Omaha daily bee., 1897-10-29
No pnLLrIcS Nv TIE EXpnSLrmN

The following announcement, which
appears on the front page of the World
Herald in double-column under glaring
headlines, is an attempt to turn the cX-
position into political machine:
The trouble between the management of
! the exposition and organized labor was put
well into the way of settlement yesterday
afternoon by the action of the executive COM
! mittce The committee unanimously adopted
| the following resolutions, recommended by
the committee, consisting of G. NJ. Hitch
cock Thomas Hoctor and G. S. Mont
gomery:
| Resolved That from and after this date
all contracts for construction which shall be
awarded by the exposition shall provide that
| the union scale Of wages in force October l,
1897, shall govern in the payment of skilled
! labor and that eight hours shall constitute
one days work, providing that extra shifts
of eight hours may be used without over
time charge.
Resolved, That for all skilled labor en-
ployed directly by the exposition the union
scale of wages and eight-hour day, as pro-
vided above, shall prevail.
This statement is misleading and de
signed for effect upon the labor vote.
The resolutions adopted by the eXpOsi-
ton executive committee were not
recommended by the Hitchcock Hoctor
committee That committee submitted
a contract with the labor unions which
had II string to it that would have made
the contract void and would. if carried
| into effect, have thrown Il cloud upon
the legality of the exposition bonds.
The executive committee therefore de
Clined to adopt the recommendations of
the Hitchcock -Hoctor committee and in
their place adopt,,. the resolutions
drawn and offered by Manager Rose
water. Thomas IIoctOr was not present
at the session of the executive commit
tee and has no claim upon the gratitude
of organized labor for what was done.
The attempt of the popOcratic organ
to make political capital out of the con-
ccssiOns to union labor under preteXt
of promoting the interests of the expo
sition will not be tamely submitted to
by republicans. The supporters and
friends of Sheriff Mcdonald have con-
tributed as much toward the exposition
as Tom Hoctor and his friends. Nor
VIII Jht Ollti NtlllNlli''ito oll tlit l'lhp-
lican ticket look with Indifference upon
the indiscraet course of the sclfstyled
friends of the exposition who have made
the popocratic paper the repository of
funds raised to help carry the bond
proposition which are being used to prop
up the waning fortunes of the mongrel
county ticket.
There was nothing improper in hiring
space to boom the bonds in the World
Herald. which is notOrlously for sale
to all parties. II is of very doubtful
propriety, however, to make any pO-
litical newspaper an exposition canvass
ing agency when it is apparent that the
canvassers have political mission to
which the exposition business is more
or less subordinated.
The managers of the exposition have
from the outset endeavored to steer
clear of all political entanglements.
Unless that policy is adhered to the
success of ,he great enterprise will be
seriously jeopardized. If it was deemed
necessary to organize Il systematic cam
paign for the bonds it should have been
done on n strictly non-partisan basis.