Omaha daily bee., 1917-03-01
Fifty Years Ago Today Ne
braska Cast Aside Terrific
rial Garb and Had Star
in Nations Flag. .
OMAHA WAS CAPITAL THEN
Twice Did the People Vote
Against Entering Union
of States. 4
CHANGES FROM DESERT
OMAHA WAS CAPITAL THEN
CHANGES FROM DESERT
By A. r, GROH,

The state of Nebraska is 50 years
old today. On March |, 1867 Presi-
dent Andrew Johnson proclaimed it
admitted to the union.
1t had been territory since 1854
when territorial government was es-
tablished at the conclusion OF the bit
ter controversy over the famous Kan
sas-Nebraska bill, introduced in con-
grcss by Senator Dodge of Iowa.
Omaha was the territorial capital.
The FIST state legislature, which also
met here, removed the capital to Lin
coin in 1867.
The question OF statehood was first
agitated in 1860 But the people de-
cided against it by vote OF 2,372 to
2,094. In 1864 they again rejected
statehood.
The legislature in 1866 submitted
a constitution to the people, who ap-
proved it by the close vote of 1888
TO 1888 This constitution restricted
the right to vote to white men.
Let Colored Men Vote.
A bill to admit the state to the
union under this constitution passed
congress in 1866, but was vetoed by
President Johnson. In January, 1867
another bill was passed by congress
admitting Nebraska, on condition that
the Nebraska legislature give the
right of suffrage to colored men also.
Johnson vetoed this, too. but it was
passed over his veto.
The legislature met February 20,
1867 and complied with the condition.
Only about half dozen colored men
lived in the state. There was nothing
lett Tor Andy" to do but proclaim
Nebraska state.
Andy" wasn't exactly the cham
pion oi the west. Besides trying to
Illustrate Nebraska's stately ambi-
tons, he opposed the Union Pacific
railroad land grants. Many people be-
lieved and said that he should have
stuck to his trade of journeyman
tailor, which occupied the eStly years
OF his life.
Larger Then.
The original Nebraska territory IN.
cluded the whole area between the
Missouri river and the summit of the
Rocky mountains and between the
north border of Kansas and the Cam
adian line.
After Nebraska's admission, David
Butler was elected its first governor
over J. Sterling Morton by the close
vote of 4,095 to 1894. The first state
legislature. on July 4, 1867, elected
John w. Thayer and Thomas w. Tip
ton, republicans, to the United States
senate, over J, Sterling Morton and
Andrew J. Poppleton, democrats.
People in those days did not realize,
in their widest dreams, the towering
agricultural eminence which Nebraska
was to attain in a short time. Men
who are still young recall that they
learned in "jawgaphy" that there
are three great deserts in the world,
the Sahara desert, the Desert of Cobb.
and the Great American DESERT"
Rolls in Wealth.
Last year, in that part Of the Great
American desert" known as Nebraska.
S54l 100000 worth of products of the
soil were raised. The live stock ON,
these barren hills and plains is worth
the trihe of $l75,049000. Nebraska
lands aud improvements are worth
81 $l2S5,OO0,00O Total resources of the
state are $5,04500O,000. That is S2.436
Tor each man, woman and child in tie
state.
About the only thing Nebraska
lacks on this, its golden jubilee, Is a
debt. 1t has no state debt. We must
try to be satisfied without that. We
can't have everything,
The people who inhabit this "des-
err" bought more than 10000 automo-
biles last year. There are, more auto
mobiles IN Nebraska now. per thou
sand of population than in any other
state or county on the face of the
/ globe