Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-22
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II IL evident that the local republican
organ is already making ready to apologize
for the action OF the republican state
board Of equalization IN refusing TO raise
railroad assessments In the face OF a
doubling, trebllnG and even auadrupling'
in market values. The eve OF another
state campaign - approaching. And II Is
necessary for The Bee to make ready to
eat crow. The Bees process Of makins
ready is very simple. 1t merely labels the
bird turkey. with cranberry sauce and
sits down to the Observation-Disclosures.
1t is evident that the local Bryanite
organ is making ready to pursue the
tactics that have destroyed popular
belief in it's honesty and sincerity nd
made It impossible for the democrats
to regain the confidence Of the masses
ever in the face OF the scandalous
record made by Pardon Broker Savage
and the ~indefensibIe record Of the re-
publican state boards on the assessment
of railroads w years ago and last
year.
Everybody in Nebraska remembers
the suggestive silence Of that sheet
about the BARLEY pardon and the pitiful
position into which its serpentine course
placed the f~usionists. Everybody re-
members also the arrant demagogy that
has characterized it's discussion Of the
railroad tax issues, which was In such
marked contrast with the course pursued
by this paper and its editor.
The paramount issue upon which the
Bryanite democracy, or rather the demo
pop party, came into power in Nebraska
was anti-monopoly. Free silver was a
mere incident. The platform upon
which the fusion reformers carried Ne
braska In 1896 and 1898 denounced rail-
road domination and railroad pass
bribery and pledged candidates to
equalize the burdens Of taxation. How
did these promises tally with perform
ance and in what respect did the pop
state officers differ in dealing with the
railroads from their republican prede-
cessors and successors? Did the World
Herald ever denounce the demo-pop pass
bride takers? Did it ever pillory the
demo-pop state boards that failed to
carry out the platform pledges of their
party on railroad assessments? Would
it have entered circumstances against
a repetition Of the performances of the
Poynter beard By the Savage board IL
the Savage board had been made Of
democrats or populists?
When has Bryan or his democratic
organ been known to do anything except
to find fault and decry republican boards
Of assessment Mr.. Bryan is a lawyer
and lives at Lincoln. Why has he never
appeared before an assessment board, or
before the courts, to raise his voice
against the outrages perpetrated against
the taxpayers by the fragrant under
valuation of railroadsf
Mr.. Hitchcock is a lawyer and claims
to be an anti-monopolist. Why has he
never invoked the power of the court
to Illustrate the conspiracies by which
the people have been subjected to the
iniquities OF railroad differentiation?
why have not these foes OF monopoly
Joined the editor OF The Bee in making
the fight for tax reform? In 30 doing
they could make no political enemies
inside of their party, while The Bee was
compelled to incur the enmity, not only
Of party leaders, but Of the entire cor
poration faction of its party.
So, far from getting ready to apologize,
The Bee is determined to keep up the
fight and will continue to oppose public
men of all parties who betray the people
in the interest of the corporations and
whose performances are at variance
with their own pledges or the pledges
made for them in their party platform.