The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-29
A BRILLIANT BANQUET,
Business Men Unite in Paying
Homage to Governor
HoIcomb.
THEY OPPOSED HIS CANDIDACY
Good Times, However, Settle Many
Little Disputes In Political
Questions.

OMAHA, NEBR., June 2s.-The Omaha
Commercial Club gave at its rooms to-
night one of the most brilliant banquets
in the history of Omaha. The object of
the banquet was two-fold. It was first
designed to celebrate the wonderful pros
perity which is dawning upon this State
as consequence of the bountiful crops
which are assured to the State this
year, and which will be far the
greatest in the history of Nebraska
On account of the widespread tales
of restitution in Nebraska which have
been sent all over the land it seems fitting
that public event should be the medium
to notify the country OF the contrast between
this and last year, for there is not now
even one county of the State in which the
brightest prospects for plenty do not OBJ
tain, the drought section of last year be-
ing especially favored.
The second object Of the banquet was to
express the sentiments of the business
men of Omaha in admiration of the ad-
ministrative course and acts of Governor
Silas A. Holcomb. This is of peculiar
significance on account of the fact that last
year the candidacy of ]. G. Holcomb was
opposed by the leading business men of
Omaha for the reason that it was
feared that his election as Popu-
list would be detrimental to the
interests of the State. in the East.
This banquet was to show the
such as to receive the warm commenda-
ton OF the business men of this city. and
that the credit of the State had not in any
way suffered through his course. Such an
evidence is without parallel in the State
history, and is all the more remarkable on
account of the Governors politics.
Governor Holcomb arrived from Lincoln
at 4:15 p. NJ. and held public reception at
the Paxton Hotel, where many citizens of
all parties called on him. The banquet began
at o'clock in the clubrooms, which were
gayly decorated for the occasion. Hon. E..
NJ. Barrylett was the POSTMASTER. G. F..
Weller, president of the club, delivered an
address of welcome, to which Governor
Holcomb responded, delivering an elo-
quent tribute to Nebraska and it's resources
and thanking the club for its testimonial.
He expressed great pleasure and pride in
the welcome and hoped to always merit
the applause of this club.
Nebraska to-day is most prosperous, -
said the Governor; "the climatic condi-
tons are fixed, and are as certain as the
moyem ents of the planets. The eastern
half of the State is shown by statistics to
have greater average rainfall than sew
eral other States of the Missouri Valley,
which are proverbially prosperous. The
western half is dependent to some extent
on irrigation, and already over 1,OOo,-
600 acres are under irrigation, which,
with the grazing counties, makes
the western portion very productive" The
Governor made hit by advocating the
ceding to the State by the Government OF
Government land, as is done in other West
ern States, and irrigating it and using it as
forestries. In concluding the Governor
said he believed that Nebraska is capable
of supporting and will be supporting in
twenty years more than 100000 people.
Great applause followed the speech.
E. A. Barnes, president of the State
Board of Agriculture, responded to "Agri-
culture, the Growing Glory of Nebraska"
DR.. George Mclean, the new Chancellor of
the University of Nebraska, spoke of ''Edu-
cation in Nebraska; G. N. Lamberston,
ex-Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, on
Nebraska, Ever Be Prosperous" The
last response was by the brilliant orator,
Hon. Henry d. Estabrook of Lincoln on
What Are We Here For?'