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Lopez island is one of the divi
sions of San Juan county. It is an
ideal land of'dairies, farms and or
chards. Every variety of fruits and
vegetables produced in the Puget
sound basin grow in profusion on the
island. The surplus is shipped to
Seattle for a market. In order that
the best prices may be obtained, the
farmers are united for the common
interest of all concerned. The tele
phone is the beginning of concerted
action along all the lines of dispos
ing of farm produce and the pur
chasing of manufactured articles. It
marks an important era in the indus
tries the island. And those farm
ers have set a good example for oth
er agricultural communities to fol
low in the work of co-operation.—
Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
y •
A SOUTH DAKOTA LEADER
FALLS.
“Killed in a Cyclone’’ is the brief
story of the death of one of the tru
est men the reform movement has
brought to the front —John M. Pease,
of South Dakota.
He was one of those thousands of
heroic souls that are the salt of the
earth. They inspire the heart with
love for themselves and with faith
in humanity.
Their honest praise is the sweetest
reward of conscientious work for
Right; and to hold their confidence
and esteem is the richest of earthly
crowns.
“Faithful unto the end’’ is the ep
itaph I write for John M. Pease—
and a nobler one is not to be writ
ten of any human being.
> . • ■***& J?
■Ei
f -
- W
JNO. M. PEASE.
REAPER DEATH IN A CYCLONE.
John M. Pease, of Mt. Vernon, Killed
in Cyclone, July 13—Prominent
Citizen—Delegate to First Consti
tutional Convention, and First Na
tional Populist Elector for Watson,
1904.
The storm of July 13, 1907 was
most severe in the vicinity of Mitch
ell and Mt. Vernon, and the one fa
tality was that of John M. Pease.
» Seeing the storm approaching, Mr.
Pease helped his family to the storm
cellar, and went to see the boys whi
had taken refuge in a grove near the
barn. He was returning to the house
when he was suddenly overtaken by
the storm. His sons found him half
an hour afterwards, in an uncon
scious condition. He died in a short
time without regaining consciousness.
One daughter was knocked uncon
scious by a piece of flying timber,
and the boys holding to trees in the
grove, were bruised, but not much in
jured. The house was completely de
molished.
Mr. Pease came to the state in the
early 80’s, in the great flood of im
migrants of those years, and settled
near Mitchell. In the early reform
movements he joined the alliance;
and later became one of the leading
populists of the state. He possessed
a clear and logical mind, a retentive
memory, and a gift of language and
oratory far above the average man
who makes a success on the platform.
His nature was a positive one, and
he did hot attempt to carry water on
both shoulders. His convictions were
strong, and he adhered to them
whether popular or not. When his
party had gone to pieces in the state,
he still held to the middle of the road
and supported Thomas E. Watson.
During the aggressive days of popu
lism, more than one republican and
democratic orator felt the power of
his lance, and staggered beneath his
blow. He was an able mdn, living
’ ahead of his time.
He was a great admirer of Thomas
A Chapter In Nebraska Politics
Through the courtesy of the Oma
ha Bee, The Commoner is permitted
to reproduce the facsimile of a let
ter together with an editorial which
appeared in the Bee of August 14,
1907.
The Bee is a republican newspaper,
but it protests against the misrep
resentation of Mr. Bryan by those
who seek to make it appear that he
bolted the democratic ticket in 1592.
Mr. Bryan does not deem it neces
sary that his democracy be protected
from the attacks of the New York
World, but the Bee’s editorial and
sac simile are reproduced on this
page in recognition of the graceful
act of a Nebraska newspaper that
is not in sympathy with Mr. Bryan
politically, as well as for the purpose
of challenging the good faith of the
New York World when it made this
charge against Mr. Bryan and invit
ing the World to reproduce the Boyd
letter as printed in the Bee togeth
er with the Bee’s editorial.
It may be explained that Governor
Boyd wrote two letters to Nebraska
democrats, one under date of Octo
ber 17, 1892, and one under date of
November 4, 1892. The first letter
was sent to a limited number of lead
ers; the second letter, which the
Bee reproduces, was more widely cir
culated and was issued at a late hour
in the hope that it would not become
public property.
It may also be explained-that Gov
ernor Boyd was what was once
known as “a gold democrat.” And
in 1900 the republican newspapers
printed an interview with Governor
Boyd in which he declared in favor of
Mr. McKinley’s election. So it will be
seen that the so-called " Nebraska
bolt of 1892” was operated through
a gentleman to whom the New York
World would point as a model dem
ocrat rather than through the one
whom the World has so often sought
to brand ( 'a wild-eyed populist.”
That “bolt” originated with the
democratic national committee when
it was composed of men whose dem
. ocracy was vouched for by ths New
York World.—The Commoner,
WATSON’S WEEKLY JEFFERSONIAN
E. Watson, and only the Sunday be
fore his death was reading that beau
tiful editorial in the March number
of the Jeffersonian, entitled, “Not
Quite, ’ ’ marking and quoting the pas
sage, as in premonition of the early
death that awaited him: “Some day
the Angel of Beaufy which has so long
inspired the artist, will whisper to
him, ‘Put the brush away; turn the
picture to the wall; come with me.’
Some night the radiant thought that
visits me here in my solitude may
say to me, ‘it is finished; Coiue,’
And that which is best in me will be
glad to go.”
In the death of John M. Pease, the
State of South 'Dakota loses a good
citizen, energetic, true to his ccfnvic
tions, and fearless in condemning
wrong; the family, a kird, loVmg
husband, father and friend. Or
phan’s tears nor widow’s wail can
not awake, nor voice of friend call
him from the breathless chamber,
whore the mortal awaits the call
from whence ‘that which was best
of him’ has already taken its flight.
—Soo Critic.
A Chapter in Nebraska Politics.
The Bee is not politically aligned
with William Jennings Bryan, but
for the truth of history it volunteers
the evidence to exculpate him from
an old charge which is being revamp
ed anew. In a pungent editorial, en
titled, “The Source of Bryanism,”
the New York World undertakes to
support its assertion that Bryanism
is traceable to populism by charging
Mr. Bryan with having helped in
1892 to arrange a form of fusion
between Nebraska democrats and
populists by which the bulk of the
democratic vote was cast for Weaver,
Cleveland polling fewer than 25.000
in a total of 200.000. For Mr. Bry
an The Commoner enters denial, par
ticularly to that part of the World’s
charge that would lead people to be
lieve that Mr. Bryan bolted the dem
ocratic ticket in 1892. The Com
moner goes on to say:
“It is true that a large number of
democratic votes were cast for Gener
al Weaver, but this was done in the
hope of keeping Nebraska out of the
republican column in that year. The
plan was not arranged by Mr. Bry
an. It was arranged by the demo
cratic national committee and for the
benefit of Mr. Cleveland. The plan
was communicated to the democrats
in a * confidential letter’ written by
the late Governor James E. Bovd, un
der date of October 17, 1892. In
that letter Governor Boyd asked dem
ocrats to vote for the Weaver elect
tors, saying that he made the request
at the instance of the democratic na
tional committee, and he assured Ne
braska democrats that this would
be ‘a definite step toward vic
tory and the ultimate triumph of
Cleveland and Stevenson and the
principles they represented.’ ”
The Bee presents herewith a sac
simile of the “confidential letter”
refrred to, which is practically self
explanatory. That the democratic
scheme to sidetrack the electrical
vote of Nebraska to Weaver was
frustrated was due largely to this
paper and its then editor, who wag
at the same time the republican n&-
tional committeeman for Nebraska.
Governor Boyd’s confidential letter
was in the hands of the republican
national committeeman before it
reached the democrats for whom it
was intended, and by prompt and ju
dicious Work to counteract its effect
Nebraska was carried for the repub
lican ticket and its electoral vote
cast for Benjamin Harrison.
In following out the directions giv
en in the Boyd letter in 1892, Mr.
Bryan simply proved his devotion
and loyalty to the Grover Cleveland
democracy, from which he had not
then been weaned. —Omaha Bee.
Boyd’s Historic Letter.
Lincoln, Neb., Nov. 4, 1892,
Dear Sir:
It affords me pleasure to inform
you that I have been personally au
thorized by the National Committee
of the Democratic party to urge the
democrats of Nebraska to support the
electors nominated by the Independ
ent party in this state —the object
being to so increase the vote for the
Weaver electors that those nominat
ed in behalf of Harrison shall be de
feated, and this state taken out of
its accustomed place in the republi
can column.
To do this is no sacrifice of demo
cratic principles, inasmuch as the ob
ject is the triumph of democracy and
the downfall of republicanism and
the vicious policies which it advo
cates.
In Nebraska, a vote for Weaver
and Field is more than half a vote
for Cleveland and Stevenson.
Hoping for your co-operation, I
remain,
J. E. BOYD.
RAISING CANE IN TEXAS.
From two somewhat separated sec
tions of the state, at the same time
come reports of the wonderful profits
to be had in raising ribbon cane.
Neither of them are from the Rio
Grande valley, which probably, is
the greatest ribbon cane country in
the world, but they come from Van
Zandt and Bexar counties, .in the
latter of which irrigation is used.
Down in Bexar county, F. F. Col
lins owns an irrigated farm. He
thinks ribbon cane is one of the most
profitable crops that can be raised
near San Antonio. His land is irri
gated from artesian wells which fur
nish 100,000 gallons of water per
acre each week. Mr. Collins said the
other day: ”
“Every acre of ribbon cane that
I have in cultivation will produce be
tween COO and 700 gallons of syrup.
It will average about 675 gallons an
acre, so, with the thirty-five acres
I will have 23,625 gallons of syrup.
This syrup will bring 50 cents a gal
lon, so on the thirty-five acres I will
make a gross earning of $11,812,50,
which is far better than most crops
will make.’’
Eleven thousand dollars gross from
thirty-five acres is somewhat remark
able, even in Texas. Naturally, the
flowing artesian wells have something
to do with it, but they do not furnish
the rich soil and ideal climate.
The next few years will see exper
iments in ribbon cane raising in many
parts of Texas. As long as syrup
is worth 50 cents a gallon there need
be no worry about cost of making
sugar, but that will probably come
later.—Fort Worth Telegram.
PAGE SEVEN