The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-09-11
NEBRASKA'S
CANDIDATE
For the Vice Presidency
A High Tribute to
His Character.

In TUESDAYS REPUBLICAN we pub
lished fine likeness of the Hor.1
John l.. Webster, who has been en- |
dorsed by the Nebraska Republicans
for Vice President, feeling that
many of our readers would be inter |
ested in him as a brother of our fell |
low citizen, Mrs. Margaret Chalfant.
In Mondays Toledo Blade we have
found the following high compliment
which shows him to be worthy the
distinguished honor sought for him.
The Blade says:
Nebraska, brought into promi-
nence during the last two national
campaigns by the fact that the state
is the home of the Democratic can
didate for the presidency, has again
bobbed into notice by the recent ac-
tion of it's state Republican conven-
tion in advocating the selection of
Hon. John L. Webster, of Omaha, for
the second place on the ticket to be
chosen in 1904. By this action it has
brought to the countrywide promi-
nence a man who has been known
throughout the middle west for years
as one of it's ablest citizens. This
should not be taken to mean that
Mr.. Webster has not been known be-
yOnd the confines of the Missouri
valley, but rather that the knowledge
of his ability has been confined prin-
cipally to those attorneys who keep
in touch with the more important
legal work of the country, and those
politicians who make the growth of
every public man their study.
"As the first candidate in the field,
Mr.. Webster's personality Is perhaps
of more interest than those of the
men who will enter the running
later.
''Of his ability there is no question.
The West knows him as an attor'
ney, one of the coterie of first water
men, who have served to whip into
shape the sometimes unique, some
times grotesque, laws passed by
states still in their long clothes, in
turn ultra-conservative, railroad
ridden. populistic and demagogic
Ito them is due the credit for what
ever protection of property and
soundness of state finance came
about during the wild-eyed days wher
the people of the plains were led by
lsockless statesmen and divine heal.
ers of national wrongs that consisted
mostly of grasshopper pests, a
lack of rain, and other things tha,
caused crops to fail. To their good
work the west is just now awakening
In the framing of laws governing the
nations relations with the red mer
he has played an important part
One of the first attorneys to be ad
mitted to practice before the inte
rior department and the commission
er of Indian affairs, he has never
lent himself to the high salaried de
fence of the myriad men and schemes
that have looked to rob the children
of the plains of their remaining
lands. Rather has he done as much
if not more, than any other to pu
the laws governing this diminishing
race on a plane of firmness and jus
:, tice.
"Mr. Webster has had experienc,
in politics. Several times he ha
been a receptive candidate befor
the Nebraska legislature for senator
ial honors, but his ever present stan'
against a coalition with and the re
sultant control by dominand railrOa
forces in the state has kept him fror
the goal. But, defeated or not, h
has always fought at the front for hi
lparty, and by his example. and powe
: both as a speaker and An advisor
: has put Republicanism again in tn
e ascendant in his state.
SIN person Mr.. Webster is pictur
in action of the old time courtes
!. and chivalry of the days before tn
war, combined with the aggressive
ness and more solid intellect of tn
Ipresent day leader. He has frequent
lly been prominently mentioned 70
: an ambassadorship to the Europea
court, and was lately seriously cor
!, sidered as one of the men to max
!. up the isthmian canal commission
His honesty in politics is as inAexibl
as in his private business, and ha
become a motto in Nebraska.
with Mr.. Roosevelt's nominatio
for the presidency a foregone conclt
sion, it follows that a western ma
will be chosen as his running matt
c Many factors of political expedienc
o will enter into the selection for sc,
ond place, and Nebraska is early !
- the field with a good man. If th
e other states which will undoubtedl
place favorite sons in the race, sha
n name equally capable men with NJ
- Webster, the choice of the CONVEX
tion can not fail to be a wise one.