Silas Garber served in the Civil War, rising to the rank of captain. Following his military service, he engaged in livestock trading in California before settling in Nebraska, where he played a role in establishing the town of Red Cloud. Garber transitioned into politics, serving in the Nebraska House of Representatives and as Register of the U.S. Land Office in Lincoln. He later became the Governor of Nebraska, during which he also served on the University of Nebraska board of regents.

Silas Garber's political career reveals a deeply rooted commitment to regional development, marked by an intriguing blend of military discipline and pragmatic local governance. His strategic philosophy seems to emphasize stability and growth through calculated support of industrial interests, as evidenced by his legislative actions. Garber's rhetorical style appears to balance a respect for tradition with a readiness to innovate, creating a unique ideological positioning that often defies conventional party lines.