The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1906-09-13


be destroyed root and branch and
the business of the professional lob
byist stigmatized as disgraceful be-
fore the people could get back their
state government. When that was
done | maintained we could then legis-
late for the good of the people; that
we could then reduce freight and pas
senger rates and make the railroads
pay their just share of taxes; that
we could then make the railroads
serve us rather than be our masters.
That was the kind of a fight | made
two years ago and while ! was bat
| Ting for these reforms | was de-
nounced all over the state by pass
holding politicians. Governor Mickey,
lifelong passholder, in an open let
ter, defended passes. Candidates fer
office openly boosted that they were
riding on passes and upon the trains
everywhere Haunted them in my face.
Later, before a legislative committee,
members of the legislature openly
boosted that they had always ridden
on passes and would keep on doing
so as long as they could get them.
Their brazen affrontery was enough
to convict any of them of conspiracy
against the welfare of their constit-
uentS.
| But | am glad that tremendous
| Roadway has been made. 1t is re-
ported that the governor has sur
rendered his passes and he has joined
me in denouncing those who refuse
to give them up. Before the repub-
! lican state convention there was a
candidate for lieutenant governor who,
in order to give any standing at all
to his candidacy, had to repudiate the
ridicule he heaped upon me in legis-
lative committee meeting where | ad
vocated the passage of an anti-pass
law. Upon the trains no longer do
candidates flourish their passes with
pride in the face of the public. They
now blush when they must show them.
Their faces portray their guilty con-
science every time the conductors
| take down the numbers of their
| passes. Yes, worse than that. Re-
Gently a passholder sat next to me.
When the conductor hove in sight
this passholder went out upon the
platform and showed his pass to the
conductor there. He was ashamed to
do SO inside of the car. | mention
this to show you that pass is no
longer a mark of distinction but a
babe of dishonor and is so regarded
by the passholders themselves. The
seal of public condemnation is upon
all passes and passholders. | am
proud, too, of the fact that | had some
thing to do in driving the entering
wedge which will drive every pass
out of every pocket. This year all
political parties have placed their
seal of condemnation upon the free
pass system. 1t must go and next
winter no man in the state will be
happier than | when a legislative en-
actment will sound the death knell
of this bribery system. The profess
sional lobbyist is also in hiding. The
time has already come when his bust
ness is no longer an honorable one
Honest and conscientious represent
atives of the people are spurning him
everywhere with contempt I feel
sure that the free pass bribery sys-
tenn is doomed. | also feel sure that
public opinion will no longer toler-
ate the professional lobbyist They
both are doomed and both must go
because the people have decreed it.
Let no man believe, however, that
the fight is over. 1t has only just
begun. We must keep our eyes stead
| lily fixed upon the real things we
want. We need legislation reducing
freight rates; we need legislation re-