Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-03
AFFRONT TO LABORERS


Continued from Page One.)
was a stop put to this practice, but we were
treated as roughly as possible until about
two weeks before election, when we we're
called upon and asked II we desired to
have Objectionable officers removed. We
had presented our views to this board
through a committee OF our members COM
posed of taxpayers OF Omaha, and when
ever we appealed to it, in the language of
the street. we got the horse-laugh every
time. Facts are facts, and let us be can
did with ourselves as we we're last fall.
Last fall a gentleman who was a candidate
for congress was thought to be responsible
In a measure for the selection OF the pres
ent Fire and Police commission, and that
in his recommendation to the governor he
had outraged organized labor-he was de-
feated and"
Bob HoughtOn Breaks In.
At this instant Bob Houghton again broke
into the proceedings by denouncing the
speaker and saying that the meeting
should not listen to anything rejecting
upon the Fire and Police commission. He
would not respond to the request Of the
chairman for order and the chairman was
finally compelled to again call upon the
police to restore order. An officer took
HoughtOn by the arm, but before he could
do anything with the disturber Of the
peace w. J. Broatch, coming down the
aisle, commended the officer to let Hough-
ton alone and not in any way assist the
chairman in preserving order. When this
became known a motion to adjourn was put
and carried and about half of the people
left the hall.
While the union men were leaving the
socialists pushed to the front and e. j..
Morgan was raised to the stage. The So
cialists formed around the stage in the
front chairs, and while the executive COM
mittee of the original meeting was won
dering what should be done, Mr.. Morgan
was declared chairman Of the socialist
meeting, which was organized upon the
ruins Of the union labor meeting. From
that time there was no pretense of making
the meeting one of trades unionists, or OF
laboring men. The chairman of the meet
ing is not a member OF any union, and with
but two exceptions no speaker was in any
way connected with a labor organization.
1t must be said that Chairman Morgan at
tempted to be fair, and there would have
been no further disturbance had it not been
for a number Of hoodlums headed by Vic
Walker, E. C. Holder. and job A. Scott,
who accompanied z. A. Benson from a
meeting at Germania hall later in the
evening.
Gets Back at W~estberE.
The first speaker after the chairman. who
made a rather extended address, was f.
E.. Hart, a Benson boomer, who did not
dare at that stage Of the meeting to men
ton Benson's name. He was followed by
E.. e. Streeter, who told why he was for
Benson. Then there were calls for some
one to present the claims of Mayor Moores.
The union men in the hall took no notice
OF the call, but finally Andrew Rosewater
was signaled out and called upon. City
Engineer Rosewater had just started to
ak when the Benson boomers began to
interrupt. He referred to the figures pre-
scented by Comptroller Westberg, as evil
dence of a padded payroll, and said that II
the facts were as presented by Mr., Wet
berg the comptroller should be in the peni-
Tertiary for he had approved each payroll
and further than that had signed the orders
for payment. He said that while he had
been at the head Of the Board Of Public
Works no man had been expected to vote
to hold his JOB, so far as he was concerned
and that he had told foremen of street
gangs who seemed to expect instructions
that while the city bought the service of
the men the officers of the city did not pur-
chase their suffrage nor their manhood.
He then referred to the attempt to secure
a franchise for a power system in the city,
which would have given electrical power at
one-half the price now charged and at
tributed the defeat of the ordinance to the
action Of public corporations of the city,
and referred to the part taken by c. c.
Wright, in defeating the proposition. In
response to his question:
do you want such a man as city at
torney?" There was a loud chorus Of N L.
while not one affirmative voice was heard.
He closed by saying: THESE corpora
lions are practically all in one today. Fin
out where they are and II is a safe PROPOSE
tion to take the other place. They are
backing Howell, and they are backing Ben
son, and the only way In which the peo-
pie can secure a victory over them Is
through the election of Frank e. Moores,' "
which statement was received With re-
sounding cheers.
Then Barnard McCsffery spoke from q
socialist standpoint. while e. c.. Holder and
John A. Scott continually Interrupted the
speaker with bowls for f. e. Thomas. Mr.
Thomas finally got the stage and introduced
f. A. Benson, who bowed pleasantly. j
H. Mcintosh spoke for ten minutes fol
Benson. @. NJ. Hitchcock spoke for Howell
Chairman Morgan spoke for fifteen minute;
from the socialist standpoint. and while tn,
Benson hoodlums in the rear we're making
night hideous. J. r. Southland, a Benson
boomer, moved that the mass convention
endorse the candidacy of w. H. Moore. th'
socialist candidate. for mayor, This wal
carried by the combined votes Of the So
c~ialists and the men who formed in the
hall under the leadership Of Vic Walker, II
the interests Of Erastus A. Benson.
BY a vote Of the meeting earlier in thu
evening Andrew Rosewater, whose remark
had not been completed at the expiration
Of his time, had been granted permission
to speak ten minutes after the last socialis
orator. For half an hour, in the face o
jeers from the Benson boodlums, Mr.. Rose