Omaha daily bee., 1893-11-06
BEMIS AND THE AN7I-ViCE PROTEST..

BEMIS " THE ANTI-ViCE PROTEST..
A committee representing the anti
vice movement, which last spring sought
to abolish gambling and the social evil
in Omaha, has issued an address to
voters, which has been given to the pub
lie through the daily press. Its sole aim
and object is to defeat the reelection of
Mayor Bemis because he has not complied
with the demands of the crusaders.
Now let us discuss the grievance of
these gentlemen in all candor and with
| out bias. They assert that 1000 voters
signed a petition to the council and po-
lice commission for the better enforce
ment of law. That is stating it very
mildly. A petition in favor OF better
enforcement of law would have been
signed by every man, woman and child
in town, outside, possibly, of the very
small number engaged in lawless pur-
suits. The anti-vice petition meant
something more. 1t was an attempt on
the part of wellhneaning but impracti-
cal reformers to scatter the population
of the burnt district and drive gambling
from known haunts to hotels and holes
in the wall. ADl
Now how did, they go about this?
Gambling is a felony under the statutes,
and the renting o fhouses for designation
and lawless cohabitation is also punish
able under the criminal code. Did these
people lodge solitary complaint against
the owners of houses in the burnt dis
trict? If so, tho first man they would
nave struck would not have been Mayor
Bemis, but a near relative of the demo-
cratic candidate for mayor, who owns
the largest block among the palatial
haunts of sin, and they would have struck
a score of very respectable, gentlemen
who contribute literally to religious and
benevolent institutions. If you want to
make an anti-vice crusade effective you
must not stop in front of the city hall,
but go for the men who own the build
ings in which gambling and the social
evil abide. But that would strike some
people whom the leaders of the crusade
do not want to offend.
The statutes made the sheriff the
chief executive officer for experimenting
criminals and %suppressing crime wher-
over Ic I1dy huOW II cAloOS. IdulDlluS,
being a felony, comes directly under this
head. If any special complaint against
this crime had been made to the county
attorney add sheriff they would have
beer obliged to take notice of it and
have the offenders prosecuted. Did the
anti-vice crusaders ever ask the sheriff
and the county attorney to break up
ro pohlinr hppSng and nrpcaopfn the
keepers? Not a bit of it. Have they
tried to hold the sheriff responsible:
Not at all. They want to make Bemis
the scapegoat.
Now admit that 1000 voters did sign
the anti-vice petition. More than O,OO(
voters did not sign it, and many of those
who did sign it privately asked the
mayor to let matters rest. 1t should 81
remembered that the movement began
in the midst of a very depressing season
when business was almost at a stand
still and merchants, hotel keepers ant
restaurants were going to the wall FOL
want of patronage.
But the great offense which Mayor
Bemis is charged with Is voting down
' resolution introduced before the polio,
commission ordering the chief of polio
: to enforce all Jaws and ordinances. Thi
|, resolution was in the nature Of a censur,
:, of Mayor Bemis, who, as chief execu
tive, is presumed TO enforce all laws a
far as practicable, Docs any rationu
person blame the mayor for not votin
: to censure HIMSELF He had issued a
= order to the chief of police to enforce a
laws and ordinances as we'll as the
:. could be enforced under existing COZ
y ditions. If any specific complaint ha
been made against Chief Seavey fo
neglect of duty the mayor and tn
police board would have been obliged
= investigate the charges and pass sci
. tence according to the evidence. 81
:. no specific charge was made and tn
= mayor very naturally regarded the res
= luton as a reflection upon his own COZ
duct and voted it down. as any spirIte