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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (May 5, 1918)
jx. M TEE OM Alf A StfiNTJAf? Mfi: NAY '5. 1918. m - 13 A VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE, VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE ! t then for the Good of : 8 Pi S Pi o H Pi Pi O H PI O H PI H PI ; o H PI T" ogei ... . - . - r - bl H O bi o bl H O bl H O bi s bl H O bi H O H O bl H o bi H o hi h O bl H O bl H O bl 5 bl H O bi H O bl H O bl o bl 5 bl H O bi H O bi H O bl H O bl H O bl H O WE, WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS STATEMENT, make it with charity for all and malice toward none. We believe the clock ha struck the hour when the elements in the community who stand for constructive betterment should get together. We believe the hearts of the people are sound and want the best for all. You will soon see this is no ordinary political advertisement. We have thrown to the winds the traditional idea that a polit ical statement must be scurrilous. The big point we emphasize and the purpose for which this space is paid for is to get the best municipal government obtain aMe for the City of Omaha, of the People, for the People, by the People. In the coming three years the most important problems in the history of our city government will come up for adjustment, namely, the purchase of the ga property, and the regulation of electric light and street car rates. In whose hands will the interests of the people be safest? This question will be decided by the voters of Omaha next Tuesday. Will you vote right? Some Facts About . the Present City Government Mayor Dahlman and Dollar Gas Twelve years ago Mayor Dahlman was elected on a "Dollar Gas" platform. Nine years ago and six years ago he campaigned on the same' issue. i ' He tried to give the gas company a 25-year franchise in return for dollar gas. , When the people overwhelmingly defeated that fran chise the Company gave the city dollar gas and the City Council allowed the dollar gas suit in Federal Court to be dismissed. Have you "Dollar Gas" now? The City Hall and Public Service . The Omaha Gas company was permitted to raise its rates 15 per cent without even a protest from the city council. The street railway company is seeking to raise its rates 20 per cent. , The electric light company probably will soon ask for a similar rate increase. Don't you want men in the city hall who will fight for your interests, against these increased rates, rather than .allow them to go through without even trying to stop them? A Secret Council Meeting Just before the city primary election a secret confer ence was held between representatives of the electric light company and certain city commissioners. ;. The light company asked dismissal of the suit pending in federal court in which the city is questioning the right of the company to sell current for heat and power. Have your commissioners told you anything about this meeting? If not, why not? Because some agreement has been made to dismiss this suit, as the dollar gas case was dismissed. Giving Away City Contracts -At a secret meeting in the City Hall one Sunday morn ing the garbage collection privileges ; of the downtown Omaha districts were given away to three men. "Pitiless publicity" forced the council to repudiate this agreement and the same privileges were sold to one man for $7,000 a year.' Do you want to continue men in office who will se cretly give away city contracts worth $7,00 a year? $13,716.67 Besides $5,000 Per Year Salary V Dahlman squandered this money for automobiles and chauffeurs from July, 1912, to January, 1917. Every cent of it was in violation of law. i . "." 'Mr. Taxpayer, it was your money. It's on record at the court house. Investigate it. ! Will Dahlman put it back? Ask him ! Mr. Home Owner : , Do you know the City tax last year on your little home assessed at $500 was $34.34 and this year $40.70, an increase of $6.36? ' If you elect the present City Commissioners what will be the increase next year and succeeding years? AS TO MR. HUMMEL What Dr. Harold Gif ford Thinks of Mr. Hummel Omaha, May. 2. To the Editor of the World-Herald: Mr. Hummel's description of his own achievements is so misleading that it ought not to go unchallenged. To read it one would think that b'ut for him Omaha would have no playgrounds and only a poor excuse for a park system ; and a great many people for want of better information are inclined to take him at his own valuation. I should like to ask those who thus thoughtlessly support him how any man, not deliberately bent on political suicide, if put in charge of a system of beautiful parks, with thousands of dollars to spend on them, could well have done less? It is true he might have done more harm. He might have started to 'cut all the park trees for cordwood. He knew too much for this, but not enough to keep him from starting to clear up the natural shrubbery which forms one of the most unique and charming features of Elmwood park.' The same lack of sympathy with natural beauty has led him into numerous other errors of omission and commission, which space forbids me to mention now. But these mistakes were due to lack of special education, for which we must not blame him, but rather the system which permits a position requiring the skill of a land scape artist, to be filled by a man with no natural fitness or train ing, and no disposition to learn. For these we might forgive him, even though they should prevent us from voting for his re-election. What he ought not to be forgiven for, aside from his support of service corporations in opposition to the rights of the Omaha pub lic, is his failure to serve the best interests of the children of the city. Mr. Hummel, instead of being the father of the playground movement, was at a most critical period, its betrayer! The move ment for public playgrounds which was started in Omaha. by pri vate subscription long before Mr. Hummel had been heard of out side of the city hall had, for lack of funds, led a precarious exist ence for some years. . Finally, such apparatus as the society had was turned over to the city and, in addition, a few slides and swings were put into the parks by Mr. Hummel ; but there was no scientific, development of the playground idea until the National Playground association, at the expense of a number of our citizens, sent experts who rounded up the situation and put the mpyement into shape for vigorous growth. At their suggestion, Mr. English, a highly-prized employe of the Chicago playground system, was made superintend ent. But as soon as it became evident that his energy would be sure to absorb a generous share of the limelight, Mr. Hummel, who up to that time had favored the movement (as a source of political gunpowder), became violently jealous, and vented his spite on Mr. English in a course of the most contemptible and brutal prosecu tion. Putting up with this, Mr. English stuck to the job and in spite of all the obstacles with which Mr. Hummel continued to hamper his work, he infused a wonderful life into the movement. Naturally, however, he took the first good chance to resign and only by great good luck does he continue-to serve Omaha. The Rotary club, real friends of the boys of Omaha, appreciate his service the successful head of the Boy Scouts. I ask the voters of our city whether a man who, from motives of personal vanity and political jealousy would thus sacrifice the best interests of pur children, ought to expect re-election? ' l. I have for years taken a special interest in parks and play grounds; and it is my deliberate judgment that the proper develop ment of both systems demands Mr.. Hummel's defeat. H. Gifford. What The Bee Thinks of Mr. Hummel Despite all protest, Commissioner Kugel has managed to corral enough votes in the council to "put over" the rein statement of a former police official at top salary who had been out of the service for a dozen years and is now nearly 60 years old, in order that he may qualify to draw down a retirement pension in less than three years. This is noth ing but a smooth raid upon the police pension fund, an out rage upon the other worthy members of the police force who are thus jumped, and a rank imposition upon the taxpayers. Coming as it does, on the eve of election, it savors of a politi cal deal for which there is no valid excuse. Omaha Daily Bee, March 27, 1918. J. B. Hummel voted "yea" on the reinstatement of this official. pee Public Utility Rates Gas boosting, carfare boosting, electric light about to boost, but water has gone down 50 per cent. Last year water was reduced Vfo per cent and still the water district made a cash profit of $238,000. . . ' Why is this? Public ownership! Why not the gas plant next? Consolidate the Vote and Win the Election Mr. Voter: These statements, absolutely true and veritable must convince you of the necessity of changing your city gov- ernment. , . Mr. Dahlman and his crew must go. No sure way exists except to consolidate the vote of those who share this view. The Allied Candiuries meet your requirements. . Vote for them. A Don't let your interest in any person take your mind off ,J trom tne main point, scattered votes win aereai your purpose. VI Vote for ( ( ED: P. SMITH, HARRY B. ZIMMAN, HENRY F. WULF, J. DEAN RINGER ROY TOWL ' W. G. URE These candidates also pledge themselves to take care of the taxpayers of the City of Omaha and not of their own relatives. . . . .,..,,.:.l.;.rrw ! ..... '. ... . .' See individual declarations: . "We positively pledge ourselves to be against any kind of nepotism in all our relations to the City of Omaha and we will not find situations for our relatives that the taxpayers of Omaha will contribute to." The City of Omaha has approximately a population of 250,000 people with a yearly expenditure of $3,500,000. Is it not worthy of a little effort on your part to put this enormous Expenditure of Money in the hands of Persons who will conscientiously try to conserve your Interest and that. of the City's instead of voting for people who will be the Serv ants of the Public Service Corporations. -4 . . .1' to p. This advertisement is paid for by no group or slate, but by individual contributors, levers of good government. S PI Q Q H PI o H PI 01 H PI 3 pi o 3 Pi 4 Q 3 Pi 3 PI Q s PI VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTfc VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE, VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE