Omaha daily bee., 1893-09-18

boon in position to mako your Infamous
fings more specific than by inueudo.
You bemoan tho mistake made at
Minneapolis in naming me national com
mittccmau. You certainly wero not
blamcablo for the mistake. Il was the
republican convention, under whose in
structions you were pledged to vote for
mo-. But in all candor | ask you or any
other ma claiming to be n loyal rcpub-
lican to point out wherein [ have been
derclics in tine discharge of the duties
devolv!ng upon me as national commit
teeman. Without rofecting on a single
man who has over held the position in
this state, | can ~truthfully boast that |
have done ten times as much work in
the campaign of 1892 as all of them have
done in the preceding campaings.
Where is there a national committce-
msn who put in over $1,000 OF his own
money and paid interest on the greater
part of it in order TO meet the demands
made upon him? And in addition.to the
money advanced in the national cam
paign, | raised $500 in Omaha and
handed it to Mr.. Cady for use in the
state campaign, when / might have
withheld it to reimburse myself.
In all the preceding campaigns the
party had from 5000 to $4,000 majority
and the committeeman was q mere fig
urehead. In 1892 1t became q Hcrculean
task to save the state. 1t is an open Sc
cret that you and othor spurious repub-
licans were sadly disappointed that Har-
rison carried the state. 1t would have
been such q glorious thing for you to
be in position to charge mo with inco m
potency, neglect and betrayal of trust.
You express u desire for me to retire
from the national committee. 1t may
be q surprise to you to learn that I ten
dered my written resignation to the chair
man of the state central committee last
summer, when you and the Majors Gang
clamored for it. But l very distinctly
stated that unless the resignation was
accepted before the campaign was over
| should decline to pay any attention to
any demond for it after the election.
Chairman Cady most emphatically de-
clined to have me withdraw. and in the
letter, which | can reproduce any
time, expressed the utmost satisfaction
with my work. Incidentally, let mo also
remind you that your assertion that /
was secretly playing into the hands of
Van Wyck and using my influence in his
behalf has been completely refuted by
the outcome of the election.
In conclusion, let me say that your
reference to the renewal of the lease of
army headquarters exhibits you in our
true light. l am aware that years ago
you and other political rc~probates
sought to crafty petty spite by trying
to get the army headquarters relocated.
You presumed on your acquaintance
with Senator Proctor. who was then
secretary of war, and brought pressure
on him to cancel the contract for army
quarters in The BEE building. These
quarters had been leased while the
building was under construction. The
plans were drawn and offices laid out to
meet the requirements of the army.
That was during the last year of Cleve-
lands first term. 1t was purely q bust
ness contract, and the rental paid was
considerably below the rental charged
to other tenants for the same space.
Secretary Proctor inspected the quarters
and so did General Schofield. Both
pronounced them the most commodious
and best arranged army quarters in
the United States. So your under
handed efforts were abortive. More re-
Gently the attack was renewed by dis
gruntled democrats, with your rsecret
sympathy and support. You and your
democratic allies are again gnawing a
file. The fact is, this time Quartermaster
General Batchelder, who is a staunch
republican, came to Omaha while | was
absent from the state, and after a care
full inspection of the competing build
ings, recommended the renewal of the
lease, and Secretary Lamont approved
his recommendation, just as he did
the recommendation for the lease
of army headquarters in Denver in a
building whose chief owner is a repub-
lican free silver senator.
1t is a piece of vindictive ln~solence for
you to %inslnuate that there is a bargain
with democrats to betray republicans at
a critical time. | have never meddled
with your private concerns and care