Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-25
NEBRASKA POPULiSTS Defended.
A Friend to the Party Insists That
NebrnsLnns at Least We're Honest.

To the Editor of The Evening Star:
Your remarks in Wednesday evenings
issue concerning Nebraska populists were
in the nature of news to several Nebras-
kans in Washington. You certainly have
been imposed upon by somebody. Though
intimately acquainted with Nebraska poll
tics for several years past 1 never before
read or heard of the facts you set forth.
You speak Of Nebraska enjoying the
luxury of a legislature in which the old
political parties We're but meagerly repre-
sented." Nebraska never enjoyed such
luxury. The new party has elected ma
1ority in but one legislature. that of 1891.
That majority was very narrow, six in the
house and three in the senate The party
lost control of the upper house by the
treachery of two senator's In the lower
house the party was poorly organized and
its majority was too small for effective
control Notwithstanding these drawbacks,
the ''populist legislature" of 1891 placed
upon the statute books more good laws
than any legislature had done for twenty
years. That these laws were wholesome Is
proven beyond question by the fact that
neither old party has dared propose their
repeal. Prior to 1881, the footing" Of the
state house at the close of legislative ses-
sions had become notorious. The legisla-
ture of 1891 set an example for its sue
cessors by not footing the building" Had
they done as you say, the fact would have
been thoroughly aired in the succeeding
campaign, but nothing of the kind occur.
red. On the other hand the populists of
Nebraska, assisted by many honest re-
publicans and democrats, have unearthed
and fixed upon republican office holders an
amount of criminal extravaganza ana ac-
tual corruption that is appalling. AS re-
suit of these exposures, the populists OF
Nebraska, in spite of the great republican
landslide, elected a governor in 1874
certainly do not think you Intentionally
ho let n
hence I ask you in justice to them to pub
lish this letter. -
S. EDWIN THORNTON.
The Stars comment on populists in the
Nebraska legislature was based upon me
following-taken from a letter written by
a member of The Stars staff then Gin June,
1870 in Nebraska:
"Then the alliance in the legislature did
not help the starving farmers in the west
ern portion of the state until public
opinion, which was largely anti-alliance,
forced it to do SO. Every farmer IN the
legisla tive ideas was foolishly imprac-
ton that prevailed in the west. Every one
of them had cried aloud for months de-
manding action which would relieve the
awful condition of affairs. and yet they
were in session three months before
thing was done, and in the meantime star
walton would have removed thousands had
not the business men of Omaha assumed
and carried the burden until the belated
appropriation reimbursed them.
THAT was great legislature, and, as a
museum of amateur political freaks, has
never been equaled. The vast majority of
legislative ideas were foolshly fmprac-
ticable, and yet this majority was so de-
termned to force things in It's own way
that nothing but the alliance of the demo-
Gratis and republicans prevented action
that could not have been far short of dis
astrous. The scenes in the legislature will
never be forgotten by those who witnessed
them. For twenty hours Speaker Elder
and eX-Lieut. Gov. Meikleiohn sat side by
side, each putting motions, and each an
nouncing his own decision, which was in
variaby the reverse of what the other
man said it was.
NO man is more envious of the privi-
leges which belong to official life than the
average farmer No man more readily
formulates economic plans and no one in
sists more pertinaciously upon the rigid
enforcement of every niggardly rule. And
yet when the Nebraska legislature came to
a too-long-delayed end it was the farmers
who robbed the state capitol of all NOV
able furniture and decora tive brc-a -brac.
They carried away more stationery than