Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-02-27
ress and 9akotaias
OMAHA N YAnK ON.
Expressive Language OF the sews'
papers yer the Late Failure.

Nrta-Et-
Language OF the sews-
papers Over the Late Failure.
Omaha Bee: The mountain has la
bored and brought forth a mouse. After
g months agitation and aeliberation,
the county commissioners have decided
to submit the bond propagation OF
the Omaha u Yankton railroad 70 the
people OF Douglas county.
b reason given by the commission-
ers Tor thor decision Ia thai the prep
oaitlon was not sufficiently guarded.
This would be 8 very satisfactory ex-
ptsnatlon OF the action If it were true,
While we believe that ono Or two mem
bers of the board have tried TO exercise
their best Judgment 10 reaching that
conclnaioD, @ hsppen TO know, also,
that the majority of the board have not
acted in good faith.
At the outset, when the petition sign
ed By more than six hundred leading
property owners representing more than
two-thirds Of the taxable property of
this county, was presented in favor OF
the omaha & Yankton proposition, the
commissioners we're outspoken IN its
favor under proper restrictions. But
the pressure from the railroads that are
cutting Omaha's throat in northern Ne.
braska, and the railroads thas expect
to Ont benin Omaha with rainbow
branches ,was o great TO be understood.
That Frank Walter dispatch to the edi-
tor of the Bee is q sufficient pointer,
All the subtle Influences by which the
board could be reeehed have been ex-
ertei to defeat the project. Conditions
which no railroad company could accept
we're sought to be imposed, until the
promoters OF the new road were literally
forced put OF the field. The main object
OF, Omaha to get o railroad into northern
Nebraska was purposely made secondary
to the question Of locating the Omaha
depot and shops. In this instance, GA
IN their attempt to defeat local railroad
taxation through the new charter. the
opposing railroads used the contractors
gang with telling effect. The pavers,
the graders, the sewer builders and street
eweepers took q very decided stand
against the subsidy. They exert almost
as much influence in the county board
IS they do in the city council. While
comparatively insignificant as taxpayers,
they exert an influence at the primaries
and elections which politicians do not
care to antagonize And SO the project.
ed road TO Yankton is once more indef-
niteIy postponed.
Omaha Herald, %: Yesterday the
county commissioners rejected the
amended proposal OF the inoorporators
OK the Omaha and Yankton. This re.
lection means thGt the people Of Donglas
county are not to be allowed to vote up-
on the proposition to issue bonds for the
construction OF o road into the north,
west.
Unless there are circumstances known
to the commissioners and not revealed
to the public. and there should be no
ouch circumstances connected with the
matter, she commissioners have made q
serious mistake. They have refused 70
allow the electors the privilege of ex-
pressing their desires upon q subject of
great concern. In case the road IA
wanted, the people should have q right
to say s In cssa il is not vantsd.ihe
people should have the privilege of de-
feating the proiect in a.legitimnte way.
The commissioners have assumed too
much authority, and shouldered a grave
responsibility.
The building OF the Omaha and Yank-
ton or some line TO reach the same ter
ritory, is OF vital Importance to the pros-
eerity and commercial growth OF this
city. Omaha must have such o line or
zee the trade to which it is fairly en-
titled forever diverted TO other channeja.
Once diverted, there is no section re-
naming which can be opened TO make
good the loss. There is reason to be-
iieve that Sioux City will capture the
prize. III the people OF Omaha deliber-
ately allowed Sioux City or any other
place to outstrlp them in enterprise,
they would deserve any resulting Gala
nifty. But to be outstripped simply by
the fat of the board of county commits
sioners would be a hardship rather than
q merited punishment.
The Omaha and Ysnkton project in it's
present form may safely be considered
dead III dead it's untimely end is a blow
to Omaha for all time, and for Yankton
till such time as Sioux City or some
other place shall make the desired con.
~nection between Yankton and the cute,
world. Not only will the action o.
she commissioners drive the in
corporators of the abandoned scheme
from the field. bat others will be afraid
TO enter the field, seeing there nothing
| ba0 AouRROAnshA0ap II ACOuas 4Ae
commissioners seem to be over-cautious
In their anxiety to save the taxpayers 8
cent they teoitly decree that the tax,
payers shall not make q dollar. Fol
fear that spectators in real estate may
reap profit they declare there shall be
no profits to spectators or any one else.
As q matter OF fact tho building OF she
Omaha and Yankton should have been
promoted, rather than checked or rem.
dered impossible. It was o matter no!
to be set aside for q whim. Better tina,
o few far-seeing spectators should make
money in real estate along che route
than that Omaha should be deprived Of
this road. For the sake OF defeating
such speoulators the commissioners have
ruled that the whole community shall
suffer. and that traffic, soon to amount
TO millions yearly, should be carried
around the city. The penny wise doc.
trine 10 seldom SO disastrously illustrated
sHACKMETACK.p a lasting and fra
grant perfume. Price IS aud 30 cents. Solo