Omaha daily bee., 1889-10-13
DrTR ACToYs OF OMAHA.

Whenever anybody from the interior
of Nebraska registers at New York,
Chicago or philadelphia hotel nine
times out OF ten his name will appear on
the register as hailing from Omaha.
This is done very much for the same
reason that Americans travelling abroad
prefer to register themselves as citizens
OF New York. A man registering from
Omaha is no more in need OF adding
Nebraska" than man from New York
needs to add ~. S. A."
In marked contrast with this ac-
ltuowledged pride in the metropolis of
their own state, many Nebraskans
and notably the papers published in the
interior towns and cities OF Nebraska
take special pains to disparage Omaha
at every turn. And these malignant
thrusts are often applauded by thought
less people who imagine that they can
build up their own towns by belittliug
or misrepresenting Omaha. II a blather-
sl<ite who knows nothing about Omaha
declares that this is the wickedest city
on the continent the sentiment is APP
plnuded to the echo and sent broadcast
as gospel truth.
AS matter of fact there is not n city
in America of equal population better
pohced, more orderly and less immoral
than this city is to-day. Comparatively
speaking there is no city in the union
of equal size having smaller propor-
tion of popular ign ORANGE or a larger
proportion of school attendance; and no
city in America Of equal population
does, and contributes more literally to-
ward charitable and benevolent institu-
tions.
But the detractors OF Omaha are not
content merely with stabs about Oma-
has alleged lawlessuess and immortality.
Whenever Omaha suffers any damage
by cut throat competition of other cities,
discriminating railroad rates, or COM
binations of capital at other trade cen
ters, the detractors of Omaha exhibit
their glee and the small-souled
editors of certain towns and
would-be cities join in the
chorus. And the keynote for these
TRADES against Omaha is always struck
by the Lincoln papers.
Now why should anybody in Nebraska
want to build up Kansas City, St.
Joseph, Chicago or Sioux City
to the detriment OF Omaha? Why
should any Nebraskan seek to
divert to rival towns out of this state
the trade that should by rights come to
hn hnt ,unn1l Nnl,,.acl-n 1,n
without Omaha? With one-ninth of
her population Omaha pays one-seventh
of the entire state tax. OF the six
millions which the two last legislatures
have appropriated for public buildings,
state institutions and expenses Incl
dental to statehood, Omaha has paid
eight hundred and fifty thousand dol
lars. In the last fifteen years Omaha
has paid more money into the
state treasury than would build
the state house and all the
public buildings at Lincoln. Beatrice,
Kearney, Norfolk and Grand Island put
together. This may be very startling,
but it is Il fact.
OMAHA to-day is larger than the four
lafScSJ CitlcS Oh iowa cOmDlneu, ana
Iowa has over two millions of popula-
tion, while Nebraska has less than one
| million, two hundred thousand. Omaha
| has Il larger population than the five
| largest cities in Kansas combined, and
Kansas has u population of nearly two
| millions.
Why should any Nebraskan disparage
| the metropolis Of his own state of whose
marvellous and substantial growth he
has just reasons to feel proud.