Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-09
is MERCER INDISPENSABLE

ACCOTuluB W Nlllldm f. TuTley,
Omaha needs David H. Mercer a great
deal more than David Ii. Mercer needs
Omaha. Is this true? Would Omaha's
future progress or prosperity be i'm
periled il Mercer should vacate his seat
in congress in the house of representa-
tives and resume his chosen vocation of
corporation lobbyist?
If Mercer really believes he is indis-
pensable to Omaha as chairman of the
public buildings committee, why did he
deliberately attempt to vacate his seat
two years ago, when he announced him
self as candidate for the senate within
ten days after he had been elected for
his present term? If Mercer had been
elected senator in place of Willard,
would not his seat in the house have
been filled by a tenderfoot and the chair
manship of the public buildings COM
mittee have gone to the member of the
committee who ranks next to Mercer in
point of seniority?
Let us ask, in all candor, what special
interest has Omaha in the craftsmanship
VI Az puOAiS bhllh4h6O NOhLulllGt hOh q!
Omaha now boasts two federal build
ings. One of these is in use for army
headquarters and was erected long be-
fore Mercer was thought of. Two
thirds Of the appropriations made for
the new federal building, a~ggregating
$1,200,00 0 were secured by John A. Nc
Shane and General Henderson before
MERGERS time in congress. And Nc
Shane was a tenderfoot in congress, who
had no membership even on the public
buildings committee. The new federal
building in Omaha is commodious
enough Tor a city OF haif "a million popu-
lation and Omaha is not likely to exceed
half a million population before the mid
die of the present century.
South Omaha also has it's public build
ing, and that appropriation was secured
during MERGERS first term, while he was
a tenderfoOt, in a democratic
and with a democratic chairman Of the
public buildings committee. The ap-
preparation for the South Omaha public
building was not secured by Mercer be-
cause he was a tremendous power, but
because the packers and stock yards
people of South Omaha exerted a power
full influence with the democratic con-
gress and the Cleveland administration.
Barring public buildings, Omaha has
no other interest in the public buildings
committee. Why, then, should Mercer
regard himself as Indispensable? Why
does Omaha need Mercer more than
Mercer needs Omaha? If Mercer does
not need Omaha, why is he making such
a desperate effort for a denomination?
Why does he not quit his ten-year job
and give somebody else a chance?
AS a matter of fact, Mercer needs
Omaha only once every two years. He
holds his commission in Omaha. Be
fore Omaha elected him to congress he
alleged profession Of lawyer and not
over $50 q month as a Union Pacific
clerk. The highest amount he ever
earned before he became d congressman
was $500 a month for three months in
succession as legislative lobbyist for the
Union Pacific railroad. AS a congress.
man, he has been earning 500 a week
and perquisites year in and year out
for ten years, but during that period the
actual amount of time devoted to his
duties as a congressman did not exceed
five months a year. A man who has
such a lucrative job ought at least to
feel grateful TO his constituents instead
Of acting as if a terrible calamity would
befall the community if he would con-
clude to quit or be made to quit.