The independent., 1907-03-28
~ NEBRASKA ~

of the minority party comments oE
| legislative situation as does the York
Democrat: "A brief visit to the capital
and the legislature last week was re-
assuring. 1t is gratifying to take a
squint at a legislative aggregation
which is really devoted to the public
interest. We have scarcely ever had a
legislature in Nebraska whose para
mount aim was the public good. We
were not there long enough to observe
thoroughly, but thought we detected a
! wholesome atmosphere at the state
house We saw little evidence of the
unsavory outside pressure which has
heretofore prevailed there. The profes-
sional lobbyist was conspicuous for his
absence. Those who have hitherto
| lowered over the scene of legislation
with their insinuating and sinistcf
methods were not there in great num-
bers And if a few were left they
looked subdued if not whipped. We saw
little evidence of the old time perni-
cious activity of the third house.
The Federal ranch. situated near
| Cody, Cherry county, has been sold.
The value and volume of business Of
this ranch illustrate the scale on which
the big ranches, not all of which are
to be broken up, do business. G. j. AM
derSoD, who becomes the owner, lives
at Neigh. The Leader describes the
place: "The Federal ranch consists Of
| 5000 acres of decided and 1000 acres of
school land, and includes a large pro-
portion of hay meadow, something very
valuable and now almost impossible to
obtain in that section. On its ranges
are 5000 head OF cattle and 200 head )f
horses, the latter mostly brood mares.
The stock has passed through the win
ter in good shape and are in excellent
condition. The big ranches of the west
ern part Of Nebraska are being rapidly
broken UP, and by this transa ction Mr..
Anderson ranks among the top-notch-
erS."
Now and then somebody out in the
state rises to ask why Governor Shell
don doesn't make some appointments.
He hasn't busted himself about such
matters because it takes all of his time
and strength to keep abreast of the
work of the Legislature. 1t is his plan
to study every bill before attaching
his signature. To leave the matter Of
appointments to the period of compar-
| ative leisure following the adjournment
is a piece of craftsmanship.
| Two Alliance men, Bert Carr and c.
M. Lotspeich have bought new steam
ploW. which will turn fourteen feet OF
earth at each round. The owners of the
machine are not farmers, but propose
to do blowing by contract as steam
thrashing and corn shelling are done.
This is a further development of
system encouraged for the shortage Of
farm labor, and one that has already
afforded some relief In some communi-
ties men with teams have begun to
contract in the winter to fill farm ice
houses Next fall it will not be surpris-
, ing to find steam corn huSkers appear
ing to take the farmers most dreaded
burden from his back. Contractors with
machinery for handling hay crops in a
trice would take the remaining greatest
strain off the farm year.
Perhaps the population of Alliance as
compared with the of other towns can
be estimated from it's school attend
ance The report of February enroll
ment and attendance was as follows:
Number of pupils enrolled this
month ..................-... iU
Number of boys enrolled ........ 373
Number of girls enrolled ........ 373
Total number of pupils enrolled
to date .................. SS5
Number days attendance for mo. .12,911
Average daily attendance ...... .645 IS
Aver number pupils belonging .679 10
Per cent of daily attendance 80. 95 .06
Number of cases of tardiness -. IL
Neither absent nor tardy for mo. H4
Number present every day 3Sl
Mum her of visitors Zf6