The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1905-09-21
REPUBLICAN STATE CONVENTION

Y
he supreme court and adopted platform whic
declared in general terms against free passes
The Columbus Telegram thinks It was railwa
ictory:
The advent of the Rock Island political
machine in Nebraska will be regarded with
interest. In those states where the Rock
Island has large mileage it has established
what is said to be the finest political machine
shops ever erected. In Iowa no man dare
aspire to state Office without the consent
of the Rock Island In Kansas and Oklahoma
it is said that the Roc. Island controls the
political situation as certainly as the Burling
ton controls in our own capital city. The
funny feature of the republican state conven-
ton was the adoption of platform denounc-
ing the railroad political pass, and then NOM
mating for supreme judge a man who for
years has been recognized as one Of the best
champions Of railroad political interests-a
man who probably never paid cent for rail-
road fare since he began practicing law in
Nebraska. 1t has been said that politics
makes strange bedfellows. 1t indeed looks
strange to see our old friend, Judge Lection,
prince of the Rock Island brigade, in the
same bed with an anti-pass platform.
AT loss to find anything else to say re-
garding the attitude of the republicans In
gans are vociferously insisting that the rail-
road politicians are fathering the scheme for
Interior motives. IL the republican party
should declare for government ownership of
railroads and the confiscation of railroad
property by the people these same newspapers
would charge that it was plot concocted
by the railroads themselves. Funny critters
these fusion editors.-Central City Nonpariel
With the single exception every action
taken by the convention was dictated by the
railroad bosses. 1t was, in the first place,
the biggest assemblage of annual passhold-
ers ever gathered under one tent On Me-
braska soil AT no other convention has there
ever been seen so many railroad claquers.
Present as delegates were a large majority
of the members of the late unspeakable legs-
lature, and the most of the other delegates
were of the same stripe Probably a majority
of the entire number carried ANNALS and
ninetenths of the remainder were present on
trip passes. And it was this conglomeration
that, with smokers of mirth at their own eff
frontery, declared against the pass evil"
The railroads made Lieutenant Governor Nc
Clifton temporary chairman and then they
made him permanent chairman. His speech
was the poorest excuse for even a non-com-
initial partisan speech ever conjured up, con-
sisting of cheap glorification of the G. o. P.
and nothing more. It's most telling point was
the statement that the republican party is
composed Of "fallible men," Had there been
an adjective beginning with the fourth letter
of the alphabet before the "fallible' the Doug
las county giant would have given birth, then
and there, to an immortal epigram. The reso-
buttons committee was made to order and
plugged to size. It's chairman, the redeubt-
able Paddy Miles Of Sidney. is division at
torney for the Union Pacific railroad. e. c..
Harris of Chadron, another member, was di-
vision superintendent on the Elkhorn under
the Burt management. C. G. McConoughey,
postmaster at Holdrege, is Burlington
henchman and pass-peddler, dating from the
year L. John L. Webster of Omaha is-John
L. Webster. These comprised majority of
the committee. The remaining three mem
bers were: C. B. Dempster of Beatrice, who
had always trained with the Union Pacific;
Allen w. Field of Lancaster, the most indie
pendent man in the outfit, and Editor Ross
Hammond of Fremont. The platform was ac-
cording. If 1t is bid for reform support
it is deliberate affront to the intelligence
of every reformer. It's redeeming feature
is the declaration for a direct primary. It's