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William G. Thomas
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All republicans who are opposed to the domination of railroads and desire to resent the attempt to make the party subservient to corporate monopolies and public thieves are hereby invited to express their views, by letter directed to me personally, suggesting the best method for defeating the election of Thomas Majors. All communications will be treated as confidential when so requested.
In response to the above invitation, signed by the editor of The Bee, several hundred letters have been received from all parts of the state giving expression to the prevailing resentment over the capture of the state convention by the Burlington cohorts and their natural allies, the ringsters and tax-eaters, and the nomination of the redoubtable Tom Majors as the party's standard bearer. From this mass of correspondence we present such of the letters as are most pertinent. Although each of these letters has come to us signed, we deem it proper, for reasons that are obvious, to print the initials only. That there is intense resentment and far-reaching dissatisfaction with the work of the late convention will be manifest upon perusal of these letters, which for the most part voice the sentiment of republicans who have grown old in the service of the party and cherish its principles as dearly as they do their religious convictions:
LINCOLN, Aug. 27 — Your course in the matter of the governor of this state meets my approval, and I think that the honest voters of our party should not feel that their sensibilities can be outraged with impunity. We have been cursed by as infamous a ring as that of any people on earth, and if, as you assert, by calling the attention of this people to it, that we are about to have a renewal of it, I, for one, a life-long republican, demur.
I am in favor of standing on the same republican platform adopted at Omaha, only call another convention and nominate as good men as we know of in the state, thereby giving to the better element of the people an opportunity to express themselves at the polls without shocking their feelings for honesty and good government.
M. E. J.
GRAND ISLAND, Aug. 27 — I understand you are trying to ascertain how the republicans throughout the state are satisfied with the nominee for governor. I have always voted the republican ticket, but when the party, through manipulation, undertakes to force a man upon the people whose public acts and past history and interests have been so closely identified with railroad corporations, to the detriment of the masses, then I feel it my duty to silently, if not openly, cast my influence in another direction. I am personally acquainted with Hon. Silas A. Holcomb and know the people's interests would, so far as lay within his power, be protected.
My principles are that corporations and individuals must stand on an euality [sic] before the law. There is strong talk in this city of young republicans uniting for two purposes, viz., to cast their influence to defeat Majors, and to force recognition. If this plan was adopted and carried out through the various counties they could defeat Majors and in the future could stand a show of least securing their proportion of the offices. It is the young republicans that do the hard campaign work.
M. T. G.
PLATTSMOUTH, Aug. 29 — I have been a republican all my life and a sincere believer in the principles of the republican party, and have never voted any other ticket.
Your position in this matter is greatly to be commended by all men, regardless of party, who believe, like Abraham Lincoln, that governments of the people, for the people and by the people, should not perish from the earth. Men become blind through party zeal and cannot see the cancer that is undermining our form of government, and they forget the duty they owe their country for a contemptible piece of pasteboard used as a bribe to obtain their influence. We have men among us who defend the position of the railroads in political domination as quick as they would the honor of their wives and daughters, and in the affairs of which (the railroads), they have absolutely no pecuniary interest except that represented in the pasteboard above named. To such people as these it is useless to express your views. If you have any views that are not in common with theirs, or if you are in favor of a government by the people and not by corporations and railroad combinations, they call you an anarchist. Is this just?
The following abstract of the vote cast in this city for the judge of the supreme court last fall ought to convince anyone that the railroads propose to run the business to suit themselves. Plattsmouth, under ordinary circumstances, gives a democratic majority of 150 to 200, but Judge Harrison received nearly two thirds of the entire vote cast. It is as follows: Harrison, 598; Holcomb, 109; Irvine, 216; total vote, 923.
I would add that Plattsmouth is a railroad town, the Burlington shops being located here.
I have talked with a great many employes [sic] and they say they voted for Harrison because they were requested to. In other words, they were told to forget that they were men and lived in a free country; that railroad rule was more important than freedom. For my part I am of the opinion that Mr. Holcomb would be our only chance to rebuke this gentleman with the railroad passes, I am certainly not in favor of the principles of the populist party, but of the two evils I shall choose the least and vote for Holcolmb.
C. B.
OMAHA, Aug. 26 — I read your letter resigning your position on the national republican committee with extreme satisfaction. No unbiased man could reach any other conclusion than that Mr. Majors is the leader of a gang of pirates. They are responsible for Nebraska being the worst monopoly ridden state in the union, with its sequel, the populist party.
You can defeat all these rascals this year, and I pray God you may save the state by so doing.
H. F. M.
PAPILLION, Neb., Aug. 31 — To the Editor of the Bee: To say that the Sarpy county republicans are thoroughly disgusted with the dose of corporation pills prescribed by the so-called republican state convention is a very mild way of expressing the prevailing sentiment among republicans in this county.
One year ago the Sarpy county republicans sent a Maxwell delegation to the state convention, who like the delegation who went from this county to the recent convention perished in the conflict with the railroad, and state house boodle gangs; Maxwell was defeated and Harrison nominated by the same influence that is now trying to railroad Tattooed Tom into the gubernatorial chair, and as a result of the action of that convention Silas A. Holcomb received an overwhelming plurality in Sarpy county, notwithstanding the fact that Hon. Frank Irving, the pet of Sarpy democracy, was also a candidate. There will be no Frank Irving in the race this fall and the people of this county seem to have reached the conclusion that the time is ripe for the republicans of Nebraska who are dominated by the Majors crowd to teach that corporations and state house boodlers have dictated to the people of this commonwealth quite long enough, and that it is now time for the people to have a voice, and that voice will speak in language that cannot be mistaken.
FREMONT, Neb., Aug. 25 — Allow me to congratulate you at the decisive stand against the enemies of honest government. There are thousands of republicans with you, and if all had worked like Fremont did at the last election on supreme judge the result would have been impossible.
All we lacked then was an organization and we will fall short again this fall if we do not organize, and I hope you and other republicans will start the ban rolling. We ought to vote as a unit; for by heavens, we must put a stop to railroad bossism.
E. S.
ARLINGTON, Aug. 25 — Responding to your very timely and wise invitation, allow me to congratulate you on your courage and consistency in your defense of clean politics, and especially for the good service you have already rendered to the republicans of Nebraska in your resistance to ring and railroad rule in our recent campaign and convention. The primaries and county convention in this county, like the late state convention, as their climax, were, at every stage, slated and ring affairs, pushed by professional and political bosses, regardless of the wishes of the rank and file of the party. The general scheme you have so clearly published had its ramifications throughout the state, and has resulted in the nomination of a candidate for governor that not only cannot be elected, but one whose election would be disastrous to the republican party, if elected. To rid the party and state of this corrupt combination I see no better course than a rally of self-respecting, independent republicans to a new organization, a clean ticket and a vigorous campaign, to the end that the state and grand old party of Lincoln, Grant and Blaine be saved from the rule of corporations and cliques, bent on plunder and jobbery at public expense. Let us, then, find men and of the honest class of people, capable to defend and administer the affairs of government in case they are elected, and then call on all right-minded republicans and citizens to join in an effort to save our state from the disgrace that must surely ensue from a triumph of the ring ticket, claiming to be regular, but really a fraud upon the party.
Hoping that you will find encouragement equal to your fidelity to true republicanism, I am first, last and always,
A REPUBLICAN.
BLAIR, Sept. 2 — Your forceful criticisms on the action of the state republican convention in putting at the head of the ticket is here endorsed by the members of the party, who have ever opposed locally all attempts at bossism. Not only are they in line with the sentiments expressed in your editorials on the make-up of the ticket, but they are determinately indignant at the manner and methods pursued by the men here who run the primaries and the county convention, which resulted in securing a delegation, solidly for Majors, by raising the name of Governor Crounse as a candidate for governor.
Frank Hilton of South Omaha, state oil inspector, appears to have been the prime mover and principal manipulator in organizing the forces here, made up of the active republicans (republicans for revenue only), who have for years voted and defeated every republican onour local ticket who failed to carry grist to their mills. They were enabled to hoodwink the honest republicans and carried the primaries in this city for Lorenzo Crounse. When the county convention assembled, fearful of defeat in securing a delegation favorable to their schemes, they placed in the chair one of their own, and by the most flagrant outrage upon parliamentary law refused to entertain any motion which might interfere with their cherished purpose. The county members, dazed and dumbfounded at the brazen faced cheek of the presiding officer's rulings, prompted by Hilton (who sat conveniently near), through one of the delegates, and for want of a leader on the floor, were obliged to submit to the imposition of the appointment of a set of delegates selected purposely for Tom Majors in order to take care of Frank Hilton. The republican party is with this element nothing, unless for revenue.
REPUBLICAN.
ROGERS, Aug. 26 — In answer to your request to the republicans of this state I have the following to say: To rid ourselves of corporation rule and to save the party from ruin, which will surely follow if corporation tools are placed on the ticket, as is the case on the present ticket, it must be defeated. I have spent a great deal of thought on the matter and believe the only way to accomplish this is to call a convention of republicans to nominate a clean ticket. As there are a few good men on the present ticket, they could be endorsed. This ticket would draw the entire honest republican vote of the state, which would otherwise be divided among other tickets, and a Majors ring would be defeated.
C. P.
OMAHA, Sept. 6 — Your call for an expression of republicans is timely. A great burden has been foisted upon the party by the late convention, and now the question is, shall we for the sake of our party accept the insult, or shall we assert our manhood and let our regard and veneration for American institutions lead us to bury the combine at the polls?
It is a plain question, and I have faith that the latter alternative will be accepted by the republicans of Nebraska. We sacrifice no political principle and certainly do not compound a felony by voting for Judge Holcomb, and this, in my opinion, is the solution of the question.
Corporations will say that his election will drive capital from the state, but such a claim is so senseless, so void of any logic to back it up that I trust to the good sense of our people to puncture such a transparency without any great mental effort, The time is past when such a claim will be entertained at all by the thinking people of Nebraska. Already they are putting out another claim, namely, that he (Holcomb) has not the ability. Such an assertion, in the face of such nominations as Majors and Russell, show conclusively that about the only natural resource that corporations cannot monopolize is brains, and to brains we must look for our disenthrallment from their pernicious rule.
Keep up your fight. You are right, and whether you win or not you will have the satisfaction of knowing that in the years to come every man who values his country, his honor, and his home will look back and say Rosewater was right.
L. D. D.
OMAHA, Sept. 6 — In compliance with your request that all republicans who are opposed to the domination of the railroads and desire to resent the attempt to make the party subservient to corporation monopolies and public thieves express their views, permit me to say that I know of no better way of defeating T. J. Majors than to urge upon every true republican to vote as his conscience dictates. No man, whatever his political affiliations may be, can conscientiously vote for a man whose only qualification for office is that he wears a blue shirt and has a fair army record. I have always been a republican, and still believe in the principles of the party, but I cannot and will not support the republican nominee for governor for the reason above named. I believe it is the duty of every honest republican under the present circumstances, to vote for Judge Holcomb. Every man must concede that Judge Holcomb's ability and general fitness for Nebraska's governor is as far above that of Majors as the heavens are above the earth. For us to support T. J. Majors would be to acknowledge the supremacy of railroad corporations and demagogism, and by so doing establish a precedent that will ultimately lead to the destruction of the republican party in Nebraska. The defeat of T. J. Majors would certainly be a just rebuke to railroad republicans and boodlers.
J. M. M.
KEARNEY, Neb., Aug. 26 — I have talked with many republicans since receiving your card, and they express the same sentiment that you do. I have gone down to Lincoln year after year to the state conventions and have had the brass collar put around my neck by the Lancaster county and the B. & M. crowd until it is galling to a fellow's manhood. We were sold out by the Lancaster county delegation. Not only that, but they came into our delegation, which was instructed positively to vote for Maxwell for supreme judge, and got three men from Shelton and Gibbon by giving them annuals on the B. & M. These are facts, and they are using their passes to this day as the price of their treachery. We went out in the country precincts and made a house to house canvass to carry the county for Maxwell, and we did it after a hard fight and then had the delegation instructed for him. These three men, whose names I can give, held us out for the little pasteboard cards. This year we could not organize the anti-railroad crowd, the boys saying, "What is the use of entering into this fight and working hard for delegates when the B. & M. crowd will seduce them with a pass."
What there is about a pass I do not understand, but it is a fact that you can influence men with one when you could not touch them with money. Those three fellows who hold out on the Maxwell fight are considered reasonably honest business men. Now, what can we do? I will not support the ticket and I can organize quite a following in this county. All that I have got to do is to formulate some plan and they will fall in line.
Who are we going to support for governor? Holcomb is a good, clean man and would make a good executive officer.
A. M. R.
GRAND ISLAND, Aug. 27 — As a republican, I was opposed to Majors' nomination and shall do what I can to prevent his election. Considering the uncertainty that attends the future movements of the democrats, and considering particularly the long time that intervenes between now and the democratic state convention, I think it would be unwise to wait for the result of that convention before deciding upon some plan of action. This, of course, means that I expect to support Judge Holcomb.
I find some republicans here will neither vote for Majors nor the populist nominee, but I think a large proportion of republicans are ready to join in some measure for Holcomb's election.
* * * * * * * * *
Under the circumstances the most practical plan that occurs to me is the formation of republican Holcomb clubs. If the prominent republicans throughout the state were to take part in the organization of such clubs, and then if pains were taken to exclude any but republicans, they might exert a powerful influence on the campaign.
B. F. C.
ALLIANCE, Sept. 4 — You ask for suggestions how to defeat Majors and his corporation backers. In reply to same I would say that I agree with you that we are no longer a republican party, but a B. & M. tool.
In the late republican county convention of Box Butte I plead earnestly for delegates to the state and congressional conventions who would vote for clean republicans. I enlisted the support of the best and most intelligent republicans, but the railroad influence outnumbered us, and consequently we were misrepresented by men who carried out the will of the railroads.
The time is now opportune for an independent republican movement, and were it organized it would carry the state. Nebraska is full of such sentiments.
The true republicans endorse your action and admire your pluck, but they are afraid to speak.
G. W.
OMAHA, Sept. 1 — I would suggest that a conference of all republicans be called and that we all support and work for Judge Holcomb, and thereby elect an able and upright governor, and, at the same time, forever teach these ringsters and tricksters that the republicans of this state will not tolerate them.
C. C. J.
CRETE, Sept. 1 — I am very much pleased with your wise action in sending in your resignation in due season to be read before the delegates in convention assembled. It shows that your action is based upon principle and that was the only way to have and maintain a clean party. True republicanism has been given a mighty, slapping insult through the weakness of the delegates in giving over to the desires of railroad corporations rather than to the desires of the people of Nebraska or to their own convictions, when in an uninfluenced condition.
The rank and file of the republican party is worthy of the grandest victory possible, but victory, indeed, not defeat by electing a nonrepresentative of true republicanism to the most responsible office in the state. There is no victory in electing Tom Majors to the governorship. It is a curse to republicanism for T. M. and his contingents to claim a space in the party that would even give access to a molecule.
The people of Nebraska are not desirous of being governed by a railroad corporation, inmates of penitentiaries, or by any person or persons that ought to be there.
I am pleased to note your desire to hold counsel through letters with all true republicans of Nebraska concerning the matter.
I get leave through your public invitation to courteously present my view of a method to defeate T. M. for governor. It is a method to which I am sorry we are compelled to resort, but I do not see any other way. Defeat is insured for republicans of Nebraska: it is a defeat for us if T. M. is elected; it is a defeat for us if he is not elected. The former defeat is by far worse than the latter, for the poison strewn out by it would for many years after cripple or kill the party, while the latter would give a chance for victory again as soon as the matter is put straight. To my mind defeat for T. M. means victory for the republicans comparatively. The republican party has been defeated-through evil influences and there is nothing else for the true republicans to do but to discuss plans for redemption.
What a shattered organization is the democratic party. It is divided, harmony cannot prevail among its members and thousands of them are discontented with the action of their party. These thousands of discontented democrats would have been republican recruits if our nomination for governor had been first class. The democrats have not yet made their nomination for governor, but it is not probable that they will choose a man that we could dare support.
I do not think we will be any better off with a democratic railroad corporation governor than to have a railroad corporation man for governor under the name of republican. It behooves me when I take this fact into consideration to give the third party some thought and to do this candidly.
Party split should not be so strong as to bind any person from choosing the best candidate in the field, for such bondage would endanger civil liberty itself. It is conceded by many worthy opponents that Silas A. Holcomb, the populist nominee for governor, is an exceptionally good man, and as far as I have been enabled to investigate his record this concession is verified. Now, to support Mr. Holcomb for governor I believe would be the only wise method to pursue in defeating T. M. or any democratic man for the interests of the whole state. It will never do for us to be silent and not resent this poisonous dose they have attempted to force upon us. We must show railroad men and their contingents that they cannot use our good name to capture office, and that true republicans are not subservient to anything excepting the intelligence of true men, and that if they do so then the nomination will no longer be as good as an election.
If we submit to their will today then we will be compelled to be subservient to them tomorrow
I have been giving the subject much thought lately and it appears to me that your paper should come out square and fair for Holcomb, and I feel certain that this will insure [sic] our victory. Let us all unite and work toward the end that there shall ever be a government "of the people, by the people and for the people." Yours for true republicanism.
H. A. M.
The following letter written by a union veteran, who two years ago was one of the staff officer of the department commander for Nebraska, and has for years been an active stalwart republican, shows that the men of '61 are still ready to fight for true republicanism, and popular self-government. The name of this Grand Army of the Republic veteran is withheld for the same reason that has prompted us to treat all this class of letters as confidential, unless parties request otherwise:
MANHATTAN, Colo., Sept. 4 — From an elevation of over 10,000 feet it is enough to make a man's head swim to look over Nebraska and see the workings of political parties, and especially the republican party.
Being a Nebraskan myself, and having taken an active part in politics until my health failed, and I came here, either to die or get better (I have succeeded in neither). Born in the republican party in 1861 when I entered the army, I gave the four best years of my life that right, truth, justice, and liberty might prevail, and no man can put a mark upon one spot where I have swerved from the principles embodied in true republicanism, or gone to the enemy's camp for help or consolation. I do feel, however, that if I was permitted to again open my mouth upon the "stump" in Nebraska that it would take more courage than I give myself credit for possessing to do much talking for the ticket named at Omaha. A man who has nothing but a "war record" to back him at this late date stands on a sandy foundation. Two men being up for office, one being a soldier, and the other not, other things being equally balanced, I always give my preference to the old soldier. I claim as good a war record as Tom Majors or any other man who was in the ranks, but if I was asking the suffrage of the people of Nebraska today, I would consider I stood a slim chance of an election. if my army record alone was all I had to offer. The republican party has need to be very careful in what kind of men they ask the people to vote for. It would seem that the old saying, "A burnt child dreads the fire," is a misnomer, as the party seems to forget that only a short time ago they asked the people to vote for a man whose record had to be "explained" and now they ask you to vote for a man whose record cannot be explained, a man whose B. & M. record is so plainly written upon all his actions that the veriest simpleton can see that he has no more the interests of the general people at heart than has a horsethief for honesty.
While, as said above, I have always stood by the party, and have always advised voters to do the same, contending that if a man expected my vote he must run on the ticket I voted, but when time after time the conventions of the party are dominated by railroad cappers and ruled by corporate bosses, the will of the people set aside, their interests ignored and corruption running riot in the naming of men for whom they ask the people to vote, I feel like it is time to call a halt. I do not believe that it will smirch the character of a republican to vote for Judge Holcomb for governor. He is a good man, and no one will say but what he would make a good governor.
Voting for him would be to honor a good man, and at the same time let the man of many marks know that the people could not and would not endorse the action of a convention directed by an element that has no interest in common with the republican rank and file of the state. It would also teach the leaders of the party a lesson they may not soon forget, that it will not do to tempt the people too much, for human nature cannot stand everything, and the indignities heaped upon the people year after year by those who work only for selfish greed, will no longer be tolerated by a long suffering people. You may "cuff a cur and he will lick your hand," but the same thing will not do with the freeborn, liberty loving Americans, and the action of the Omaha convention is so big a "cuff" that the probabilities are that instead of "licking" the hand that gave the cuff, the people will turn out and give "Tom" the "all-firedest licking" he ever had.
YORK, Neb., Sept. 1 — To the Editor of the The Bee: For years I have been opposed to The Bee, not so much The Bee as its editor; training with the other elements of the republican party and assisting to shape the policy of our side. I may have become prejudiced as many have, and felt that whatever Rosewater was for we of course must stubbornly oppose. I cannot now say that I love Rosewater, but feel that the issues in this state take note of no man, nor do they care for any party. It is not Rosewater or anti-Rosewater, but Burlington against Nebraska. The railroad question cannot be tossed aside by the statement that it is so stale, and an old threadbare song of cranks. The platform confesses that it is a real, live, burning issue by taking the position it does in favor of federal control, and the enforcement of the law we now have, courts and injunctions to the contrary notwithstanding. We confess that our party has had the power to enforce and that our officers have refused and neglected to do what we now loudly demand.
Not only the party platform speaks the issue, but the Jim Blaine of the west in stating what he would put in a platform were he making one, emphasized federal control of railroads. Being a Thurston republican, I believe he knows what he is talking about.
Another thing forces me to conclude that the railroad issue is not so stale that it has a bad smell, and that is I was a delegate and rode from the western part of the state on a B. & M. pass, and for that reason Majors was disappointed because I was for MacColl. I saw each delegation march on, leader stop and show the conductor a little piece of paper and get as many hat slips as he had an order for. The leader would pass along the aisle and hand each of the boys one of these little things, which he stuck in his hat and his fare was paid to Omaha. When I went home free the same easy way I saw many pops get on the train going to their convention, but those measly cusses had to pay and I began to think it a bit strange that we republicans were in clover while the pops were on the sunburnt prairie grass. I awoke and wondered what the Burlington was to get for all this liberality, and I am wondering yet.
The lines between the B. & M. and the people have been hardening for several years. They have their own devoted son to lead in the battle. I have been slow to believe that Tom Majors was so lost in the Burlington whirlpool. I have been with him in every campaign, we have counseled together, but it was enough for me when Majors could get anything he asked for in the way of transportation and MacColl could get nothing. I felt that MacColl was not receiving fair treatment, and it hurt his friends more than it did him. It seemed as though MacColl was prepared for the blow and was not so disappointed as his followers were.
I saw that the Burlington wanted Majors and had reasons for not wanting MacColl, and much as I admire Tom Majors I feel that it is now a question of protecting our homes, providing for our wives and children. As between the B. & M. and Rosewater, I do not hesitate to follow Rosy, however much I dislike the taste of it. Rosewater runs a paper and I do not have to take it unless I want to. I have no choice as to the B. & M. I must pay it freight and fare.
I reason that a railroad would not be so active for a certain one for governor and dictate legislative nominees all over the state just for the fun of it. This will not be a campaign of banners, party, whip and noise.
Our leader should be noted for something besides wearing a particular kind of shirt. We are not electing shirts to office. The appeal must be made not to the eye and stomach, but to the good sense of the individual voter. We as a party are divided on the silver question, and on the corporation question. It will not do to point to the platform. For years we have said in our platforms we wanted a railroad jaw, but that was as far as we dared go until it was time to make another platform. For two years we have had a rate law, but never thought of enforcing it until we wanted rates. I do not, would not, reflect on Mr. Lambertson, he meant every word of it and would have put the law in force the first chance he had, but his element of the party has never been in the saddle. The element now in will never let go until a stinging defeat warns them to at least be decent in their methods.
It is not republicanism to hold your nose on the Burlington grindstone and let Tom Majors turn the crank. What though he be an old soldier, an old or young soldier when so inclined can swell up and pound his breast, while saying he will be the best governor the state ever had, and at the same time do all he can under cover to defeat railroad legislature.
Personally Majors is a splendid fellow to be out with, that is for the boys to be out with, but he would be a governor much like Tom Benton was auditor, and like Benton he has the nerve to not be ashamed of it.
Whether true or not, the common people believe that Majors has always represented the railroad interests; has done it in a quiet way, like having a "call of the house" when a law was about to pass, send for the absent one, and be careful to let another slip away to Hastings or some other place before the first one was arrested.
It is an open question with the people whether the party would be stronger or weaker after the defeat of the Majors and Burlington element. For one I believe it would be stronger.
I thought I would get over my soreness in two or three days, but it grows on me as I meet the old boys and they say "nice fellows to make a railroad platform," and "great scheme to run a free silver man for senator on a gold platform." The leaders have offended the wrong crowd this time to heal the wounds in time for the general round-up.
HEBRON, Neb., Sept. 7 — The action of the late state republican convention is not approved in this locality by many of the leading men in the party, as every one knows the convention was in the hands of the railroads, who dictated the men to be nominated. Your correspondent has the opinions of a number of leading anti-monopoly republicans. Some believe that the only way to relieve the people of wrongs imposed by railroad power is government control of all railroads and telegraph lines. Others believe in the abolishment of the annual or trip pass system, and to make the infraction a heavy fine for the railroad as well as the acceptor. Other say the only way to get relief is to have the leading papers take the position The Bee has taken in this connection.
LOOMIS, Neb., Aug. 28 — As to the best method for defeating the election of Tom Majors, in my opinion, an anti-monopoly republican ticket in the field would mean his sure defeat. I don't think that the independent republican ticket could be elected, but Majors would be defeated.
M. A. V.
AINSWORTH, Neb., Aug. 27 — We, as anti-railroad republicans, think that the best course to pursue would be to get some good, strong man from Douglas county to run independent, thereby giving us a chance to stand by the party and not disgrace the state by voting for "Tattooed" Tom.
M. C.
CALDWELL, Neb., Aug. 28 — I am much pleased with the stand which you have taken against Tom Majors and the railroad czar. I have voted the republican ticket for thirty years, but now I believe that it would be best for the people to down the railroads for a while by electing an independent for governor.
R. J.
LONG PINE, Neb., Aug. 27 — Complying with your request, as printed in The Bee, I take this opportunity to say that I heartily approve of your course and conduct in the matter of Majors. We are republicans up here, but it goes against the grain and down our throats awful hard to swallow such disreputable men as Tom Majors.
B. E. J.
NORTH PLATTE, Neb., Aug. 31 — It is very evident that Tom Majors is not appreciated as he might be by the republicans of Lincoln county. The action of the Lincoln county contingent to the state convention in voting solidly for Majors has occasioned any amount of criticism, as it was freely conceded that the rank and file of the party favored MacColl for governor, even though the home candidate for secretary of state was sacrificed thereby. But the delegation came home ingloriously, with Majors to their discredit and nothing on the other side to balance the political ledger. And so the mutterings are deep and angry. In fact, about the only people who are satisfied are the delegates themselves.
M. S. F.
FAIRMONT, Neb., Sept. 7 — I am 67 years of age and was born a whig in the state of Maine, went to Winnebago county, Ill., in 1885, and came here in 1893. I have been a republican since 1856, but I do not propose to stand this Majors racket, with the republican party sold out to the railroads and such men as Judge Maxwell set aside because they cannot be bought.
I am no populist, but I propose to support the populist nominee for governor.
H. J.
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