Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-03-18
ELMER THOMAS FOR BENSON
Reformer Finds BOlter Only Candidate
Worthy of Support.
ROASTs EVERYBODY AND EVERYTHING
Governor Mickey, the Union Pacific,
the BrRndeises, the Council and
Many Others ExcOrIated
by che Speaker.

Elmer f. Thomas addressed about thirty
men in the Seward Street Methodist church
Friday on the subject of municipal re-
form. He advocated the nomination of
Benson. condemned Broatch, declared Gov
ernor Mickey a hypecrite and responsible
for criminal conditions in Omaha. and said
that the city had given away street fran
chises said to be worth 81 100000 to the
Union Pacific in 1905 for nothing. He stig-
matized the public service corporations
equally with gamblers, thieves. burglars
and prostitutes. In part, he said:
The events of the Ast twenty-four hours
show deep-soated dissatisfaction with tine
state of affairs In this city. The first duty
OF all OF US is TO get information about the
men running for Office, cast aside our preju-
dices and vote according to the dictates of
honesty and decency.
l assume that / have been asked 20 ad-
dress you as a representative Of the Civic
Federation The Federation was organized
two years ago 20 avoid in this community
events OF which you have had plenty dur
ing the last sixty days. In the first address
TO the public we pointed out that the city
was in the hands OF the criminal element
The political machine that ran things for
ruined by the prosecution of Tom Dennison.
The trial showed that the public service
corporations stand closely linked with the
criminal elements In Omaha.
There are three classes Of grafters in
Omaha. First, the criminal element proper;
saloon keepers, brewers and public officials;
and, third, the public service corporations.
Thomas Calls Mickey HypOcrite.
An arraignment followed OF Tom Denni-
son. the boss crook OF Omaha, and then the
speaker continued:
our man Mickey" our hypocrtical Meth
odist governor is the man who IS respon-
sible for this condition OF criminality In
the city of Omaha. IL the governor Of Ne
braska desired proper enforcement OF tne
law I'm this city the law would be enforced
N is a we'll known fact that Henry Heating,
secretary of the local Liquor Dealers as
ISOLATION, stumped the state for Governor
Mickey, and that Mickey has announced 70
police Commissioner, Broatch, that he did
not desire a strict enforcement OF the law
in Omaha and particularly the enforce
ment OF the Slocumb Sunday closing law.
/ think the city Is thoroughly sick OF this
police commission, which Is doing all in its
power 10 aid in giving wide-open town
Roasts the Corporations.
THE public service corporations OF this
ci,s ..Is grafters in the definition that they
desire some privilege from the government
for which they give no equivalent They
I'll Iast wear The present city council
granted a franchise for the use OF streets
to the Union Pacific when me lobbyist 'ils
eli returned successfully 10 headquarters
he was warmly congratulated and the an
nouucement made In the Union Pacific
oSfices that the franchise was worth 1900
OCO 20 the company corrupt ana Venai
council gave a thing OF this value 10 a
railroad company for nothing. Why should
not the Union Pacific have paid the city OF
Omaha for liz
| Recently the council granted 20 J. L.
I under Douglas street There Is no serious
/ obiection SO lar as ! know. TO letting the
/ firm use the space; but why should the city
| give away a piece OF land that a private
| Individual would have sold for many thou
l 81 nds OF dollarsY
] council IL h willing 10 give the gas com
! nssav a contract by which the company viii
81 paid grossly cXorbitant Irice tor gas