The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1905-10-19
THE STATE CAMPAIGN

sEII Oh NAWrAJ0N
In order to delude the people, republican
newspapers are striving to turn public attention
from republican extravaganza by presentin,
to prove that the fusionists while II
power produced conditions that caused great OK
penditures after the republicans gained contro
d the state. On this point the Omaha World
Herald says:
The republican state committee, through
the party press, Is peddling lot OF juggled
ngures In the endeavor to explain that the
doubling In cost Of state government under
republican administration Is largely due to
the alleged fact that the republicans have
spent very much more money on the per-
manent improvement of state institutions
than did the fusonists. It Is set forth that
appropriations for permanent improvements
In 1897 and 1899, under fusion administration
were $464,545, and for the same purpose in
1901 and 1903, under republican administra-
ton, were $1,O07200 little analysis shows
how deceptive and misleading these figures
are. During the period mentioned the fusion
ISIS spent, on permanent improvements at
the Hastings asylum the Lincoln asylum.
the Soldiers and Sailors homes at Grand
Island and Milford, the industrial schools
at kearney and Geneva, the Industrial home
at Milford the deaf AMI dumb institute at
Omaha the feeble-minded institute at Be-
atr1ce and the home for the friendless at Linz
coin, total of $2S5,725. The republicans,
during an equal length of time, spent but
$273,45O on permanent improvements mt
these institutions. These totals may easily
Der verified by consulting the figures fur
nished by the republican state committee
itself Where, then, did the big republican
appropriations for permanent Improvement
go? The penitentiary got 700 from the
republicans as against $4,000 by the fusion
lists. The republicans allowed the penitenti-
airy to burn, 1t will be remembered. and had
to rebuild It, The Norfolk asylum got
$105,850 from the republicans as against
4.O20 from the fusionists For the republicans
also allowed this institution to burn. and
1t had to be rebuilt. Do you begin to under.
stand? More than 100000 of this increase
for permanent improvements, about which
they are Dragging so loudly, went for burned
buildings-burned because Of republican lax.
ness, inefficiency and carelessness. The
rest of the increase. according to the figures
given by the committee, went TO the state
university and the normal schools The
university has been granted 1mil levy.
and the republicans are increasing the MS.
sessment roll SO fast that heavy appropria.
lions have to be made for university nur.
poses to allow that institution to use up the
revenues that 1-mill levy brings In Con.
seuuentlv the university liz drawing as much
money now as II cost 70 run the whole state
government TWENTY-FIVE years ago These
figures are Interesting. we grant But they
are not SD interesting as some others. They
are not so interesting an those that show that
republican administration has increased tho
assessment roll from n valuation OF SlGb.
000o n0 TO Ss0S 900 000 They are not 40 IN.
terestng as those that show thu, republican
administration has piled up n state debt OF
mo 20 that $a,0o0000. They are not so In.