The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-04-14
4 Singular Parallel

hundreds of others OF your readers,
| was very much interested IN lie
New fork city letters letters from yenr senior
editor during his sojourn there. DO
much interested that | wish he could
have stayed there longer and written
more of his suggestive observations.
Had he gone into the up state" cit
les and country, too, and observed the
way in which our congressional and
assembly candidates are slated ana
nominated, Pm sure he would nave
seen the futility of attempting any
substantial reform or of expecting any
really progressive legislation until the
masses Of the voters in both the big
parties in the eastern states are pre-
sented with some system OF easy, b'It
radical reform in the manner aLd
methods of conducting their nominal
ing primaries. Some system that Will
easily enable the voters in each patty
to themselves directly nominate the
lawmaking candidates Oh each party
and the platform constructing dele-
gates to their state and national con-
ventions.
Some system that will make 1t to
the interest Of aspirants for such NOM
nations and representative positions
to come out In advance of such nom
mating dates and declare how they
stand and what their convictions are
regarding the legislation which the
masses Of these party voters really de-
sire and are much interested in.
Then men who had no convictions
AMI no intelligent comprehension Of
what the masses of the voters want,
or having both, lacked the courage 10
boldly express such convictions, world
have no show Of nomination or &C.
lection. Then, the voters in each PAL
ty would actually select and nominate
their own legislative and congress
sional candidates instead of ha wing
them selected for them.
AS your senior editor was iii or
absent about the time | made the ac-
quaintance of The Independent, it Is
only lately that am beginning to APP
preciate the strength of the person
aIity Of the founder of your journal.
Not as a captain or colonel in The
Old Guard alone Is he interesting, but
his evident delth of character and
feeling as betray ed in his mysterious
" deep intuitions regarding must,
and his romantic life as indicated by
Its recent pages touched upon in your
paper engage the attention and
awaken the curiosity of your new read
ers.
To me a striking parallel Is sug-
gcsted with that of the life and char
Qofovs ri hn 4
In an entirely different field of effort
for the benefit of humanity, wet
through remarkably similar expert
ence and was just as conscientious and
assidious in his work.
To mark the parallel, let me quote
as follows from the life of the charac
ter referred to:
In 1882 Schoolcraft was appointed
indian agent for the tribes of the Lake
Region and established his headauar-
tiers at Mackinaw, where the following
year he married the granddaughter cf
a noted Ojlbway chief, who had re-
ceived her, education in Europe. AT
the time Of his journey to Lake Itasco
he was member of the Michigan leg
lslature, commissioner to take the
census OF the Indians in the state, and
collect information concerning tne
Six Nations, and having performed
this task to the satisfaction of the au-
thorities, he was authorized by con-
gress to obtain reports relating to all
the Indian tribes Of the country AMI to
collate and edit the results of his la.
bors. The remaining years OF his lie
were spent in this work He WAS
elected a member of several scientific
societies in this country and Europe.
the degree of Ill. ID. being conferred
on him by the University of Geneva
He Ia the author of thirty-one WORKS
treating of various branches of scienet
in connection with his extended ex,
plorations through various sections OF
the country, He Is also the author 81
several poems OF merit. lectures. arc
numerous reports on Indian subjects
In 1852 his Indian wife died.
mo explorer has done more than l.,
10 enlighten the nation on matters %
the greatest Importance connectt,
especially with the Great Lakes aut
the Mississippi Valley. lie was M
example ol what talent ana zeal ia
tied with energy III chnfaefer may nr