Omaha daily bee., 1915-05-30
G~se, Rav-D~
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oct INCLE JOE" REDMAN was character in
" every Of the word He the typical
oldest inhabitant" and at the time
20 the very end the youngest old man ever knew.
He always good humored and jovial. just burst
ing with enthusiasm for whatever particular project
he happened to have In hand. He never hetated to
drop In to tell about something he had gotten
hold OF, which always going TO do wonders for
Omaha for he believed in Omaha's future greatness.
and was wrapped up in IT, heart and soul. His fund
OF energy seemed inexhaustibe. and he could get up
head steam with less fuel than anybody else in
the community. OF course. many Of his schemes
OF the rainbow-chasng variety but every and
then he started something that had real landing
place. and worthy movement that promised well
for Omaha failed to enlist Uncle Joe" az a booster.
even though he had nothing else TO put In
While Uncle Joe" was character" who could
reel off HIS experiences OF the early by the yard
and tell Just when q was colder OF hotter wetter
than the last record-brealng freezing scorchins.
or flooding he never lift any very high spots OF Of
nciai eminence although he served Ions years ago
the school board, and later in the city council. In
The Bees political fights. Uncle Joe" been with
us and agn' but that has been all gone and for
given both sides. IL Is worth noting however that
the same uprising OF the people for reorganization
Of the Omaha public schools that placed The Bee
the map also made Joe Rednan a member Of the
school board AS has been more than once explained
the founder OF The Bee. order to Dust so-cslied
school ring procured the enactment Of law by the
legislature in which he then serving consodat-
Ing the school machinery and naugurating Board Of
Education. In legislative transit the author OF the
bill was compelled TO accept an amendment for ac-
ceptance rejection by popular the law
should become operative have just looked up that
law and observe curious wording Of the referendum
clause to the effect that the law should DO suspended
IL the Nos constituted majorltya negative refer
endum. so 20 speak. Regardless OF that However,
The Bee waged a successful campaign for acceptance
OF the law which created school board made up of
two members from each OF the six yards and at the
next election which inaugurated the new regime
Uncle Joe was chosen TO represent the Fifth ward,
where he then lived and continued TO live after
Uncle Joe's'' career as a city councilman was
eoincident with the beginnings OF water works,
and he and his associates were the storm center Of
the famous Holly water works squabble, which was
probably the hottest municipal fight pulled off
In this bailiwick have the original Cushing letter.
book packed away somewhere. but not going to
dig It up at this time. In that combat Uncle
Joes' side got licked good and plenty but he came
up smiling for the next round. as he always did.
was talking with Frank Fedman the other dav
summoned hero from Salt Lake CITY because OF his
fathers illness. Were Just waiting" he said .I,ut
we have this great consolation that rather Is leaving
us the very best heritage any with a large
family could leave TO his children We are 20 have all
our pleasant memories and nothing ese-no property
to divide quarrel about nothing whatever to rffe
our feelings to rivalry Or to disturb the ar
lection in which we hold another"
There IL more deep philosophy In this casual remark
than In many Iong-studied one.
Governor whitman could not but have been n,easea
with the reception accorded him during his brief
stop-off in Omaha when goodly delegation OF repre-
sentative citizens went down to the through
the rain to meet him and greet him. The Empire
state Impressed every one with his cordial
and frank He willing to discuss ANYTHING
but presidential politics. Whitman may or may not
be In the lists for the next republican nomination.
that VIII depend largely upon him. and the extent 10
which he makes good chief executive or his state
Bot Il must be remembered that at least three New
York governors have made the Jump from the mansion
at Albany TO the White House at washington and
several more have led their party hosts as standard
bearers To become the head OF the government OF
Nha t1to IA fta.lR
governor OF New Jersey Travelled across the con-
tinent less than four ago to spy out the land
and visited between trains In omaha-so Il r. not Tho
impossible nor without precedent