Omaha daily bee., 1889-06-19

the road better than any sheriff we have ever
had. Cart nou pire tts this pOtcY l think YOU |
parties To give him the vote and send me copy |
OF your telegram. A. J. PoPPLEToN.
The publication of this dispatch exploded
like :. i,on,hshell IL tne ra...S of the Khan.
The attempt to herd the railroad empioyes
and vote them like so many cattle was vigor-
ously resented at the polls, and Grebe went |
down in defeat with the rest of the bogus |
peoples ticket.n 1t was great victory for |
THE BEE and crushing defeat for the |
Kourt House Klan.
Narrow Gauge Bonds.
In 1875 the commercial development of |
Omaha reached q stage requiring new ave-
nues of trade. Additional railroad facilities |
were necessary for the expansion of business.
Owing to the railroad situation the rich ad.
joining counties and the southwest were |
practically shut out from trading with
Omaha. After considerable discussion and
agitation, merchants and capitalists deter
mined to break down the barriers. A COM
pany was formed 10 build a narrow gauge |
railroad through Douglas and Saunders coun-
to the southwest. The officers of the COM
Murphy, vice president; j. l.. Lovett, secre
tary. ). S. Caldwell and DR.. Lowe were
members of the directory. These men in
spired public con hdence in the movement,
and the people along the proposed line .ex-
pressed readiness to assist in the building
of the road. The quota allotted to Douglas
county was $3.50, 900, and the question of issu-
ing bonds for that amount was submitted to
the voters at an election held in November
THE BEE was particularly active in support
of the proposition, being convinced that great
benefits would accrue to the city from the
building of the road. The Herald and Re-
publican at first supported the propositions
but were bought over by Union Pacific job
work THE BEE was thus left single handed
in the contest. For q time there was no
active opposition to the bonds, but toward
the close of the campaign the railroad strik-
ers began an organized movement. Word
quarters that the bonds must be defeated,
and large gang of political workers was
turned loose to carry out the dictum.
Jay Gould sent dispatch threatening to
remove the machine shops from Omaha if
the people dared to vote one dollar to rival
railroad This dispatch was given prominence
by the subsidized organs. 1t had the effect
of frightening the tenderfeet. The election
was u desperate struggle between the people
for commercial freedom against Jay Gould
and the Union Pacific. Senator Hitchcock
and the federal brigade, the Herald and its
eating houses, the Republican and its rail
ROAD printing, the Union Pacific National
bank and the smelling works. Notwith-
|, standidg the opposition of these united inter-
ests, the bonds carried in the city by ma
ority of 45 votes, but were defeated in the
country precincts by $50 votes.
Reviewing the result of the election The
which we have resided in Omaha, we have
witnessed many an election, hut never has
there been an election in Omaha where the
engines of coercion and intimidation were
more remorsely brought to bear upon the
men who depend for their livelihood upon
their daily labor. The men who have con.
tributed toward this subjugauion of an enter
prising city, must hang their heads in shame
at the Infamous means by which this result
was brought about"
The Hitchcock Campaign.
The election of Phineas w. Hichcock to
the United States senate in 1871, was the be-
ginning of reign of Office, brokerage never
equalled before or since in Nebraska. Every
| political dead-beat, every notorious ward.
worker and bulldozer was foisted upon the
people with the sole object of dominating
| state politics, The federal brigade became
| SO obnoxious to the people that years before
| Hitchcock's term expired there was strong
| current of opposition to his reelection The
campaign of 1876 was therefore, fought
| strictly on the lines of, Hitchcock and arti.
| Hitchcock Conventions were manipulated
| by the Hascalls, the CunnInRhams, the Van
! dervoorts, the Yosts, and others of that
| stripe, aided financially and otherwise by
| the strikers of Jay Gould throughout the
| state and they were no lnconsiderable num-
| ber. In fact Gould made personal
| pilgrimage to the state in September to aid
| and encourage the Hitchcock forces by sup
plying the snews of war; He openly boasted
1
| that he should be supported by all the North
| Platte people. The attempt TO stir up fac
tional war between the geographical divisions
of the state was deep laid scheme to split
| the republican party into fragrants, and ride
the democrats to power over, the ruins;
But it failed. Although the federal
brigade managed to divide the party
in several counties, the, rank and
| file stood by their colors and contributed
nightly to the overwhelming defeat of the
corruptionists. In Douglas county there
were two republican legislative tickets in
the field, the ant-Hitchcock supported by
pioned by the Republican. The election was
a walk-away for the democrats.
The result of the election throughout the
state soon demonstrated that Hitchcock
could not be reelected by any combination
within his own party. He lacked the neces-
sary number of votes and cast about among
the democrats for supporters. The friendly
praise showered upon him from time to time
by the Herald created suspicion that there
was deep design beneath the laudatory ed
itoras. While the country was wracked
| by the doubtful issue of the national cleo
tion, the rumor was spread throughout the
state that the democrats were on a 'still
hunt" for an electoral vote. THE BEE voiced
the general belief that bargain had been
entered into by which Hitchcock was to re-
ceive sufficient democratic votes to elect,
| and in return he would transfer one cleo
| toral vote from the republican to the demo
|
contemplated was given the color of truth
iulness by the Herald's frequent asser-
tion that if Tilden was counted
out in the southern states, zone
honest republican would be found in the
north to rebuke the infamy of his party" by
voting for Tilden and Hendricks. This
scheme was nipped in the bud by Governor
CARRIER. The legislature was convened in
extraordinary session, December 8, the vote
of the state csuvassed and the result de-
| clared.
The senatorial contest of 1877 was an un-
usually lively one. Hitchcock failed to
bring about the caucus, and stood no chance
| of election without the assistance Of the
| democrats. 1t was known that combination
of sixteen democrats had been formed to
| vote for him the moment he mustered
the necessary number of republican votes
but the time came and passed and the demo
| Gratis did not deliver the goods. Brown and
| Ambrose in the senate and Creighton in the
house stood ready at any moment to de
! nounce the bargain had 1t materializcd, an6
the wholesome fear of public exposure un
| doubtedly prevented IT,
| Hitchcock's desperation took new and
startling turn before the first joint ballot
was cast. His private secretary, the motor
ious Dick Adams, secured number of let
ters and kilograms from Burlington clerl
| named Flanagan, purporting TO come from