Omaha daily bee., 1903-04-05

one Of these corporations. They all want
him renomiAated by acclamation.
Meaner Than COwards.
"They say God hates a coward. but there
Is a still more despicaple creature than
the coward-that is the hypocrite. When
you ask one OF the anti-machine leaders
to explain why the test oath spotter bill
was passed by the Douglas delegation he
tells you that 1t was solely for the purif-
cation Of the primaries and with view to
putting a stop to democrats helping TO
nominate republican candidates. The other
day a prominent republican asked Lee
Spratlen why he had taken such an active
part in the passage Of the Gilbert bill, and
spratlen blandly informed him that It was
done to lock out democrats who registered
are republicans last fall. we are bound
to down Moores this time said spratlen,
and we will carry the First ward and the
Third ward in spite OF all he can do Who
ia 'we." Mr.. spratlenf Are you net regis
tered as a democrat and we're you not ap-
pointed as q democrat on the police board?
Why do you concern yourself about the re-
publican candidates and republican pri-
maries7' But Lee spratlen, who lie the Bur-
lihgton right-of-way agent and political
lobbyist OF that road. is not the only dem
ocrat who is taking an active hand in re-
publican politics with the anti-machine
keep -it-dark faction.
Notes and the GOphers.
zone Of the most notorious democrats,
Walter Noise, who wore a gorgeous unit
form when he was on Governor Poynter's
staff, has taken a very active hand in re-
publican town politics. Walter Noise, as
you know, is the owner Of a small brewery
and several very large saloons in omaha.
He is a man that mixes his politics for
revenue, and one Of his big saloons is head
quarters for the Gopher executive COM
mittee." For the last thirty days Noise
has been scurrying around town night and
day, most of the time in company with w.
J. Broatch, for whom he Is doing the
smooth work. He makes no bones OF II that
RefOrmer Broatch is his choice for mayor
and be is death on Moores because the
Moores police commission held him In
check on several occasions. Noise is also
taking a very deep interest in carrying
the republican primaries for several re-
publican reethers, In the First ward he
is enthusiastic for HascsIl and in the
Fourth for Frank Kennard. They say
politics makes strange bedfellows. I saw
Noise and Kennard walking down Farnam
In arm in close confab, and their beaming
eountenances showed that they were sat
isfed with each other and with the work
that was being put in for publication and
decency.
Municipal Ownership Deception.
Now a word about municipal ownership.
They tell you that we are going to have
municipal ownership of the water works,
but they do not tell you when or how the
works are to be acquired. 1t is a profound
secret that the managers Of the four fran
chised corporations got together before the
legislature convened and agreed to have the
bill for the compulsory purchase Of the
/ water works put through the legislature.
| Those who claim tc speak from the inside
| Of the corporations say that the object was
to throw a big chunk Of meat and bone to
| the municipal ownership dog and let the
dog choke to death. They concluded that
| the purchase of the water works at this
/ time, when prices are extremely high, would
| be a good thing for the water company and
when the people who clamor for municipal
ownership found out that they were paying
one or two millions more than the works
were worth they would get sick of their
bargain and let up on any more municipal
| ownership fer many years to come. When
| the legislature convened the water Worka
purchase bill was the first bill introduced
in the senate and 1t was rushed through
under whip and spur without the slightest
opposition. The superintendent Of the
water works was rusticating in Californis
about that time and the manager did not
| lift q finger. In fact, he laid dewn, Re-
member. that the eastern capitalists who
own the water works now have large in
terest in the street car line and in the
gas works and IL they seriously objected tC
the municipal ownership of the water
works they could have strangled the How
ell Gilbert water works bill just az easily
as the telephone company did the Howell
telephone bills Do you imagine that the
bill would have been log-rOlled through
without serious opposition II these people
had not wanted the bill to pass? Surely
not. We are going to have city water
works some day, but before you get pos
| session you may prepare for a very pro-