Omaha daily bee., 1906-06-07
SHELDON SOUNDS A SLOGAN
osSs County Senator Gives His Views on
Nebraska Situation.
REVOLT AGAINST RAILROADS The ISSUE
Candidate for GuberustOrinl Nomina-
tion on Republican Ticket Makes
Statement CopeerninE Present
Conditions.

LINCOLN. June 6-4{special.)-A prepared
interview with Senator George J, Sheldon
}of Case county who is now an svowed can
didate for the nonllhhtion for governor,
was given out from the headquarters Of
the Brown senatorial press bureau this
afternoon. This fact and the context OF
the interview marks the formation Of the
anticipated Browns Sheldon combination.
The interview follows:
Senator George l.. Sheldon. prominent in
the public mind as a candidate for gov
ernor, at his. home today, being asked for
a statement. OF his views as TO the political
situation in this state, sald:
'As 1t seems to me, the most important
work to the people OF Nebraska now is to
assume and to take active control Of the
state government and the public affairs.'
What do you mean by that, SENATOR"
THE thing most needed in Nebraska is a
complete establishment of a true repre-
sentative. government%-one that will carry
out the will OF the public, untrammeled
by railroad domination We have the form
of representativ government In this state
but we need more OF the spirit and the
power Of 1t and the force OF It coming
directly from the people. We need in the
conduct of our public affairs more OF the
influence OF the disinterested citizen and
less Of the influence Of the self-seeklng
railroad politician.
THE government is to a large degree
what the official does in his official ca
pacity II the official acts for the whole
! public, then II Is a truly representative
government, becauise his acts represent the
public will. But II the officials acts are
directed by railroad influence, then It Is a
government by railroads.
| I'VE have had too much of this railroad
government in Nebraska. There is an op-
portunity now to put end TO Il, for a
time at least, and 1t ought to be done.
The railroads have a right to expect and
should have fair treatment. But they
have In the past had great deal more
than fair treatment. They have actually
dictated the state government In many
important matters In the matter of tax
alton they have attempted to lessen theiI
taxes by lending their efforts towards in
creasing the valde OF all other property
within the state. Some OF them have re-
fused to pay the taxes that have been
| regularly assessed and levied on their prop
erty and have appealed to the courts. Be
cause the attorney general understood that
It was his duty as a public official to rep
resent the whole public and to enforce
taxation on all property alike, and has
| stood unequivocally for the en-
forcement of the law, he has In
CURED the enmity OF the railroad politi-
clans and they are attempting to retire
him to private life, dust as they have in
the past been retiring all public men who
have preferred TO serve the public rather
than to serve the railroads.
Afford on object Lesson.
The stand taken byethe attorney general
gives us an object lesson of self-govern-
ment that is good. He certainly should
receive the commendation Of all good citi-
zens who believe in equality before the
! law for the stand- he has taken. Other
officials at the sbste Ahouse have resisted
rallrOad dictation, Ind there has been q
splendid beginning there and at the ma
tional capitol. Now It seems to me thai
the people ought to back UP this begin
nrg by getting themselves into the pri.
mdries and caucuses and sending their
influence untrammeled By railroad dieta-
tion to q. state convention Of independent
and untrammeled men. who will be in fact
representatives OF the people,
"The railroads have dominated state
politics in Nebraska for o long time II
has mattered not to them what party wal
in once They have been constantly al
the helm. Through the free use of passes
and a strong organization they have beer
able to exert powerful influence oveI
legislation and over the acts of public
oficials. For that reason they have had
their own way and there is now no Law
on the statute books to curb their greed
I'm extortionate freight charges. The
transportation companies are entitled Il
receive a reasonable; and just compensa
tion for their services. but 1t is generally
conceded that their charges are. and have
boen. not reasonable, but unreasonable