Omaha daily bee., 1897-02-24
DTSGR1CTNtI THE PULPIT,


DISGRACING THE PULPIT
An honest man is the noblest work OF
God, but the hypocrite who wears the
livery of heaven is an abomination in
the sight of God and man. 1t may be
pardonable for n preacher who shares
with cheap actors and political char
latans the cravings for notoriety to ad.
vertise his sensational sermons, but
when he deliberately imposes on Gre
dulity by palming off falsehood for truth
he desecrateS the most sacred of call
ings A striking example of discredit-
able preaching was furnished by the
widely advertised sermon of Rev. j. o.
Staples, "The Bee Versus the Min
isters." Had this sensational sermon
been confined to an attempted self
vindiCation for signing the famous min
sterial petition no notice would have
been taken of it. But when the
reverend police reformer indulged in the
following diatribe we are compelled to
expose his mendacity:
1--WE did not want the election of the board
in the hands of the tough element of the
tlIy, as duNUCdleu ny Inc Dee, anu MlSuGu
the board to still continue appointive instead
Of elective, longed for by that paper.
| The Bee has insulted the manhood of the
ministers of Omaha by alleging that they
are of such feeble mental caliber that they
cannot think or observe for themselves. We
do not care to engage III politics, yet we
| feel very much interested in the present
| controversy"
| Wprn thprp Surl 81 fn1Sa-
hoods uttered from the pulpit?
| When has The Bee ever advocated an
elective police commission?
Was not the metropolitan police and
appointive .non-partisan police board
created at the instance of The Bee?
Was not the position of The Bee
| clearly defined in its editorial of NOvem-
| mission" as follows:
The original fire and police commission law
| for cities of the frst-class, designed ex-
| cluslvely for Omaha, was evolved by expe-
rience and had become a necessity. The
intrusion into our city government of the
classes that require surveillance by the po-
lice had foisted into our city council keep
ers of low grOggeriss and gambling dens. So
long as the liquor licensing board was made
up Of the mayor, city clerk and president of
the council, the council, and, for that mat
ter, the whole city government, was domi-
mated by the saloon. The prohibition cru
sade was the natural consequence of such
misgovernment After much agitation
the part of our best citizens, metropolitan
police, strictly non-partisan and governed
by an appointive commission was deemed
the most desirable. BY removing the ap-
pointing power as far as possible from the
cesspool of ward politics it was hoped and
believed that Omaha would be able to get
rid OF hummer councilmen and relieve its
city officials from dependence upon the sup
port of vagrants thugs and chronic law
breakers.
In our judgment it would be something
worse than blUnder to make the fire and
polce commission an elective body. Such a
change would practically nulify the main
object for which the board was created
1t would result in perpetual conflict be-
tween the men who want a rational enforce
ment of law and the men who are con-
stantly violating law and always opposed
to it's enforcement 1t would mean the con
version of the police and fire department into
political machine, to be dominated by
ward bosses 1t would mean a commission |
that would be dependent for its existence
upon the worst elements. 1t would rein
state into Omaha the methods of Tammany
blackmailers, with favoritism and protection,
such as may be seen without a spy glass in
a town this side of the Missouri not more
than thousand miles away from Omaha.
For all these reasons and others that can
be advanced, the citizens of Omaha do not |
want an elective police commission,
How does this tally with the asser-
ton of the reverend slanderer? And |
again on the 9th of January, 1897. The !
Bee comments as follows, editorially, on !
the elective police commissions
1t is presumable that the legislature will .
relnstate the governor in the prerogative of
which he was deprived two years ago and |
place upon him the sole responsibility for
the selection OF the police commissioners in
cities of the metropolitan class. 1t is also
expected that the legislature will restore the
mayor to place on the commission. The
chief executive of the city should have
voice in the management OF the police force
that must be under his immediate direction
in emergencies.
1t is however, not essential that the mayor
be a member of the license board. On the
contrary there are many good reasons why
the mayor should have no part officially in
the granting or forfeiture Of liquor licenses.
As member OF the license board the mayor
would be constantly tempted to use his posi-
tion for the promotion or political ends or
the qualification of personal revenges. What
is most desired is to divorce the police and
fire departments from politics and enforce. as
far as possible the merit system, which in
surts promotion TO the most efficient regard
less Of political pull or personal influence
new law framed on these lines, admin
istered by a board OF commissioners selected
with a view TO f'"Hss and integrity. will be
welcomed by tha ,i.lzens of Omaha without
respect to party.
In the face of these declarations and
4 consistent record of opposition to the