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


In celebrating it's fortieth birthday
anniversary it is not out of place for
The Bee to call attention to the extent
to which IL has been a factor in the
upbuilding of Omaha and Nebraska
Although The Bee has achieved a ma
tional reputation and it's influence is
felt far and wide, 1t recognizes that
the first claim upon 1t belongs to the
city and state in which it is published.
Thos, familiar with The Bee from
| its ms. ypearance know that public
spirit has always been one of its dis
| tinguishing traits. The Bee has never
ceased to labor for the advancement
of every interest and every enterprise
| that promised increased prosperity to
the great west, and more especially to
Omaha and Nebraska, and as its own
name and fame expanded it's efforts
have become more far-reaching and
effective. In drawing attention to the
undeveloped resources of the west and
attracting immigration and capital to
the unpeopled territory upon whose
settlement depended, and still depends
Omaha's growth and future greatness,
The Bee has done as much, If not
more, than any other single agency.
In Omaha it has advocated and edu-
Gated popular sentiment to the public
improvements necessary for the ma
terial foundation of a great metropolis
and steadfastly sought to inculcate
civic pride, without which no city can
hold its own in the procession. A
service no less valuable has been rem
dered in sounding the alarm and head
ing off schemes of spoliation and Job
berry, stopping corruption, graft and
reckless extravaganza in public office
and forcing the great aggregations of
corporate wealth to bear more nearly
their share of the burdens of govern
ment In the form of taxes. The Bee
has in its time saved the people mil
lions of dollars that would have been
filched by boodling public works con-
tractors and grasping spectators in
public service franchises, to say moth
ing Of the additional millions of dol
lars that will be brought into the
treasury as consequence of It's per-
sistent and successful fights for fairer
assessments of railway and franchised
corporation property, and particularly
for the taxation of railway terminals
for municipal purposes. 2s,, 'e,t
4 What The Bee, itself, as an institu-
4 ton contributes to Omaha is family
realized by few, but the loss would be
felt by many were it, such an enter
prise that could be picked up bodily
and moved over night to another city,
Over zoo families, draw their support
through employment on The Bee, and
the average of wages paid is, roughly
speaking, so per. cent higher than in
most of our large mercantile establish
ments. Were it not for The Bee
Omaha would not possess the mag
nihcent Bee building. Taxes paid BIZ
The Bee, and its allied building com.
pany, place 1t among the heaviest tax
payers in the community.
Yet, If we may be allowed to repeat
not in constructing great buildings
, maintaining large numbers of en-
ployes. nor in paying taxes, should tn,
Bees contribution to Omaha and Ne.
braska be measured, Its most inval
liable contribution is the moral fore,
which 1t exerts and the reputation
J which 1t has established, and main
tanned for years, as an advocate of SO
cial' commercial and political integ
rity and the highest ideal of hones
self-government.