sent to UK and published
: t letter which for deception has no
parallel in the political history of Ne
braska. We again invite you to meet
\Ir. Berge in a joint debate on state
issues at Omaha or at Lincoln , or at
both places. In this way rhe speeches
would naturally be published iii the
daily press and would reach the people
of Nebraska. Deception Mid evasion
may easily find place in a publication
and mey do find place in your letter.
But on a public platform , , where you
< vould be face to face with J.lr. Berge.
the truth could be made plain.
The reason why you have declined
< his challenge is because you well
Jcnow you have concealed a large
part of the truth. Yon know that
oven your most rabid partisans would
desert youin disgust if the real con
ditions existing in { his state were made
known to them.
In your letter you try to make out
< , hat the state indebtedness has only
increased $151,000 since the fusion ad
ministration went out of power. That
.statement is incorrect and you certain-
ly knew it was incorrect when you
wrote it. If you will meet Mr.
Berge fn joint debate we will
prove to the people not only the
Inaccuracy of the statement , but that
you must have known that it was in-
; accurate at the time you published it.
.You arrive at these figures by a slight
s-hand performance that would do
credit to a juggler. You charge the
fusion administration with alleged un
paid claims to the amount of fl 82,000.
Of course some unpaid claims are al
ways left over from one administration
to another. In the transaction of the
state's business it cannot be otherwise ,
out you conceal the ract tliat the fu-
Elon administration paid $90,631.46 of
claims left over by the former repub
lican administration. You did not in-
-clude these claims left over by tne
4 > publican administration in j'our
statement of the debt of the state
When ithe fusionists went into power.
STou gave the warrant uebtedness
only. But when you came to figure
the debt when the fusionists went out
of power you added the total amount
of the unpaid claims to the warrant
indebtedness. You must nave done
this delioerately , and with the inten
tion to deceive. You surely knew what
you were doing ; you Knew that this
statement would be disproved if you
dared meet Mr. Berge In joint debate.
Knowing this you declined and instead
issued a misleading statement hoping
thereby to deceive the voters. Not for
your benefit , governor , but for the
benefit of those who may be deceived
by your letter , we give the information
I hat the uppropriations made by the
lusion legislature to cover the claims
left unpaid by the republican adminis
tration will be found in the session
laws of 1897 , just as we give them
here.
But , governor , these are not the only
misleading statements in your letter.
3rou seek to make the people believe by
half truth and half falsehood that ex
traordinary expenditures were made
under your administration to the
amount of $605,000. Your article
adroitly leads the reader to believe
that this money has been expended
and that is one reason why the debt
has been increased. That * statement
jou likewise knew to be vvrong when
you wrote it. You included in this
$605,000 the sum of $50,000 for the
i\ormal school at Kearney , when you
knew or could have Known that only
$307.51 of it had been spent. You
knew that the corner stone of the
building was laid only Tuesday of this"
week and you knethat when that
building was completed 'he state's
debt would be increased $49,632.48
more. But in your usual deceptive
TV ay and with a pretense of fairness
and truth you wanted the peoplevto
believe that the building of the Kear
ney school helped to account for the
slate's enormously increased debt.
You included in your statement $100--
000 for the insane asylum at Norfolk ,
'when you well knew that warrants
had been drawn for only $60,535.35 of
that amount and that the remaining
? 39,464.65 is still to be paid and added
to the state's debt. We mention these
larger matters and pass by the minor
statements of a similar character , but
when the balance of the appropria
tions are put into warrants the state
debt will be increased nearly $185,000
more.
But. governor , while you did not say
it directly , the letter is plainly in
tended , to make the people believe that
i'O extraordinary expenditures occurred
during the fusion administration. Gov
ernor , the session laws of 1897 and the
session laws of 1899 both show the
truth in regard to this matter. We
need not state what these extraordin
ary expenditures were for your en
lightenment , because you knew all
about them whea you assued your
misleading letter. But we do state it
for the information of the people of
Nebraska.
Kere are the extraordinary appro
priations made by the fusion legisla-
7 TONS OF SILVER
1 What it Costs to Run the State of Nebraska Two Years Under
Republican Rule. Unprecedented Waste of
1I " ' - ? * the People's Money. ; >
In order that the readers of The Independent may 5
i clear conception of the enormous sum of money
that is required to carry on the state's business under
I the present extravagant administration , we hare made
a few interesting computations :
Imagine if you can , all of the people resident with
in the great state of Nebraska , men , women and child
ren of every class and description standing in line one >
behind the other , filing past the state treasury in Lin
coln , each to contribute in cash , their pro-rata share for
state expenses. Each would be required to toss into
u that bottomless pit the sum of flireB Dollars 2nd SlYintjf- 1
n n i ( Olir CBntS ( $3J4) ) , A total of eighteen dollars and yeven-
Ml ty .cents ( $18.70) for every average family of five mem
.11 bers in the state. It is almost impossible to conceive of
such an enormous sum. The figures are too large for
comprehension by the ordinary mind. The appropria 1l
i tions by the last legislature aggregated three million
seven hundred and forty thousand , two hundred and
eighty dollars and seventy cents [ $3.740.280.70 ] . If this
um was counted out in silver dollars it would weigh two
hundred and thirty-three thousand , seven hundred and
- I"f I"J J sixty-seven [ 233.767 | pounds. Almost OlIB founded and l
( smnteen tons , of .silver ,
The principal part of this enormous sum of money
l is paid by the farmers of Nebraska. It is nearly twice
as much as it should be. It will continue to increase ai
long as the famers of Nebraska stay at home on election
i day to earn a couple of dollars husking corn.
The Independent , Lincoln , Neb.
turo in 1897 :
Wing for the Norfolk asylum. . ? 25,001
Wing for Hastings asyluro. . . . 30.0UI
Land for Hastings asylum GUU (
Dormitory state normal school
Peru 20,001
Wing for state .university 3G,0M (
Trans-Mississippi Exposition. . 100,0M
Total ? 211,00 {
Here are the unusual appropriation *
for 1899 :
At Hastings asylum $ 30,00 (
Engine house at same place 15,00t
Wing and heating apparatus at
Lincoln asylum 40.00C
"Well and pump house , Lincoln 5OOC
Engine industrial sc-hool , Mil-
ford 75C
Blind institute , Nebraska City GOUC
Engine house , deaf and dumb
institute 7,700
School building deaf and dumb
institute 25,000
Building and furnishing at the
feeble-minded institute , Be
atrice 48,500
Sickness expenses First and
Third Nebraska 2,000
Expense returning' the First
Nebraska regiment 20,000
Vault for national guard 1,000
b'tand pipe , normal school 5,000
Improvements on hospital sol
diers and sailors' home ,
Grand Island 12,500
Site soldiers and sailors' home ,
Milford 1 ,500
Buildings and improvements
state university 90,500
Total appropriations 18.99 . . . $325,450
Add to these unusual appro
priations for 1897 211,000
Amount of unusual appropria
tions $536,450
Governor , if you will deduct the un
expended portion of the appropriations
made in 1903 and which will yet be
added to the state's debt these figures
will show that the fusionists spent
more money for permanent improve
ments and other extraordinary ex
penses than your administration has
spent.Vhy , then , the enormous in
crease in the state's debt ? The rea
son is , governor , that the whole state
government and state institutions are
filled with a lot of political barnacles
who render r.o valuable service to
the state and who are carried on the
pay roll at the public expense , while
their business is that of political plug-
sers. By carrying on the pay rolls a
large number of men who have noth
ing to do , it enables you to build up a
political machine and it surrounds you
with a lot of political henchmen at
the public expense.
Bui what about tne other indebted
ness , governor ? The fusion admin
istration paid off $467,238.04 of the
debt against other funds than the gen
eral fund. Did you overlook this , gov
ernor ? If not why d d you omit it ?
Perhaps your statement of it might re
call some unpleasant occurrences in
our public life. No doubt you knew ,
governor , that by the manipulation of
Mosher and Hill the state Jost § 180,000
in the Capitol National bank , and this
was made up largely of trust funds.
You knew , governor , that that
money had once been paid in by the
people oi Nebraska to pay the state's
debt and that the debt was not paid.
You knew , governor , that the state
appropriated this money again and-
levied taxes to pay it a second time ,
and that after the taxpayers had paid
this money in the second time ex-
Treasurer Bartley , aided J > y the man
ipulations of Senator Millard , stole
this money the second time. *
You knew that $180,000 , with inter
est , amounted to more than $200.000.
You knew that the people had paid
the money in twice and that the rep
resentatives of your party had stolen
it twice , and that when the fusionists
went in they had to face the debt with
an empty treasury.
Governor , had you never hoard of
these facts ? Why did you not men
tion them in your statement of the
financial condition of the state ? This
is another reason , governor , why you
want no joint debate. It would be ex
tremely embarrassing to you to have
the people again reminded of these
things.
la your letter y < .u make out that
the new revenue law was needed in or
der to pay otf tlu > state debt. Every
person will agree that the state debt
ought to be raid gradually. But we
charge that even the enormous taxes
levied this year will not reduce the
state debt.
We charge , governor , that if every
dollar of taxes that you have levied
were-actually paid , still the state would
be deeper in debt at the end of the
year than now. Fortunately , there is
a way that we can get at this defin
itely and not be in doubt. The total
assessment on all property in the state
this year is $294,777.244.65. On this ,
levy has been made of 41-2 mills for
the general fund , 1-2 mill for the
school fund and 1 mill for the univer
sity fund. This makes a total of 6
mills , and a levy of C mills on a val < a-
tion of $294,777,244.65 will bring $1-
768,563.46. The appropriations were
made to cover a period of two years ,
and the total appropriations made by
the last legislature for two years
amounted to $3,740,280.70. For one
pear the money appropriated amounted
Lo one-half of this , which is $1,870-
140.35 The appropriations then , gov
ernor , and the taxes for one year are-
plain to anybody. Here they are :
Amount of money appro
priated $1,870,140.35
Total amount of taxes
levied . - 1,768,563.46
Deficiency $ 101.576.S9
So you see , governor , if every dol
lar of the exhorbitant taxes which you
have levied this year and under which
the people are groaning was actually
collected , still the state would be deep
er in debt at the end of the year to
the amount of $101,576.89. Instead of
getting the state out of debt , it is go
ing deeper and deeper in debt , and
must be so unless the expense of run
ning the state government is re-
fluoed or the taxes increased. As the
state will be still deeper in debt at the
end of this year , notwithstanding the
terrific taxes you have levied , it is
plain to every man that if you are con
tinued in office that taxes must be in
creased. The people of NobrasVa well
know that when the fusionlats went
into power the taxes were much , les :
than today , and yet we reduced th <
debt largely.
How happens it , governor , that not
withstanding an increase of then
taxes , which is driving the people tt
desperation , your administration has
made a tremendous increase in the
state debt and the state is soing deep
er in debt all the time ?
We levied lower taxes than you
have and still wo paid off hundreds oi
thousands of dollars of debt. You
have levied much higher taxes than we
did and still you are increasing and
piling up the state debt. These plain ,
truthful facts , governor , explain why
it is that you refuse to meet Mr. Berge
in joint debate. In a joint debate the
people would learn the truth and hy
pocrisy and cant would be put to rout.
But the point that we want to im
press as to the railroad revenue law Is
that it is not reducing the state debt ;
that the high taxes which pro burden
ing the people are all being eaten up
by your administration and that , not
withstanding all this , the state is
plunging deeper and deeper in debt
The appropriation bills show the in
crease in the expense of running your
office , of running the auditor's office ,
of running the banking denartment , of
nmning the attorney general's office ,
of running the laud commissioner's of
fice , and so on , but the heaviest in
crease of all is in nmning the state in
stitutions. Without your defeat we
cannot get into these institutions to
tell the people the whole truth. But
the enormous increase in the expenses
of running these institutions plainly
shows that graft is being wonted in
all of them. Of necessity grafters are
running these institutions or the ex
pense could not be what it is. When
we got in before and got at the books
we found that th state's money had
been squandered and stolen : we found
that heifers weighing 500 to GoO pounds
each had been bought and put on the
state books and marked as steers and
oxen weighing 1,000 an ( ? 1 500 pounds
each. We found that it took more coal
to keep some of tha state institutions
warm in July under the rnlo of grafters
than it took to keep them warm in
January under our administration.
The administrations before the fu
sionists were lull of grafters and yet ,
governor , the expense of running them
under these grafters was much less
than running them since you have
been governor. The only way that this
can be accounted for is on the theory
that in your administration there are
more grafters and worse grafters than
in the worst days of any previous ad
ministration. The whole truth will
never be known unless you meet Mr.
Bergo in joint debate. But you know ,
governor , that a joint debate would
fairly and honestly put the people of
Nebraska in possession of all the
facts concerning your administration
of affairs and will drive you from
power and uncover the dealings of the
grafters and expose them to the pub
lic. Is that why you decline to debate ?
Yours truly ,
T. S. ALLEN.
Chairman Democratic State Committee.
B. R. B. WEBER.
Chairman People's Independent State
Committee.
The Brady Bill
It will be recalled that at the last
session of the legislature a bill was
introduced providing for a reasonable
opportunity for the shipment of grain
within the state of Nebraska. This bill
was known as the Brady bill. Its en
actment was unanimously demanded
by the farmers of the state , but the-
railroads were opposed to it. Its pro
visions were full , explicit and fair. It
would have afforded protection to all
shippers of grain. It would have guar
anteed against unjust discriminations.
But it was too just to secure the sup
port of the railroads that dominated
that legislature.
In place of this Brady bill was
brought forth a substitute that , its
sponsors claimed , was "just as good , "
as theBrady bill. Like all "just as
good" propositions , it should have been
closely analyzed. It was abortive. It
was of little if any value to the general
shippers of grain. It contained no
provisions that could not have been ac
complished just as well under the com
mon law. and saved the legislature the
trouble of passing it. But the railroads
wanted it enacted , and as the rail
roads dominated that legislative body ,
the Ramsey bill was substituted for the
Brady bill.
There is every hope that Mr..Brady
will again return to the state legisla
ture this year. It is safe to say that
the fight for the Brady bill will then
be renewed , since the railroads of the
state , just as was expectedhave evaded
the Ramsey law. That was the design
af the railroads. It was not contem
plated by them that any law should
be enacted that could stand. So they
attack the constitutionality of their
awn law. This will afford the friends
af the Brady bill an opportunity to
make another flght for their measure.
For the information of all who desire
Lo know something of the merits of
the Brady bill , a copy of it follows :
A BILL.
For an act to require railroad com
panies and common carriers in the
state of Nebraska to erect and main
tain a state track or switch extending
i reasonable length. The outer edge of
which shall be at least within four
[ eet of the outer edge of the right-of-
way to any elevator or elevators
jrected by any firm , corporation , asso
ciation , person or persons for the pur
pose of buying , storing and shipping
; jrain at any station within this state ,
and prividing for a penalty for the
violation thereof.
Introduced by Brady of Boone. Read
the first time Jan. 22. 1903.
Section 1. That any railroad com
pany operating within the state shall ,
when requested in writing by the own-
ars or operators of any elevator at any
station within this state through which
any railroad is operated , erect and
maintain a side track 01 suitable length
to approach as near as four feet of the
auter edge of the right-of-way when
accessary , and in all cases to approach
as near as may be necessary to ap
proach any elevator that may be
erected adjacent to their right-of-way
Cor the purpose of loading grain , into
cars from said elevator.
Sec. 2. That any railroad company
operating as a common carrier within
the state of Nebraska which shall fail
and refuse to comply with tne pro
visions of this act for the space of
sixty days after the request in writ
ing , as above mentioned , sha. . forfeit
and pay to the state of Nebraska the
sum of $1,000 to be collected in a civil
action in any court of competent jur
isdiction.
The Ramsey law , on the other hand ,
is an evasive law. It is full of holes.
It was purposely designed for attack
should any serious attempt be made to
enforce even its feeble provisions. The
chief ground for attack by the rail
roads seems to be based upon the
claim that its title does not fully set
forth the purposes of the bill. An
examination of the title and the bill
does not bear out this statement of
the roads , but it in this claim upon
which they expect to have the bill de
clared unconstitutional. There is noth
ing strictly specific about it If It
were , its benefits would long ago have
keen realized. It places a minimum
limitation upon the cost of elevators.
That is , the elevator must cost not less
: han three thousand dollars , and must
) e built at the track of the road. The
Brady bill , on the other hand , does not
make this limitation , and only stipu
lates that the elevator must be built
adjacent to the right-of-way , further
\
the Ramsey law provides JK > penalty
for even a violation of that iaw , which
in itself practically nullifies ifc * force ,
for no law can be considered e/ter.tive.
if it provides no penalty for its rio-
lation. Such a law is a nullity in it
self , for wliuout penalties no : a\r cou > < l
be enforced against the wish of any
party desiring to violate it.
The country boy may envy the city
boy , put that's because the country boy
doesn't know when he is well oflf. Tho
country lad hikes off to bed in a cold
room. He shucks his garments In a
jiffy , piles in under the thick com
forts , and is soon sleeping like a log.
In the morning , when he is called ,
he bounces > " " * - . s cio es at a pace
that makes Dan Patch IOOK HAG six
lead uicKles , and by the time he gets
down to the kitchen fire his blood is
tingling , his eyes are bright , and he
feels as tit as a fiddle. Of course hr „
longs for the enervating atmosphere
of the heated bedroom but that's be
cause he don't know.
The modern furnace has knocked
a lot of romance out of life. What fun
is there .n sitting in front of a reg
ister ? Where's the romance in loll
ing around in a room minus tne rosy
glow of the oaseburner or the dancin. :
light of the fireplace ? Sometimes Wf
wonder how on earth a fellow ever can.
arouse enough romance in his heart
to propose to a girl in a steam or
hot air ueated room.
MICKEY'S DECEPTION
Q A Sample of His Juggling With Figures To Deceive
v The Taxpayers of Nebraska.
0 In his cffortK to counteract the public indignation against the Q
Q enormous and unwarranted increase in the State's debt Governor < ?
( ) Mickey has resorted to deception that would disgrace the mostun
( ) scrupulous ward politician. There is a common law maxim as old ( )
( as jurisprudence itself "Falsus in uno , Falsus in Omnibus" ( faiso in 0
Q one thing , false in everything ) . It applies / with particular fitness < )
( ) to our "honored citizen" Hon. John II. Mickey. Time and space o-
$ will not permit the exposure of all of his fraud and deception dur- o0
( ) thi § campaign. The Independent will cito one example that is a ( >
fair illustration of the governor's fraudulent and hypocritical 0
( ) methods. Here it is : $
( ) In a letter given to the press of the State for publication in < ?
( / explanation of the increase in the State's debt Governor Mickey 0
( ) stated that it was due to enormous expenditures for permanent }
( ) improvements and cited the following list of expenditures : 0
Q New normal school at Kearney - - - - - - $50.000.00 ( >
b Building at state fair grounds 3.000.00
) New Peru . 4U.noO.00
( chapel building ot - - - - , -
( / Additional land at Hastings asylum - - - - - 15.000.00
( ) Insane hospital at Norfolk 100.000.00
Lincoln barn . 5.000.00
fy Hospital at , building - - - -
6 Soldiers and sailors Home , Grand Island , erection of
Q store building , quartermaster building , laundry
( ) building , etc. - 15.000.00
( ) Soldiers' and sailors' home. Milford , new hospital20.000.00 0
d Institute for feeble minded youth , cold storage plant 2.500.00
Q Institute for feeble minded youth , new kitchen i.000.00
( ) Deaf and dumb institute , Omaha , waterworks con- 0 I
( ) struction - - . _ . . , 500.00 0D
( ) Board of of public lands and buildings , street paving
( ) adjoining capitol - _ . . . _ 10.000.00 D
( ) Penitentiary building , furnishing same , and erecting
$ 240 steel cells , and sewerage - - - - - 12ti.5C : ! . )0 0
/ > Soldiers * and sailors' home , Milford , power house , etc I . " .500.00
'
0 Total $4iJ.yxoo ;
ty It is true that the legislature authorized the appropriations as
h listed in the governor's table above , but before the governor can ( )
Q truthfully say that those expenditures are responsible for the Q
ft state's debt he must show that the buildings and improvements ( )
< ) have bfeen made and warrants issued in payment. It is in this 0
f ) that the governor practices his deceit. An investigation of the < /
fy records ? hows that the permanent improvements claimed by the
$ governor have not been made , and that when they arc made , and 0
' ) warrants issued in payment , the state's ( Jebt will be st * further ( )
) increased by that amount. "When the Kearney normal school ( )
building is paid for by warrants issued the state will be nearly ( )
) ) $50,000 deeper in debt , When the paving around the capitol A
/ grounds is paid for the state will be " $10,000 deeper in debt. ' ' AA
f The following table shows the amount actually expended for
) improvements listed in the governor's table abovo.
Expended.
New normal school at Kearney , - - - - - - § 307.51
Building at state fair grounds , . - 2.944.20 C
New chapel building at Peru , - . - - - - . 11.708.3,0 0
Additional land at Hastings Asylum - - - . - . 10.008.5J )
Insane hospital at Norfolk , 00.53 5.'jo
Soldiers' and Sailors' home , Grand Island , erection of 9
store building , quartermaster's building , laundry
building , etc. - - - - - - - - 18.25 9Q
Soldiers' and Sailors' home , Milford , new hospital 10.yi7.00 Q
Institute for feeble Tninded youth , cold storage plant 2.500.00 0
Institute for feeble minded youth , new kitchen - 11.00
Deaf and dumb institute , Omaha , water works con
struction - 172.78
Board of public lands and buildings , street paving ad- ( )
. . . . . _
joining capitol - - - - - > y0 / ,
Penitentiary building , furnishing same and erecting 240
steel colls , and aewerage - - - . . . 120.151.57
Soldiers' and Sailors' home , power house , etc. . 13.302.21
Total $238.090.70
It will therefore appear to every intelligent citizen that the < )
chief executive of the great State of Nebraska has falsel" rJaimed ; < >
to have expended $411.563,00 fc > r permanent improvements 6
when in truth he hswl Onl expended $238,096,76Do you regard < ?
such a man worthy of your support for a second term in the gov
ernor's chair ? J
Furthermore the governor in his letter to the press with in
tent to deceive deliberately with-hdd the fact that the fusionists
during their control of the State's affairs made as many permanent
improvements as the last repuplican legislature provided for. The
exact list giving the names and nature of the improvements to
gether with the amount appropriated in payment thereof will be
found in the letter from chairman Allen and chairman Weber to
Governor Mickey , published in another column of this issue. n
Again The Independent arraigns Governor Mickey before the A
bar of public opinion under the common law charge "falsilS in URO A
falsUS in omnibus" , falsc in onc thinS false in everything. V
The Independent , Lincoln , Neb v