TaÌˆgliche Omaha tribuÌˆne. [volume] (Omaha, Nebr.) 1912-1926, 1917-09-14
WHO IS STOECKER AND why DOES He
HATE The GERMAN LANGUAGE PRESS

A certain person by the name oil
W. +. Stoecker has again been send.
ing letters and other literature tC
various newspapers Of the country
1t Is doubtful whether he is the
author of these letters, because they
occasionally contain a sentence thai
is dramatically correct; but since
he attacks the German language press
and since letters with his signature
have been published in several large
papers, it may be opportune to set
forth a few facts concerning the
ostensible author, which may help
editors and the general public to
gauge his actions and writings prop
crly. From this little sketch / think
it win sufficiently appear that the
two mainsprings Of his actions are
an inordinate craving for glory and
an implacabIe passion for revenge,
neither Of which has ever been salts
fled, for every attempt at revenge
failed and his glory always turned
out to be %notoriety,
My acquaintance with this individ-
ual dates from the time when / first
came to Omaha eight years ago and
consolidated all the German language
papers into a modern, up-to-date
paper worthy Of the large and SPLEEN
did German element of this city and
country At that time he was striv-
ing for leadership among the German
people. He was a man Of some
means. He had operated a cigar
stand with the usual adjunctive sys-
tenn of slot machines in various
out of which he made con-
siderable money. When they were.
abolished by ordinance, he appeared
before the city council and among
other things in his remonstrance he
S said to have made the following
statement: "But, %gentlement, this is
not a gambling device,-only a little
game Of chance" In 1908 he had
aiken part in a democratic campaign
n which he worked # vigorously
prohibition as be later worked
'or it. There was a democratic land
tide that year, and in the general
this little f-ame-seeker slid
nto the legislature along with other
VETS, where he made a record as
N ~intolerable gas bag.
The i~rrepressible egoist soon forced
himself on my attention. The pri-
nary election law allows any person,
Irrespective Of his mental equipment,
o file as candidate, and so the glory
.onger filed as a candidate for CON
.ress. At that time he tried to
make political capital out his Ger
nan nationality. In his conceit he
that as publisher Of the
1erman daily paper, / had the entire
Ierman vote in my vest pocket, and
hat | was in duty bound, because he
7as German born, to hand that vote
o him. I had a different coneep-
ion Of my duty, and felt in con-
cience bound not to support him,
'he natural consequence Of his fool
attempt was, Of course, over
.helming defeat, and, holding me
esponsible for his ignominy and in
he bitterness of his humiliation, he
wore vengeance against me. That
the time when his enmity began,
.hich has ever since been growing
lore and more vcnomous.
He did not, however, at once dis
lose his purpose or cease to curry
avor with the Germans Of the city.
Wearing the cloak Of friendship, he
anne into my office one day and
roposed to become my partner. He
omplimented me upon my intellect
al attainments and argued that a
Mon of my brains and his money
lust make a tremendous success.
Incidentally it was to be understood (
hat he was to have the editorial
Of the paper. ] saw his !
eheme to get control Of my pubh-I s
alton, and informed him that a
.artnership Of any kind between him {
nd me was an impossibility. (
When he saw that he could not I
ccomplish anything in that way, he
lrew aside the mask and began {
pen hostilities. His first vancouver
as an attempt to spoil my good J
anne. He went back to my former I
one in Illinois and Investigated my 7
cord He interviewed my former {
Employers and the publishers Of the 9
pers that | had formerly owned.
ut he made himself so obnoxious
them by his slurs against my ]
1araeter, that the editors showed
i'm the door and advised him to :
Sc it while a dignified exit was 5
i'll possible. z
Not having found anything ia my !
1tecedents that he could use against
e socially, he decided upon my q
nancial ruin. To this end he started q
a opposition paper, which he bap- t
zed egThe Missing Tiuko. He found