Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-31
tlODECK HOLDS WHIP HAND
City Comptroller Wants Certain PeO-
pie to Come Through.
LOOKS CoLDLY ON NEW TERN SOP
1oIdIy Declares thst TALES. DshIman
IL Quick q Declare for Occupa-
ton Tar re VIII Campaign
on That Issue.

II will take more tnss tine re-enactment
OF a city comptroller law to keep Charles
Oscar Lobeck from becoming a candidate
for mayor Of the city OF Omaha against
his excellency. Mayor James Charles Dahl
man. For the aforesaid Charles Oscar be-
lieves that he has received a call to defend
the people at the polls and unless those
who are at present in the ascendancy po-
litically 90 that which he believes ought
TO be done then he will offer himself as a
sacrifice.
This is all because the democrats in the
1dty council took the obstructionist's end
Of the occupation tax proposition Friday
Afternoon and decided upon indefinite delay
in disposing of t.. This Is not in line with
MIR. Loheck's view and he comes out boldly
and says that unless Mayor Dahlman de-
clsres in favor Of occupation taxes he will
do SO and will make a campaign on that
one issue.
Il believe that way down In their hearts
the members Of tie council are favorable
TO the passage OF the occupation tax ordi-
nsnces.' said Comptroller Lobeck, but
they should come right out in meeting and
say so. l think I understand why they
counseled this delay. and that is because
they do not want Councilman zimman, the
only republican on the council and the
man who introduced most of the ordi-
nances, to get the credit.
"If Jim Don't, WIN"
However, It makes no difference whether
the ordinances are backed by a republican
or not, they contain the right principle in
my opinion and should by all means be
included in the party's platform in the
spring. The occupation tax must be in
the platform, and II Mayor Dahlman will
not put ~ there, l will, and will consent
to become a candidate for the democratic
nomination for mayor on that one plank
Councilman Bridges, who with Council.
man Zimman signed most OF the ordinances
declined TO say whether the occupation tax
principle would be Incorporated in the dem
ocratic platform or not, but that IL 1t was
put In the platform and the democrats ware
successful. at the polls then the ordinances
would be passed, because the party always
fllflls its pledges, as has the present ad,
niinistration.' he said.
The statement of the councilman that the
admlnistratlo has carried out its pledge.
is not borne out by the records, however
Two OF the leading planks in the demo
cratic platform OF three years ago were tn,
granting. of a franchise to the Independent
Telephone company and the ordering o.
universal street car transfers. Both o
these were accomplished, but not by tn,
democrats in the council.
Reb1bIfcan Vote was vital.
Seven votes ace necessary to carry
measure in the council. six votes 70
either measure were all that the democrat
could muster when the propositions wer
brought up in the council chamber, de
spite the signing by each democratic can
didate for the council OF the platform
pledglng the enactment of both measures
TIL one republican vote made the seventh
which carried the measures.
The universal transfer ordinance wa
vetoed by the mayor. who also signed tn
platform pledging the enactment Of tn
law, and eight votes were required to pas
III over his veto. Where this eighth vot
was to come from was a mystery until on
republican member walked over to Coun
Gilman Jackson OF South Omaha in counc
meeting. when the document was returne
to that body by the executive, and shame
him into voting for 1t by reading him tn
platform pledge and the signature of tn
councilman al the bottom.
These two are, but samples Of the pledge
which. the democrats claim to have KEEP
but pledges which would not have bee
kept had the democrats depended upo
their W strength, which proved in III
test to be weakness.