Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-05-03

CAUSES OF REPUBLICAN, DEFEAT
The result of the city election is to
turn over to the democrats the entire
municipal government Of Omaha from
mayor down with the exception of
single councilman.
1t is always much easier to look back
and see the mistakes that have been
made than it is to avoid them as they
occur. Facing the fact of a democratic
landslide, which has overwhelmed the
republican ticket, 1t is plain that not
one factor, but many factors, have con-
spired to republican defeat
1. The republican candidate repre-
scented a minority of his own party-a
minority banded together into club,
out of which has been built a political
machine more arbitrary and despotic
than any species of political bossism
with which the community had ever
been afflicted. That republicans should
be disposed to revolt against such die
tatiOn was not at all unnatural.
2. The republican candidate stood for
a policy of illiberalism, which the peo-
pie Of Omaha had repeatedly repudiated.
The idea of puritanical law enforce
ment cultivated by him before the
primaries, stuck to the ticket after
nomination, and no amount Of explana-
ton was able to divest it of this sus-
picion.
3. The candidate for mayor and sew
eral of his associates have been closely
identified with the Civic Federation in
work which had made 1t odious to a
large part of our people. The election
of Dahlman can not but be regarded as
a rebuke to the Civic Federation.
4. The republican candidate occupied
an unenviable position from the fact
that he had himself severed all party
ties three years before by running as
petition candidate for mayor, with a
populist nomination, against the regu-
lar republican nominee. 1t was impOs-
sible to appeal to republicans to sup
port him out Of loyalty to the party
when he was himself standing object
lesson to Justify boiling
5. The republican candidate was par
ticularly unfortunate in the support ac-
corded him by the Junior Yellow, whose
pink head lines did more to damage his
chances of success than any other one
thing. This newspaper by its virulent
n foff - he
date, it's mud singing at people not
running for office, its deliberate attempt
to sidetrack ali other candidates on the
ticket by advertising republican meet
ings as Benson meetings, Disguised
friend and foe alike.
8. The republican candidate for
mayor was also unfortunate in his cam.
palgn speeches and I'm his campaign
management. Instead of winning sup.
port. he seemed to drive it away almost
from the first. Instead Of healing fac.
tionaI sores, his Fontanelle captains
seemed bent on keeping them open. In.
stead Of conducting the campaign
through the regularly elected party
committee, his Fontanelle sponsors in.
sisted upon usurping it into their own
! hands.
So far as The Bee is concerned. Il
sincerely regrets the defeat of Benson
1t gave him unwavering support on the
one ground that he was better fitted fol-
the office than his competitor and would
make for us more creditable mayor
The Bee hopes that when indicted into
office Mayor Dahlman will surpass ex
pectations. He will have the support
of The Bee in anything calculated tc
build up and improve the city and will
be freely criticised in any Official ACT
conflicting with its ideas Of what the
municipal government of Omaha should
be.