Omaha daily bee., 1907-01-26
AFFAIRS AT SOUTH OMAHA
Commercial Club Appears as Factor il
Annexation FIGHT
NO SUCH ORGANIZATION REALLY EXISTS
Died Five Years Ago Because Members
Lacked Interest Enough TO
Induce Them 20 Keep
Dues Paid Up.

THE report that the South Omaha Com
meroial club has sent letter to all the
legislators at Lincoln, for It is 50 re-
ported, has caused a smile to spread over
the anxious faces of the anti-annexation-
lists. II ever there was a representative
organization in the city and If anyone
ever did stand up for South Omahas best
interests, the self-styled South Omaha
Commercial club is not it nor has It done
anything remarkable for the city. 1t has
had feeble. halting existence and only
enthusiastically has It's feeble efforts
suggested a suspicion OF life. Once there
was a membership Of nearly a hundred.
but today there are not more than six
who have paid their dues. These have an
nually elected each other to the quasi
honors Of Its Offices. I was a member of
the organization at its height" said W.
w Fisher yesterday. AT that time It gave
promise OF a strong organization; but to
claim any weight for II as II is today is
folly and the whole city knows it, We are
not criticizing any individual who chooses
TO call himself a member of the club, but
of this handful of men to assume that
they in any way represent the complete
and unified sentiment Of the people of this
city Is ridiculous. 1t takes a whole lot of
audacity for a half dozen politicians to
get together and address a letter to the
Nebraska Legislature under the guise Of the
South Omaha Commercial club. The fact
is the club has been defunct for the past
five years or more. It's present adherents
can be named on the fingers of one hand
1.-THE sentiment in favor of annexation
is rapidly growing. Appropriations have
already been made for the principal i'm
provements which the city needs. II any
! more pavement is desired it can always
| be secured by petition in the same manner
that II may be secured today. The affairs
| OF South Omaha are not likely to be
neglected when this end Of the city will
be represented by four councilmen They
will be in a position to demand of Omaha
recognition of all just claims and demands.
Besides this at least two more councilmen
on the south side of the city. as it now
stands, would be inclined to favor the de-
mands OF South Omaha for the sake Of
their assistance in matters affecting both
sections. The councimen from the outly-
ing wards would likewise seek South
Omaha's four representatives to compel
the representation Of the business districts
to deal fairly with the outskirts. Few
people seem to realize that annexation
means annexation. It is a mutual union,
and when accomplished the cities are one
and the same and there Is no South Omaha
The lines are down and vanished. This will
Dt Il SeCliOH OI WHICH lHt Whole city IL
proud Back Of the influence of the coun-
| cilmen themselves will be the powerful
influence Of the stock yards and the pack
ers, whose requests in the matter of Inn
provements 10 accommodate their interests
will never be ignored. Their interests are
the interests of South Omaha as a whole
| for their existence here is the only reason
for the presence OF the surrounding city
No section of the city is going to neglect
its greatest industries"
Cost of Running City.
The following table, prepared by the city
clerk, shows the cost of running the city
government during the last eight years.
| Since 1899 the city appropriations have
jumped up 1924 ,15191, an average increase
Of s15,51sS6 each year. The legislature will
| be asked for an increase amounting to
$4,000. which will certainly be swelled by
about 5000 before the end of the year from
the general collections in the way of fines,
licenses and other sources. Following are
/ the items.