Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-10
prRAsEp PnL1rloAL Erhlcs.

Is the most heinous offense that can be
committed by an officer. Under the
unwritten political code d~isloyalty in the
midst Of a campaign by men honored
and trusted as leaders is equally repre-
henslble.
In political as well as in the military
campaigns the members who constitute
the rank and file are subject to less Sc
we're discipline than TIE regulars on the
Office holding payroll. The low standard
of morals and the debased condition OF
Omaha politics must be ascribed to a
lhmentable lack Of political pride md
Integrity rather than to factlonalism,
which within itself Is to the party what
the waves are to the sea, which can be
kept pure only by agitation. A few ex-
amples will suffice:
In the memorable campaign of 1900
federal office holders In Omaha, lnclud-
ing tile postmaster, surveyor Of Gus
toms, Missouri river commissioner,
deputy United States marshals and dep
uties in the revenue Office made n des-
perate onslaught in conjunction with a
number Of city and county office holders
to defeat the republican legislative
ticket upon the election of which de-
pended two republican United States
senator's. Some Of these reprobates had
to be placated with campaign funds to
support the republican ticket. Others
cohabited with the enemy to the end.
Two years ago n county Judge seek
ing reelection, In company with two
business men on one of his delegations,
who boast of their business integrity,
gave their words of honor to carry out
a political agreement, which the county
Judge nttested in writing and then after
having reaped the benefit of the deal,
deliberately repudiated their pledges
and turned traitor to their associates.
Had a lawyer committed a similar vio-
lation Of the legal code, he would have
been dlsbarred from practising In the
courts and ostraclzed by all reputable
attorneys.
In the recent municipal campaign the
same gang Of mercenaries made com.
mon cause with the corporation poll
ticlans who bolted the convention with.
out the slightest cause or excuse. Among
the delegates of the republican city con.
ventlon was the chairman of the re.
publican county committee. Instead Of
marching at the head of the column
and leading the party this man not only
deserted TO the enemy but connived
with his bolting associates in the des
perate effort to defeat the party by
nominating a candidate through fusion
with the popullsts and the %mal-contents
of all the parties.
In this convention, the only excuse OF
the boilers was that the fruit Of theil
purchase of a delegate elected by the
opposition was denied them by thei,
failure to induce still another delegat,
to betray his trust by recording himself
against the instructions of the constit
uency which had sent him there. TIL,
sacredness of the popular verdict regis
tered In the party primaries was al
nothing to these corruptionists mas
querading in the name Of reform, al
though they would doubtless hold VI
their hands in holy horror II a membe,
of n secret order conclave should vot,
In conflict with the resolutions of tn,
lodge he represented.
The course pursued by the Younj
Mems Mckinley club, or rather its AT
titude toward the republican cit,
ticket in the recent campaign, was
breach Of the political code that tend
to demorallze the party and bring pc
lltical clubs into contempt and ridicuIe
Under the constitution and by laws o
the club no man over 85 was eligible I
membership and no one entitled to vot
at its meetings unless payment of Iii
dues kept him in good standing. At It
lasT meeting called fer the purpose O
endorsing the republican city ticket
number of outsiders ranging in age any
where from 40 TO 60, invaded the clu
and helped to vote down the resolution
pledging the club to the support Of tn
regularly nominated party ticket. Thes
men. some Of them pretending TO r.
spectability, had no more right to vot
as members OF the Mckinley club tina
would a layman to participate In
meeting of a bar association. BY thi
fraud. the club was placed in the DOS
ton Of %lmpugning its own party loyalt
and impeaching Its W sincerity an
: integrity.
These are only a few OF the strikin
examples Of degenerncy in Omaha pol
: tics that have lowered the standard {
republlcanism in Omaha and tend
keep men of honor and moral stamini
who believe that in politics as in bus
ness a mans word should be as GOO
as his bond, from active participation
politics.
: NOT A sTEADYIA0 iNFLUENOE.