Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-02-04
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ond yrtu>a>;a4s
by Victor Rosewator

CONDITIONS in getting out newspaper ex-
~ tras right now are very much as they were
at the outbreak OF the present European
war or when we were in the midst OF Our trou-
BILE with Mexico, only with this diference-that
because OF the print paper shortage there IS
smaller disposition to overdo the extra" BUSH
ness. The Bee has issued extras with the up-to-
the-minute news, and for the most part has beaten
its competitors, but because we are running close
to paper supply we are strictly limiting the num-
Der printed and not making any attempt to force
the sales, though it would be legitimate inta-
ton of circulation. Let our readers rest assured,
however that for any news that COMES from de-
pcndabe sources and really warrants an extra
they will look to The Bee as always,
Additions to the account I gave last week of
the receipt in Omaha of the news of the shooting
of President Mckinley come from Z. +. Huntley,
who was taking the Associated Press report over
the wire that day and whose claim Of being the
first Omaha man to have the information is doubt
less correct Ny account stated that we got the
flash over the telephone, which is accurate so
far as it goes, but he says this was followed up
with transmission of the duplicate printed tele-
graphic copy which is delivered by messenger
service to both the Omaha Associated Press pa
pers and that there being but one messenger in
the office at the moment (the Associated Press
Office was then located in the Board of Trade
building) he instructed The Bees messenger to
when he met him at the foot OF the stairs and
rush to The Bee with the other. Not meeting the
second boy however, The Bees messenger de-
livered the World-Herald copy first and then ran
from the World-Herald Office to The Bee Office
with the other. Under the circumstances the
World Herald should have Scored" and doubt
less would have except for the accident of the
cold metal" which have already described.
Listening to discussion Of the school board bill
reminded me again that unihcaton Of control OF
Omaha schools under a single board Of education
was brought about through law whose enact
ment was procured by my father as member OF
the legislature of 1871 in which is also to be found
the origin of the establishment of The Bee. There
was much opposition to this measure, and in orde
to get it through he was compelled to consent
to having referendum clause tackled on it, max
ing its operation await popular vote Of endorse
nent 1t was to push this law, or rather to TO
Gus public opinion for its ratification, that The
Bee was started. As a result, a metropolitan
school district was organized to take over the
management of the several district schools and
also that of the high school, previously under the
direction of separate board of regents. This
law also discloses how the membership of Our
school board came to be twelve instead of some
other number, the city of that time consisting of
six wards, which were empowered to choose
each, two school board members whose terms
were to overlap so that one would retire alter
natey each year. The six wards have grown into
twelve and the school board membership is again
the same as it was in the beginning.
Another interesting bit Of information fur
nished by the 1877 volume of session laws is that
the bonds issued TO erect our old high school
building were endorsed and guaranteed by the
city. The legislature passed a special act cover
ing the subject Especial acts were then not barred
by constitutional inhibition) which expressly stip-
uated that the bonds should be issued by the
L - Il L.. H.
and carry with them the assurance that, if not
paid according to the terms out OF the school re-
sources, they should be an obligation Of the city
and payable as other city bonds. ! presume
the purpose Of this was to give the bonds the
benefit Of the city's credit when marketed and
possibly help secure buyer at lower interest
rate than would be otherwise commanded. l
wonder whether our school bonds ever suffered
since that time serious disadvantage as COM
pared with our municipal bonds.