Omaha daily bee., 1907-03-21
INTERIOR MOTIVE, SAYS THUGH
Movement Made by Powers FiRhtins
Grain Exchange.

Movement Made by Powers Fighting
Grain Exchange.
''This is simply another movement Of the
same powers that have been fighting
Omaha's interests, as represented in the
Grain exchange, from the time the first
step was taken to establish 1t in this city,"
said Judge w. ID. McHugh, who filed the
petition and secured the temporary injunc-
ton in the name of the Omaha Grain Ter
minals company yesterday at p. m.
do you care to specify those powers?"
was asked Judge McHugh.
No" he replied, II is not necessary;
they are known, for the people OF Omaha
have been sufficiently aroused over their
opposition to this splendid public enter
prise to get them we'll impressed in their
minds. The fact is, as is we'll known, that
the Grain exchange has been and is one
of the best business interests that ever was
planted in this city, and If It is allowed to
develop, unhampered, its influence and
value as a potent element in the substan-
tial growth of the city will widen and
broaden and deepen. It is a strange thing
that business concerns such as those that
have fought the grain interests could have
the sudacity to do so and still call them
selves Omaha concerns, even In the slightest
degree. They began their insidious opposition
when the grain interests first knocked at
the door of Omaha for admission. We
had to knock louder than they. and having
been admitted when the door was open TO
u.s. we found these fellows standing Just
inside the threshold, waiting to give us a
bat in the face as we entered. We walked
m, though at the bidding OF Omaha; stepped
over to the chair offered to us by the hos
pitable host, and there we found this i'm
pudent pretender trying to seat himself in
our place.
And so It continued. When the grain
terminals went over there and proposed to
build their trackege and elevators on the
south side they encountered this same old
deceitful wolf in sleeps clothing. but the
grain terminals had by this time ingra-
dated themselves in the confidence of the
business men Of Omaha who were sin
cerely interested in the citys welfare, and
with their backing we proceeded with ouT
enterprise, which involved the expenditure
OF over half million dollars. This meant
herculean task In the raising OF streets
grading. filling. hauling and building.
Now then, the council granted us the
vacation Of that street, which is a thous.
and times more valuable to the city used as
the grain terminals are using Il than n
could possibly be any other way. for n
AAS no practical value otherwise-I aay tht
0aky council granted US that right. Now
comes the city council with an ordinance
20 repeal that right and open the street.
what does il mean? Has the city council
OF Omaha just awakened TO the fact thai
the closing OF this street was an iniur,
20 the city and its opening an imperativ,
necessity Has the city council discov
cred that these $4,000 grain terminals. tn,
nucleus of many millions OF wealth Z,
the city before the end is reached are a,
injury to the city? Preposterousi The cit,
council ought to know that that street 4
OF no value to the city for any other pur
pose as compared with the one to which
the grain terminals are devoting Il.
"The amazing. astonishing fact is tina
the city council should be deceived In sucl
an important matter, matter Of sucl
vital import TO the welfare OF the city
why, IT'S foolish for any man to try TO de
ceive himself in this matter and believ
that this street opening proposition is no
fostered by the Identical powers that trie
TO prevent Omaha from getting the grail
terminals and having failed in that trie
TO kill them by a dozen other underhande
means afterward.
I'VE have had these powers TO night
order to win the battle for Omaha. Mus
we now turn around and find ourselve
confronted by the friend we tried to help