Omaha daily bee., 1903-04-19

question and would make an almighty
queer sort OF king l wouldn't like the Job
at all and / would be mortally certain to
kick holes in the coronation robes and do
other unkingly things. STILL IL you ask the
question merely as one way of finding out
what l should like to do for Omaha, I'll
answer you," he said.
"If l were king / would have fire de-
partment in proportion to our city's size
and needs. We are going along smoothly
enough now with splendid corps under a
leader in whom the men have confidence,
but disaster may overtake us any time as
a result of insufficient apparatus. Our de-
partment Is on par only with cities half
Omahas size. / am much encouraged by
the councils fon in placing the matter
before the puJ.c that it may vote on the
$4,000 bond proposition. With $4,000 we
could build principal engine house on the
lot at Eleventh and Jackson, already pur-
chased, and with the remaining 1000 we
could replace the old barn on Twenty-sev-
enth near Leavenworth with a two-story
brick building that would give the men
such shelter as they deserve to be given.
There really should be another engine house
back of the high school to protest the resi-
dence district there, and another out about
Twentieth and Lake for the Kountze place
properties. Then with additional appsr. t
we should be blessed with a lower insur-
ance rate.
''If we're king, I would see that the new
water board got down to business and ac-
complished its mission at the earliest pos
sible day.
'If / were king 1 would either build
new electric lighting plant or purchase the
present one The people of Omaha are ripe
NnE ninfn fzsks
of the gas plant might follow later, and
with the reduction of telephone rates we
could almost feel that the millennium had
come.
IF we're king we would have a canal
by means of which cheap power could be
furnished manufacturing plants. Ours will
never be great manufacturing city until
cheap power is assured, and 1t is unfor-
tunate that the present canal project is
tied up as it is No relief can be hoped for
until our citizens place some new council
men within the city hall.
'If l were king there would be equal
taxation. 1t is a crying shame that the
wage Garner has to pay in full proportion
to the value of his property while rail-
road companies are allowed to escape. The
fight that the Real Estate exchange has
made in this matter might be called the
1t on through sooner or later. Mr.. J. H.
McIntosh's leaving is unfortunate for the
city but there are others who can take
up his work and push 1t to successful
termination.
"If l were king l would decide for home
rule in the matter of police commissions
and water commissions, and would stop
this clubbing of a few business interests of
the city, done to compel obedience TO the
bidding OF one man working purely for
personal spite work.
"If we're king I would have Sixteenth
and other streets paved anew to avoid pos
sible responsibility for accidents and would
have first paving paid for by adjoining
property benefited thereby and subsequent
repairs paid for by the city at large.
'Tf l were king 1 would try to solve the
garbage question either by building crema-
tories or arranging for dump accessible to
all. l would have the street car lines ex-
tended and get one across the Twenty
fourth street viaduct with an increase in
the number of cars on the South Omaha
line for the convenience Of the weary pack
ing house employees on their trips home
ward. l would arbitrate labor troubles,
having a scale of wages made pro-
portionate to the advance in the price OF
commodities of livelihood. l would finish
that auditorium. would treat every man
as l would be treated-and 1 would go
down to history as the queerest king that
ever ruledi
"But, you know, a mayor is not king
and instead Of ordering these things done
he can only work to the end that they may
be accomplished some time. That is what ]
intend to do"
The mayors home life, like his office de-