Omaha daily bee., 1896-06-19

10 n man ana woman was lNI lflAAlt SUI
frage. But applause does not count at the
ballot box. as the returns clearly showed.
The Bee opposed the amendment on Two
general grounds. Ii was convinced that
the ballot In the hands OF women would not
conduce to the welfare Of the state. aud
that female suffrage, II conceded, would
tend 10 decrease the happiness o. woman
herself. From these premises The Bee
comhatcd the stock arguments OF the SUI
f~ragists. and In consequence Incurred the
emnity Of Individual advocates as well as
the national association. The issue, how
ever. was largely oyershadoved by the anti
monopoly campaign waged by The Bee ana
It's supporters. There was an anti-monop-
oily state ticket in the field and autl-monop-
oily candidates for congress In the three dls-
trlcts. To the support Of the latter the
energies OF The Bee were directed. Never
theless considerable attention was given the
sufragists. not because there was any lear
OF suffrage success. but for the reason that
the appearance Of women on the stump and
at the polls on election day lent spice and
novelty to the contest. TIL amendment
was defeated overwhelmingly. When the
result was definitely known Miss Couzens OF
st. Louis addressed an Indignation meeting
in the opera house, charging defeat TO The
Bee and accusing II OF hlgh crimes anu
misdemeanors in procuring the result.
CAMPAIGN OF 1855.
The memorable campaign Of 1856, in the
First district. gave Nebraska its FIRST dem
ocratic congressman. The railroad machine
forced Church Howe upon the republican
ticket. Notwithstanding the earnest pro
tests Of The Bee and thousands OF reguo-
licans. Howe was nominated amid the G!are
Of brass bands and the wild hurrahs Of his
strikers at Beatrice. John A, McShane OF
Omaha was nominated by the democrats.
The campaign was short, but uncommonly
lively. and resulted in the overwhelming de
feat Of Howe. McShane carried the district
by a majority of 1923. Douglas county
gave NcShane a majority of SOC, and also
a majority for the republican candidate for
governor. The result was a crushing water
loo for jay Gould's man Friday, ana an en-
phatic rebuke administered by republicans
to the political vagabonds responsible ioT
the nomination. The revolt was not conhneu
to city or county. II extended from lhe
Platte river to the Kansas line. and emphat-
ically declared that a republican nominal
tion. without regard TO the character ana
| record of the candidate. was not equivalent
TO an election. II was one of the greatest
of the long list Of victories scored by The
Bee.
The opposition Of The Bee was grounded
on Howe's record in opposing the counting
of the Hayes presidential electors in TINS
state in 1876 and his subsequent Legislative
career.
The reelection Of Senator Charles n. Van
Wick was the absorbing issue in the legls-
latiye campaign Of 1856. A majority OF re-
nuhlican county conventions and many dem
ocratic conventions Endorsed his great WORK
in congress, and the nominees were pleueeu'
II elected. to vote for his return TO the sen
ate. But the tools OF monopoIy anu 'He
every district to defeat the men pledged 10
vote for him. Notwithstanding TINS bittcr
| opposition of the corporate strikers ID ooln
parties, a strong majority OF the melhpeIs
elected were pledged to him. The senatorial
| contest in January was a remarkably pltter
one. Every political roustaeout, every iop-
byist and procurer were enlisted .osetne'
with the railroad forces, to deteat lhe sena-
tor. Doodle was indiscriminately used .!
contractors and iobbers. and men VINO Gouiu
not be bribed were threatened ana pull-
dozed. Had it not been for the infamous ue-
cision OF the presiding %oflcer. Shedd, Van
Joint ballot. The officer purposely ignored
the rules and refused to allow changes %
votes after the roll had been called AlIeI
the first few ballots, some OF the men VIZ
publicly and privately pledeed M,
BETRAYED their constituents, violated Inell
pledges and openly Joined the enemy. me
sold their manhood for money or promise on
office and defeated the will OF the people
expressed in an Overwhelming Ma1oii'' q"
THE CITY HALL FIGHT.
In the spring of 1885 the city council anc
BOARD of County Commissioners enecteu Z
trade with Hon. w. A. Paxton, D! "hiSi
the city obtained the present site lor IN
city hall. During the summer pans ~
the building were secured from Archltec
MYERS of Detroit. The Board of Educator
ioined with the city and contributed s+o'VV
reward the cost Of the bulldlhg' OF Une
eighth of the total. At the November eIee
ton the question of issuing S2oo,OVV IN uonus
the proceeds 10 be devoted to the consuuc
tion of the building on the chosen site, Wal
submitted TO the voters and approved py,
vote of 3.Ol0 to go. The contract Tor I'M
foundation was let to Regain BIOS: am
afterward transferred TO Brennan a. Mhaleh
The work dragged along at a snah pace
rhe contractors stood in with the councl
ring and the orders Of the Board OF fuDll
Works were ignored. Finding that lhe!
could not make any money OUT OF Ihs ~
the contractors disputed the plans ol ~
srchitect and induced their friends IN IN
council to abrogate the contract ana Ie!ec
the plans. Then followed litigation anu
decision Of the district court enlolnlhs ~
council from changing the plans or eNpenu
ing the money voted on any other site WIN
ont first submitting the question 10 a Not
~ he neonle After years of delay and tur
moiI the question was submitted 10 a YOU
last February. with Eighteenth and tarnan
and Jefferson square as candldates loI u
site. The campaign was brief, put exceeu
ingly lively. The boomers OF Jenersoi
SQUARE were overwhelmed by a mountain o
votes. In this fight. as in nearly all others
The Zee fought alone for the interests an
credit of the city against the open ana Sc
cret opposition Of all other papers ~
triumph was, therefore, as gratifying as !
was emphatic.
THE RoUT OF PROHIBITION.
One Of the most remarkable campaign,
in the history of Nebraska was that whlcl
sounded the death knell OF prohibition u
1870. During the preceding decade enorl
were made at every session OF the ieglsla
ture 10 secure the passage OF an act SUI
hitting 10 a vote OF the people a constr
%tutional amendment prohibiting the manu-
facture and sale of alcoholic liquors. IN
movement was checked for a few year
Inv the passage OF the Slocumb high hcens
law. which increased public revenue trot
The business. decreased the number OF sd
looms and placed them under strlcter pc
lice surveillance. But with statutory Pre-
hihition in Iowa and constitutional prom
hilton in Kansas, the attacks on Nebrask
gathered fresh force and eliminated IN IN
legislature of 1889, which passed the &C
submitting the proposition TO a vote c
the people. The battle was fought 10
finish in November. 1890.
At all stages OF the movement 10 taste
upon Nebraska a system OF liquor SUI
preston VIGOROUSLY false and hypocrltica
The Bee was in the front rank pattih
against il and in favor Of regulation b
high license. When nothing short OF
vote of the people could rid the state {
the agitation and the agitators, this pape
set about uniting the imperiled CUISINES