Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-19
ChnDpen Men Expresses His Opinion
of. How 20 Build Up
Nebraska,


CHAPPELL, Neb.. Jan. 1s.-To the Editor
Of The Bee: While reading an Omaha
paper some time ago I found what pur-
ported to be a resolution from the Com
inercial club Of Omaha indorsing the fenc-
ing in Of the public lands Of Nebraska. This
surely must be an error, as 7 railways thought
this club was established for the purpose
Of advancing the interests of Omaha and
Nebraska. Do the members OF that or
ganization know what they are doing when
they advocate such a law? A large part Of
western Nebraska is an agricultural coun-
try and thousands Of acres OF land are still
vacant, waiting for the settler to tickle the
land with the pillow and produce crops. Last
year the farmers and small stockmen on
this very Identical land raised from ten to
twenty bushels OF wheat and from twenty
five to sixty bushels Of corn per acre. Now,
this is not fiction, but facts that can be
learned from the railroad agents who have
billed hundreds Of cars from their various
stations in Deuel., Cheyenne, Kimball and
SCOTS Blur counties.
That such lands should be withdrawn
from the actual settler and given for ten
years to the cattle barons is out Of the
question. In the first place no revenue
would be derived to keep up the schools,
AhC ipduo UT the COuuly EONbTnLntul, tNl
it is Il well known fact that the cattlemen
pay a smaller percentage of taxes than any
other class Of business outside Of the rail-
road companies, whose ability for tax shirk-
ing is too well known. Then It would re-
tard immigration and instead of a we'll
settled state the population Of western
Nebraska would be about FIVE people to
every township. Your Commercial club
must be COMPOSED of lawyers and railroad
agents, as SUI ely no business men OF the
great city OF Omaha would father such a
scheme. Omaha jobbers and manufacturing
Industries arc supported by the merchants
Of the smaller towns of the state, and it is
a well known fact in this part of the state
that many Of the large cattle companies
purchase all their supplies in Chicago.
Now, I understand our representatives in
congress got together a few days ago and
agreed upon a bill, this bill to be sub
mitted to the state legislature for its action
and II favorable to be sent back to Wash
ington and then passed by congress. The
bill ought not to receive one vote in the
affirmative, and any member OF our legis-
lature who votes for It should be run out OF
the state. The cattle barons will infest the
state house in large numbers, but the mem
bers must beware of them. The Law con-
templates the leaSlnB OF twenty sections OF
land to each cattleman. but does not hin
der his uncles, aunts, cousins and even the
poor dog from leasing twenty sections at a
nominal price Of about 2 cents per acre.
Think OF it! A whole section of $40 acf es
of land to be leased at a rental Of $3.50 a
yearl
Some years ago a club was started in
Nebraska, the title of which was the me
braska club. whose main object was to
bring people to the state and increase the
population at least so per cent. Millions OF
circulars were sent al over the east de-
s%cribins the great advantages of Nebraska,
its beautiful climate, agricultural resources
and irrigation opportunities. The results
have been highly beneficial. Then why does
this celebrated Commercial club of the
metropolis of the state indorse something
which will have a greater influence in re-
tarding the progress Of the western half OF
Nebraska than airy calamity which might
befall our people? Let our watchword be,
"Stand up for Nebraska" and do not per-
NIT anybody to indorse a bill whose OBJ
jects are not only mercenary but nefarious
to a large degree.
CHARLES K. MULLEN.