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About The Conservative (Nebraska City, Neb.) 1898-1902 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 25, 1900)
The Conservative * AN OLD TIIttKU. ST. JOSEPH , Mo. , Jan. 15,1900. EDITOR THE CONSERVATIVE : I went to Plattsmouth , Neb. , in 1857 to start my cousin , Dr. Win. Douelnn in the practice of medicine. I was elected to the legislature and served with you during that memorable session in which wo adjourned to meet in Florence. I remember well the exciting time over the bill to remove the capital to South Platte. James H. Decker of your city was speaker , but Dr. "Wm. R. Thrall was in the chair ; he ruled against us ; we finally got Decker in the chair , who was favorable to us. Decker had taken the chair and Hanscomb slipped up and knocked him under the chair. This act produced great excitement and the house became a mob. I remember Dr. Campbell of your city. He was very nmch excited. I called for order all the time , but no order came. Governor Richardson was sent for , and I remem ber his words after taking a view of the members ; ho said , as well as I remem ber , "by God , if I had the power I would prorogue this house. " Well you know the result going to Florence and the governor not approving our acts. But changing the subject , the first democratic convention held in Nebraska was held in Plattsmouth. I think you were there. I was a member of the committee on resolutions and we adopted a sound democratic platform. I was elected mayor of Plattsmouth , re-entered the town site , made deeds to all property holders , issued script and gave the place a good start. I was also elected to the council the next session , and elected president of the council , and as you re member , ouo of the most important acts was the bill to abolish or free the slaves. This bill came to me as president of the council a tie vote. I voted no and de feated the bill. I believed the constitu tion recognized slaves as property and , after taking an oath to support the con stitution , I could not consistently vote for it at the time. There were only two or three slaves in the territory , and they belonged to the Nuokolls family. The member from Sarpy changed his vote and Governor Black vetoed the bill in a very able message. Yon were secretary of the territory at the time -and made me a present of a nice gold pen. While president of the council I think I dis charged my duties impartially. In all my legislative experiences in Nebraska , I never had any person offer me a bribe , or attempt any improper influences to procure my vote. But enough of this. I would be delighted to see you , Dr. Miller or Hanscomb , and talk over old times. I called on Dr. Miller and Hans- comb the last time I was in Omaha and had a very pleasant chat with them. I have but one relative of the name in Nebraska , that is John Donelan in a bank at Weeping Water. He is very well off and a good business man. If you are ever in that place call on him. He is a son of Dr. Wm. Donolan , of Plattsmouth , deceased. Please excuse this scrawl as I have written in hasto. Respectfully , E. A. DONELAN. ENCHANTED HIGHFALUTIN. A current of imperialism of a very high voltage was discharged in the senate chamber at Washington today by the junior senator from Indiana. This young man has been to the Philippines , and he also undertakes to speak for the Almighty , and to indulge in sooth saying which will soon attract attention in other countries as well as in the United States , if there shall prove to be any considerable number of persons here who see things as ho does. Ho declares in the most positive terms that "we are the chosen people of God ; " that we are required to take the lead of all the nations of the earth , not only in the Philippines biit elsewhere ; that our constitution permits us to do anything we please in the way of supplying auto cratic officials to all the rest of the world ; that God has called us to make a beginning in the new imperialism by treating the Filipinos as so many chil dren whom we are to govern as such for their good , and also for our own good that the Philippines are , in fact , a price less possession , full of gold and wealth of all kinds which God has given to us , presumably as a reward in advance for treating the Filipinos as children , and so kindly ( as we are treating them ) . Of all the enchanted highfalutin that has ever been uttered in the United States congress , it strikes us that this Indiana man's speech is the most re markable specimen. Hartford ( Conn. ) Times ( dem. ) . THE SPIRIT OF PLUNDER. Senator Beveridge was inspired by the spirit of plunder. He confessed as much. The "nugget of pure gold picked up on the banks of a Philippine creek" excited in him the spirit of cupidity , which would make the Philippines per manent American possessions , not for the purpose of giving the Filipinos the blessings of freedom , but for the pur pose of stealing what they own to increase the -American hoard. The whole spirit of the senator's speech was piratical , not patriotic , and after stealing the mines and fields and forests of a "friendly people , " the senator would provide that "the Americans must run everything. ' ' Not content with a frank , if wordy , acknowledgment of his pur poses of plunder , the senator tried to make Providence a silent partner in his schemes of wrong and oppression. We do not think that Senator Bever- idge's speech will last. It was made to the galleries , and even the galleries are very severe critics. Charleston ( S. 0. ) News and Courier ( dem. ) . * " " ' "vA' Bostpn paper 1JIG INDIAN HEAP. asks the question : "Who is the great est man of the century ? " and the Times- Herald of Chicago remarks that "modesty prevents Mr. Bryan from sending an answer. " If modesty prevents - vents the Times-Herald from sending in a reply wo opine the Boston paper has received a pink-tinted and rose-scented sheet bearing the single name : "Her mann Kohlsaat. " Omaha World- Herald. The Boston paper will soon hear from the editor man whoso cheek neither in flamed nor flushed oven from "the sting of ingratitude. " That almost United States senator is greater , in patience , than Job ; and a thousand times meeker than Moses. Ho will send in his name if Allen-Bryan populists do not enjoin him. Wo have r e- MINNESOTA PLANT LIFE. ceived with the "Compliments of the University and of the Author" a most attractive volume entitled "Minne seta Plant Life , " by Con way Mac- Millan. Mr. MacMillan states in his preface that in producing his work he has a definite educational purpose in view and seeks to accomplish the following ends : 1. "The plant life is presented as an assemblage of living things. 2. "The different kinds of plants in Minnesota , from the lowest to the highest , are briefly reviewed in their natural order. 3. "Some plant structures and be haviors are elementarily explained , as adaptations to surrounding nature. 4. "Certain plant individuals and societies are brought before the reader as having life problems of their own , not as mere material for economic , anatomical or classificatory industry. " Each chapter of the book contains helpful and valuable information for students , both young and old , who wish to know more about plant life. The author has visited every part of Minnesota seta and made a study of the products of its soil , so that his work is "the off spring of the woods , the prairies , the rivers and the lakes. " Besides the facts , presented in a most interesting way and classified in systematic form for the reader , the pages are enriched with not only numerous engravings of individual plants but also with charming views of the roadside , the ravine and the shores of the beautiful Minnesota Lakes , each scene affording a study of the plant life that flourishes in its locality. Superstition is founded on the shifting sands of personal ignorance. Love of country , profession , wife or child is intelligent self-love ; otherwise it is fetishism , or ignorant emotionalism.
