The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1903-09-10

the trail, because the trail was blazed
and well travelled long before was old
enough to understand why some few
live without working while millions
work without really living-being
forced to put up with mere existence.
But having once found the straight
and narrow path, / have followed it
zealously.
Was born of democratic stock, May
%. 1865, near Sandy Lake, Mercer
county, Pain a community where
sox populi declared democrat little
Letter than a horse-thief My father
was "soft-money" democrat and I'm
inclined to believe he voted for Peter
although I'm not sure about
this. At any rate my earliest recollec-
ton of greenbackism is New York
greenback paper which set western
Pennsylvania afire in the Peter Cooper
campaign l believe. Il forget its
rame) and it "petered on" Tor sold out)
short time before election. My first
LESSONS in the money question were
learned from father after the Bland
Allison silver dollar began to circu
late along with the deprecated trade
cellar. He explained the power of
legal tender which caused the 4121A
grain coin to circulate at 10 to Is cents
E,ore than the APO grain trade dollar.
Removing to Nebraska in 1884, !
9abbled in local politics little,
boosting" for the democratic candi-
dates, although not old enough to
vote. Carried torch, regret to say,
jcllifying over Cleveland's election
that year. In 1885 taught school in
the country, 18 miles northeast of
Tairbury, and boarded with John SUIT
ten-one of the "Old Guard" OF
course, he took Weaver's Iowa Tri
bune," and read it. 1t was an eye
opener for me.
In 1888 / was technically resident
of Kansas (having homesteaded in
Greeley county in 1856, bu. was tenn
norarily in Fairbury that summer and
felt too poor to pay 800 miles Of rail
road fare to cast my vote for presi-
dent. l still regarded myself demo-
orat, but was lot over enthusiastic
fer the party, so plainl.v was it mere
echo of it's republican rival. Am not
quite sure how l would have voted.
POSSIBLY for Cleveland, for party ties
are hard to break.
In 1891 joined the farmers alliance
G, Bower, Neb., the leading members
Of which taught me popuiism. Then
/ struck the TRAIL"
There isn't much else to tell, for af-
ter we get on the main-traveled road
our experiences are much the same.
Have done stunts" as precinct COM
mitteeman, secretary county commit
tee, editor of country weekly, man
aser of press bureau for the state COM
mittee, and chairman state commit
tee Have bitten into political "pie"
as clerk to Governor Holoomb, book
keeper for Treasurer Meserve, and
stenographic assistant in the supreme
court. Twice the people chose the
other fellow, much to my chagrin-for
prior to election day in 1881 l be-
lieved the people of Jefferson county
wanted me for county clerk and prior
&c election day in 1902 / thought the
people OF Nebraska wanted me for
state auditor In each instance | dis
covered my error the morning after
election!
believe now have found my life
work. Brother Tibbles and | work in
perfect harmony-and we work ALL
THE TIME. 1t is slayish labor, too,
this reading, reading, reading; and
writing, writing, writing. But we en-
icy it as long as we find appreciative
readers. What worries us is that the
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