Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-28

HOW CANDIDATES FOR sPEAKER STAND
Now that the speakership candi-
dates have presumably all SHE'D their
castors into the ring the public as we'll
as the members of the legislature are
entitled to know just where each
stands on the vital issues involved in
the last election.
All of these candidates, with two
exceptions, came out unequivocally for
the platform pledges previous to the
election and their signatures will be
found attached to the platform synop-
sis printed in The Bee at the time. To
the two who failed to respond to in
quiries during the campaign, namely,
Ed P. Brown of Lancaster and Adam
McMullen OF Gage, the editor Of
The Bee addressed the following let
ter:
During the recent campaign, with view
to strengthening public confidence in the
republican party as the party Of reform,
invited all the republican legislative
candidates in the various districts through
the state to plant themselves squarely on
the pledges made in the state platform.
You were among the few who failed to
respond. Your candidacy for speaker now
involves these issues to an even greater
degree than did your candidacy for the
house. Wishing to be perfectly fair with
you, I inclose another copy of the state
ment previously sent and would be glad
to hear from you as to your position on
these very vital questions.
Replies to this request are now at
hand from both OF the candidates re-
ferred to. The one from E. P. Brown
covers the ground thoroughly and is
as follows:
LINCOLN, Dec %. 19Os.-To the Editor
Of The Bee: Your letter has been received.
In reply thereto l wish to say that prior
to the recent election l have frequently
declared my position with reference to the
platform pledges OF my party, not only in
my own county, but elsewhere in the state.
have stood, and now stand, for such
measures and such actions as will fully
redeem all these pledges. have publicly
and over my signature in the press stated
my belief that the instructions of the
party platform are binding upon me as a
representative and that 1 will vote to carry
them out. This has been and is my posi-
ton with reference to all the planks of the
republican platform; not only those men
toned in your present letter but also
those as to which your letter is silent,
namely, the election of the party's nomi-
nee for United States senator. 1 consider
II OF the first Importance that these pledges
should be redeemed-of more importance
than the selection Of any one man as
speaker-and in whatever capacity 1 may
act l shall endeavor to bring this to pass.
e. p. BROWN
The answer from Adam McMullen
is not as clear cut as it should be. To
give him the benefit of his own Ian
guage it is herewith reproduced:
WYMORE Neb, Dec a. 19O6-To the
Editor of The Bee: 1 am in receipt of
your favor Of the 18th inst. wherein you
forward a synopsis of the republican state
platform with an invitation to sign the
same as a token of my belief In and sup
port of the principle therein set forth.
Once or twice during the recent campaign
received a similar communication. 1 did
not sign as requested then, and do not
care to sign now, for the reason that I re-
fused to be pledged in connection with
other matters presented to me and there
fore could not ignore said refusals by sign
ing in this instance and be fair to all.
might. however, give a specific reason for
not signing this synopsis, You may recall.
because I conferred with you in relation
thereto, that I introduced a direct primary
measure that did not include the nomina-
ton of the state officers under that sys-
TEN. l did not believe such a sweeping law
would bring the results desired. / do not
believe so now. Yet the republican state
platform provided for a primary law that
covers "all state, county and district off,
GERS" Hence, If had signed such synop-
sis would be pledging my support to
policy 1 do not think will be the best.
may be mistaken in my position, but do
for the speakership, intend to introduce
the same measure and contend for its en-
actment. Generally speaking, however,
stand squarely on the platform, and while
may hold a different opinion from others
regarding the makeup of certain meas
ures pledged to the people, yet l believe
all of its pledges should be redeemed.
ADAM MMULLEN.
We believe the members of the leg
islature have a right to have this in
formation about the candidates who
are soliciting their support for speaker
so that they may understand their at
titude and the influences back of them.
NEW STOCK ISSUES IN MINNESOTA.