Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-17
LET HIM cnME RAck.

! @. NJ. Hitchcock. who is eaid to be slated
{ for appointment to the seat in the United
/ States senate vacated by the death Of Sena-
| tor Hayward, has just turned 40. lie Is
/ a native Of this city and 1t was here he re-
/ ceived bis early education. Mr. Hitchcock
was formerly republican but left that
party thirteen years ago.
Thus reads one of the self-laudatory
telegrams sent out from Omaha to east
ern papers during the recent canvass for
the senatorial vacancy. In II Is con
tanned n suggestion upon which The
Bee hastcns to act. especially in view
of the candid confession of Mr.. Hitch
cock in his paper declaiming his deep
disappointment and the keen pangs left
by the sting of democratic ingrntltude.
The Bee extends to him a cordial in
vitation to retrace the step he took thir-
teen years ago and to reioin the repub
lican party.
The republican party has its doors nj.
ways open for sincere converts, no mat
ter what may have been the cause of
their dissatisfaction with former party
affiliations. There are some who say
lndJ MI. I1ilCHCoCh WAS never IlOGc
than half democrat, and if this is so
it should be all the more easy for him
to break the ties that bind him to
that party and take n place again in
the ranks of the political organization
under whose protecting influence he
was born and raised
Such a return to the republican party
would have precedents that ought to
weigh well with Mr.. Hitchcock His
father was elected to the United States
senate by the votes of democratic mem
bers of the legislature. but had no
scrupulous compunctions against can
ceiling the obligations incurred for
his democratic support and allying
himself with the republican majority
in order to share the loaves and fishes
of presidential patronage. After inherit
ing the patrlmony thus accumulated by
his paternal ancestor, G. NJ. Hitchcock
himself, even after he lroisted
the flag of party independence, never
hesitated about changing the policy of
his paper for a consideration at a mo-
hi'h' - ho'iNC' VII tht liOuts' uutSliOu'
for example, all he need do is to reatfirm
the pronouncements he made as late as
1893 against 16 to l free silver coinage
as no less than robbery and admit that
he was msled from the path of sound
currency by the fascinating fallacies of
silver sophistry and the alluring tink-
ling of mine-owners' coin invested in
soggy WOrld-Herald stock BY this time
he must see also that fusion democracy
holds nothing in store for him that can
not be more quickly won under the
republican standard, and we insist that
in the republican ranks the disappointed
aspirant for senatorial honors will not
suffer as much pain from the sting of
ingratitude as he has been forced to
endure in the fusion fold.
The vilest sinner may see the error
of his ways and repent and the most
hidebound fusionist may have the scales
of ignorance raised by the light Of rea-
son. Let Mr.. Hitchcock come back to
the republican party. The Bee stands |
ready to welcome his return and as
sure him in advance that it will sup
port him for the city council again. as !
1t has in the past, if he will only run !
as candidate again on the republican |
ticket.
Let him come back.