Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-04-19
BENSON ANSWERS VOTERS
Republican Candidate for Mayor Freely and
Frankly States Position.
is NOT OPPOSED TO SUNDAY BASE BALL
Questions Put In second and twelfth
wards Are Met and Fully
Replied TO and the
Answers Cheered.

At a meeting Of the Second Ward Re
publican club last evening at Eighteenth
and Ninton streets Erastus A. Benson
again publicly announced himself regard
ing Sunday base ball games. During his
dalk on general matters. which have been
already chronicled, a southsider rose in the
meeting and asked Mr. Benson how he
stood on the base ball question, a matter
the citizen declared, which vitality inter-
ested those on the south side.
Mr.. Benson replied by saying: Base ball
is most manly sport l attend the games
as often as a business man can and am an
enthusiastic supporter of the game. 1
want to state that even II l had the power
az mayor l would not deprives the people
of their Sunday games. That matter is
only one of lot of silly and groundless
canards being circulated by the opposition
in this campaign"
In the main Mr. Benson reiterated his
speech made Monday evening in the Sixth
ward. He admonshed voters to go to the
polls and vote for the candidates as they
would do If they were hiring employees.
John J. Ryder made a rousing speech in
which he urged the support of the entire
republican ticket, as he declared the main
issue to be to keep Omaha in the repub-
Hcan column. r. b. Howell, Sam Green
leaf, w. +. Johnson. L. E. Lucas and a
few other candidates made short talks.
Benson Nails More Lies.
e. A. Benson nailed some more OF the
democratic lies i'm a speech before the COL
ored men of the Twelfth ward in the hall
at Thirtieth and Spaulding streets last
night. Reports which had been circulated
as to MI. Bensons attitude toward the
colored race were torn to pieces by the re-
publican candidates in a manner which
could have left no doubt in the minds Of
his hearers, had they heard the reports.
Mr.. Benson said
1T has been said won't rent houses to
colored people. That is true, for I don't
rent houses to anybody. I attend to the
rentals Of only two houses, one let to a
friend whom I have known for years and
the other I take care Of for a man with
whom I am associated in business.
"They say will not sell houses to col
ored men. II you men think that's true,
you just come around to my office tomor-
row and II you have only a fair amount
OF cash and though 7 am very busy with
politics you will find me ready to drop
things for a while and sell you house.
Democrats as Noise Makers.
Talking along another line, Mr.. Benson
said:
1.-THE opposition is making a lot Of noise,
and they say we are not making much.
That reminds me OF the Georgia colored
man who prayed in the midst of a storm,
when the thunder was roaring and the
trees were falling, % Lord, let us have less
noise and a little more light We ask
that of the democratic party. You know
that the coyotes only howl in the twilight
and you can't tell then whether there is
one of 100 Of them.
THE question before the voters in this
campaign is whether they are going to
own their government, or whether they are
going to turn it over to special interests.
II they want to own the government they
ought to vote the republican ticket, which
is the cleanest that has been put before
the people for years
Mr.. Benson expressed himself as in favor
of foot of park for every foot Of boule-
ward, the latter being designed for people
who own automobiles and carriages, and
the former for children and the poor. He
said the best government is not only clean
and honest. but It has an anxious solicit
tude for every citizen within it's territory.
Frank Barnett, e. c. Holder and others
talked before Mr.. Benson's arrival and
after his speech addresses were made by
Sam Greenleaf, d. A. N. Chase, E. A..
Anderson, i. r. Lucas and Vic Walker.