The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-10-13
Hon. 9. w. Berge at Wohoo


and passed such law. We promised
the Australian ballot law, and we kept
that pledge. We promised the people
law which would give the chattei
mortgage borrower some protection
and we passed such a law. We prom
lsed a law forbidding the further sale
of school lands and we kept that prom
Use. We promised the people economy
in the expenditure of their money and
we faithfully kept that pledge.
When we first went INTO power in
1890 we boldly undertook the solution
of the freight rate question. We gave
the people a law that they wanted and
one we thought was just and equitable
between the railroads and the people,
We kept faith with the people, but
the United States court strangled that
law. Since that time freight rates
have been going higher and higher I'M
til now they are little less than rob-
berry, but no word or sign has come
from any pass official to show that the
| free pass organization in control OF
the state government has any regard
! Ezs.cs the burdened shippers and pro-
Educers Nlivs payss the freight.
When we went into office weshxd khe,
old ballot law. They voted men u !s<'
cattle under that law. We. passed the.
Australian ballot law, which has done
more to keep the people near their
government than any ether law that
was ever passed in the history OF the
state.
The people wanted mutual insur-
ance law. The law we gave them en-
ables many poor man to give protec-
ton 10 his wife and children that ne
could not otherwise give. This law can
be strengthened and made better, but
/ is good law as far as it goes.
When we went into Office disco
.!lute husband could mortgage his house
hold goods without the knowledge or
consent of his wife We stopped that
/ We passed law, which makes chat
tel mortgage upon household goods
invalid unless signed and acknowl-
edged by both husband and wife. We
proceeded upon the theory that the
poor housewife has a right to have
control over her trundle bed and cook
i stove just ais much as the husband.
When we went into power free pass
officials we're selling the school lands
Of the state and putting the proceeds
into the permanent school fund and
then they stole that fund.- We stopped
all that We believed that the money
belonging to the children of the state
should be put out of reach of cor
rupt officials, and we passed a law for
.lh:dding the further sale Of school
/ lands 1at:sa Law. provides that these
lands shall be leased ana -.reutals
) on these leases put into the temporary
school fund and distributed amOns
> the school children of the state eaci
year.
: When we took the reins of the stat,
: government, the state debt was grow
ing bigger and bigger each year. Elk
travagance and corruption character
! lied the administration of state affair
) by free pass officials. We stopped al
), that. We decreased appropriations. w
! paid off the last dollar of the bonde,
+ Indebtedness of the state. We de
! creased the Indebtedness of the stat
: more than 100000. If we had con
! tinued in power up to the present time
. we would have paid off the last dol
: lar OF the. states Indebtedness. An
! yet there are some who say that tn
> fusion party can not be trusted t
!. carry out the reform measures no,
! before the people. 1t can be trusted
q point to the record it has made.
- challenge the free pass Office holder
. to point with pride to any record the
made. challenge them to point {
" one law they passed the people wanted
IL When and where did they practic
- economy? What reform measure d
: theJ stand for now? They have n,
!. kept single pledge. They squandere
!, our money. They passed a revenu
- law, which is inequitable and uniu.
- and which almost doubles the taxes /
al our farmers and our business me-
- Let me show you how they have ru
= the state government.
- The last session of the legislatul
81 was republican. 1t appropriated So
FAC, 2So.70. This is to pay for the rul
ming expenses of the state for tv
tv years, and until the next session
- ~ the legislature makes another Apr
- priation. Under the old law last We
no the levy created s1,524,316.38 TIL