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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