Omaha daily bee., 1896-06-19
FoR OMAHA AND NEBRASKA.

ON this twentV-tifth anniversary OF II
birth it is eminently appropriate 70
The Bee to point backward to its con
tribution to the promotion of the mora
and material welfare of this city III
state. Without indulging in vain
glorious boasting, The Bee can truth
fully assert that it has been Il mos
potential factor in the upbuilding o
omaha and one of the active agcncici
in the development of the o
Nebraska.
From the hour of its birth to this day
in season and out of season. The BE,
has never ceased to labor for the al
vancement of every interest and of every
enterprise that promised increased
prosperity to the people of the srea'
west, and more especially the people
of Omaha and Nebraska, and as the
name and fame of The Bee expanded
its influence in their behalf became
more far-reaching and effective. The
success which has crowned its efforts
in the field of journalism in which II
has for years taken front rank among
'iiN SlNNt tlli' W mus '''''N
The Bee to achieve for its city and
section what few other papers have
we accomplished. While faithfully
and fearlessly performing the functions
of the sentinel on the watch-towei
of public safety and sounding the alarm
whenever any public interest has been
menaced. it has constantly fought the
battles of Omaha and Nebraska.
The quarter of n century which has
elapsed since The Bee was founded has
witnessed n marvellous increase in
wealth and population. In all these
years no project for public Improvement
has been undertaken in this city which
The Bee has not advocated, and no
great enterprise has been launched
which it has not encouraged and to
| whose success it has not been Il con-
tributor. For the paving of streets
and thoroughfares, for the substitution OF
sewers in place of the old creeks. for the
establishment of u system of drainage
II sewerage, for the erection of a
water works plant, for the acquisition
and laying out of parks and b~oulevards,
Omaha is largely indebted to the efforts
of The Bee. The more invaluable
service rendered this city by The Bee,
however, has been in exposing and OPP
posing schemes of spoliation and job
berry by WHICH millions would have been
tilched from the taxpayers by boodlers,
contractors and franchised corporations.
M &,tn- ,,,I;.h T1,A Doc ,,-nrnI II,
1850 against the Holly water works
ring saved Omaha not less
than $2,OO0,OOO in excessive ny
drant rental and eXtortionate
water rates, to say nothing of the risk
of m inferior water supply. Fully 3d.
100000 will be saved to Omaha by the
defeat of the tifty-year gas franchise
ordinance which was frustrated by the
vigilance of this paper. The fights for
reduced electric lighting charges, lower
paving prices, the abolition of sinecure
offices. have lightened the burdens of
our taxpayers by hundreds of thousands
Of dollars. 1t was through the efforts
of The Bee that Omaha saved $1oO,O00
in viaduct bonds voted to aid in the
construction of the Mason street depot
and will in the end get Il much more
creditable and accessible union depot
thar was first proposed.
To the agitation kept up for years by
The Bee is due the statutory reduction
of railway passenger rates in Nebraska
from ) cents per mile to 3 cents per
mile. the reduction in the Union Pacific
bridge tolls and many of the concessions
in freight rates that have been forced
from time to time from the railway
managers. 1t was The Bee that saved
Omaha and Nebraska from the blight
of constitutional prohibition. 1t was
The Bee that brought about the abroga-
ton of the penitentiary contract by
which the state will ave thousands
upon thousands of dollars.
Almost from the day of its first ap-
p%earance The Bee has been a staunch
advocate of home manufactures and
of every proposition that had for its
object the establishment of new manu-
featuring industries or the enlargement
of those already here. AS early as 1872
III earnestly uEStu tlt IhtIoAlhtlloH W
sugar beet culture in Nebraska, INC has
peIsistently stood up for diversified
agriculture and diversified industry.
The more recent movement for home
industry patronage took its initiative
from The Bee, and so hav nearly all
the organized efforts for commercial and
industrial development. The latest
achievement in this direction has been
the organization of the Transmississippi
Exposition association and the recogni-
ton of the exposition by congress, from
which is to spring for Omaha and
Nebraska and the whole west Il new
era of uneXampled progress and pros
perity. 'Ht.'
The individual contribution of The
Bee TO the growth and material wei
fare of the state is by no means incon-
siderable. Within the twenty-five years
since it has been founded over $1,G5T,-
49, has been paid by its publishers in
wages to employees and fully $55O,0O0 has
been expended ON buildings erected for
its use in this city, The aggregate
weekly payroll of The Bee Publishing
nvran1S SO 800 The erection