Omaha daily bee., 1894-02-25
kiNSIS ~. NERRIsKI.
Ex-Governor 81. Johns Assertions Effectively
Refutcd.
From ne 1opekd capital

which appeared In the Topeka Capltal OF
February rs. over the signature of eX-Gov-
ernor John p, st. John. 1t is not my pur-
pose at this time to engage In any wordy
controversy about prohibition, nor do I wish
to deprive Governor st. John OF whatever
fame, renown or notoriety he may have ac-
CURED as the champion of prohibition. !
simply desire to correct the misstatements
made by the ex-governor in his comparisons
as to the relative moral, material and fnan-
cial condition of Kansas and Nebraska.
The governor is an expert in Juggling with
statistics. He is as adroit in palming of
misleading fiction in figures as he is. in play
ing upon popular credulity by %reciting gar
bled extracts from public records and spout
ing scripture to keep himself in the saddle on
his favorite hobby horse. II is certainly
amazing that a man of the pretentions and
position in the political world occupied by
Governor st. John should presume upon the
lack of intelligence and general Information
to the extent to which he has in the article
to which exception is taken.
The governor starts out as follows: Let
us compare Nebraska under high license with
Kansas under prohibition. bearing in mind
that Kansas has onc-ffth more population
than Nebraska"
Now the census of 1890 credits Nebraska
with a population of 1855. 793. while Kansas
is credited with 1,427, 900. Kansas has there
fore $40, 29O more population than Nebraska,
hence the population of Kansas is more than
one-third greater than that of Nebraska, in
stead of one-hfth, as the governor would
have 1t.
Having started out with this false assnmp-
ton Governor st. John then points with
derision to the fact that the population in the
Nebraska penitentiary under high license in
creased from 1913 in 1879 to 345 in 1889, show
ing an increase of 167 per cent; while in
Kansas it decreased from 917 in 1879 to S23
in 1889, showing a decrease of . per cent.
This would be very instructive if it were
true.
The official record of the Nebraska peni-
tertiary shows that on November 30, 1879,
the number of convicts was 1874; on November
80, 1889, $40; on November 30, 1892, it had de-
creased to 316 and on the goth day of Feb
ruary, 1894, it had further decreased to 296.
On the other hand, the state prison popu-
lation of Kansas. which, according to Gov
ernor st. John, was 1923 in 1889, is given as
911 on July /, 1890. in the eighth biennial
Kansas State Penitentiary board report, and
as aggregating 942 on July l., 1892, and SS5
for the year ending June 80, 1898.
Now does this show to the disadvantage
of Kansas or Nebraska?
The population of Nebraska in 1879 was
452, 402, or one convict for LASS of the popu-
lation. The population of Kansas in 1879
was, in round numbers 996, 900. and the
prison population 917, or one convict for
1,0S6 of the population. Computing the popu,
lation of Nebraska at 1 100, 900 at the present
time and the number of convicts say at
800, we have in Nebraska one convict
for 1866 of the population; whereas Kansas
with a population of, say 500, 900, and an av-
erage Of $40 convicts, has at this time one
convict for 1,724 of its population. In other
words, proportioned to their relative popu-
lation, Kansas has more than two states
prison convicts for every one in Nebraska.
Governor st. Johns comparison of the per
capita wealth of the two states is equally
incorrect as we'll as fallacious.
In the first place, the per capita of as
sessed valuation Of a state proves nothing as
to it's relative wealth. In one state the as
sessment may be at actual value, in another
at one-third and in a third at one-twentieth
The comparative wealth of the two states
must be judged not only by their possessions,
but also by their debt.
The total debt in Nebraska, state, county
and municipal. in 1880, amounted in the ag-
gregate to $7,4S9, 974. or a per capita
debt of $16.5S. In 1890 the aggregate debt
of Nebraska amounted to SIS, 536, 772, or a
per capita debt Of $14.67, being a decrease
of $l,91 per capita.
On the other hand, the aggregate debt
of Kansas in 1880 is computed by the census
bureau as SIS, 912. ia, or a per capita debt
of 1887. In 1890. the debt Of Kansas had
reached $40, 629, 022, or a per capita of $2S.47,
an increase Of $3.50 per capita. This in
crease alone is only s2.17 less than the total
per capita debt Of Nebraska.
With one-third greater population than Ne
braska Kansas has nearly three times her
debt.
A striking contrast between the two states
is afforded by the annual interest charge on
their respective bonded debts.
In 1880 the annual interest charge in Me-
braska was SEAL ,O72, equal to an interest
charge per capita of 81. 20. The annual in
terest charge for 1890 amounted to 1925 ,663,
equal to a per capita of 81 cents, or a reduce
ton of 30 cents per capita.
The Kansas annual interest charge for
1880 amounted to $1,675, 1853, equal to SLIT
per capita. In 1890 the interest charge had
risen to 50, 1856, 975, or a per capita of $1.67,
being an increase of so cents.
According to the report of the comptroller
of the currency for 1891, the combined cap
ital, surplus and deposits, of all national,
state and private banks and loan and trust
companies in Kansas in that year was $53.
500. 5SS, or 1922 per capita, and that for
the banks in Nebraska, 500, 1873, 500, or $6O,39
per capita.
Now let Governor st. John tell us which
OF the two states is in the better condition
financially.
Another striking difference between the
| two states is in the proportion of cities and
extent of their commerce. The ten largest
| cities of Kansas aggregate 17O,S7 population,
while the ten largest cities and towns in
Nebraska aggregate 273,3 1874 population. The
city of Omaha alone has a larger population
than the six largest towns in Kansas al
together.
Governor st. John Is incorrect in regard
to the railroad mileage of the two states.
He asserts that in 1891 the number of rail-
road miles operated in Nebraska was 1880.
AS a matter OF fact the railroad mileage
in Nebraska June 80, 1891, was $3.50 and
at the present time exceeds $500 miles.
C---- H. fOnI L.