Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-28
Ttnr ron sonSn CLEANING

TIME FOR House CLEANING.
One year ago today the Legislature Of
Nebraska elected Joseph II. Willard
and Charles II. Dietrich to represent
this state in the United States senate.
The election of two republican United
States senators, after a ~protracted strug-
gle lasting nearly three months, was
hailed by republicans In all parts Of
the union as the browning achievement
Of the most glorious victory won in the
presidential campaign of 1900, in which
Nebraska was the storm center.
The redemption Of Nebraska in the
face of the fact that 1t was the home OF
the presidential candidate of the demo-
Gratis and populists who were also en-
trenched in power in the ~stAtehouse,
was by no means a mere accident. 1t
was the result of unremitting, we'll
directed effort that taxed the sagacity
and energy of the most shrewd and eX-
perienced party leaders from start to
finish.
While the history Of the battle of
Nebraska in the year 1900 has not been
written, suffice 1t to say that the tri-
umphant redemption of the state from
populism could never have been effected
but for the concerted cooperation of
the rank and file in the systematic cam
paIgn of education. in which The Bee
was the most active and influential fac
tor, and the unwritten pledges to the
- 49, A. -.t,NoIroa and hIundnru
Of the past would be corrected and the
abuses that brought disaster upon h
party would be stamped out. Incl
dentally the republicans Of Nebraska
held out the promise that the men who
had brought the party into disrepute
should be relegated to the rear and new
blood infused into the body polite.
, In the legislative campaign the sup
port of republican candidates was in
voked and secured on the distinct as
surance that the new two republican
senators would undo, at the earliest
possible moment the bad work of their
predecessors. Had not the voters been
convinced that the election Of a repub-
lican legislature meant the speedy re-
tirement of VIGOROUSLY dishonest
and d%isreputable federal ~oftice-holders,
foisted upon the people of this state,
there would have been no republican
majority in the Legislature. Although no
specific pledge was exacted from Sen
ators Willard and Dietrich, they are as
much in honor and duty bound to carry
out the tacit agreement of the party
with the people to whom they owe their
election as is President Roosevelt to
continue the policy of William Nc
Kinley.
Twelve months have elapsed, during
which the republicans Of Nebraska have
patiently awaited the casting out and
wedding out of the black sheep whose
appointment scandalized the party and
shook popular faith in its integrity. 1t
seems to US that the time for house
cleaning is at hand. Nebraska repub-
licans must remember that they are
still on probation and that their con-
tinuance in power will depend not only
upon the character of n men noml-
mated by the next state convention, but
also upon the disposition manifested to
keep faith with the people
The two senators elected twelve
months ago owe it to themselves and
TO tine party to aid in its regeneration
and purgation. They know that noto-
riously dishonest men hold important
positions in the federal service whom
they would not trust IN any capacity
in their own business houses. The mere
fact that these men hold u~nexpired com
missions affords no excuse for their re-
tention. These men have enjoyed a
years respite beyond what they ex-
pected when the new senators were
elected. To continue to extend cIemency
and favor to this class simply means to
sacrifice the republican party for the
benefit of men whose conduct has dis
credited it with the people.
We feel sure President Roosevelt
will not stand in the way of a house
cleaning IL the senators will only rise
to the emergency. This Toes not neces-
sarily mean a wholesale raid upon fed
eral officers. The work of political
house -cleaning should be limited to the
men whose r~eprehensible conduct and
affiliations with public thieves make
their retention in the federal service a
constant reflection upon the party and a
menace to its success.