Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-02-23
NEAR RIOT AT
town MEET TO
DISCUSS BILL

| nos.
That was the end Of the meeting
except for the discussion in tht
chamber until someone turned tht
lights out and the discussion in the
corridor and outside the entrance
Of the city hall by the taxpayer:
| afterward.
The meeting was attended by Sen
ator Robbins and Representatives
Foster, Druesedow, Dyball, Burgess
Reynolds, Howard, Berka and Rob
bins. City Commissioners FOWL
IRE, Zimman, Ringer and Butler
were there. And the audience ol
citizens filled the council chamber
to capacity A number of women
were present and several made
speeches.
Commissioner FOWL started the
party" with a speech telling the
good points of the bill.
Kansas City, Denver, St. Paul
Minneapolis, in fact, all the cities
! I know of in this part Of the coun-
try at least, have this provision that
we propose to give Omaha" he
said. There are vast districts oil
this city that have been trying to
get improvements for years and
they have been blocked by big con-
Germs or SPECTATORS, usually non
residents, who were able to defeat
the wishes of the real home owners
of the district.
This bill will give the city coun-
ell the right to initiate improve
ments and if a majority of the prop
erty owners don't want the improve
ments they can stop them by get
ting a petition signed"
The principal objection to the
bill by speakers was that it takes
away the right of petition"
Niggers in Woodpile.
"The people of the city do not
want this bill" declared S. Arion
Lewis. 1T containes so many
riders and niggers in the woodpile
that it is a disgrace to its author,
whoever he may be. 1t was con
ceived in iniquity and is founded on
the old idea that the king can do
no wrong the king in this case be-
ing the city council. If it is pass
ed it will certainly be carried to
the supreme court to test its valid
ity."
A pass occurred after Jerry
Howard had spoken, accusing other
members of the legislature of side
tracking his bill to compel the street
railway company to pave the street
between its tracks. Representative
Druesedow rose to say that ''the
rest of the Douglas county delega-
ton spend their time in doing their
work instead of blowing their bel.
lows. "
T. E. Brady declared that he had
spent so much time in circulating
petitions trying to get improve.
ments in his part of the city that he
could have made them himself with
a shovel in the same length of time"
The real estate men stand in the
way of improvements" he declar-
ed.
Representative Robbins declared
that the bill does not - away the
right of petition. "They can still
petition the city council to stop a
projected improvement if this bill is
passed." he said. T..
Mrs. Mary Cormack, a pioneer,
former school teacher and now in
terested in valuable property on St.
Mary's avenue, made a vigorous
speech in which she ''laid down the
law"
1--WE are the people; you are moth
ing but our servants" she told the
legislators and commissioners. 1--WE
have as much right as the city coun-
Gil or the state legislators to say
what shall be done. / am only
woman but l have rights and I'll
prove it. If we can't get what we
want one way we will another.
IF | go to the store to buy goods
/ don't take them unless | get my
moneys worth. And don't YOU
think I'm going to have the same
rights in my property. It's my
money, not the commissioners.
There is a motive back of this
bill. On St. Mary's avenue we
never could get any improvements
while the spectators held the reins
of government. When we erected
our buildings there we were told
the street was on permanent grade.
This bill will give the council pow
er to put l2-foot fiji in front of our
property"
w. T. Graham, real estate man,
spoke in favor of the bill.
IF Mrs. Cormack only knew IT,"
he said, "this bill will operate to
increase the value Of her property,
not to decrease ii. There is no sec
ton of this city that has received
Improvements and now is sorry that
it has them. Improvements are
what make property valuable and
city great"
Ed. A. Smith drew applause when
he declared that "a road tax on
automobiles should be levied to take
care of grading and paving in the
city" He also protested against the
100000 bond issue provided in the
bill Mr.. Towl explained that this
is merely revolving fund" which
is used to pay contractors and is
replenished by levies for the i'm
provements when they are paid by
the property owners.
Among the other speakers against
the bill were Yale Holland and
Tony Donahue. Henry Wulf spoke
in favor of it.
1t was the liveliest meeting the
city council chamber has seen in