Omaha daily bee., 1918-10-08
KILLING an Argument
Hon. Edgar Howard in Columbus Telegram

Last Tuesday, by his vote in the United
States senate Senator Hitchcock murdered the
argument we have been making that the coun-
try ought to elect congress OF democrats in
order to give proper support to the president,
We have contended that it would be best to
elect democrats to congress- on the theory that
a democratic congress would naturally give bet
ter support to the president than a republican
congress. We still maintain that our argument
is good, but now we must amend 1t little and
add a proviSo. The proviso must call for the
election OF democratic congressman and Sena-
tors who are loyal to our country and to our
president. and not the Hitchcock kind, to which
kind loyalty to the president is always armed
with knife and the knife is always hunting for
the presidents back
Today shame mantles the cheek of every Ne
braska democrat not tied by corporation strings
to the Hitchcock chariot. Two years ago the
democrats of Nebraska urged the reelection of
Senator Hitchcock on the plea that he would
loyalty support the war program of the presl-
dent And now those democrats who made
such pledge in behalf of Hitchcock are
ashamed to look friend of the president in the
face. Always and at all times Hitchcock has
been an obstruction in the pathway of the presi-
dents plans, and never promoter of them. No
rose, has done as much as Hitchcock to thWart
the will of President Wilson with reference to
war legislation:
But the death blow to our argument in favor
of sending democrats from Nebraska to Wash
ington came last Tuesday. Two weeks ago
President Wilson appeared before the two
houses of congress and told them that he needed
the passage of certain legislation as a war meas
ure and asked for quick action. He got quick
eli hu+ he bod
passed the bill by almost unanimous vote. A
! majority of senator's favored it, but two thirds
vote was necessary. Boss Penrose led the fight
against the wish of the president supported by
few republicans of his stamp, and by all the
corporation senators on the democratic side.
How did Hitchcock vote?
Did he vote to grant the wish of President
Wilson?
No.
The record shows that he not only voted
against the request of the president but that he
secretly acted as messenger boy for Boss Pen
rose in all the lockeying of the corporation driv-
ers when the bill came before the senate.
In the face OF that awful record what can a
Nebraska democrat do or say in favor of send
ing democrats to congress to stand by the presi-
dent?" Hitchcock has shot our argument so
full of holes that it will neither hold the water
Vi slHCellly NOT Tie mix OF loyalty.
But the shame of Hitchcock does not attach
to all the Nebraska democrats who have been
nominated for congress, and it now becomes
the duty of the free democrats in this state to
explain to the people the difference between
the nominees. Any democrat who is part and
parcel OF the Hitchcock machine in Nebraska
will be part and parcel of the Hitchcock ma
chine in Washington, and his vote will be de-
! livered just where Boss Penrose may want it
n On In ott cl,1I
scribe to double oath that he is and will be
loyal to the president, that oath will amount to
no more than a school girls giggle when the
man shall go down to Washington and hear the
| commands of Hitchcock.
This is no time for democrats to lose faith
in democratic principles, nor faith in democratic
leaders. The record shows that Hitchcock was
the only western democratic senator who
proved traitor to the president All other west
ern senator's voted for the war legislation re-
| quested by the president.
Instead of losing heart in this hour, every
free democrat in Nebraska should hasten now
to begin the work of organization among free
democrats, so that never again will democra
in Nebraska be compelled to hide his head TO-
shame at the mention of the name of a demo-
cratic senator from this state.
And it is high time for the democratic nomi-
nees tor seats in congress to speak up. Those
| who shall not now repudiate the leadership of
hitchcock must not expect to receive the votes
OF tree democrats in November. Those nomi-
nees who will be brave to speak out loud in
| favor of true democratic principles, and brave
| to give proof that in Washington they will not
be dominated by the Hitchcock-P enrose ma
chine, will and should receive the support of all
free democrats and many progressive repub-
| licans.
Every senate seat which the democrats OF
the west may lose at the November election will
be loss directly due to the traitorous treatment
of President Wilson by Senator Hitchcock.