Omaha daily bee., 1897-04-14
UNTRUE TO TmEIR CONSTITUENTS.
Reasons why Howell and His Gang
Should lie d. s"ntch.

should lie DCs"atcd.
OMAHA, April 12.-To the Editor Of The
Bee: Let me tell the readers of The Bee
briefly as l can, why the city campaign
should be fought out on the issue of Omaha
against its enemies. In municipal elections
it matters little whether candidates be re-
publicans, democrats or pophlists so long
as their records show them to have been
loyal to the best interests OF the city. II
they have betrayed their constituents 1t is
the duty of every voter to oppose them.
Every voter will concede that friend OF
the exposition is friend Of Omaha and
vice versa There is no issue OF more vital
Importance to Omaha. Any public man who
aids the enterprise will receive his just re-
ward. and on the other hand, any man who
interposes obstacles in the path of It's sue
cess deserves execration. Dave Mercer did
in congress all that any man could do for
the exposition and he got his reward.
But the impetus Dave Mercer gave the eX-
position was largely frittered away by Sena-
tor Howell at Lincoln. He went to the leg
lslature for but one purpose and that was to
secure the enactment of q new charter by
which he expected to foist himself into the
mayors chair He ignored every other in
terest and traded away every other bill for
votes for his charter. Together with his
compatrlots from Omaha, including the
whole free silver contingent in this city, he
bartered away the hopes of thousands Of
Omaha voters who wanted to see the exposi-
tton succeed beyond everything else. But
they were compelled to sit still while Janu-
airy, February and March passed away and
no appropriation was made for the exposition
by the legislature. This delay was all but
disastrous to the enterprise Howell and his
sponsors in Omaha were bent upon taking
the Offices to which republicans were law
fully elected in order to put free silver re
formers therein. To them that subject was
of far greater Importance than was the sue
cess of the exposition. Legislators OF west
ern states. seeing the apathy of the Nebraska
Legislature refused to appropriate money for
the exposition. Stockholders in Omaha, for
the same reason, withheld their assessments.
A terrific blow was struck at vital interest
of Omaha.
| recall the day after the November cleo
ton when the people of Omaha became aware
that the populists had carried the state
Omaha was positively stunned 1t knew the
exposition was all but doomed. Senator
Alien was appealed to for some assurance
that his party leaders would not Kill the
exposition as was also Governor Holcomb,
and they did what they could to revive the
hopes Of our people. But there was only
one populst In the entire Douglas delega-
tion who wanted the exposition appropria-
tion to go through. And yet they We're
largely elected by laboring mems votes.
Now what do we see? Last Monday morn
ing nearly $50 men could be seen at the
exposition grounds. They were not told to
co. but hoped to find employment The eX-
position offices have been for weeks thronged
with men ready and anxious for work. They
implore the officers to give them a chance
to earn bread for their families. Men are
walking the streets penniless and almost
lispairing, who, but for the criminal con-
duct of Howell and his partisans, would to-
day have work at good pay on the exposi
ton grounds.
And yet, in view Of all these facts. Howell
has the nerve to go before the people of
Omaha asking them to elevate him to the
highest office at their disposal.
SEVENTH WARDER.