Omaha daily bee., 1911-10-29


through. The republican legislature OF
1907 assembled with republican gov
ernor reduced freight rates in the state
OF Nebraska Is per cent and every re-
publican in both houses was lined up for
that measure. The republican party re-
duced passenger rates in the state of Ne
braska 33Is per cent without the aid or
consent of any democrat in either house.
At that time the republican party re-
duced express rates in the state OF Ne
praska % per cent without the aid of
consent Of any democrat in the legisla-
ture. And during all the time that all
these great measures were under CON
sideration Mr. Bryan was never seen in
the halls of the legislature. He was
wholly a disinterested patriot. He did
give some attention to the democratic
legislature that followed, but mighty few
results came from his presence and for
some reason, best known to the demo-
cratic cohorts, Mr.. Bryan was always an
unwelcome visitor and guest at the last
democratic legislature, and all be II to
the shame OF the democratic party. too.
But 1 did not complete the roster of
the republican legislation enacted by that
republican legislature of 1907. They en-
acted railway commission law that abb
solutely controls the actions Of these pub
lie service corporations within the state.
The commission can fix and revise rates.
1t can make any railroad, IL the public
demands and ii is just, to put in new
depots. to put in new tracks, to change
schedules and classifcations, and can
compel these public servants to do any
thing that is reasonable and just. for the
convenience Of the public in controlling
and transacting its business
Record of Real Progress.
II say to you, sir, that this progressive
republican legislature, that was repub-
lican in overwhelming majority, saved to
the people in cold dollars and cents more
than S1O,OOOOO0; that the expenses of that
Legislature were $4,000 less than its dem
ocratic successor, and that the recent
democratic Legislature cost the state of
Nebraska 100000 more than the repub-
lican legislature of 1907. with one million
times less to show for it. In fact, the
state of Wisconsin, the most forward and
progressive state in this union, has not a
more thorough, a more general or a bet
ter control Of its public service corpora
tions than mas the state of Nebraska by
reason of republican legislation.
This republican legislature of 1907
placed upon the statute books of Ne
braska a pure food law more far-reaching
and more stringent than is the national
pure food law. 1t has put diluted and
drugged whisky off the market: it has
been a great factor and done a great
good in lessening and destroying the CO.
caine and morphine habits; 1t has put off
the shelf innumerable patent medicine
fakes; 1t has removed the short weight
article from the market; 1t has taken
adulterations from food products, both
foreign and domestic; 1t has been a great
benefit to finance and health; 1t has done
untold good to the people Of Nebraska,
and that law was framed by republicans,
was passed by a republican legislature,
and was signed by a republican executive.
Every republican in the Legislature lined
up for that bill and it was not necessary
to have attached to it a single democratic
vote-not one.
THE primary election law, that genuine
piece of representative and progressive
legislation, was framed by republicans,
was passed by republicans and came to
the people by the republican party, and
not a democrat vote was necessary to
its passage or execution.
Stick to the Standard.
I'm the face of these records and this
history, Mr.. Bryan, how can you tell the
people of the state OF Nebraska to vote
the democrat ticket? 1 repeat sir, again,
advise your followers to rally around the
standard of progressive republicanism;
nominate your friend Senator LaFollette,
and put clean, able men upon the su-
preme bench.
But the democratic party in congress
today is just as reactionary and nom
progressive as is the democratic party
in the state here. The leadership of the
democratic party both in the house and
senate in Washington is In the hands
CT men whom you, Colonel Bryan, have
denounced as being standpatters and be-
ing the aiders and abettors OF an Aldrich
Of Rhode Island, a Hale, a Lodge, and
Bailey.
Senator Martin, the leader of the dem
ocratic forces in the senate, whom you
sought to defeat tor recollection, is in
your own language 4 ctandpatter, a re-
dictionary, and a friend ard advocate of
the special interests.
oscar Underwood the all-powerful
chairman of the ways and means COM
mittee, from the south, is the one par
ticular parsonage to whom that demo
cratic majority in congress bows in hum
BILE submission. He is the man from whom
Champ Clark takes orders. He is the man
whose organization Champ Clark Mr..
Bryans friend, is simply the mouth
piece Of. He is the man to whom this
speaker comes to inquire and TO ascer-
tain what will be the program Of the
day. The speaker sits IN his chair and
carries out the program mapped out by
Oscar Underwood. And who is Oscar IN
derwood? a congressman from one Of
the southern states whom the progressive
Colonel Bryan denounced as an arch
standpattcr and friend of the trusts and
special interests, a man who was rec
reant to the ancient faith Of democracy
man who was in league with the steel
barons, a man who sought 10 put legls-
lation upon the statute books that would
be satisfactory to these men and these
interests.
What Kind of Leaders, MIR. Bryant
rs this the kind of a leader Mr.. Bryan,
to whom you would commend the pro-
gressiye republicans, to come? Would
you sincerely and really Mr. Rryan ad-