Omaha daily bee., 1893-10-06
JUAeg MAxwgLL,s DEFEAT

The defeat of Judge Maxwell marks
an epoch in the history Of the republic
can party of Nebraska. Judge Max
wells candidacy involved vital issues
upon which republicanism in Nebraska
was to be tested in the crucible of self
purgation. For nearly twenty years
corporations have dominated the party
and rendered untranmeled action in the
selection OF its candidates aim )st i'm
possible. The farmers alliance and
populism in this state we're in reality
only a forcible protest against corpor-
ate interference and corrupt moth
DDS in the selection Of candidates
and the reckless disregard of platform
pledges. lad the republicans of Ne
braska been able to throw off the rail-
road yoke and had the party been true
to itself and its cardinal principles Il
nomination by a state convention would
have been equal TO an election this year,
Us it was ten years ago. But a railroad
ridden party could not hope to command
the confidence and support Of the toilcrs
and producers who constituted its back
bone. Year by year its ranks have been
depleted until it has ceased to DO a ma
jority party.
The contest which eliminated in the
defeat Of Judge Maxwell was the last
effort on the part of the members of the
party that have hoped to be able
to throw off the virus of monopoly
and purge the party of corrupt
practices and misgOvcrnIncnt. They
have beer compelled t. combat the
combined forces of the railroad corpora
tions and the recently impcached state
house officials. Judge Maxwell en-
bodied in his person not only the
upright and fearless Judge, but the
principles hat nave been dcar to every
honest republican since the party un-
furlcd the banner of free speech, free
soil and tree man. 1t was an unequal
and desperate struggle. On the one
hand were the rank and file with
no other resources at their command
thar their earnest desire to see the
party freed from the blighting grip of
monopoly and place at the head of it's
columns this fall q candidate that was
a tower of strength within himself. On
the other hand were massed the cohorts
and mercenaries of the railway contin-
gent and bands of spoilsmen supplied
with railroad passes and abundant
means for packing conventions and de-
bauching delegates.
With ell these odds against them the
friends Of reform within the party
elected a good majority of the convcn-
tion, but before the baIloting began tho
insidious work of corporate Doodle and
state house patronage made such in
roads among the delegates instructed or
pledged for Maxwell that his defeat
was accomplished after u few ballots.
The republican party of Nebraska has
for the time being been absorbed by cor
poratc camp followers. Its machinery
continues in the hands of political
desperadces, with whom the party sub
serves the purpose of protecting the in
tere5ts of monopoly. THE BEE will
henceforth, as heretofore, advocate re-
publican principles and support repub-
lican candidates whom it can conscien-
tiously commend, but it will not give aid
or comfort to any attempt to subvert
free government in Nebraska. 1t will
continue to oppose and d%enounce the
J methods by which Judge Maxwell was
turned down at the behest OF con-
spirators who seek to control the
highest judicial tribunal and the last
refuge of a free people.