Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-03

Of Edward e. Howell, the fusion candidate
for mayor. The question is. how far can
Howell be depended on to I'LL the fulsome
promises he is making so literally. The
only answer is to be found in the record
made in the past by Howell whenever he
has had an opportunity to make an Official
record.
The whole tenor Of the platform on
which Howell is seeking the suffrage Of
the voters Of Omaha is for municipal. own
ership and against corporation domination;
Howell and his supporters are talking in
public at ward meetings and on the streets
about municipal ownership Of all natural
monopolies, and war on the corporations
Is the slogan by which they are seeking to
rally the mass Of voters about the banner
Of the gamblers friend.
Tho official record made by Edward e.
Howell has a more direct bearing on this
very question than on any other question
OF general Importance. This record shows
Of itself that Howell has been a politician
who caters to the wishes of the corpora
lions, while he tries to make the people
believe he is grinding the ~soulless corpora
lions into the earth.
1t Is only necessary to 60 back to the
session Of the legislature Just closed. An
examination of the Omaha charter bill.
Howelrs pet measure, and the one on
which he banked to carry him into the
mayors chair. shows that Howell's old
trick Of knuckling TO the corporations is
strongly in evidence.
When this bilI was introduced the sec
tion providing for the issuance OF bonds
for acquiring qu~asi-public works included
among its provisions a clause covering
street railways, providing that bonds might
be issued for the appropriation Of these
works.
The section referring to the city ~electri-
clan provided that that official should in
spect and supervise all public street light
ing.
Looks After His Friends.
This charter bill was referred to Howell's
committee. 1t evidently occurred to the en-
terprising chairman that the street rail-
way company and gas company in this city
were two very powerful corporations in a
political sense, and the fangs Of the sec
tion referred to were carefully removed By
the astute Mr.. Howell so that his friends.
the gas company and the street railway
company could not be offended.
When the bill was reported back to the
Legislature 1t was so amended that the
street railway system was in no danger Of
even being appropriated or molested by the
city and the inspection Of the gas lighting
was stricken from the duties OF the city
electrician. The latter action means that
the ONCE of. gas inspector will be continued
and that a mar not unfriendly to the gas
company will be kept in the once II Mr..
Howell has anything to say about It.
This latter action is hardly In harmony
with the plank of the fusion platform
which declares in favor Of abolishing need
less Offices wherever possible.
Another instance In the charter in which
The interests Of the street railway company
have been protected to the de.riment Of the
best interests OF the property owners Of
the city is found in the section which pro-
vides for the extension Of the street rail-
way lines. When introduced this section
should have been harmless enough to suit
the most fastidious. 1t simply provided
that when a majority of property owners
along any street should petition the mayor
and council for the extension of a street
railway line and should waive the right to
compel the company to pave between its
tracks, Then the street railway company
may construct a line along said street, etc"
The section was not mandatory in any
sense and simply gave the street railway
company the privilege of constructing the
line, but Chairman Howell in order to fully
protect his friends, the corporations, in
serted a clause which required that a street
Improvement district shall first be created
along the street where the street railway
line is desired to be extended. This simply
means that the residents OF any outlying
district desiring a street railway line may
be held off by the street railway company
until a petition for paving has been signed
by the owners of a majority Of the property
along the proposed extension and a paving
district has been created. The effect Of this
will be to practically prohibit the construc-
ton OF any extension Of street railway
lines.
Omaha is full OF instances where the re-
doubtable trickster has either played d.
rectIy into the hands Of the franchised cor
porations or has lodged the issue.
Votes Against Public Interest.
His record on matters affecting the In
terest Of the water works campany bellies
his loud mouthed professions OF anxiety
to see the city appropriate the plant. When
ever the opportunity offered to protect
the interests OF the city against the in
terests Of the water company, Howell in
yariably voted to protect the water COM
pany regardless Of the effect upon the city.
His record in this connection started as
early as about the middle of his first term
in the council. At that time there was a
dispute over what was generally known as
the "Venner" agreement, an agreement
entered into with the city by Charles II.
Venner then vice president OF the
American Water company, whereby the
water company agreed to relocate 100 use
less hre hydrants and locate them at points
where the city would derive some benefit
from the $50 per year 1t was paying for
each Of these MIGRANTS. Three ordinances
were passed ordering about thirty-seven OF
these hydrants placed at other points. The
water company refused to comply with
the ordinances and a long fight ensued
Every effort was used 10 compel the water
company to live up to the agreement made
by its officers. Strong pressure was brought
to bear upon the council by the emissaries
of the water company and the ordinances
in question were repealed. August 8
1899, the mayor vetoed the ordinance
repeating them and stated that no harm
could come from letting the ordinances
stand until the dispute between the Watel
company an the city had been adjusted II
the courts. The controversy over the al
} legged failure OF the water company t.
furnish the fire protection required by it
contract was at its height and there wal
a strong division OF sentiment In the
} council. The veto Of the mayor was over
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