Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-04-29
BENSON IN SEVENTH WARD
Splendid Meeting Hears Ringing Words
from Republican Leadsrl
HITCHCOCK DENOUNCED FOR HIS COURSE
Coordination Of Corporations and
Grafters aud Their Cohorts scored
by Speakers who support the
Republican Ticket.


Voters Of ths Seventh E1rd nIlsa Tia
hall at Park and PoppietOn avenues last
night to listen to r. A. Benson ana
other speakers discuss the issues of the
campaign. Mr.. Benson touched NJ Mr..
Hitchcock and his attitude in this cam
paign and was followed shortly by G. $.
Hayward who also brought out the fact
that Mr. Hitchcock had personal aims in
making such a strenuous fight for Jim"
Dahlman.
1T seems strange to me that the good
people of this city can't see at a glance
with which side the grafters and cor
porations are lined IN in this Tight" said
Mr.. Benson. 81 think they will and by
their votes keep them from obtaining the
power they seek. All the allied forces
against good government are against me
and the entire republican ticket because
they know their business viii not thrive
under our administration.
Compliments 60 Hiteheoek.
Mr.. Hitchcock has made the statement
in the World-Herald that Tom Dennison
is for me in this campaign 1 think Mr..
Hitchcock has developed a capacity for
lying in this campaign which would make
Ananias look SICK. He has ambitions OF
his own and is willing to sell his soul
for gain As for me I would not make
one misstatement IL I knew II would
land me in the mayors chair / counted
the cost before I went into this campaign.
My business is worth several times as
much to me as the allowance which is
made for the mayor. 1t will be a sacrt-
fee to my home life, but my whole ambi-
tion is to see If l cannot make omaha
better place for people to reside. My
platform is not a collection of platitudes
on which to ride into office, and then to
be abandoned The only, issue after all
in this campaign is whether you wish to
control your own government or turn
it over to certain special interests. The
public service corporations pretend to
serve the people, but In reality seek to
control the people,
Corporations All in Line.
Have hesdemocratic managers made
any such statement as did Chairman
Jefferis that not one cent had been con-
tributed to the campaign fund by the
corporations? They could not. The
brewers are also in the deal, spending
a slush fund in this town tonight. With
this money illegal votes have been reg
istered today-some will be in jail before
Monday night
"This all comes because one man is
seeking a high office in this state. That
is just what Mr.. Hitchcock is doing in
this campaign. He is striving to use the
mantle OF his respectabllity to cover the
thieves and thugs for his own personal
gain Graft is never partisan, but the
good citizen is and he is being fooled in
this campaign by the mask of respect
ability. DO those who love their homes
and their families wish to turn their in
terests over to such people Graft is a
material question as well as y moral
question.
1T has cost the county of Douglas
$4,000 a year to protect against crime and
TO convict for crime. Do we want to in
crease this expense by putting the criminal
element in power?
The corporations want more than to
control the government; they want to be
the government and to have their tools
In office"
Question Before the People.
John r. Gathers said: This is an import
ant campaign with a dangerous situation.
The question which confronts us is whether
we, the people, shall control the govern
ment or turn II over to the breweries.
Harrington of ONeill said last night we
should not elect Benson because he is too
good man. Can we have too good a man
for our chief eXecutive7 More than 60
per cent of the taxes paid in during the
last ten years have been eaten up by
graft"
c. S. Hayward, candidate for councilman
from the Seventh ward said: II have beer
trying for the last seven years to do my
duty politically and have studied these
questions. The government Of the city
should be moved TO the city hall II has
been in the Budweiser saloon for the last
10 years. have looked up Dshlman's
record and II the people of Omaha should
look It up and vote according TO theil
conscience they would not vote for Dahl
man.
Hayward Surprised at Hitchcock.
Il was never more surprised in my life
than at the attitude of Mr.. Hitchcock and
the misstatements which he has published
IN his paper. ! can say they are false fol
l have been to these meetings with Mr.
Benson and know what l am TALKING
about"
John Butler, candidate for building in
spector. said: 1.-THE motto should be re
Versed and made to read Omaha, build nj
Jim Dahlman, but Omaha Is not goinl
Z to do It,"
r b. Howell spoke at some length Of
the necessity Of adheFing to the old part
which has done so much for us all. am
added: TT is not the tax collector VIII
collects most OF the taxes of Omaha
Every utility Is as much a tax as the Ia,
you pay TO the city and county. The waite
company asks $4,000 year, the gas com
pany $4,000 a year, or nearly one-half o
what the city treasurer asks from you, an
the street railway company asks 81. 5000
q year. Three million FIVE hundred thou
sand dollars is paid yearly to the utilit
corporations Of this city. Why do 70
keep your eyes glued to the city taxes an
overlook these greater taxes and not TT
to lower them2 We have started on III
water company and II this republican tick
Is elected II Is the honest intention
Mr. Benson and the council to see this