The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1905-04-27
APRIL q, 1905.

of the most important pages of his country's his
tory. To some of it's many readers, no doubt, the
change, for little while, will be attended with
feeling of uncertainty perhaps even Of sadness,
but to those of us who have known you from your
youth up and have watched your advancing foot
steps to the head Of your profession, and have
marked your answering devotion to the right as
you have been able to see it, we can sincerely
congratulate not only you, but the readers OF
The Independent. / know of no contemplated
changes in policy, in politics, or in name of the
paper, but knowing yourself as do and knowing
your views upon all the issues of the day, as
expressed by you in private talks. as well as
upon public Platforms assure your readers
that if changes come they will be by your appro-
val and will meet with the approval of all con-
sentative readers. / have great respect for radi-
calism. 1t initiates all reforms, but it is con-
seryatism that finally must execute. l some
times think that little more conservatism on
the part of portion Of the reform press is neces-
sary to- the full and speedy realization OF what
once were almost exclusively populist principles,
but which now being accepted in whole or IN
part by all parties. The world is everywhere
moving onward and upward. We have passed,
or are rapidly passing the political grades and
are entering the high school of political science.
genuine revival of the old maxim, "vox populi
vox Del" Is going on. The inalienable rights
of man as man is again being considered by at
least portion of all political parties. Govern
ment by the consent of the governed is almost
a universal demand. Equality Of taxation and
equality of rates of transportation, whether OF
person or Of property, can but little longer be
denied; and the sun of the political party boss
is we'll nigh set It is generally thought that the
older men grow the more pessimistic they be-
come, but having passed my three score and ten
years deny the charge I have never seen the
prospects for the toiler of this and other lands
: brighter than they are today. The common peo-
pie are weighing political parties in the balance
as they never did before The party yoke no
longer gals the political neck. The organs OF
Nebraska, the Folks of Missouri, the Cummins
and Larrabees of Iowa, the La Follettes OF Wis
consin, and the Deneens and Comforts and
DUNES of Illinois, nightly on the increase
all over the country and are found in all political
parties And with no intention, and in no spirit
of fattery but without apology | wish to add
to this splendid galaxy, but by no means dim
star in the constellation, the new editor OF he
Independent. 1t is true he lost out in the race
for governor last fall, but any other man in the
state would have lost by a much larger majority.
While Mr.. Berge beaten by 9143 votes Mr..
Roosevelt carried the state by 56,164 votes over
both Mr. Parker and Mr. Watson, and Mr.. Berge's
vote was 80 404 more than the combined vote OF
Parker and Watson. In his race for congress in
1900 he made similar record, running away
ahead of his ticket. But to Mr.. Berge personal
or party defeat has no terrors. He keeps right
on believing the poet was right when he said:
"When beaten to earth--well, we'll, what's that?
Come up with smiling face,
It's nothing against you to fall down fiat
But to lie there--thats disgrace.
The harder you're thrown, why the higher you'll
bounce
Be proud of your blackened eye,
It isn't the fact that you're licked that counts,
It's how did you fight and why?
And though you be done to the death, what then!
If you battled the best you could,
If you played your part in the world OF men,
Cc;+; oxy;11ca