The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1904-04-29

make affidavit to it? III his campaign
expenses were over $50 he perjured
himself when he took the oath OF
of the excuse that he contracted a
heavy Indebtedness by reason OF his
| candidacy?
1t is charged. openly AM; above
| board. that Hoskins has been graft
| ing" Detective Mitchell circulated
| subscription paper. asking donations
| to Il fund for the relief of Hoskins,
| whose family was said TO be sick and
| in need. Ard yet Hoskins bought
well established restaurant not Ions
ago. Where did the money come
from? Did he deprive his family II
order to purchase the restaurant?
Mitchell says that he took the paper
out on his own responsibility. Pei
haps he did but up to date the story
seems especially we'll suited lor ma
rine consumption.
Manager Richards of the Lincoln
hotel declares on oath that he was
asked for $50 for Hoskins. Council
, man Bauer admits that he subscribed
to the 'Hoskins relief fund.- and
Richards and Bauer are both holder
of saloon licenses and in position
to be sadly hampered and bothered
| by an exciseman who does not feel
kindly or even fairly disposed towards
them.
Even if Mitchell circulated that pa :
per with the most humanitarian mo-
tives. and wholly without the knowl
edge or consent of Hoskins, he vas
guilty of an act so foolish as to come
dangerously near to pure idiocy. Anu
il lIoskins accepted penn of the
money thus raised he was guilty of an
act that should warrant his impeach
ment.
II the charges against Hoslins were
of recent origin there might be some
grounds for believing that they have
been exaggerated. But the rumois
have been flying for months. Not un-
til Manager Richards of the Lincoln
hotel had the courage TO refuse to De
held up did others tell what they
knew. But more than a year ago the
first rumor of graft" made its appear
ance. Tom keane, would-be poiice-
man. in burst OF confidence. said hs
had paid designated sum for his dp-
pointment. The matter was husEer
up in some wav or other, but 1t set
parties on watch. and there has Oee::
enough developed during the last
three or four months to indicate thai
Keane was not talking through his
hat.
The Wagewcrker mas no particular
admiration for EXciseman Woiic's
theories OF how saloons and dives
should be controlled, but it takes mis-
occasion to say that ii admires
Wolfe's open methods of stating his
position. He did not hesitate TO tel
where he stood before election. bu.
Hoskins carried water On both shout
dcrs and while pledged to certain in
terests made claims of independence
And as soon as elected he delivered the
goods. and then began accepting mon
men who did not dare incur the en-
nifty of member of the excise board
Some people may not look upon that
sort of thing as graft. but The
Wageworker so considers it-anG an
almighty petty and mean graft" too.
BY his actions Thomas Hoskins has
given Organized Labor blow beneath
the belt. He has demonstrated his
unworthiness as representative oi
the interests of union .abor. He has
proved his unftness for the position
he occupies. Union men who have
strived earnestly to make unioniam
81 anonymous with honesty and fair
ness have been humiliated by man
who has abused his office and who is
pointed to with sneers by opponents of
unionism as "a sample of what union
men are
If Thomas Hoskins does not imme-
diately resign he shonld be impeacned
and removed. And union men shoul-
take the initiative in the work of see
ing to it that the man who has proved
his unfitness TO represent them or to
be entrusted with official position is
no longer allowed to stand as the rep
resentative OF organized labor. Union
men should repudiate him, apologize
for their mistake and take steps to
show that their repentance is heart
felt
This is not the first time that organ