Omaha daily bee., 1895-11-03
1 nrtprr

n erm0n delivered last sunday. sought
TO brush aside the vital questions in
controversy 10y saying in so many
words that this Is merely o fight in
which pot calls kettle black and good
people may as well wash their hands
and keep away from both.
with all due respect to the pastor
who reached this remarkable conclu-
sion. and without %impugn'ug his mo-
tivcs. The Bee earnestly demonstrates
against this flippant view of tie pend
ing political contest. We take it that
every church gocr desires to see omaha
well governed and has no disposition
to shirk his duty as n citizen. 1t must
be apparent to every intelligent person
convcrsant with the situation in omaha
that there is u very marked difference
between the elements that are contend
ing for supremacy in the election next
Tuesday.
Last winter the church people of
Omaha were importuncd TO join in a
crusade for police reform. The then
existing police commission was de
nOunccd and beratcd for to%lcrating the
social evil and gambling. The chief of
police and his subordinatcs were
charged with conniving with crime and
with levying blackmail upon law VIC
laters. The crusade finally eliminated
in the legislative abolition of the old
police board and the creation of a new
board. The new board is in control of
the police and its chairman is nov ask
ing the suffrage of the moral and Chris
tiau elements of the community as can
didate for mayor.
Let Us ask in all candOr what act
CoBimendS William J. Broatch to the
support of citizens who desire to see
clean government in Omaha? 1t is a
matter of history that w. J. BrOatch
was the creator of the social evil dis
trlct when he was mayor. 1t is also II
matter of history that while posing as
II champion of law and order he had
during his former incumbency favored
and protected certain resorts no.
tOriously lawleSS and ~disorderly. and
while prosecuting one group of saloon
keepers for the purpose of making cap
ital among one class of people other
saloons were given the privilege of run
ming night and day, Sundays and week
days.
As chairman of the police commission
Mr.. Broatch has certainly not added to
his claims upon the support of respect
able people. His first act was to re-
move Il competent and reputable chief
of police and to reinState and promote
all the officers who had been Il source
of scandal and disgrace. The nan who
had led the revolving can-can dance at
the Blair picnic was made chief of po-
lice. and the debauchees who had called
down upon themselves the denunciation
Of the grand jury were rewarded with
positions of captains and sergeants.
The next step of the BrOatch com
mission has been an open bid for sup
port from the keepers and inmates of
disorderly houses. These people in as
we'll as out of the social evil district
have not only been relieved of the
periodic fines formerly imposed upon
them, but they have been given Il Ii
cense which they never enjoyed before.
AN'l a. . "iiNF' VI my '''N Wv vi
this class has been made during the
month of October just passed.
The same sham reform has charac-
tprized the Broatch treatment of sa-
looms and gambling resorts. Although
| proclamation was made two months
ago with Il blow of trumpets that Sun
day closing would be strictly enforced
,,AI ~ ,,1Iipr Of dissemination
would be vigorously suppressed, the
gates have been thrown wide open for
the purpose of winning over the polit-
ical support of the liquor dealers and
the sporting element. At the same
time these people are threatened with
| the displeasure of the police commits
sion and future persecution if they re-
fuse to fall into line for the promotion
of its chairman to the mayoralty.
on the heels of this fragrant misuse of
police powers comes the attempt to use
the police force on election day to over
awe the voters and assist in cleo
ton board frauds. This is not pot call
ing kettle black. 1t is the unvarnished
truth dispasSionately presented for the
NbIlNl'itlh ! VI IA Inspecting Nl'lH'hS'
Quite apart from the side of public
morals involved in the candidacy of
Mr.. Broatch come the issues of Il non
partisan judiciary and the %purgation of
the city hall and court house of corrup-
ton, venality and incompetency. The
church-going people of Omaha are as
vitality concerned in preventing waste
~fulnesS, extravaganza and embeZzle-
ment in public places rs every other
class of citizens. They have more at
stake in the election of honest and eff
ficient public officers than the great
majority of those who 10 not attend
church. In the hands Of the unpur-
chuseable and unselfish voter rests the
responsibility for giving Omaha and
Douglas county better government.
N DURRANT VERDICT.
There will be no difference of opinion
| nb,,nn intnlltunnt and nnpntnIinnl