Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-06-18


public opinion; appeared in person with protests be-
fore the state Board OF Assessment, and when re-
buffed by officials subservent to the tax shirkers car
ried the contest into the courts. Here in Omaha The
Bee stirred up and spurred on the Real Estate ex-
change in its demand for the of franchsed
corporations at something their real value. The
new revenue law Of Nebraska enacted in 1908 was
brought about by this agitation and furnished the
means for making further progress.
In the meantime the election Of President Roose-
Welt in 1904 to which The Bee contributed Its full
part and his championship Of the squaredeal policies
which The Bee had for been advocating, helped
bring results The railroads foolshly enjoned colec-
ton of the taxes under the increased assessment the
case going up to United States supreme court and
being decided there in favor Of the people
eliminating Victory of 1905
All this led to the eliminating victory for progress
sve reform in 1906 for which the seed was sown by
the founder of The Bee though he did not live to
the harvest reaped The popular election OF senators
had been carried step further forward two years
before by the nomination Of the republican candidate
in convention his subsequent election by the legts
lature without risking another deadlock This prece
dent be followed in 1905, so that the senatorial
contest on the republican side became practically an
appeal to the and file Of the party. Attorney Gem
era Norris Brown had announced his candidacy on the
strength the suit he had won, in continuation OF
the fight waged by Edward Rosewater. Senator Mil
lard receptive IN the nanuS OF MS ITlenub Inc
admirers of Mr.. Rosewater, seeing in him the only
Omaha candidate who could appeal to support OF the
anti-corporaton sentiment against Brown, tnaugu-
rated movement for him during his absence at tho
Worlds Postal congress at Rome The corporations
and federal oficeholders bent their energies toward
heading off instructed delegations, hoping to prevent
any convention nomination or to land some friendly
dark horse Mr.. Rosewater insisted that the delegates
should take their instructions from the people even
though they instructed for his opponent and in more
than one instance sacrificed his own advantage to
make sure that the nomination for governor should
go to George L. Sheldon a progressive platform
rather than to any corporation favorites dividing
the field. Brown the nomination on the fifth
ballot through the treachery Of delegates instructed
for Rosewater but Mr.. Rosewater mounted the plat
form pledged loyal support to his successful COM
petitor who later acknowledged that he owed his adj
vancement to work done by The Bee and the mag
nanimty of It's editor, and that his election would
depend upon getting the support of The Bee and its
friends which he promised to reciprocate with ever
lasting gratitude
The Reform Platform. ~ III e.,
The platform of 1905 embodied the reforms for
which The Bee had long commended To make sure
that there would be sel-outs, Victor Rosewater.
who had succeeded his father as editor of The Bee
sinvted all the republican legislative candidates to
sign up which three-fourths of them did, synopsis
Of the planks as follows
/. Laws to compel the railroads to pay their
taxes at the same time and in the same manner as
private individual.
2. direct primary law for the nomination Of
ell state county and district officers including
gressmen and United States senator's.
8. law prohibiting free passes in all forms.
except to bona fde railway employees and their i'm
mediate families and caretakers of live stock.
4. Laws fully empowering the new State Rail-
way commission to prohibit rebates, Determinations
and special rates to corporations locali-
ties, and to to 1t that any and all abuses are
corrected equitable freight and passenger rates
obtained for the people,
8. In event of failure of the constitutional
amendment its being declared invalid laws giving
the people of this state the advantages con-
gress has already given the nation under the rail-
road rate bill in matters of interstate commerce.
g. law along the lines adopted by
congress touching the liability of employers their
employees, permitting for injuries nothwith-
standing the negligence of a fellow servant.
Z. Legislative appropriations to meet current
expenses of state government only under the most
rigid economy.
g. law providing that railroad property in
cities and villages shall be assessed and taxed the
other property for city and village purposes
o. law insuring inspection and uniform tests
: OF dairy products
This printed fac SMILES of the sig
natures and scattered broadcast After his inaugu
ration Governor Sheldon pasted copy OF this page
of The Bee the wall of his office and crossed
off each item the bill to him for his ap-
prevail Against this reform program, the corpora
tons fought hard and died in the ditch, part-
cularly against terminal taxation, but whenever the
line wavered The Bee held the written pledges again
before the lawmakers faces the backsliders were
few. By this service of The Bee Nebraska once
became foremost among progressive states 18th
direct primaries, reduced railway rates. an efree-
. tive railway commission, employers liability law
adjustment of the SIS 900 limit for death claims {
pure food law and last but not least terminal tag
law that has brought into the city treasury of Omaha