Omaha daily bee., 1909-02-21
City Engineer Rose water

established grades. The purpose OF this
transfer. like the original purpose Of max
ing a separate street cleaning department.
IL politics The cost of street cleaning and
all other work done under a palitical sys-
ten. must necessarily be from two to three
times as much as IT would be II conducted
on a business basis. The annual report OF
the city engineer FOR last year shows that
the street cleaning cost from two to two
and 0ne-hRlf times as much as the same
work per 1900 yards in other cities. The
cause is sufficiently apparent 20 need no
further reference.
! deem 1t proper in this connection to say
that among numerous lies industriuusly cir
culated by an unscrupulous reporter Of the
Omaha Herald, that the present city en-
gineer. with fearful eyes, TO use his own
expression. called upon the mayor and
begged him for the appointment. promising
that he never again would seek appoint
ment This statement is a bare-faced fab
r~ication. known TO be false to the writer
at the time he put 1t into his paper. As a
matter OF fact. the city engineer never ap-
piled to the mayor for any appointment.
but the mayor came to him and made the
tender. with certain conditions which the
city engineer declined When the appoint
ment was made and accepted. II was IN
conditional. and Mayor Dahlman viii not
dispute what I say in this respect.
It has been industriously circulated that
the purpose OF the city engineer under the
law PASSED two years ago. was to exercise
great political power. and its passage was
secured by taking advantage OF democrats
through a republican legislature. The facts
are that the best democrats as well as the
best republicans assisted me in securing the
passage OF this bill. Among the active
democrats who supported the bin was Con-
gresham Latta OF TekamRh. who volun-
tarily offered to express his belief that 1
was right in the position I took and when
the bill came on its passage II received
one-third of the democrats in the house
and all Of the democrats OF the senate
showing conclusively that the bin was
passed on it's merits and not for political
purposes.
In conclusion. ] want to say what ] have
repeatedly said. that the man does not live
who has worked under me as a laborer or
subordinate who has been requested or
urged In any way 10 do political work be-
cause of his employment in my depart
ment. There are democrats in my depart
ment who have been constantly employed
Tor twenty years, sixteen OF which were
under republican administration, and my
ON the subject Of political mat
tiers in the organization Of public affairs
may be best illustrated by citing that in
1887. upon my assuming the duties Of the
president Of the Board Of Public Works
OF Omaha. 1 was approached by the fore
men on the work in different parts OF the
city. who had been accustomed TO get
orders from the old Board Of Public Works.
how to vote al primaries and at elections.
/ gave them orders TO inform the men that
their labor belonged to the city. but that
their citizenship belonged TO themselves.
and ] wanted the foremen TO tell the men
that they were to vote as they pleased and
not as ! pleased. and in this connection i
fully endorse the bill just introduced by
Representative Bowman to prohibit the
intimidation of working men by employers
for election purposes. This was covered in
my bin two years ago, which was defeated
by the influence of smAll-bOre democrats
and republicans, which prohibited the
mayor and council. CITY engineer or any
other officer of the city, OF foreman. from
using their position or urging or request
ing the vote Of any employees OF the city
for political pos of any kind. and /
think that II this were added to the bill
which has just been introduced. II would
free the municipalities Of q pernicious in
fluence and give us a business o~rganiza-
ton in the construction departments OF the
cities. ANDREW ROSEwATER