The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1906-06-14
RULE STATE
Senator Sheldon Says Railroads Rule
State, and People must Control
Convention to Redeem 1t

puDllC ulluu DIS cdEuiudte lOI SOf-
ernor at his home here today, being
asked for a statement of his views
as to the political situation in this
state, said:
"As it seems to me, the most i'm
pOrsant work for the people OF Ne
braska now is to assume and to take
active control of the state govern
ment and the public affairs"
/ When asked what he meant by that
he said:
Il mean that the thing most needed
+ in Nebraska is complete establish
ment if true representative govern
ment. One that will carry out the
will of the public untrammeled by rail-
road domination. We have the form
of representative government in this
state, but we need more of the spirit
and the power of it and the force OF
4 it coming directly from the people.
We need in the conduct Of our public
affairs more of the influence and less
of the influence of the self-seeking
railroad politician.
"The government is, to large de-
gree, what the official does in his
/ official capacity. If the official acts
for the whole public, then it is truly
representative government, because
his acts represent the public will.
But if the officials act is directed by
the railroad influence, then it is gov
eminent by railroads
1--WE have had too much of this
railroad government in Nebraska.
There is an opportunity now to put
an end to it, for time at least, and
it ought to be done. The railroads
have right to expect, and should
have, fair treatment. But they have
in the past, however, had a great deal
more than fair treatment. They have
actually dictated the state government
in many important matters. In the
matter of taxation they have attemp-
ted to lessen their taxes by lending
their efforts towards increasing the
value of all other property within the
state Some of them have refused to
pay the taxes that have been regu-
larly assessed and levied On their
property and have appealed to the
courts. Because the attorney general
understood that it was his duty as a
public official to represent the whole
public, and to enforce taxation on all
property alike, and has stood I'M
equivocally for the enforcement of the
Law, he has incurred the enmity of the
railroad politicians, and they are
attempting to retire him to private
life, just as they have in the past
been retiring all public men who have
> | - hn ROT or.
than to serve the railroads.
"The stand taken by the attorney
general gives us an object lesson OF
self-government that is good. He GER
. tainly should receive the commenda-
ton of all good citizens who believe
! in EQUALITY before the law for the
stand he has taken. Other officials
. at the state house have resisted rail-
road dictation, and there has been a
splendid beginning there and at the
national capitol Now, it seems to me
that the people ought to back up this
beginning by getting themselves into
the primaries and caucuses and send
ing their influence untrammeled by
: railroad dictation to a state conven-
) ton of independent and untrammeled
men, who will be, in fact, representa-.
tives of the people.
"The railroads have dominated state
politics in Nebraska for long time.
1t has mattered not to them what
party was in Office, they have been
constantly at the helm. Through the
3 free use of passes and strong or.
ganization they have beeen able TIC
: exert a powerful influence over legis
Y lation, and over the acts of public of
t ficials. For that reason they have