Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-03
The Animus Of Il.

The animus for the attack on the non.
partisan judiciary act Is very plain. The
republican bosses are desperately bent or
defeating II because they fear II will pre-
vent the election Of some OF their favorites
to the supreme bench. The corporation
bosses want 70 defeat It for the sans
reason. The principal Nebraska railroads
have Joined hands with a few republican
leaders to force three judges OF their own
selection on the supreme bench. II they
can tag these candidates with a party label
they believe they can elect them. II the
nonpartissn act stands, and there is no
partisan tagging, they fear their candi-
dates will be defeated by other candidates
who owe no debt Of gratitude to the rail-
roads or other special interests.-World-
Herald. '
II It were possible for our amiable
democratic contemporary to be strictly
truthful in the discussion Of political
subjects, this is the way this item
would have read:
The animus for the enactment of the
nonpartisan judiciary law is very plain.
The demo-pop bosses are desperately bent
on changing the present law in order to
secure the election Of some OF their favor
ties to the supreme bench. The corpora
tlon bosses are with them In this move
ment. The principal Nebraska railroads
Joined hands with the democrats last fall
to rebuke the republicans for the r~estrio-
tive legislation enacted by the preceding
legislature, and absolutely con-
trolled the recent democratic legislature
which passed the so-called nonpartisan jul
dietary act with the knowledge, consent
and aid Of the railroads. II they can pre-
vent party nominations and start a large
field Of candidates the railroads feel sure
they can make their own selections for SUI
preme Judge and win out without difficulty.
Knowing tina Nebraska Is a republican
state, and that the republicans have put up
Judges who owe no debt Of gratitude to
the railroads or other special interests, The
corporation bellwethers in the legislature,
who had the situation completely in hand
made no serious objection Of any OF the
schemes cooked up by the democratic poll
ticians to get control OF the offices
II the World-Herald wanted to go
into detailed specifications it would
bring out these facts:
That Of the three present incum-
bents of the state supreme bench, who
hold their positions by election, not
one owes any special debt Of gratitude
to the railroads.
That Judge Barnes vas nominated
six years ago in a convention in which
the railroads had, at least, two other
first preferred candidates, and he was
nominated as a compromise because
they could not get their real choice.
That Judge Letton was nominated
four years ago in a convention In
which the railroad forces were routed
horse. foot and draggoon, and after
ward tried to beat him at the election
by taking up his democratic opponent.
That two years ago Judge Reese
was nominated in a direct primary,
and the principal thing that told in his
favor was the charge that the rail-
roads preferred his competitor.
Railroad preferences have nothing
to do with party politics. The rail-
roads are just as ready to support
democrats as republicans, and the fact
that the only time they have landed in
recent years in Nebraska was when
they merged their interests with the
democrats last fall explains the animus
of it.