coming difficulties that sound "fishy" in these days; but through all his toil and struggles he was a student, and contrived to take terms of study in Hascall University, Silsby Academy, and Milton College, all in Wisconsin. In 1876 Mr. Laws came to Nebraska, located at Orleans, and engaged in editorial work. He was appointed register of the land office at McCook in 1883, and held that office until November 2, 1886. The day after he left the land office he was elected secretary of state, and served two terms, instituting many reforms in his department. He served a short term in congress, and has held many other important positions of public trust, always with credit to himself and his constituents. In the campaign of 1896 he was a potent influence in bringing about the union which resulted in victory for the free silver forces.

HE head of the department of state oil inspection, Hon. James H. Edmisten, is one of the most able and successful politicians in the west. He was born in Texas in 1855 and came to Nebraska when fifteen years of age. He was educated at the State Normal in Peru, and taught several years. For a time he resided in Nuckolls county, afterwards removing to Dawson county, where he now lives, at Eddyville. He has served as county commissioner, and was two terms treasurer of Dawson county, giving the people a competent and safe administration. In 1890 he united with the populist party, and has been an active worker in its interests ever since. He attracted wide attention as the manager of Congressman Kem's canvass in 1892, which was emi-

nently successful, and was the efficient chairman of the populist state committee in 1894. He was appointed to his present official position by Governor Holcomb in 1895, and was reappointed in 1897. He is a member of the committee on legislation of the Nebraska Irrigation Association, and is intensely interested in the de-

velopment of all our agricultural interests. He has several hundred acres under irrigation by the storage reservoir system. In 1896 Mr. Edmisten displayed consummate ability, tact, and foresight in his management of the fusion campaign, and the splendid victory for the state legislative and congressional tickets of the silver forces was due in a very great measure to his superior generalship.

ON. WM. R. AKERS, secretary of the State Board of Irrigation, was born in Ohio in 1839. When ten years of age he moved to Iowa county, Iowa. In

1861 he enlisted in the Seventh Iowa Volunteers, serving till August, 1864, and was engaged in many of the hardest conflicts of the war. He was specially men-
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