Omaha daily bee., 1906-09-16

TIE NEW BATTLE CRY or FREEDOM.
The rallying point OF the present
campaign IN Nebraska must be a new
battle cry of freedom-not freedom
from human slavery to brutal task
drivers, but of political freedom from
corporate masters. The lines of bat
tie were clearly drawn in the last ad-
dress of the late Edward Rosewater,
delivered on the very day of his death
at the Grand Army Of the Republic
encampment at Waterloo. when he
said that ut would be far better that
we should never have won and liber-
ated the blacks II the white people of
the United States and the blacks both
are to be In the future held in the
thralldom of corporate power" And
he concluded with the parting adj
monition to every citizen of Nebraska
ito consider seriously the necessity,
the imperative demand of the hour,
that every man who represents you in
public life, shall be your servant and
nobody's else servant; that he shall
do justice by all, do justice to the cor
porations as we'll as to the individ-
uals, and that he shall not because of
special favors and brides given in any
form whatever disown you, disfavor
you, wink at corporate aggression,
wink at oppressive and outrageous
exactions because he, himself. has
been specially favored at your expense
and with your commission"
In the fight that is being waged in
every legislative district and county
in this state IT should not be hard for
the people to decide which of the
candidates appealing for their sup
port may be depended on to stand up
oourageously for the rights of the
public and which will be found doing
the bidding of the corporation bosses.
1t should not be hard for the people to
find out which candidates the pass
givers and railroad clacquers prefer,
and to see that candidates beholden
to the railroads cannot at the same
time be beholden to the people.
Actions speak louder than words.
In the contest for governor the re-
publican nominee has a record of
fidelity to the people, which is the
best guaranty that he will be faithful
when chosen chief executive of the
state. George l.. Sheldon was pomi-
mated over the opposition of the cor
poration cohorts. and he owes no OBJ
legation to them. His democratic OPP
ponent, on the other hand. no matter
what loud protestations he may make
or how glibly he may profess indie
pendence from corporation strings,
was nominated at the behest and by
the help of the railroads, and at best
must repudiate one master or the
other.
In the senatorial contest, II the rail-
roads have their way, they will pre-
vent the election of Norris Brown,
who has been Endorsed by the repub-
licans as their choice. No candidate
for the legislature, who is wrong on
the vital Issue of driving the railroads
out Of politics by Withdrawing their
special privileges, can be depended
upon to vote for Norris Brown, II his
vote can help to defeat him. Every
candidate for the legislature on all
tickets should be pinned down def
nitely as to where he stands as be-
tween the corporations and the people
and no man who evades or equivocates
should be trusted.
The people of Nebraska have the
power and they have the opportunity
now to strike the blow for freedom
and strike 1t effectively. They should
strike 1t as 'unerringly and as courage
ously as their forefathers struck the
blow that established human freedom
throughout the whole length and
breadth of the land.