The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1903-09-10
CLAY co. NEBRASKA
1-r-c-n Tail. the story Of His Political
Life

MT know whether | am one or them OF
not but will leave you and the read
ers to be the Judge. Perhaps II age
alone is considered / may De admitted.
I was born in the year 1S47 in Han
cock county, Ohio. near the CITY Oh
Fostoria. My parents emlgrated 70
Iowa county, Iowa, when was eignt
years old, where | grew to MANHOOD.
cast my first vote for President
Grant. for first term, and continued
to vie the republican ticket until
about the year 1916.
/ had commenced doing business for
myself about the time this govern
ment was engaged in the nelarlous
business Of burning greenbackS. AL
that time was in need OF some green
hacks and so were whole lot OF my
neighbors. The fact set me to think
ing. and wondered II the United
States government had too much mon
ey, and If SO, why 1t did not pay some
OF It's debts.
Then came to my mind the inquiry,
Who constitutes this governments
It not the people? And are the people
deliberately burning that OF which
they sOrely stand in need!
!. I had once in my youthful days seen
a drunken man chewing fractional
currency lit was during the civil war;
and this act of government reminded
me of the drunken fool above men
toned.
Well / commenced to think and as
O sure result I soon thought myself
out of the republican party.
can hardly claim to be a Peter
Cooper greenbacker because did not
vote for good old Peter" but | had
at that election climbed to the topm0st
rail of the fence and was in doubts
about which way to jump. AS a re-
suit of my doubts l did not vote at all;
but instead | came to Clay county, Ne
braska, and located the claim on which
still reside and was here during cleo
tion that year.
For several years thereafter l did
rot go to the polls, being completely
disguised with everything political SO
far as the two old parties were con-
cerned, and there was no third party
organization in the country.
About the year 1879 I found lying in
the road copy of the Chicago Elk
press 1t had evidently been lost OF
thrown away presumably the latter
by some sanctimonious republican
who feared that it would corrupt his
morals to read it,, but he should have
burned it if he wished to destroy its
influence.
The contents of it's columns was
mama to my soul. l became sub
scriber at once and continued 1t fol
many years. 1t contained articles from
the pen of G. G. Post, Scion Chase anf
other able writer's of those times; ant
the story of them steers is still
familiar to my mind.
In the year 1880 I assisted in or
ganizing the greenback labor party il
Clay county The only other person
that know of still living in the coun
ty who took part in that convention
is my old friend J. L. Epperson 0
Fairfield, Neb., who has long sine
gone over to the republicans (the onl.
disreputable act of his life). l wa
enc of two who cast the only tw,
votes for J. B. Weaver in Marshal
township in that year; the other be
ing Thos Sumner, now of Furna
county, Nebraska.
The greenback party was of shor
duration in Clay county and in fey
years we found ourselves without
county organization. I then switche
off to the prohibition party, for fel
that it represented principle, If nc
the most important issue. and am
practical and theoretical prohibition
list today. continued to vote wit
the prohibition party until the POI
Ulist party was organized. encoul
aged and assisted in my humble wa
all | could in bringing about the Of
ganization of the populist party in tn
county. have served on both count
and state committees.
Of late years have taken no actiy
part in politics for the reason that
am and always have been opposed
fusion, although have generally vote
the ticket put out by the fusionists
When read the call for a COME
ence it "filled me. thrilled me- n
ewith fantastic terrors,' but with Il
old-time enthusiasm that i used to fe
in the palmy days of populism.
The conference did its work we