Omaha daily bee., 1902-12-26
TEE sTuerEh INoIprhr.

dent. But Mr.. Stuefer's fool friends ai
the state capital have taken It on them
selves not only to glorify the outgoing
state treasurer but In doing so to villify
the editor Of The Bee by Representing
Mr.. Stuefer as a martyr to political and
personal animoslty. Under the caption
of more or Less PERSONAL the Lincoln
Journal, that has always been the bul
wark Of state house jobbers and apollo
gist for public thlevery, INDUCES in the
following comment: +.
Perhaps It has been printed before, but
1t will do no harm to repeat the story that
the assault upon Treasurer Stuefer had
its origin in the senatorial struggle Of 1901,
which is justly considered one Of the
blacklist pages in the political history OF
the state. The members Of the senatorial
syndicate we're using every power at their
command to reduce or intimidate the mem-
bers OF the legislature and their friends.
Stuefer was told, II is claimed, that unless
he used his influence and brought certain
members into Mr.. Rosewater's column he
would have ample cause to regret It in
the future He didn't scare worth a cent,
and when the abuse began after the ses-
sion was over he simply threw up his hands
and said that he was ready to retire to
private life. He could have hung the
Rosewater hide on the fence without much
trouble. but a nasty row was not to his
liking and he washed his hands OF the
whole business. 1t is widely regretted that
he did not have the stomach to make q
fight, but IL a man prefers to live decert
quiet life with his family and his own sf-
fairs, 1t is hardly fair to criticise him for It.
This attempt to gloss over Mr.. Stuef-
er's speculative financiering is IN out
rageous perversion Of the truth that we
cannot afford to ignore. Mr.. Stuefers
attitude in the senatorial contest had
nothing whatever to do with the course
pursued by The Bee or its editor with
reference 10 his management Of the
state school funds. During the contest
before the legislature, Mr.. Stuefer pro-
fessed to be friendly to the candidacy Of
Rosewater and up to this time we know
Of no action on his part that would indi-
cate otherwise. There was no occasion
for threatening Mr.. Stuefer even IL he
had been openly or covertly opposed tJ
Rosewater. The only republican men,
ber of the legislature from his district
ROsewater until he went out
Of the caucus and promised him his vote
any time he could be elected by IT, Mr..
Stuefer never had an opportunity to
refuse ROsewater a favor and as a
matter of fact has never had any per-,
sonal controversy with him to this date.
Long before Stuefer was thought of az
state treasurer the editor of The Bee
was publicly committed against treas.
ury farming Of public funds. In 1895
he framed an amendment to the consti-
tuition which was submitted by the Iegls-
lature declaring that state officers shall
not receive to their own use any fees,
costs, interests on public money in their
hands or under their control, perquIsites
Of Office or other compensation" than
the salaries fixed by law. This position
has been maintained successfully By
The Bee year in and year out and was
embodied In the following resolution
presented by its editor to the republican
state convention of 1901 and unani-
mously adopted by that body: ,.r. D,
The practice of depositing public funds
on private account and the Ioaning Of pub
lie funds for private gain Ish a''iKe4yskt
violation OF public trust N As "a matt srA,of
public safety we demand that the stats
treasurer and every county, city, village
and school district treasurer shall keep
the taxpayers fully informed concerning
the condition and disposition of the moneys
TO his safe keeping by the pub
lication of monthly financial statements
showing the amount Of money on hand,
the name OF each bank in which 1t is de-
posted, with the amounts on deposit In
each.
At the time this resolution was intro
iuced the editor of The Bee confidently
expected Treasurer Stuefer to come
to the front with a complete
exhibit of treasury deposits, and had no
nkling that anything was wrong until
he refused to comply with the demand
IF the convention. The information
the Burt county, Cunning
county and Otoe county bond deals did
not reach The Bee until after the elee-
ion of 1901. The facts disclosed upon
'ull inquiry fully justified the demand
made by The Bee for the retirement of
Mr.. Stuefer. In the face Of the losses
sustained by the state through Mosher
md BARLEY there could be no palliation
If speculative purchases of bonds
through middlemen, whether or not
hey shared the profits with the treas
lrer or pocketed them altogether.
In this view The Bee was sustained
Dy an overwhelming public sentiment
which would undoubtedly have defeated
Mr.. Stuefer had he been renominated
md seriously Jeopardized other candi-
lates on the state ticket. This was the
of opinion OF the state con-
Tention and this IL was that prompted
Mr.. Stuefer's withdrawal The Bee
gave credit to Mr.. Stuefer for yoIun.
.arily relieving the party, and there his
friends should have been content to let
him rest. Their revival OF the Stuefer
Incident alone has forced upon +as the
iisagreeable task Of correcting the at
tempted perversion' OF history.
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