Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-15
HOLCOMB AND THE TOILERS
How the POpocratic Candidate for
Supreme Judge Answered one of
Their Requests.


| their attention to Silas A. Holcomb's official
acts as governor or the state which deter
mine his real attitude toward organized la
Dor and his regard or lack of regard for
their rights and interests. The Western
Laborer in its latest issue calls attention to
| Governor Holcomb's response to their ap-
plication for the appointment of repre-
| sentative of organized labor on the state ex-
| position commission of 1898, as shown in
| the report to the Central Labor union by
| t. F. Sturgess, their choice for the position
Mr.. Sturgess' communication, dated July 16,
1897, reads as follows:
| To the officers and Members of the
| Central Labor Union-Gentlemen: l have
| the honor to report that in accordance with
| your instructions l filed with Governor
! Holcomb my application for appointment
| as state commissioner of the Transmits
! sissippi and intcrnational Exposition for
the Second district of Nebraska, l used
| all possible diligence in procuring such
Endorsements and recommendations as
would meet with the governors approval.
| transmitted to the governor from time to
| time, and also had a personal interview
| with him, in which he was pleased to say
that my Endorsements were excellent, and
| my procuring any more was unnecessary.
In order to show your honorable body
With submit the names Of my endorsers:
sbsrr Set9s R0sewater fO It Judge Irving , f. Baxter
den. Judge Cunningham r. Scott, Frank t,
| Ransom, Councilman, c. O.. Lobeck, Coun-
ne Maeney srfae pr j. Ngfts SaEs SSrFe @ n
Maqpin, Allen l.. Clark, E, e; Howell. In
addition to this an old and highly respected
| was also a candidate for the place, very
kindly wrote the governor that he withdrew
would be pleased to see me appointed. In
my interview with the governor he treated
me very, courteously and said he would give
| TNrNlt ltplt n n
| ton" During that interview | took care to
have the governor understand that the
place was not personally sought by me for
any pecuniary reason, but because of or
ganized labor's desire to be represented on
| the commission. / represented that each
candidate was in some particular interest
and that the interest represented was that
| of organized labor and none other.
| suppose that l would not receive the ap-
| pointment under the circumstances, as my
interview with the governor was of the
most pleasant character, and | cannot at
| tribute his action in the matter to any feel
| ing he entertained against me. but rather
| that he was unwilling to give any official
recognition to the interest which l repre-
| sent.
In submitting this report I take. the
! opportunity of returning my sincere thanks
| to the officers and members of the Central
| Labor union and all affiliated unions for
| their unanimous Endorsement and support
| of my application. Respectfully submitted,
| T. +. STURGESS.
From the governors action the convictlon
was at that time general among the work
| ingmen OF the state that Hocomb had de-
| cded he would no longer need their support,
after having enjoyed 1t through two cam
| paigns, and could afford to disregard them
| for the sake OF his many hunting
| friends. But no man can foresee the muta-
! tioQs of time and the political whirligig and
| Hocomb once more finds himself in the po-
| stion of pleader for the workingman 5
| support The attitude in which he is likely
to find union labor is reflected vividly in
the following comment OF the Western La
! borer Cu the incident:
| Workingmen of Douglas county and the
state, of Nebraska, II. f. Sturgess needs no
introduction to YOU, you elected him to
| represent you in the last Legislature. which
ne ID did fl mfaithfgIly and well you hnGw he
gence and ability, and you know that when
you presented him TO Governor Holcomb as
| pointed. Since that time Holcomb has
proved himself the enemy Of organized
quest you made to him. He filled all his
| places with his own creatures and repudi-
ated your support of him by refusing your
your vote. for this man who has imposed
upon you? Can you by your, votes place
| this man HolComb upon the supreme
bench of the state among honorable men ?
| WIN you, like whipped ours, again fawn-
| lNsly approach tne nanu tnat SmOte you
and be less than worm that turns when it
is trod upon? VIII YOU confess yourselves
| asses 10 be again fooled "all the time" by
an obscure lawyer that accident and his
own base trickery brought into "A position
where he betrayed the reform cause, or will
you act witn your lI9iteeiiigenee on election
can distinguish between political
charlatan and honest man?
We cannot conceive of any work
| ingman, skilled or unskilled, in Omaha or
South omaha voting for the election of
this man Cwho has been notorious rail.
| the people and least of all electing him to
| a position where he would be more
dangerous to labor and commercial in
| terests than ever before.