Omaha daily bee., 1895-06-16

torlal fortunes in the campaign OF 1894.
The big bomb which was to demolish
the citizens movement against ring
rule and sectarian prescription In
Douglas county went off like Lilipu-
tian flrecrackcr. The manifesto of
Harry Miller, who styles himself chair
man Of "thc county democratic central
committee" has aroused derision among
republicans and general disgust among
democrats. 1t is concoction of cat
nip tea and gall in about equal pro-
portions. Its object was to soothe the
pcntup wrath Of the democratic fac
tions and air the story of his own
deeds OF valor in the Bryan Waterloo.
The drum major of the late demo
cratic rear guard starts out by declar
ing that he feels that at this important
time in the history of local politics in
Douglas county u few suggestions are
in order from him, because, forsooth,
he had been hOnorcd with the priv
ilege of presiding over the delibera.
tions of the county committee year
ago. Taking retrospective view of
the tournament of 1894, Sir Harry
asserts that because a majority of the
democrats supported Governor Hol-
comb against the tattooed man from
Nemaha they had a right to expect
the populists of this city and county
to turn in and help elect the demo
cratic legislative ticket. Not only did
they, the populists, refuse to support
the Bryan legislative ticket, but they
actually voted the republican legisla-
tive ticket against William J. Bryan
for United States senator. Now, as
suming this complaint to be well
grounded, we ask, in all candor Who
was to blame for this failure Of reci-
procity? Was there ever such an ex-
hibition Of imbecility witnessed in any
campaign in Nebraska or any other
state as that displayed by the free
silver candidate himself and his
Douglas county managers? Omaha
was acknowledged to be the center of
the battlefield, and yet Bryan wasted
his time and eloquence on the desert
air of suburban villages and places
where there were no legislative votes
to get Instead Of organizing Doug
las county his supporters were a mere
mob, officered by raw recruits, without
discipline and with no rallying point
and no concerted plan of attack, de-
fense or retreat. Had Bryan's politi-
cal sagacity equaled his persuasive
eloQuence he could have carried Omaha
by storm. What did he do in his
great debate with ThurstOn? With
factories and mills shutting down and
thousands of workmen idle through
the very threat of tariff reduction,
Bryan entered the arena as the cham
pion Of free trade. No wonder the
workingmen, regardless of party, re-
fused to support his legislative ticket.
Thurston's most vulnerable point was
his monopoly record and his relation
to the Pacific railroads. Bryan
scarcely touched that point, but cen
tered all his ammunition upon free
trade and free silver. No wonder that
the antimonopoly elements of the peo-
pie who favor honest money failed to
cast their votes for the democratic
legislative ucket.
I'm my experience in politics, which
has been quite extended" says Sir
Harry, II cannot recall a single in
stance where fusion in local politics
proved beneficial either to the demo-
cratic party or the great bulk of tax
payers in the different communities in
which l have lived" This is an
opinion as is an opinion. Where has
this great warrior lived, anyhow?
Who talks about fusion in the impend-
ing Douglas county campaign? Does
citizens nonpartisan movement con-
template fusion? How was Phila-
delphia redeemed from corrupt ring
rule? How was Tammany over
thrown in New York? In every in
stance by a popular uprising Of the de-
cent citizens of all parties.
The proper way to bring about re-
the Jackass Battery, is to place each
of the great parties upon trial by Civ
ing them to understand that they must
nominate good men. But suppose
they nominate bad men, then what?
Vote the democratic ticket, of course
Haven't each of the parties been placed
on trial in local elections often enough
to convince any intelligent person that
partisan politics are responsible for the
deplorable condition of our local gov
ernments? And this state of affairs
will continue so long as the spoils of
office are held out as the reward for
machine activity.
The spirit of the times is against
partisanship in local politics, and the
local conditions in this city and
county have aroused public sentiment
in favor of thorough purging of the
court house and city hall. Against
this all the manifestoes of partisan
swashbucklers and all the paper wads
fired from the Jackass Battery will
prove abortive.