The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1906-04-20
JOHN HOLLYWOOD MICKEY.
The Story of Man Who Worked His
Way Upward.


Way Upward.
The life story of John HopwcoG
Mickey, fourteenth governor of Nebras-
ka, should be an incentive to every
boy and young man in the great state
over which Mr.. Mickey presides as
chief executive. AS farmer boy, as sol
der in defense of his country, as
pioneer of Nebraska and as a public
servant, he has won his way to the
front rank in public esteem. Mr.
Mickey was born in Iowa, the son of
farmer parents, and was educated in
the common schools of that state.
While yet in his teens he responded
to his country's call for armed defend
ers, and made record as brave and
efficient soldier in defense of his flag.
Returning home from the war he be-
came imbued with the idea that a lit
tie further to the west, in Nebraska,
were golden opportunities for young
men of Drawn and courage. In 1868 he
started westward and located in Polk
county, taking homestead. He lacked
but few minutes of being the first
settler at Osceola, now the county seat
nently identified with the business
growth OF Osceola, Polk county and
Nebraska during all the years that
have followed. In 1870 Polk county
was organized and Mr. Mickey became
the first county treasurer, and he held
the Office for nearly ten years. Two
years later, in 1871, Osecola was made
the county seat and Mr. Mickey moved
there, and ever since that splendid lit
tie city has been his home.
In 1880 Mr.. Mickey was elected to
tie legislature and when the session
opened he at once stepped into leader
ship therein. During the session of
1881 the Slocumb high license law was
enacted, and to the passage of this
wholesome law he lent his hearty and
enthusiastic support. ..
In 1879 he founded the Osceola State
Bank. of which institution he is still
pTeSluenl, anu WHICH Is ono VI Tie
soundest financial houses in the state.
Under his able management it wealth
cred the financial storm of 1893, and
was the means of assisting other and
less solid, but not less worthy, enter
prises to survive those trying times.
Mr.. Mickey has always been 4
staunch republican and a leader in the
councils of his party. He never sought
office, but in 1902 his party, casting
about for a candidate, fixed upon him
and he was nominated for governor.
He was elected by handsome vote,
and SO satisfactory was his first term
that he was reelected in 1904 by a
laI gely increased majority.
His friendship for the men who eat
their bread in the sweat of their faces
has been evidenced on more than one
occasion, but never more forcefully
than during the famous packing house
strike in South Omaha. Men inter-
ested in breaking down the labor
unions besought Governor Mickey to
call out the militia to overawe and ter
rorize the packing house employees who
were only asking for fair share OF
the rewards of their toll, but Governor
Mickey refused to be made tool in
the hands of the union crushers. He
personally visited the strike districts
Investigated the conditions for himself
and returning to Lincoln emphatically
told the union crushers that he would
not be party to their schemes. What
you need is business, not the militia,
said Governor Mickey. AS result 81
his courageous and honest action there
was no intimidation and no rioting
and the local civil officers were able
without trouble to maintain order. A:
a result he won to himself the support
OF organized labor throughout thu
state, and this vote helped largely t.
swell his increased majority when h
came up for reelection.
Mr.. Mickey is a leading member o
the Methodist church, and has contrib
uted largely to its support. He is on
of the largest contributors to Wesleyan
University. AS governor he has givel
the people a wise and economical ad
ministration, and has won the conf
dence and respect of all thoughtful citi
zens. His high moral character, hi
unflinching adherence to what he be
lieves to be right, and his refusal to b.