The Omaha guide., 1934-07-07

for litigants, widows, orphans and
others. Robert Smith handled over
fifteen million dollars Of these trust
funds without loss to a single person.
His successive reflections evidence
the satisfaction of the public.
When a reform in the procedure
for selecting juroee resulted from
Robert Smiths exposure Of jury
tampering practices. the Omaha
World-H Herald said ~editorially:
''The thanks Of the community are
due to Robert Smith, Clerk of the
District Court!"
When he was reelected Clerk Of the
District Court by petition in 1880,
the Omaha-Bee News commented:
"His triumphant victory is the best
possible proof that the voters of
Douglas County have confidence in
the integrity and capacity Of the
mar who has so long and so we'll
served them in one of the principal
offices Of the public administration.
There is nothing strange in Rob-
ert Smiths insistence that public of
flee is, in fact, a public trust, and in
his passion for carrying out effect
lively the true expression of the pub
lie will. He ended the uncertainty of
public school teachers employment
in Omaha by forcing the adoption of
the permanent list" He helped to
write and he championed the enact
ment of the honest elections" law
which made it certain that the votes
OF Omaha citizens would be counted
honestly as they were cast He fav-
ored the direct primary and woman
suffrage to give all the people a
voice in the administration of their
government. When an effort was
made to prostitute the primary law
by entering candidates with names
Identical to those of trusted public
servants, he instigated an action in
che State Supreme Court to free
United States Senator George w.
Norris from this unfair embarrass-
ment- When the Omaha boss con-
trolled political machine attempted
the same tactics against himself by
filing another Robert Smith in the
primary to confuse the voters and
divide his vote SO as to nominate his
real opponent, he withdraw from the
primary and administered a singing
rebuke to such disgraceful bossism
by becoming a candidate by petition
and winning a triumphant reelection
as Clerk of the District Court by al
most as many votes as all other
candidates combined.
There is nothing uncertain about
Robert Smiths Republicanism. Rob-
ert Smith has been a Republican all
his life. He has been an active Re
publican, working diligently and
c~ourageously within the party, as in
public office, to make the party
policy truly expressive Of the popular
will and to make its administration
of public office honest, efficient and
tolerant. He is the Theodore Roose-
welt type Of Republican.
In 1882, as Chairman of the Re-
publican State Committee, he fought
valiantly and courageously to the
very end of the campaign for Her
bert Hoover, presenting the Repub-
lican program and the Republican
candidates to voters in every County
in the State, with the smallest ex-
penditure of funds reported in a nat
ional election in thirty years.
When, on May 3rd. 1884, Robert
Smith handed in his resignation as
Chairman of the Republican State
Central Committee in order to be-
come a candidate for the United
States Senate, he left the party or
ganization in the State in splendid
working condition. There was no dis
sension within the ranks, harmony
prevailed. and the party had no I'M
paid obligations. For this accomplish
ment he has the thanks Of the Re
publicans everywhere.
Rohorf Smith tas had q vo,Ith ~
experience that will make him in
valuable to Nebraska in the United