Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1921-02-15
g 9f
o%s'
Protested
Sarpy Delegation, Appearing
Before House Committee,
Denies That Annexation
With Douglas Desired. y
Justice Of Vote Denied

Lincoln, Feb. l4.-(Special Tele-
gram.)-Residcnts from Sarpy coun-
ty, $50 strong. appeared tonight be-
fore the house committee on privi-
leges and elections to register pro-
test against the Druescdow bill pro-
viding for an election to determine
whether Sarpy should be annexed to
Douglas county. One farmer stood
in the center OF the delegation during
the hearing with 4 huge banner held
aloft, which read. "Sarpy county re-
fuses to be crucificd on the cross Of
Omaha"
Prior to the hearing the delegation
marched up the streets OF Lincoln
and through the corridors OF the
state house carrying the banner.
Speakers denied the claims made
that a majority of Sarpy county resi-
dents. desired annexation and de-
clared that Omaha wished the an
nexation from purely selfish pur-
poses, chiefly for the benefit that tax
assessments for Improvements
against Sarpy county farms would
work on Omaha property.
Unfair Representation. .
"We couldn't get fair represen-
tation under such.a plan with our
small population, which is less than
the negro population of OMAHA J.
NJ. Gates of Fort Crook said.
"We know our court house is bad,
but we want to build our own build
ing and not help pay for one i'll
Omaha" John Crooks of Fort Crook
boulevard declared. II have been
tod that the profit on the furniture
in the Douglas county court house
was $4,000 and 'ou- whole bonded in
debtcdness is only $4,000,
Edgar Howard, Columbus editor
and former Sarpy county resident,
begged that Sarpy County keep it's
individuality and not get its simple,
rural life mixed with the
last and furious pace of the Nebraska
metropolis.
Il deny the justice claimed that a
majority vote will decide whether
Sarpy county wants to annex, How
ard declared, because | know the
Omaha politicians and | also know
that with the proximity of the float
ing population of South Omaha to
Sarpy county it would be a simple
matter to provide abodes over the
line III Sarpy county for 40 days
md thus permit the South Omaha
people TO vote in favor Of annexation
,n a Sarpy county ballot
Final Decision Delayed.
Representative Druesedow, author
Of the bill, was not present. Final
decision was delayed until it was
learned whether Dresedow wanted to
appear before the committee.
. Il don't know much about the
sentiment for annexation" said Rep
resentaGve Randall of Omaha, "but
[ do know that the roads and i'm
in Sarpy county are a
iisgrace to Nebraska and annexation
With a live, aggressive county seems
o be the only way to get the resi-
tents over there into the stride OF |
modern times"
Representative Ed A. Smith OF :!
Omaha, member of the committee, !
declared he was ready to vote against !
he Dresedow bill at any time after
learing the arguments today. /
The speakers before the committee
we're: Representative Frazier of Sar-
~ county: J. NJ. Gates, Fort |
Crook; ]. d. Clark, Papillion: Joe
Elwell. Springfield: John Hughes,
Fort Crook boulevard, and A. D.
Compton,. former Douglas county
commissioner, who declared that
Douglas county had enough to do
o attend to its own affairs. |