Omaha daily bee., 1895-05-07
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DROPPING THE MASK.

| fOr tricks that are vain and ways
that are dark the heather Chinee is re-
! puted very peculiar. But the pgtail
heather is n mere chump when he
comes to compare notes with the star
chamber thimbleriggers who have been
| plotting to get control of our fire and
police force for nefarious ends Less
than four months ago the fire depart
ment was reorganiZed under an efficient
chief, who came to Omaha from Chi
cago with the highest recommendations
from the municipal officers and under
writer's. Although he reluctantly as
sumed the great responsibilities thrust
upon him he proved himself equal to
the difficult task and gained the con
! fdence of the business men as he al
ready enjoyed that of the insurance
managers.
When the police commission bin was
pending before the legislature its OPP
ponents very pertinently asserted that
the prime aim and object of it's hackers
and champions was to convert the fire
department and police of Omaha into
partisan and sectarian machine. 1t
was then and there pointed out that
the star chamber schemers had
adroitly inserted a provision in the bill
that would place it within their power
to GUST the new fire chief under pretcXt
that he was not an elector. This, how
ever, was strenuously denied. The
citizens of Omaha were assured that
the idea of deposing Chief Redell had
never entered the minds of the pro-
moters of sectarian discord and would
not be countenanced if it ever was at
tempted.
The mask of nonpartisan and non
sectarian reform has dropped and the
clovcn hOof is row exposed. The last
issue of the Churchill Russell organ.
which had the audacity TO deny that
Churchill was Il member of the A. Z. A.
order, when Churchill himself had
made no secret of the fact and was
known and recognized as one of their
leaders, hauls Chief Redell over the
Goals because he has designated among
the lieutenantS of the various hose
companies n number of alleged Roman |
Catholics. This is evidently the begin
ming of crusade against Redell that is |
expected to terminate in his capitula-
ton to star chamber domination or his |
ejectment from the position which he |
has filed so far with marked distinc- |
tion and success as an organizer of the |
most efficient fire fighting force that |
Omaha has ever mad.
Now the question is, Are we to re- |
quire religious test for membership |
and promotion in the fire department |
and are men of good character, high |
courage and sobriety to be excluded
from the fire department on account of |
creed or politics? Would any business
man or property owner spurn the help
ful assistance of any man when his
home or his store house is on fire unless
he is assured that the fireman does not
worship in any particular church or
vote particular ticket? Are
Protestants of the A. p. A. brand the
only persons to be entrusted with the
care and custody of our fire eXtinguish-
ing machinery and the safety of our
property and lives in case of confIa gra-
lions? Nobody contends that an A. p
Protestant is disqualified for holding
positions in the fire or police force by
'eason of his creed. and why should not
he same rule or principle apply to men
)t all other creeds or even men of no
reed?
Is not the intrusion of the creed tos,
nto the fire and police departments I'm.
American and dangerous to the public
Welfare? While Chief Redell Is dis,
'osed to treat the arraignment of the
L. A. organ as trivial matter. The
See regards it as very significant. 1t is
he index of what may be expected If
Intolerance and sectarian prescription
ire given full play in our city govern
nont and are allowed to subvert the
ire department and police force. This
$ by no means an issue to be treated
With indifference. 1t affects not only
he public safety, the security of life
nd property, but also goes to the very
BEDROCK of free government, in which
very citizen is guaranteed equal rights
nd privileges, regardless of race or !
reed.