Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-17
MOUNTAIN OF A MOLE HILL
Governor Mickey Explains the Bribery
Stories Floating Around.
SEES NO OCCASION FOR PROSECUTIONS
state board Of Assessment f. Not
Yet Ready TO Make Tts RE-
port on Railroad
Valuations.


NEIOm y 1NAh CONIeapoHOeULl
LINCOLN, May 16.--Cspeciai.)-By the
distortion of a statement made by Governor
mickey, in an interview to demonstrate
that no appointee Of his would be compelled
TO pay a portion Of his salary In order to
hold his position, much has been made out
Of little, and Sensational newspapers have
taken advantage OF an opportunity to
aplutter.
A report was sent out under a Lincoln
headline yesterday afternoon by the repre-
sentative OF the Associated Press TO the
enect that four men, applicants for posts
tons at the disposal OF the governor, had
offered to pay 1900 each for the places.
There was absolutely no truth In the state
ment. The Associated Press representative
did not talk to the governor, but instead he
secured his information second handed,
In the common acceptance OF the word,
no brides were offered the governor, ard It
was not the intention OF Governor Mickey
to so state. The truth OF the bribery charge
10 this;
While the nght for the position Of oil
Inspector was az its height and the feeling
was so strong as to develop two factions
In Lancaster county, each Of which
strongly advocated q different man, one Of
the candidates informed the governor that
II the other strong candidate would with
draw and the governor would appoint him,
as a compromise, he would give the retir-
ing candidate 1900. Governor Mickey re-
fused 10 even allow this to be done and
informed the applicant OF his disapproval
Of such methods.
An old soldier who was a close personal
friend OF a relative of Governor Mickey,
who Is not well on In this worlds goods,
asked 10 be appointed commandant of the
Soldiers home at Grand Island. To Gov
ernor Mickey the old soldier said he would
be able to live on half of the salary re-
ceived the FIRST year and the other half he
would give toward the support Of the
governors relative. This was the nearest
approach to an offer OF bribery that has
occurred since Governor Mickey was inau-
Eurated. The old soldier, of course. was
turned down, and the fact that he had
made such a proposition only came out
yesterday I'm the course OF a general dis
cussion OF the manner In which appoint
ments were made. Governor Mickey stated
that this proposition, as much as anything
else, was what caused him TO refuse to con-
slider the mans application further
The other "bribe ohererN was a candidate
for labor commissioner, This man, In
enumeratng his good qualities. Informed
the governor that three months in the year
he would devote to the interest Of the gov
ernor politically. When this man then re-
celved the governors idea Of men buying
appointments he left the presence of the
governor in a very bad h1mor, and he has
been that way since.
No reason for Complaints.
Il uee no reason why 1 should file COM
plaints against these men," said Governor
Mickey this morning, and / see no reason
why I should give their names to the pub
lie. I lust mentioned those things to the
newspaper men yesterday to show them
that l was not influenced in any way by
such methods in making appointments ano
that / would not be. Every one OF my APP
no,ntrnents i have made myself and there
IL not a single one of them who has to pay
tribute for his once. II one OF my ap-
polntees went wrong i would remove him
II I thought that one OF them paid tribute
TO any man for holding office / would re-
move him. The old soldier who made ms
tie proposition about the Grand Island
home made the mistake of his life h
he offered TO give one-half OF his salary
70 a relative OF mine. He has felt my dis
Measure and my disapproval OF such meth
DDS In that his application was not con
sidered after the proposition was made
He is a poor man and an old man. would
not, l think, be justified In giving MI
name to the public or Ming a complain
against him, He did not offer me anything
direct.
"The fact that a candidate for labor com
missioner offered to spend three months
cut OF the year working for my politica
interests was what might be termed tram
in politics, but such trafhc does not no
will not receive my approval. That maj
knows my ideas on such methods Of secur
. Ing ONCE and 1 see no reason why I shoul'
attempt to prosecute him.
"None OF the men were appointed to of
Ace and no bride was offered to me in tn
nature Of a bride direct: no crime wa
committed against the state; no damag
has been done the state; the men hav
been shut out absolutely from holding ap
p~ointive oflces so far as l am concerne
and there, l am OF the opinion, the matte
win rest.
1.-THE matter came up In the discussion o
the Hays criticism OF me In connectio