Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (May 1, 1903)
REPUBLICAN' FIELD MOT Manj Enthog-ynic Meetings Held in th tereril Wirds. SWEDES TUR.1 OUT TO HEAR SPEAKERS Warirn (km the Mayer t the - ICrbo and sixth Wrilrr Hear Some City Mall History. Bwedlsh republican voter gathered In Sco'.ltx hall last night and heard forceful ar.eeches by E. J. Cornish. Edward Rose v.atr and W. J. Connell, advocating the re-election of Frank E. Moore as mayor and the election of the whole republican tirket. So far as wa apparent from the applause and disposition of the auditors there was but one dissenter In the hall and he was City Comptroller John N. Weet berg, who failed In the fight for renomlna tion. An overt feet of his gave the as. embly the chance It wanted to stamp Its approval of Moore and Its feeling toward Westberg. It wa during Mr. Cornish speech and Just after Westberg had arrived. The speaker wa describing the attitude of the mayor toward the railroad and the cor poration in the matter of taxe and bad aid that the official act of the two board of review -previous to the lsst bad cast aotne scandal on the administration. S-qoeleher for Westbar;. Wes'.berg laughed sneering laugh so loud It could be heard all over the ball. Mr. Cornish perceived It and said: "I notice the gentleman, Mr. Westberg, miles. I want both be and the remainder f my audience to understand that I am dealing In fact and I aball continue to do so. The acts of the last board of review was so plainly In the Interests of the peo ple that they cannot be queatloned. Its appointment plainly ehowed where Frank K. Moores stands on the question of equal taxation. A to the other board I would call your attention to the fact that the four appointive member are today each lighting Mayor Moores and working In the Interest of Mr. Benson." The hand-clapping, cheering and stamp ing at many feet lasted for more than a minute and Westberg waa plainly Incensed, Joining derisively In the applause and then tending up defiantly and removing his vercoM. The eye of every man present r Upon him during the proceeding. After that he was quiet. Mr, Cornish's Address. Mr. Cornish's speech was presentation ef the real Issues of the campaign, history of political knifing In Omaha since 1882, and an epsest to the voters to stand loyally by their ticket and restst the democratic foe. lie said: ' The Issue of this campaign le equal taxa tion. The candidacy of Mr. Uenson (on fuses the voters and assists rid Howell. .Many good cltlsenn do not understand ho Hank Moores. who was a railroad ticket sent, can be today the logical champion of thu people's dcmmil for equal tiixntl n. t hose lamlllar with the facta know that the growth has been natural, logical and titcesaary, and is today llxed and per manent. When the Northwestern desired to bull! JracKs into the Jobbing district Mayor Moores had to take sides against one of th) two railroads. Me decided in tavor o. the Northwestern and thereby gave to the job bing district additional shi,,ilng taclililea. to lis gieat advantage. . He also thereby of leiideo the buriliigion Kallroad compa.y, toe most Influential political force in the lute of Nebraska, or the west. When Auurew Kontwater sought a Iran-chikc- thut would fun lh electric llfchl to the cliy of Omaha much cheaper than we are m.w paying and wou d rurnish power ti .manufacturing estabiltthmwit at a rmall fraction of the prs.-ent cost, Krank Moorej lavored Andrew Koewttter anil theriby antagonized Mr. Nath, the manager of the electric light company and of ttie asphuli paving company, and the shrewdest manip ulator for iranchlsed corporations in tne city of Omaha. W hen Mr. Kdward Ttosewater was pres enting proceedings In the supreme court to compel taxation of railroad property the fan as of other property In the a ate Muor Moores had to appoint a board of jeview. He had to nke sides either wl h Mr. Kopcwater or wlih th corpora le lnt.r et on this question of equal taxation. Hi appointed Victor Hoscwater and W. J liunter. the present republican nominee fo.; city comptroller, and therebv antagonised all of the railroad and franchlsed corpora tions In the city of Omaha. Gave the Issue Life. His conduot In this respect changed the agitation tor equal taxation from the for.n 01 resolutions by the Heal Estate t xchangj and Improvement ciuba to a ave. ourm..g lueue. The court proceedings which fol lowed will ultimately settle this quest.on in accordance with tha constitution of the state, which requires all taxation to be uni form no matter what leguiauon may be enacted by the state legislature. The act of Mayor Moores In appointing thlH board of review has caused th ex penditure of enormous sums of money by the favored Interests, not only In the ex. punses attending the litigation with this city, but also the expense of distributing intra m re on the question of taxation throughout the state, subsidising the coun try press and maintaining an Influential lobby at Unooln. Their temporary victory before the last legislature has only In creased the Intensity of the tight and will doubtless result In a change of the Issue In the state at large from one for equsl taxa tion to one for cheaper ireight rate and equal taxation. Muyor Moores, therefore. Is held respom Ibl ) by ail of thore coiporate inteiesu lor ihs.r great expenditures and embarrassment, and this accounts for their bitter an tagonism to him. This condlt on li th btst assurance that the people couid have that Mayor Moores from necessity. If for no other reason, will be true to their Interests on this great question of equal taxation. If Mayor Moores was true to the puple before the corporate Interests had become embittered against him. there Is every rea- ?on to believe that he will continue true to he people when every motive of expedi ency and honor requires him to be. Tn is the reason that 1 can ssfely make the chal lenge that no man can be found In tha eny of Omaha who favors ,v corporations in their demand for unequal taxation who lavore wf ur moores. Thus Is the reason why I fearlessly make the chargs that whatever Mr. Benson msy believe about hit own candidacy the shrewd politicians ho are encouraging him and giving him hi support are doing so In the interest of the corporations tor the purpose of defeating Mayor Moores and electing Kd Howell. Why Reonbllcane Lose. Every office in the courthouse but county Judge is controlled by democrats. Ail the employes of the county are democrats. If Kd llowtll should be e.ected mayor and w lose elthur the building Inspector or city comptroller a majority of the Board of Public Works will be democratic and all the city employee on the public works will be democrats. The democrats will have a majority of the Hoard of Fire and Police commission and all the firemen and police men will be democrats. While the Hoard of Fire and Police will probably be solidly corporation on all questions affecting our people locally In which corporations are In terested. In national politics It would be democratic and Its powerful club, said to be able to Influence about 1,0.10 voters In the city, would be wielded against the repub lican party. This alarming condition would not be possible but for the passions aroused at thj bitter factional rights at our primxrl-a After Mr Moores bad carried the primaries and before the convention met, before treachery of any delegates waa auspected I tried my best to allay these passions by fairness. 1 made a proposition to four of i the leading members of tha antl-Moorea ' delegates to assist them In nominating Mr lienuings for treasurer, Mr. felbourn for clerk and their four counuilmen who had carried a plurality of votes In their wards and to give thera the control on the cen. tral committee In each ward they had tar ried. Aatls Itefas gafssstt. Inasmuch a the convention stood li a against 70 I was able to do what I under took to do. My proposition to them re quired nothing In return except actur. cence upon their part In the result of the primaries. It was made by ma becauaa 1 believed that the faction successful on the main Issue of the mayoralty nomination ouaht to be very senerous to the defeated faction In all other positions. In order to show the great body of republicans that while we right earnestly at primaries we are all republicans In the election. John McDonald waa the only one of the opposition who wes willing to consider my JltbjAoalUua, lb Uteri tura4 iu. dewa HOWELL AS Record of the Democratic An Interesting and very pertinent query 1 raised by a review of the official record of Edward E. Howell, the fusion candidate for mayor. The question Is, bow far can Howell be depended on to fill the fulsome promises be Is making so liberally. The only answer I to be found In the record made In the past by Howell whenever ho ha had an opportunity to make an official record. The whole tenor of the platform on which Howell Is seeking the suffrage of the voters of Omaha la for municipal own ership and against corporation domination; Howell and his supporters are talking In publlo at ward meeting and on the stre?ts beut municipal ownership of all natural monopolies, and war on the corporations Is the slogan by which they are seeking to rally the mass of voter about the banner of the gambler' friend. The official record made by Edward E. Howell ha a more direct bearing on this very question than on any other question of general Importance. This record how of Itself that Howell has been a politician who caters to the wishes of the corpora tions, while he trie to make the people believe he la grinding the soulless corpora tions Into the earth. It Is only necessary to go back to the session of the legislature Just closed. An examination of the Omaha charter bill, Howell' pet measure, and the one on which he banked to c.arry him Into the mayor'e chair, show that Howell'i old trick of knuckling to the corporation Is trongly In evidence. When this bill was introduced the sec tion providing for the issuance of bond for acquiring quasi-public work Included among it provisions a clause covering stroet railways, providing that bond might be Issued for the appropriation of these work. The section referring to the city electri cian provided that that official should In spect and supervise all public street light ing. Looks After His Friends, Thl charter bill was referred to Howell committee. It evidently occurred to the en terprlslng chairman that the street rail way company and gas company in this city were two very powerful corporation In a political sense,, and the fangs of the sec tion referred to were carefully removed by the astute Mr. Howell so that hi friends, the ga company and the street railway company could not be offended. When the bill was reported back to the legislature It was so amended that the street railway system was In no danger of even being appropriated or molested by the city and the Inspection of the gas lighting was stricken from the duties of the city electrician. The latter action means that the office of gas Inspector will be continued and that a man not unfriendly to the gas company will be kept In the office if Mr, Howell has anything to say about It. Thl latter action I hardly In harmony with the plank 'of the fusion platform which declare In favor of abolishing need less offices wherever possible. Another Instance In the charter In which the Interest of the street railway company have been protected to the detriment of the best Interests of the property owners of the city I found In the section which pro vides for the extension of the street rail way lines. When Introduced this section should hsv been harmless enough to suit the most fastidious. It simply, provided that when majority of property owners long any street should petition the. mayor and council for the extension of street railway line and should waive the right to compel the company to pave between Its track, "Then the street railway company may construct a line along said street, etc." The section was not mandatory In any ens and simply gave the street railway company the privilege of constructing the line, but Chairman Howell In order to fully protect his friends, the corporations, In serted clause which required that a street Improvement district shall first be create! along the street where the street railway line Is desired to be extended. This simply means that the residents of any outlying district desiring a street railway line may be held off by the street railway company until a petition for paving baa been signed by the owners of majority of the property along the proposed extension and a paving district has been created. The effect of this will be to practically prohibit the construc tion of any extension of street railway lines. Howell's record In the city council of Omaha Is full of Instances where the re doubtable trickster has either played di rectly into the bunds of the franchlsed cor porations or has dodged the Issue. Vote Against Pnblle Interest. His record on matters affecting the In tereit of t'lfc water work campany belle hi loud mouthed professions of anxiety to see the city appropriate the plant. When ever the opportunity offered to protect the Interests of the city against the In terests ef the water company,, Howell In variably voted to protect the water com pany regardless of the effect. upon the city. His record la thl connection stsrted as early as about the middle of bl first term In the council. At that time there was a dispute over what was generally known aa the "Venner" agreement, an agreement entered Into with the city by Charles H. Venner then vice president of the American Water company, whereby the water company agreed to relocate 100 use less Are hydrant and locate them at point where the city would derive some, benefit from the $60 per year it was paying for each of thes hydrants. Three ordinances were passed ordering about thirty-seven of these hydrants placed at other points. The water company refused to comply with the ordinances and a long tight ensued. Every effort waa used to compel the water company to live up to the agreement made by lis officers. Strong pressure waa brought to bear upon the council by the emissaries of the water company and the ordinances In question were repealed. August I. ISO!, tlio mayor vetoed the ordinance repealing them and stated that no harm could come from letting the ordinances stand until the dispute between the water company fen the city had been adjusted In the court. The controversy over the al leged failure of the water company to furnish the Ore protection required by It contract waa at it height and there wa strong division of sentiment In the council. The veto of the mayor was over ridden, Howell arraigning himself on the and Insisted that unless they could defeat Moores, who had fairly carried the pri maries, they desired nothing whatsoever. After the bolt the delegates remaining rose above factionalism and In the Interest of harmony gave to ths opposing faction all that I had offered to give. They selected as chairman of the central commutes Mr. t'owell. an honorable busi ness msn, who has never been Identified la factional politico. I'nder these circum stances all republicans who desire to toi factionalism In our party that Is tilling all of our orhcea with democrats and giving arms and ammunition to our enemy should support the republican ticket and place loyalty to party above factional haired. ritkt for F.qaal Rlarhls. ' Edward Rosewater (poke rather briefly, saying that bl eldest sister hsd died the previous night and that only hi great interest In the cause for which he I fight ing Induced, alia u Appear oa th plat THE OMAHA A CORPORATION MAN Candidate for Mayor of April 15, 1897. side of the water company to the Injury of the public. From that time the fight over the water works question waxed warm. The lines I were sharply drawn and Howell wa com pelled to choose between the two sides. His ability as a trimmer wa taxed to the utmost and by drawing largely on this faculty and doing a great deal of dodging he avoided going on record In many In stancea, but the records of the council proceedings show very clesrly where he stood on the question whenever his vote wa needed. Starting the latter part or 1893, the dis pute between the water company oil the one band and the mayor and part of the council on the other hand waged fiercely, last ing until the end of Howell's term of office a councilman. During this entire dispute Howell was on the side of the water com Always with the Company. December 26, 1S93, Just before the end of Howell's first term in the council, the bill of the American Water Works company for the first six months of that year wa vetoed by the mayor on the ground that It waa a notorious fact that the water company was not furnishing the fire protection required by Its contract and on the further ground that the city had been put to an expense of over $15,000 In buying and equipping fire engines to give the city the fire protection the water company was claiming pay for furnishing. The mayor recommended that the bill of the company be reduced in order to make good to the city this extra expense, which was claimed to be directly charge able against the water company. Did Howell vote to sustain this position of the mayor? Nit. July 17, 1894, after Howell had been re elected to the council, the bill of the water company for the last six months of 1893 was vetoed by Mayor Bemi on account of non compliance with the terms of the contract. Again the council voted to override the mayor's veto and Howell waa among the first to vote to protect the Interest of the water company against the deminds of tho city. January 8, 1898, another bill of tho American Water Works company was etoed by the mayor in a long message, setting forth the delinquencies of the water company and th3 palpable fact that the city was being mulcted each year for thousands of dollar for which It received no adequate return. In this as in the case of every other vi-to of the mayor, the discussion in the council was warm. The matter waa fully discussed In all lis bearings and thcro was no possibility of any member of thl council being ignorant of all the details in connection with the case, but here Howell is found ou tho side of the corporation and voting to protect it against any 'possible encroachment on the part of the city, defending the corporation against any possibility of being forced Into court to adjudicate a questionable claim. March 26, 1895, the mayor called the at tention of the council to the fact that the water. company made a practice of extend ing small mains indefinitely until the pres sure at the end of one of these long mains was reduced by friction to almost nothing. The mayor urged the appointment of a com mittee to devise a plan "-.'hereby the water . company should be compelled to extend mains with a view of furnishing' an ampls supply of water tor all future needs. Howell was appointed chairman of this com mltteee and April i. 1885, thl committee reported a plan whereby the water com pany wa to submit to the council a plat in each Instance where a new hydrant was ordered showing the locatlop of the new main. This wa simply playing directly into the hands of the corporation and the plan was comdemned by 'the city engineer as being no change from the old way, A plan was later submitted by the mayor by which ordinances ordering new hydrants, should be drafted by the city engineer, tho size of the mains being based on. careful calculations of the probable future needs of the section in which the main were to be laid. This plan waa objectionable to the water company on account of 'the in creased expense caused by laying larger mains, and Howell fought the plan in the council. Notwithstanding his opposition, the plan was adopted and is In force to this day. HI Last Water Works Deal. The only instance on record In which Howell voted to sustain the veto of the mayor on the bills of the water company is found In the records of the city council proceedings for April 30, 1895, Thl bill wa vetoed while an effort wa being made by the water company to effect a com promise with the city whereby it might get the money that it claimed wa due, the mayor having refused to sign the war rant for water rent. All during the cummer of 1895 these attempts at a com promise were continued, Howell being very active in trying to force some of the coun cllmen and the mayor Into line on a com promise which would give the water com pany everything it asked for and leave the city holding the sack. This effort finally culminated In the appointment of a com mittee of three on August 27, 1895, Howell being made chairman of the committee. August 30 this committee submitted a ma jority and minority report to the council. The majority report waa signed by Howell and one other member of the committee. In substance it was to the effect that the receivers of the water company "intended" to expend a portion of the money claimed to be due from the city in enlarging the main in the business portion of the city and recommended that the back bill of the company be paid at once. The minority report was signed by Ken nsrd and waa a "scorcher." It called things by their right names and denounced the whole scheme as a trick to dupe the councllmen and declared that there wa absolutely nothing in the pretended agree ment which would protect the interests of the city. A red-hot fight wa waged in the council over the adoption of these reports. Frank Burkley, one of Howell' democratic colleagues In the council, and Kennard. who aigned tha minority report, made a strong fight for the adoption of the minor ity report; The corporation contingent, however, led by Howell, voted to protect the water company, urging as a pretext that the payment of these bills meant work for thousands of worklngmen. Tho cor poration henchmen triumphed and the bills were passed In the appropriation ordinance. September S, 1895, the mayor vetoed these form. It I the same cause for which be had fought the last twenty five or thirty years. he said, the fight for equal rights, for self-government and the right of the people to rwle and not to be governed by monopolies. It Is a struggle that will continue until it is settled right, he asserted. If the republican party did not repre sent th doctrine of common government, equal right, free speech and free spirit, tlf. Rosewater said, be would be with what ever opposition battled for the people. But he believes the republican party to be In the right, just as It waa when Ita first standard-bearer, John ('. Fremont, fought for th abolition of slavery and the carrying of civilisation westward across ths continent. Mr. Rosewater outlined th preesnt fight, DAILY BEE; FII11AV. Reprinted from The Bee bills, uncovering the true Inwardness of the deal, but Howell stood up to the rack and voted to pass the bills over the veto. At the next meeting of the council the mayor sent In a scorching communication, declaring that the nonsense had gone on long enough and that the time bad come for the city to assert Its rights and take possession of the water works plant. Thl uggestion was right In line with the desire which Howell professes Is now so dear to his heart, but did he take off hlsVoat and try to carry out this Idea? Never! The letter of the mayor was referred to the shows that Howell ever attempted to res urrect tho communication from the grave In' which It had been burled, but he allowed It to sleep peacefully on. Record oa Gas Ordinance. Howell's record In connection with an other of the franchlsed corporations, the Omaha Gas company. Is short, but what little there is of It indicates what he would have done had be had more oppor tunities. The gas company has generally avoided openly showing Its hand in con nection with city council matters, but when It franchise was about to expire It went systematically to work to secure the re newal of this very valuable concession on terms which It regarded as highly favorable. In accordance with a well laid plan, one of the most Iniquitous ordinances which ever disgraced a city was passed through the council November 14, 1893. This ordi nance gave to the gas company a franchise of fifty year and provided that the com pany might charge consumer of ga $1.75 a thousand feet. The provision for scaling down the price of gas according to the gross amount consumed by all the consum er commenced at a figuro which would not have been reached for generations. No provision was made to compel the company to pay the city any royalty and no charge of any kind was made on the company In return for 'the very valuable franchise thua bestowed upon it. Edward E. Howell voted for this franchise. At the next meeting or" the council, No vember 21, 1893, thl ordinance was vetoed by the mayor, but the council, by a trick, adjourned before the veto message of the mayor had been delivered to it. The claim wa then msde that the ordinance had be come a law without the signature of the mayor, notwithstanding the fact that in junction proceedings bad been Instituted to test lis validity in tho court. At meeting of the council November 28 the city clerk notified the council that he had received from the mayor, immediately after the council had adjourned so abruptly at the last meeting, a veto of the ga franchise. A communication was also re ceived from the mayor notifying the council that he had sent In a veto of the ordi nance. An animated discussion ensued over receiving the veto of the mayor and a mo tion wa carried by which the council re fused to receive the veto message. No vote was recorded on this motion, but the records show that Howell Was present. After public discussion of this outrageous franchise had waxed very warm and the injunction suit promised trouble for the gas company and council, the ga company thought better of Its action and another ordinance was passed and accepted, cutting the period of the franchise down to twenty five years, making provision for a royalty to be paid the cty ,nd thus, saving million of dollar to the public' Howell's record on the Infamous garbage contract I 1n keeping with hi record on all other .questions In which the Interest of the mass of the resident of Omaha 1 arrayed on on aide and that of the cor poration 1 on thai ether aide. With the Garbage Monopoly. July 6, 1893, the city council opened bids for removing the garbage of the city. Three bids were received and at the meet ing of July 18, 1893, the contract for re moving the garbage wa awarded to Alex ander MacDonald. The contract waa awarded on a verbal motion, but the recorda show that Howell wa present at the meeting. The contraet of MacDonald wa submitted and approved at the meeting of the council held three day later. In the meantime It had become generally known that Alexander MacDonald wa simply a stool pigeon and that the real party behind the contract waa Solon L. Wiley, the manager of the Thomson-Houston Electric Light company. Under the exposure of Th Bee public sentiment against the contract crystallzed rapidly. Edward E. Howell wa afraid to meet the issue rquarely and h lodged. When th contract wa presented for ap proval he was conspicuous by hi absence and It wa approved without hi vote. Between that time and the next meeting of the council, July 25, 1893, publlo sentiment ran very high and the people of the city were greatly wrought up by the infamous features of the contract. The mayor vetoed the contract, but the veto wa overriden. Again Howell dodged. He knew the drift of publlo entlment, but, afraid of offend ing hi dear friend, the manager of the corporation pool, be wa conveniently ab sent from the meeting. The supporter of the garbage contractor evidently feared to brook public opinion too frequently and nothing wa done In the way of passing ordinance to put the eon tract into effect until December 4, 1893, when the ordinance waa passed which pre scribed th conditions under which garbage was to be removed. For thl Howsll voted. Thl I the ordinance which prevented poor men owning team from earning pittance by hauling manure. The ordinance wa weeping in , its term and put Into the hand of the garbage contractor the haul ing of everything in the nature of refuse matter. The practical effect of thl In Iqultou measure is too well known to the citizens of Omaha to require recital. To cap the climax, however, an ordi nance was Introduced by Edward E. Howell In April, 1895, and passed by the city council, which make it unlawful for any one to haul olean ashes or cinder without first securing a permit from the mayor and council. Thla ordinance wa much more weeping In It term than the old ordi nance and inoluded all the little odd job that had been left teamsters after the passage of the previous ordinance. Thla ordinance wa vetoed by the mayor April 30. A wa don with every other measure affecting the Interests of the cor porations as against ths people, this ordi nance was paased over the veto, Edward E. Howell voting to pass It over the veto. saying it I the old story of the corpora tion and the people arrayed against each other. It wa the corporationa, Including the Burlington railroad, that really de feated George W. Llnlnger for mayor, and the asm false pretenses are being used now in projecting Benson forward as a stalking horse for E. E. Howell. The question today has become one of t manci pation jr subjugation, and ths iss'x. the speaker predicted, la one that will be fought out In the alate and not alone in It metropolis. False Issnes Cloak Movements. H pointed out that tb trick of creating false Issues as cloaks behind which the railroads might hide while they secured the consummation of their unjust exaction from th public, ta aa 11 en, siUadjng MAY 1, 1003. back previous to 1SS9. when they brought the prohibition question forward a a mask. Then talking directly to the republican Swedes. Mr. Rosewster declared the eyes of the city are upon them to note their position in the election next week. To certain extent they are on trial, which will test their allegance to the republican party and that a great deal depends upon what the Swedes will do and they should not sacrifice the ticket or any part of It to favor any of their ancestry In the fight by the grace of the democrstlc party. "There I no reason why principles should be abandoned and the republican Swedes should attempt to follow C. O. Lobeck across the bridge Into the demo cratic camp because he happens to be of their nationality," he declared, "It Is the duty of the Swedish republicans to vote as republicans. All the cor porationa want Howell for mayor. It Is notorious that his campaign man agers have abundance of money which ha come from the corporation treasuries. "If the democratic ticket Is elected and the interest of the people betrayed In directly you will be charged for the con dition of things. You cannot afford to de sert the party and vote for any democrat on the ticket with Howell. In reality all parties should unite in the effort to free the city from the rule of the corporations. " W. J. t'onnell'a Address. W. J. Connell, candidate for city attorney, W. J. Hunter, candidate for city comp troller; A. O. Wahlstrom, candidate for building inspector, W. H-. Elbourn, candi date for city clerk, and Councilmanlc Can didate E. D. Evan and Harry B. Zimman, each appeared before the crowd and made a few remark. Mr. Connell, whom Chair man J. L. Jacobaon, president of the Swedish -American Republican league, In troduced as the man responsible for the two passenger stations of the city and the viaducts built at railroad expense, dwelt on the supreme court decision against home rule in the matter of the Fire and Police commission. "The false Issues in this campaign are disappearing and we are getting down to the real issues and we are beginning to find ourselves face to face with the old enemy, the solid democracy," be said. "The platforms are similar and all three express In favor of home rule. But to night the democrats are rejoicing over the news from Lincoln that the supreme court has handed down a decision that is a direct stab at home rule. We see the democrats gloating over this new and can we be lieve that they really mean it when they say they are for home rule? "This decision means that It Is held that the city has not the right to govern itself, but must submit Its affairs to the people of the state. It was brought about In some remarkable way we know not bow nor by what. To hand It down at this time the supreme court had to reconvene, and why did the members reconvene for thl particu lar purpose and at this particular time to hand down the decision just before the election? Why was not the decision ready and made public before the court adjourned? Can any of you answer and say It was not solely for political purpoaes? "I regret to state it a an attorney and a a member of the bar of the supreme court, but It would appear that the court wa influenced by some consideration In giving at this time this decision, which Is not in the interest of the people and not the interpretation of the law as It should be Interpreted. "It is time, I say, that we republicans should get together and forget the petty Issue that have presented themselves and stand solid In this battle. I want to know here why any republican should find fault with any man on the ticket nominated by the republicans In' regular convention. So far ' Frank E. Moore is concerned I defy any man to say that he ha not given this city a good, practical and common sense business administration. He is not attacked on these gfounds, but In a way that Is unfair and unjust, and I tell you that the thing for you to do Is to get out and help to elect the whole republican ticket." Second Wnrdera Enthnae. Fully 300 stalwart republican votera as sembled last night In the North Side Sec ond Ward Republican club room at Pierce and Twentieth street to attest their loy alty to republican principle and the regu lar republican ticket headed by Frank E. Moores. The meeting was one of un boupded enthusiasm, and Mayor Moores particularly was given an ovation. The first speaker was C. B. Huntington, republican candidate from the Ninth ward. He paid a glowing eulogy to the republican city ticket from mayor down, and earnestly pleaded that all good republicans, espe cially those of the Second ward, support It from top to bottom. Mayor Moore wa greeted with a Btorm of cheer lasting for a minute or two be fore be could begin speaking. "If any. body says that the Second ward Is not alfve In this campaign ha 1 badly mis taken," observed the mayor an Intro ductory remark. "I want to thank the Second ward for It loyalty to me and the 100 or more majority It gave me in the primary election. We went Into thl fight to win. and did win, honestly, fairly, and the republican ticket was honestly and fairly nominated, and will be honestly and fairly elected next Tuesday. The etory of the attempted purchase of enough dele gate by the antls to defeat m In tht convention la familiar to you all. The oniy particle or the good delivered was that of Llndquest of the Eighth ward, and I understand that the o-hetw. t0 Py h'm hi $500 Blipped off to Oregon w.m me oooaie ana i now enjoying him elf In great shape out there. Opposed by Railroads. "The railroads and coraoratinm . gainst the republican ticket, and particu larly the Burlington, which has a special grudge against me of two or three years' standing. I am Informed that only very recently clerk and employe of the Bur. uugion omce ana freight houses have been handed card Indicating that It 1 the spe cial wish of their employer that they hall vote against Frank Moore and for Mr. Benson. But I believe that when many of those boy get Into the election booth they will use their own good right to vote for whom they please. "It has been charged that the ticket on which I was elected and went Into office three years ago. which wa pledged to municipal ownership of the water works, ha gone back on It pledge and baa de fiantly refused to submit th proposition. The facts are that during the last three year thl proposition could not k. .... mitted. because of the law which prohibit a city voting bond In excess of 10 per cent of It assessed valuation, last year ths assessed valuation wa $39,000,000. There wa a balance of but $143,000 on which to issue water works bonds ami i would have been the rankest folly to have undertaken to do so. The condition are different now, and the possibility of ac quiring the utility franchises within the next few year 1 certain, under the new law permitting municipal corporationa to do so." The mayor apoke In the most eulogistic terms of all the candidates on the city republican ticket and asked all good cltl- to vote for It from top to bottom. -Other Sneaker Cheered. Fred Brunlng. candidate for tax commis sioner, and Fred Hoye, candidate for coun cil from the Second ward, followed Mayor Moores In short talks, both being given a rousing and rloging welcome. Mr. Foster of the Third wsrd. one of the founder ol tb Young, Msn Republican WIIEnE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES STAND RCPUBLICAir PLATFORM. . Th republican of OnsJia by thl onvtlon'appal for th support ef lta candidates fey oltlsen and taxpayer of all parties on tha following platfona.to which lta nominee are hereby pledged! 1, w favor Municipal nana ml in it broadest tens. S. We favor taunielpal ownership of public irt llltiee.cemenclbg'witA th water work and electri lighting plant. S We stand for aqual and juat taxation of All clag of property. including corporate f ranch lses,sr.l especially th local aasesMieftt of railway terminal for city taxation. 4. we pledge mn economic and business Ilk administration of the city' affairs. 5. we rrrml government in th interest of ths eoesson people an reslstencs of every attempt of ths corporations ts sUsvert our rovsrrvnartt by bribery anj corruption. The undersigned candidates of ths Republican partyeuly nomit4 for the (everel off lets as hereinafter set forth St tne Republican City Convention held in tnia'clty'of 0Jah April 11,1903, do hereby endorse and approve the abovs platform and do pled our car support to the declarations contained in said Platform and that if; sleeted we will faithfully and ts ths best ef our aslllty carry out ths said platform in every respect. Onaha ,Aprll U,l03t V .as club stated that the club had rown from a membership of thirty a few day ago to a present membership of 325. Chairman Cowell of the republican city committee was called for and made a ring ing address, telling briefly and concisely the story of the famous republican city convention recently held, and why the bolter bolted, and of their unsuccessful efforts to buy sufficient delegates to defeat Frank E. Moores. B. F. Thomas followed with a thrilling speech advocating loyalty to the whole re publican ticket and predicting Its over whelming success. The meeting closed with an interesting and witty address by C. 8. Elgutter, and the big audience which remained through out the entire meeting dispersed with the determination of swinging ths Second ward Into line for Frank E. Moores and ths en tire republican ticket by a big round ma jority. Some City Hall Seereta. An enthusiastic audience filled the hall at Twenty-fourth and Ames last night to the doors and showed their appreciation of the speakers' effort by continual applaus of the sentiment of ths republican plat form. Andrew Rosewater wa the first speaker of the evening, It being the fisst time that be ha spoken at a political meeting In twenty-five year, because, as he declared, politic mean ths science of government and that mean giving ths people the moat for the least money and it has been his fortune to do It In his office and not have to resort to the stump. He said: The opponents of Frank R. Moores have been making political capital of the ex penditure of W. 000. 00 during the last alx years, of which much could not be ac counted fot. This 1 false. It can be ac counted for. They declare that the city is run upon an extravagant basl and that the election of Benson or of Howell will save the nltisens money, but will It? Iviok at how the money of the city is being and has been expended during these six years. The water works company receive $100, 000 annually for hydrant rent. This must be paid according to the contracts which the city made twenty years ago with the company and cannot be changed untl the water works is acaulred. The bonds of the city. $3,00.O00 In all. reouire an outlay of $2u0.GU0. Thla interest must be met if the financial integrity of the city Is to re main intact. The street lighting, gas and electric, requires $M,(0 annually; the fire department, $126,000; the police fund. $110,. OoO, and Incidentals In connection with the department, an additional $10,0u0; the office force represents the outlay of another $lo0, 000. None of theae amounts ran be dimin ished by a different mayor. They are ex- Senses that cannot be reduced if the city i to fulfill Its duties. The fire department cannot be run for less. It should have more to properly fulfill Its labors. Then we have ta.OuO.Of worth of pavements which require $5.0n0 to maintain. To clean th streets an appropriation of $2S.ou0 t made. This cannot be reduced. Kansas City has not aa clean streets and a lesser area than Omaha and pays $130,000 annually for street cleaning. Denver cleans half aa many mile of paved streets not so well for twice as much money. The library fund Is $20.0ijO, snd the park fund from $20 000 to KiO.uiO. Then there Is J.nD for grading of streets and HO.ooO for maintenance and repair of 140 miles of sewers. Weather; th Marplot. Thl I practically what the city taxe af ford la the way of city expenditures and but $60,000 of It Is paid out In the way of labor. Let us Investigate, too, where the rumor of fraud In the labor account origi nates. We have heard It before every elec tion and always has It come from Comp troller Westberg from the man who li as a member of the Board of I'ut He Worki and passes upon each of thece labor blils. If there Is fraud why has he never volel agslnst a single bill for labor. They have gone to the council over his signature and he warrants have been drawn by him. If iTiey were fraudulent he should have fought them In the board Instead of standing l.y and letting them go through with his sig nature under them. He is the same man who, with Tax Com minxloner Hackett, kept a fraudulent set of books, who ooened an account under ths head of miscellaneous In order that h might rhsrge thereon the salaries of two clerks which the law dl1 not provlda for hit onV'e. In th fall of IWjO ha made an agree ment with lieprcseutauv iSeverly, theu S 1 iS at.... T 0 street commissioner, to vote for a con tlnuano of his salary while he wa In ths legislature, In return for which he was to pass a bill providing for an Increase in th salary of comptroller. John Butler, who was on the Board of Publlo Works with Westberg and myself, voted for this al-o It was passed by the council and the mayor vetoed It and the council could not pa It over the veto. Mayor Moores' Determination. Mayor Moore wa late In arriving, but th warmth of th greeting given him had not cooled because of hi latenea. In open ing he spoks of the strangeness of the time of convening the supreme court to de. clde the fire and police board matter. While It had gone against him he said that be would now take his place on the board and that the chief of police abould be In structed to obey the board only when or dered by the board and approved by him self as mayor. Other speakers of ths svenlng were: Bryce Crawford, Evans, Hunter, Hunting ton, Nicholson, Zimman, Hoy, Brunlng, Wahlstrom, Elbourn and Cowlea. TOO RAW FOR THE PRINTERS Benson Committee Practice Method that On Firm Doesn't Hesi tate to Show TJn. OMAHA, April SO. Mr. Erastus Benson Dear Sir: Our solicitor called at your headquarters In ths Merchants' hotel yes terday afternoon snd politely Inquired if there was not some printing which our firm could do for ths commute. The answer he received from one of your "ward heeler," or "bos of tha whole thing," a he style himself, a certain attorney of thl city, was not sn answer calculated to win vote for you, w can aasur you, for he said: "I understand that your firm li working for Frank B. Moore and we hsvs nothing to give to anyone who I not pledged, body and soul," sr word to that effect, "for Benson and honest politics." Afterward our solicitor met Mr. Grant Wil liams, a friend of his for the last five yeara, and together they saw Mr. Sydney Smith, and Mr. Smith asked: "What will you charge to print 6,000 envelopes like thl sample?" He wa given the price and he ald: "All right, go ahead and print them," giving an order t the same time for your cut which waa at the Douglas Printing company's office. About sn hour afterward someone telephoned down to us not to print th Job, they had since mad other arrangement snd wished tb cut returned. We have at preaent als voter employed at our place of business. , We never bsvs questioned them as to bow they were to vote; neither do we care how they vote. This 1 supposed to be a free country and a man can vols Just as ha please and no one else can ever know for a certainty Just how hs does vote. We have no vote for sale, at our place of business and you could hot receive one here for all the printing you could give us from now oa until the end of the world. Mr. Broadfield doe uot know who Mr. Nichols will vote -for, nor doe Mr. Nichol know who Mr. Broadfield will vote for. Neither doe either of u know who any of our employee will vote for, snd we do not care, either. We are In bustnea for business, end not for politics, and w certainly would think that w had sold out pretty cheap if w should accept a small Job of printing $.000 envelopes with your face printed on them a pries for our vote. No. tlr, w have nothing to ell In that line to anyone. Thl 1 tb first time In our live and w have been voter In this city for th last fifteen years that anyone has ever tried to buy our votes, and we want It distinctly un derstood tbst we hsve none to sell or throw away, no matter how bad you may think you need them. Yours respectfully, NICHOLS 4 BHOADFIELO. t