Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-23
IN The POLITICAL ARENA
Civic Federation May Request Mickey to
Remove Broatch from Police Board.
AMPLE CAUSE FOR THE COMPLAINT
FontsnelIes AIso Discuss Matter of
Brostch's Expulsion for Using
Police Department for His
Campaign Purposes.
AMPLE CAUSE FOR the COMPLAINT

A request may be made by the Civic Fed
Grafton upon Governor Mickey to remove
w ]. Broatch from the Board OF Fire and
Police Commissioners for trying to
use the police force in his mayoralty
campaign. The matter has been hnoer dis
cussion by the Federation people, although
10 action has been taken. The Broatch
men have been Boosting freely that they
have the police department behind them
and have been using the assertion for what
ever It is worth. A member Of the Fedora
ton says:
THE law contemplates clearly that the
Board OF Fire and Police Commissioners
shall not be used as a political club in
any way. In the opinion of our attorneys
any attempt Of the kind by member OF
the board would be sufficient cause for re-
moval The law makes 1t clear that the
governor can remove a commissioner for
cause, and in my opinion the cause exist
ing is a very good one. Broatch is so noto-
riously in politics and il is so we'll known
that he is doing everything in his power to
secure the republican nomination, that 1t
must be self-evident
1T is as plain as daylight that Broatch
has let 1t be known that the people of the
police department must back up his
mayoralty campaign. Some of them admit
they are for Brostch and then alphabetically
inquire how It can be expected they could
take any other attitude This In itself Is
bad enough, but when 1t comes 20 the inn
portation of Denver gamblers. 1 do not see
how the people of this community can
countenance such a thing. The Broatch
slogan is gambling. graft and greed His
position is so obvious no man who cares
for decent government can support him. "
At a gathering of voters at Thirtieth
and Spalding streets on Wednesday even
ing. w. ]. Broatch defined his personal
attitude on the liquor question. About
thirty persons were present at the meet
ing and were treated to long and more or
less violent harangue by Broatch on the
subject OF Rosewater. After declaring his
desire to be mayor and abusing the editor
Of The Bee till he had exhausted himself,
he came down TO business by saying he
did not care for beer but would occasion-
ally take a glass of whisky. Az a perora-
ton he asked the chairman II he could
recall what the governor of South Caro-
lima said to the governor of North Caro-
lima. The chairman Immediately adjourned
the meeting to the saloon next door. where
Jim Allan paid for beer for the crowd and
Captain Broatch made good on his plat
form by taking whisky.
And still little or nothing is heard OF the
I'enson campaign. 1t has been whispered
about that his workers are making a
"house TO house" campaign. but no house
holder has been found to date who &C.
L., ylals x+iof fe1, 80 hos
csmpaigners. Not Ions ago plans were
made IL hold a Benson meeting in the
sixth ward. Considerable effort was made
to get out voters favorable to the Fonta-
nellie ticket. When the assemblage con-
vened IL was found the audience consisted
OF seven men. Upon hearing from each
of the audience II was discovered that four
cut of the seven were Hennings men A
few minutes later the meeting adjourned
without the transaction of any business.
w. ]. Connell makes this statement:
The sensational accounts published about
Mr.. Chucovich of Denver coming to Omaha
with $4,000 to dump into the city campaign
are wholly without foundation. I person.
ally know that Mr.. Chucovich came Ia
, Omaha on important business not connected
with politics and for the sole purpose OF
| making final settlement of matters that
have been in court for several years.
THE charge OF the yellow journal
| smeared with red ink that Mr.. Chucovich
as the king OF Denver gamblers. is here &c
run the campaign of w. ]. Broatch or tc
put up the money necessary to nominate
and elect him. is rank rot. The use of his
name in that connection is unjustifiable and
Is purely for political purposes. Everyone
acquainted with Mr.. Chucovich knows he Il
prince OF good fellows with deserved
| reputation for generosity and success. bu
| he is not yet attempting to run Omaha pol
! itics. 1t is true he is an acquaintance and
| friend of w. ]. Broatch. This fact is useC
to create prejudice with certain elemen
| against Mr.. Broatch. but believe 1t will
have the opposite effect with all liberia
and fair-minded citizens who wish 20 Sc,
Omaha go ahead and prosper in place o.
being sand-bagged as II Is by the Civi,
Federation and lot Of extremists anC
| cranks.''