Omaha daily bee., 1922-05-02
A Campaign Of Bunk.

ffankness - Tie ofuer OF inc gay, put htiH lt
may be asked whether the speakers al the demo-
cratic banquet in Lincoln did no, lay altogether
100 many cards on the table. The keynote was,
Anything 10 win and the discussion Was not
OF human rights but OF voters prejudiees. Va
Iious sore spots on the body polite were pointed
out. not Tor cure bu, with the design OF irritating
them further.
Not even Mr.. Norton. who is supposed TO be
progressive, made a single constructive pro-
posal His voice simply ehimed in with tina, OF
Morchead, Butler, Mullen and Hall in declaring
that taxes should be lowered. w. J. Bryan, who
pleaded uniamiari,y with Nebraska affairs. was
equally indefinite.
No matter on what party ticket. every cam
didatc for Office in Nebraska is promising lower
taxes. The democrats have no monopoly on this
plank; every candidate no matter for what OF.
fee. has declared for reduction The unanimi,y
removes this as an issue. The problem up to
the voters is to decide which set OF men has the
ability and courage to trim public expenditures.
1t is up to the Office seekers to specify Just
where they would make their cuts, and how much
OF a net saving their policy would produce. One
OF the democratic candidates urges the repeal Of
the code law, but fails to state how much this
would reduce taxes or who would do the ncces-
sary public work now carried on by the code de-
rartments, which have charge OF such matters
as agriculture, road building, bank inspection and
public welfare. The uniform system OF public ac-
counting installed under the code and budget
system makes il an easy matter for any citizen to
check up state expenditures. In previous admin
istrations no one could make head or tail of the
public accounts. Why doesn't some good
democrat 60 to the books and come back with
definite estimate OF what he could save the peo-
pie? II the. government of Nebraska is to be
turned over to the lowest bidder, accuracy should
be insisted upon.
The democrat who declares for cutting the
state payroll in two should have some figures on
WHICH his pledge is based. His promise loses
some of its glow when the public is reminded that
the entire expense Of the general state govern
ment takes only ? cents Of each dollar paid in by
the taxpayer The fact that local taxes bear
heavier than state taxes rises up to mock the
pretencc
Complaint against the cost OF state inspection
work is heard from many sources Yet thus far
not one candidate has singled out any specific
department that he would discontinue. Can it be
that these men plan to eliminate the child well
fare bureau, which was established at the in
sistent request OF the women's organizations?
Are the pure food laws to be wiped out, is the
check on weights and measures to be dropped.
the agricultural department to be crippled or
bank inspection to be foregone?
The voters of Nebraska are up in the air, and
10 doubt that is why so many politicians are
shooting in the air. There is no target now, ex-
cept Office to shoot at. If the third party had not
been betrayeds discussion of vital issues would
havs been forced. The democratic party, as
measured BY this feast Of its best minds At Lin
coin is intent on nothing more than capitalizing
unrest when what is needed is definite plan for
sl1aying il.