Omaha daily bee., 1896-10-23
COERCION ON A pIG SCALE.
Attempt of Colorado siivcritcs TO
BuIIdozc Omaha Voters.


IL has remained for the Nebraska sup
porters and champions OF William Jennings
Bryan to give TO the world the most ob-
noxious example OF attempted coercion OF
the voters through a deliberate plan TO COM
pei tse Omaha people to vote against their
consclencos in order to save local Interest.
About ten days ago soon after the return OF
the editor from Denver. the Omaha World
Herald published the following in regard to
the congressional contest in the Omaha dis
trict:
Let Douglas county people consider well
this matter: What states will do most to-
ward making the Transmssissippi EXposi-
ton success, those east OF the Mississippi
or those west OF It? Where do Omaha's
chief interests lie?"
Doubtless the Omaha people were not
deceived as to the meaning OF this threat
They expect to have a great exposition In
Omaha In 1898, and they hope to secure the
cooperation OF all the states lying west OF
the Mississippi river The item In the
World-Herald simply means that II Omaha
does not vote for free silver and the demo-
cratic ticket the silver mine owners in the
mountain states will do all in their power
to break up the proposed Transmississippi
Exposition
The warning of the attempt to use such
despicable club was soon followed by a
manifesto In a Denver newspaper announc-
ing the plan of boycotting the exposition In
case Omaha voters do not do as their Colo
RADIO friends want them to. This has thor
oughly aroused the Omaha people to the ma
ture OF the attack which is being made
upon their pet project for political pur-
poses, and they are properly resenting such
interference. The Omaha Bee points out
that the election of Bryan would probably
result in the abandonment OF the exposition,
since Mr.. Bryan himself admits that a
panic would ensue incident to the proposed
revolution In our monetary system, and
1t would take months to recover from the
shock Only nineteen months would remain
from the date of the Inauguration until the
date for the opening OF the exposition, and
1t would be impossible with commercial
affairs further deranged, to provide for the
finances of the exposition. But the World
Herald wants to keep up the effort to force
Omaha voters to vote for Bryan and the
populist candidate for congress in the
Omaha district and attempts an argument
as follows:
"As matter OF fact. the Transmississippi
exposition Will be benefited by anything
which will benefit the transmississippi
states. The opening of the silver mines will
help trade of all kinds in the west, and will
give new life to the section that is now
languishing."
This is all the argument that can be
made in defense of the plea that Nebraska
people should vote to please their Colorado
neighbors. "The opening OF the silver
mines" is the sole purpose of the Bryan
movement, and while Bryan newspapers at
tempt to cover up this purpose in their
general arguments, they reveal 1t by just
such arguments as the above.
Omaha voters should not be deceived ny
the argument 1t proceeds upon the false
assumption that everybody in the trans
mississippi region is interested in silver
mines Now Iowa is In this same trans
| mississippi region, and there are no silver
| mines In Iowa to be opened, and Iowa Is
! not of "the section that is languishing
| The silver mining region is not co-extensivr
| with the transmississppi region. II Omaha
| Is going TO consider this specious plea at ali
| the voters should remember that ninety.
| nine hundredths of the support OF the pro-
| posed exposition must come from within a
radius Of 300 miles of Omaha, west, east
| north and south.
There being no argument in support oi
| the claim that Omaha should become sec
| tional for selfish ends, all that is left OF
| the matter is a bold attempt at coercion.
| The silver mine owners have exhibited biz
! club which they say they would use to break
| down the proposed exposition IL they are
| not satisfied with the way the Omaha peo-
| pie vote next month. We shall see
| whether or not the Omaha people are such
| towards as to stlhe conscience and go like
| blind men to the polls to vote for what
they know will cripple their country just
| to please the silver mine owners.