The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-09-22
Mr.. nERGk,s SPEECH

An immense cOncOurse OF people OIL
All narties attended the monster bar
becue at Lincoln on Saturday alter
noon. September II. fifteen nun
dred pound OK was barbecued and Ieu
to the crowds present, together Win
400 Ioayes OF bread and immense guam
titles OF coffee. Farmers from every
section of the county were present
with their families as well as nun
dreds of business men from Lincoln
and surrounding towns.
The speaking was heard in the great
pavilion. at which meeting Mr.. Il. >.
Allen. chairman. of the democratic
state committee presided. The i'm
mense crowd present attested their in
terest in the present campaign OF the
people against extortion and eXlraVa-
gance, by enthusiastic and tremendous
applause at every point made Dy MI.
Berge in his masterful address.
Mr.. Berge fully took the people into
his confidence. He was not content
to point out the extrayagances OF the
"redeemers," the injustices OF unequal
taxation, the grating OF Office hunters,
and the iniquities that always follow
In the wake of railroad passes to pub
lie officials, but he presented to the
people OF this state well defined
program of what he would do II elected.
He declared in favor of cutting out
all needless expense in state admins
tration of government All uselcii Of
ficeholders, who are held to fat jobs
solely because they help to pull polltl-
cal wires, all are to 60 Political Of
flee is to be conducted on purely BUSH
ness lines There is no excuse for the
head of department of government to
fill his Office with political hacks, sim
ply because they "have to be taken
care Of" than there is for business
man to do SO. And every such act is
not only contrary to business princi-
pies, and burden upon the people, but
is violation of public trust.
Mr. Berge also struck popular note
when he advocated the conducting OF
the state university, an institution in
which he took great pride, upon such
lines as would not incapacitate a stu
dent after graduation from following
useful lines of industry. That the state
university was not alone to turn out
lawyers and doctors, but mechanics,
artisans, businessmen and farmers as
we'll He desired the same cCnsldera
tion shown to Industrial lines of occu-
patton as were. shown to professional
lines.
Another popular note was his guar
antee that every board meeting Of
which he may be member shall be
open to the public at all times There
will be no secret bids opened or re-
ceived, no contracts for pubic work
let clandestinely but in all cases every
act OF every board must be open to
the public at all times and in all ways.
lie also made strong point when
he called attention to the laiguity Of
railroad passes. He referred to the
farcical enforcement in Lincoln of a
seven mile street car ordinance that
had been dead letter for years, sim
ply because the police of Lincoln we're
denied further pass favors from the
street car company This was strong
illustration of what free pass meant.
This ordinance had remained Oh the
records from the old days Of horse
cars, and nobody ever thought OF en-
forcing 1t, but when the police could
no longer secure favors from the com
pany, they unearthed this ordinance,
and thereby inconvenience the people
OF Lincoln to that extent
All laws and ordinances should be
enforced. but when laws are ALLOW ed
to become dead letters, and then only
enforced when special favors In the
form OF passes are withdrawn Ii is a
bald confession that public officials
viii wink at any violation II thoy are
only favored with these passes A pass
IL therefore bride. and the public
Official who takes IL Is a hribe taker
lie promised 10 use every endeavor &c
have u law enacted to destroy the PASS
system OF corrupting public officials
He would also make professional lob.
bying felony. and favors the repea
OF the present revenue law and thu
enactment In It's place OF a law to lev,
the burdens OF taxation upon an s,ult
able and Just basis.
Mr.. BerRe's speech was reported n
f'ill Every line of II possesses pecu
liar value, II N eloquent and tecmin,