Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-04
MoORES " HOWELL

Home rule, equal taxation and munic-
ipal ownership are the paramount is
sues in the present municipal campaign
and taxpayers and voters of all classes
must decide for themselves who among
the candidates for mayor is most likely
to give vitality to these issues. 1t must
be manifest to all who know anything
about politics and public sentiment that
the populist and republican rump can
didate for mayor has no more chance
of election than the candidate of the
socialists. The contest has narrowed
down squarely between Frank E. Moores
and Edward q. Howell. One or the
other of these two candidates will be the
next mayor of Omaha. An intelligent
choice between these men could only be
made by a comparison of their records
and their relations to the corporations
and interests that are opposed to home
rule, equitable taxation and municipal
ownership.
The insincerity Of Howell as an advo-
cate of home rule is exhibited by his
jubilation over the decision Of the su-
preme court that stamps out home rule
for the city Of Omaha.
The fact that the tax-shirking cor
porations are all combined against
Moores and in favor Of Howell either
directly or indirectly through their
stalking-horse, Benson, affords ample
proof that Moores is regarded as an
unsafe\man by them. In other words,
they know that they can depend on
Howell to do their bidding. while
Moores will pursue an independent
course and will protect the public in.
terest whenever it clashes with the in.
terests Of the corporations.
Howell's record in the city council and
in the legislature proves him to be ar
abject creature Of the corporations. His
business as a coal dealer and a member
Of the local coal combine subjects hin
to corporate dependence and conse
quently makes him a perfectly safe
man for the railroads and their allies
the franchised corporations. On tn,
other hand, Frank E. Moores is en-
gagged in no other business than that o.
administering the affairs Of the gov
eminent and no corporation has string
to him.
The advocates of Howell have no
even instituted comparisons with Franl
E. Moores as a public-spirted citizen
and while they have sought to besmircl
MOores and make invidious comparison
with Howell, everybody intimately &C
quainted with the two men knows tina
Moores' moral stamina excels by ia
that Of his competitor. If Moores ha
made himself Objectionable to certai
classes by pursuing a wide open polio
Howell is on record as a champion G
gamblers in the city council, where b
!, voted to license gambling, and in tn
Legislature. where he labored zealousl
!, to secure the passage of the bill to r,
peal that part Of the criminal code this
makes gambling a felony.
From every point of view, therefor
Frank Z. Moores would be preferabI
in the mayors chair to Edward E. How
ell. Summed up in a nutshell, the owe
shadowing issue in the present car
paign is, Shall the corporations gover
= Omaha or shall Omaha govern Itself
Howell VIGOROUSLY owes his nomin
e ton to the corporations and is supports
/ by them with all the means at the
command. Moores was nominated
spite Of all the corporations and eorpor
ton dominated police clubs. He is und,
no obligations to the corporations al
o will, consequently, be in position to 7
Q deem the republican platform pledge