corridors of the capitol hotel importuning the delegates to the convention to vote for the nomination of a certain man as judge of the supreme court, on the plea that he was "against the railroads." The case was one in which the railroads felt entirely justified in trying to prevent his nomination, as were also the cases of the six state senators previously referred to who formed a combine for extorting money from the corporations, and I am happy to state that not one of the six was nominated for a second term although all were candidates for renomination.

In closing permit me to say that the political interests of the railroads are best subserved by the election of honest and capable men to all the offices within the state. The railroads are best served by that legislation which fosters the growth and development of its varied agricultural and commercial possibilities. Whenever a mile of railroad is built in Nebraska, somebody's land is made more valuable, and the number of his conveniences and comforts increased. Whenever a quarter-section of Nebraska prairie is turned into a productive farm, some railroad is benefited by the receipt of new business. All citizens in Nebraska should feel the same degree of pride in its splendid railroads and their unexcelled equipment and service that the managers of the roads feel in its rich and beautiful farms, its sleek herds, its great packing houses, its thriving cities, and numerous and varied manufactories. All these are the product of the joint efforts of the railroads and people, and every interest in its effort for expansion and betterment owes to all others fair, unprejudiced treatment, and willing cooperation. No legitimate interest in Nebraska or elsewhere can prosper if it becomes the oppressor of other legitimate interests. This applies as well to the treatment of railroads by the people as to that accorded to their patrons by the roads; their interests are so closely interwoven that neither can prosper without mutual benefit, or suffer without mutual loss.

TERRITORIAL PIONEER DAYS.

SPEECHES MADE AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE NEBRASKA STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, JANUARY 15, 1902.

REMARKS BY ISAAC S. HASCALL.1

MR. PRESIDENT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AND TERRITORIAL PIONEERS-There are but few of us present, but I think if we will make an effort at the next state fair we will get the pioneers of the state together. I am satisfied that we are fortunate in having the officers we have, and I know the pride that our President takes in all such matters that concern Nebraska, especially not only in horticulture, but agriculture and history, and for that reason he takes pride in getting out the old pioneers; and what one doesn't know the other will. And it is not a bad thing to get together and have a systematic statement of how we came into existence and what we are doing now. It has not been very long, according to the old pioneer, as you grow older and I grow older, and consequently thirty or forty years does not appear to be much. Of course, I am a young man; I came ahead of the railroads to Chicago and to the Mississippi and to Nebraska, and I know when Ben Wade and Lyman Trumbull and his party came to Omaha they held a little reception in the old capitol building on the hill. Trumbull said he had been out over the state of Nebraska, and thought it was a beautiful country, and thought in a short time it would be intersected by railroads the same as Illinois. There was no such place as Lin

1Isaac S. Hascall, pioneer lawyer, Omaha, Nebraska, was born in Erie county, New York, March 8, 1831; was admitted to practice law in the courts of New York, and in 1854 went to Kansas. In the spring of 1855 he arrived in Nebraska, and during that summer was engaged in surveying township lines in Nemaha and Otoe counties. He returned to Kansas and engaged in the practice of law at Atchison. While there he was elected a member of the constitutional convention of Kansas, and was later elected probate judge. In 1860 he went to Colorado and Oregon, thence to Idaho City, Idaho, where he remained four years. After several months spent in traveling, he settled at Omaha in March, 1865. He was appointed probate judge of Douglas county in 1865, and in 1866 was elected state senator; in 1870 was reelected, and made president of the senate. In the spring of 1871 he was elected to the constitutional convention of that year. Mr. Hascall died at Omaha January 17, 1907.

coln in those early times, but Lincoln was the product, you might say, of the first legislature that had power to legislate, and while it met with some opposition in my city of Omaha, still I thought Omaha was having the capital placed in a central point, where it was liable to remain, and it had a healthy locality and would build up into a beautiful city. The original bill was for "Capital City" and the parties that were putting the bill through had agreed among themselves that they would not allow in another man, but I happened to be a member at that time, and my colleague was Hon. Nelson Patrick. We said if there was to be a capital for Nebraska that it ought to have a good name, consequently we agreed we would bring forward the name of "Lincoln," which was brought up, and it took one vote from the opposition to carry it, and consequently this city has the name of Lincoln today. It is one of the best names you could have. Capital City was too much of a one-horse place in the wilderness, but we are no longer in the wilderness. In fact, when you come to consider that since the Civil War the population of the United States has doubled, then it is no wonder that Nebraska has its million of people. We have got plenty of soil and acres of land, and it wants what this horticultural and agricultural society is doing and the state officers are accomplishing, and we want to encourage the people to engage in that which will benefit mankind. So far as our schools are concerned we have as good an educational system as anywhere in the United States, and I am glad to know that the census of the United States shows us standing at the front in reference to average intelligence. If there was a property qualification I think they would all vote, women and all. If we all come to know and look over the situation and compare things it will benefit us. I was unfortunate in 1855, and came up the Missouri river to Nebraska City, and we didn't have to turn out for farms, but the country prairie and the Missouri river along the old road leading to Nebraska City from Rulo was the handsomest country in the United States. I have heard about the Santa Clara valley, but we excel it.

We have got a western man for president that is going to perfect a system of irrigation that will bring fruitfulness to the soil and prosperity to the state. I hope we will all live until we find this water stored here, and it has to evaporate. Certainly the United States is doing what England is doing in Egypt. They are piling up head dams and stopping up that great river, and they are going to raise all the tropical products and some that grow in the temperate zone. There is no bad land from here to the mountains; consequently, we must consider that we are fortunate in every respect. There is good water in Nebraska. See our old time-honored Governor Thayer of Nebraska, hero of many wars, he is still here, proof that it is fine water, but you must not go out and keep your mouth open during a blizzard. But everybody thinks it is good enough to live in and to die in, and we will stay together and put in our energies and put in the work we ought to do. You may talk about your rivers, but we can look upon the Missouri and Mississippi as the longest river in the world. We have got a prosperous and vigorous community, one that has got the elements to create a state equal to an old state like New York or Pennsylvania. While we must not pretend to say that we have got the best interests, we will have interests equal to any of them. [Applause.]

PRESIDENT FURNAS: Will Governor Thayer favor the Association with a few words?

GOVERNOR THAYER: I am in no condition to speak, or even stand up. I had a misfortune happen to my limb, and it is paining me this afternoon. Why not call on some of the older ones of this organization, that are older in age?

PRESIDENT FURNAS-You are one of the cldest in years. GOVERNOR THAYER-I was here at an early day. I recollect, but I can not take the time or make the effort to speak at any length this afternoon. I am much pleased at the coming around of this Association occasion. When this Association comes together, I wish I could have seen more here than I do at present, for it is an organization which should

be continued by meeting every year, certain and often. I am glad to have a meeting at the time of the meeting of the state fair; perhaps we can draw more together then than now.

I might give some reminiscences of an early day. I recall well of meeting yourself [Mr. Furnas], for instance, at an early day here in Nebraska, your secretary [D. H. Wheeler], and others. My old friend, Mr. Kennard, I see here. By the way, I think if I were called upon to say anything I should call upon him to act as a substitute for me. There was a time, years back, when substitutes were put forward to take the place of others who didn't feel like going forward, and I know from experience that Mr. Kennard would be a good substitute. It was with reference to bringing the territory in as a state. I can recall how naturally my friend Kennard talked to the people in favor of it, but I will hardly enter upon that, unless you have something to say, Mr. Kennard. (I shall call upon him when I sit down.) We traveled north and south and westward in order to do what we could to help forward the introduction of the admission of Nebraska as a state. That brings to my mind an instance which is, and was at the time, very interesting to me, and in place of anything which I can not offer better, I will relate it. It is rather of national character. After the legislature had met and elected two senators with the view to the admission of the state, it became my duty to take a trip to Washington to take the constitution which had been prepared. Well, we found that we had something of a task before us.

My first call upon the members of the Senate was upon the old hickory senator, Ben Wade, of Ohio. He was chairman of the committee on territories. He received me with a great deal of apparent satisfaction, for they were desirous of getting two more republican senators into the Senate. He took hold of the matter with great earnestness. I found I would have to visit a number of senators, and the next morning I called upon Sumner. It had been intimated that he would be against admission, because the word "white" was in the constitution, and I anticipated hostility, but several senators