OMAHA 1LL1TSTKATI31) l?I3li.
Congressman Mercer's
Splendid Record
Mny 0, 1000.
WASHINGTON, May 3. (Special.) Thy
rcuomluatlou of David Henry Mercer to en
gross from tho Second Nebraska district In
alcatcs that tho republicans o! that district
belluvo In tbo proposition that olio good term
dmerves another.
Ever hIiico hu bus been In congr.ss Mr.
Murcor has boon a factor In tho lower house,
and his success la largely attributable to
ability, alTablllty, and adaptability. Ho boa
an exceedingly engaging manner about blm
and has the ntiu (acuity of discriminating
In his friendships. Unlike a numbor of men
I know, Mr. Mercer Is perfectly content to
do Ills work In committees, where, uflcr all,
real legislation In accomplished, rather than
upon thu lloor of tho bouse, although lu the
lattor place ho compares favorably with tho
best. Ho came to Vashlugtou seveu years
ugo as tho first representative of tho Second
district us It was re-dlstrlcted by tho legis
lature In lS'Jl William Jennings llryan
having previously represented a portion of
this district which was Included In tho First,
t.uri'cr iim a I.L'HlHlutor.
Mercer began his career as a legislator
very early. Tho late Charles F. Crisp, tho
democratic spcukcr of tho Fifty-third con
gress, appointed Mr. Mercer to tho cotnmll
teo on public buildings and grounds, and
when tho lower houso of congress was re
organized by tho republicans and Thomas
Iiruckett Heed bocamo speaker lu tho Flfty
fourth congress, Mr. Heed, having a strong
liking for tho representative from tho Sec
ond Nobraaka district, moved him to within
t I , r. ..1 . r , 1. .. 1 1 t . I .. I 1 .. I 1
imuu iijuiua ui mu iiuuu ui iuu luujuiliy Blue
of tho committee, Hon. Seth L. Mllllkeu be
ing made chairman. In tho Fifty-fifth con
gross, by thu death of Mr. Milllkcn and tho
refusal of Mr. Elijah A. Morso of Massa
chusetts to become a candidate for re-election,
Mr. Mercer became tho chairman of
tho committee, which position ho ho, slnco
filled.
David H. .Mercer was b rn in IJentou
county, Iowa, In 1857, and tho following
year his parents moved to Adam county,
Illinois. Ills father, who was a captain lu
tho civil war and marched with Sherman to
tho sea, removed to Nebraska and settled at
ilrownvlllo Immediately after tho close of
tho rebellion. Mr. Mercer's father was a
blacksmith, and hero young Davo Logan to
study sotlously tho whys und wherefores of
things. Ho had an early desire to bo as
good n blacksmith as his father, but tho
senior Mercor had other ambitions for his
main, lu an editorial warned tho democratic
candidate to not underestimate tho strength
of Mercer, as ho, Mercor, would kiss every
baby in tho district. Ono day a lady met
Mercer on tho street and said:
"You have not yet kissed my baby, Mr.
Mercer, and unless you do my husband will
not voto for you."
To this sally ho replied:
"I am indeed very sorry, madam. I
thought I had kissed your baby. The mis
take, I assure you, has been eutlrcly unin
tentional. I will bo over tomorrow to kiss
tho baby, but please bear lu mind that I
am not confining my kisses to babies alouo."
Mercer got tbo vote of tho lady's hus
band as well as tho votes of several male
members of tho lady's family as a result of
this now method of campaigning.
Hut tho beet story that has over been told
on Mercer, and which I believe has never
been printed, Is tho following: One day, In
his campaign, ho entered Spocht's Iron woiks
Al the noon hour, Just as the men were
leaving for dinner. Thu young and aspiring
candidate for congressional honors Imme
diately engaged tho men In convorsat'.on, but
one of the workmen attempted to leavo tho
building whllu Mercor was haranguing tho
crowd. Mercer touched thu man on tho
shoulder In order to attract bis attention,
CRYSTAL LEAGUE LITERARY SOCIETY OF OMAHA-
which caused a buret of laughter from tho QooJ mlmor squats on evoty lineament of his
workmen, ono of tho employes of tho iron coutu,mnce; ho carries himself well on the
works remarking that they had Mercor this floor nm, ,8 unUsually successful In legisla-
time, as his friend wns deaf and dumb nnl UoIIi j,u mnrrie, a handsome nnd accom-
could not understand Mr. Morcer'a plea for pishe(l Woman while in Washington, and Is
congressional recognition
TnlkH I'oIKIcn with II In 1''1iik-'In.
Instead of being flu&tratcd at this unex
pected turn of affairs, Mr. Morcer began to
talk to tho man upon his fingers, and as
tho muto commenced to smllo and followed
tho smllo with a handshake, tho men gavo
three cheers for Mercor at being ablo to
get out of a seemingly unaurmouatablo diffi
culty so easily and so gracotully. It appears
that Mercer learned to talk on his lingers
when a small boy In ordor to entertain a
merchant named McGee, lu Hrownvillo, who
lost hU hearing whllo at tho I'hiladolphla
Centennial.
Mercer is ono of tho strong men in con
gress who Is steadily climbing tho ladder
of fame. Hound by round ho has mounted
slowly and with great deliberation, always
sure-footed and always careful. Thoro has
'been no political pneumonia lu his carter,
and thero has beou no sudden paralysis of
son, and so David was starloJ to the public Ma steadily Increasing worth amongst thoso
schools preparatory to taking a course at
tho University of Nebraska. At 10 ho taught
a district school In a Ilohemlan settlement
In Sallno county, and at tho end of tho torm
Morcer could talk a little Ilohemlan while
his pupils could speak fair English. During
tho term of tho district school iMercer gave
his pupils two weeks' vacation and went
Into thu harvest Hold himself, earning IS
per day binding wheat.
.NcIuiinUii UiilvurMlt' I'llltlUlltU.
Ho ontcred thu Nebraska Stato university
with tho freshman class of 1877 and
graduated In tho class of 1S80. During his
university career David H. Mercer was
elected to evory office within the gift of
the students and as ho had shown a
particular fondness for athletic sports bo was
elected captain of tho basu ball
and foot ball teams nnd captain
of Company A of tho University
cadets. Whllo lu tho university hu
was made tho editor of tho Hesperian
Student, tho contest for this place becoming
so bitter that tho faculty became Involved
In tho light, which attracted a very great
deal of attention all over the state.
After leaving tho uulvertlty Mr. Mercer
began tho study of law In Ilrownvlllo, where
ho was admitted to tho bar, and whllo a
resldont of Ilrownvlllo ho was elected city
clerk and police Judge. Tho republicans of
that city desired to mako him their candidate
for mayor, but ho declined tho honor, be
llovlng that tho law was much more to his
liking than politics.
In 1881 he entered tho law department of
thu Mlchtgau university, graduating there
from In 1882, returning to Ilrownvlllo to
enter upon tho practice of his profession.
Politics has always played no email part
In Mercer's llfo. At 17, when In tho Univer
sity of Nebrnska, ho showed a keen insight
into tho workings of politics, and even them
gavo promlso of his futuro career.
I.neiitt'M In Oiimha.
Whllo serving as secretary of tho repub
lican state central committee In 1884 Mr.
Mercer was located In Omaha during most
of that campaign, and ho became so In
fatuated with tho city that ho decided to
cast his fortunes with it, which ho did
soon after tho election. Within ninety days
after moving to Omaha ho was elected a
delcgato to tho republican city convention
nnd camo within ono voto of bolng nomi
nated for police Judge, although ho had
previously announced that ho did not de
sire tho office.
Ills first campaign for congress, In 1892,
was ono of tho liveliest campaigns ovor
experienced in Nobraska, This was the
year of tho democratic landslide, when
Clovoland was elected. Mercer, with a de
termination to beat his competitor, Judge
George W, Doano, resolved to seo ovory
voter In tho district and It Is bollovcd that
ho succeeded. If nny escaped, It Is not gen
erally known. Thero nro many funny stories
still remembered In connection with that
campaign,
IIU Itt-t'iml ii h llnli)' KlMNer.
Tho World-Herald, which was pushing
Judge- Doane's candidacy with might and
who domlnato tho house of representatives
!y force of character and by ability.
Fine Tribute liy C'iiidiiiIiikh.
Mr. Amos J. Cummlngs pays him a flno
trlbuto In n recent sketch ofsomo of tho
nblo men In congress. Mr. Cummlngs fays:
"Ills record has Inured to tho beneilt of his
constituents and awakened tho attention of
tho country. Tho success of tho Omaha ex
position was duo largely to his efforts. He
coming chairman of tho committee on public
buildings and grounds on tho death of Soth
Mllllken, ho engineered tho construction of
scores of public buildings scattered through
out tho country, not forgetting his own
state. All rivalries and jealousies wore
allayed, and everybody seemed pleased.
Mercer is a heavy man, with a round face,
and tho manner of an unassuming farmer.
a favorite in tho houso. Ho champions his
blllrf with characteristic pluck and ability
nnd Is a forclblo and effective speaker."
AltvnjN Hunt Mcrot-r Up.
This trlbuto, coming, as It does, from a
colleague and ono of tho ablest representa
tives, from tho Empire stato of Now York,
show's tho regard In which Mercer Is held lu
Washington. Ills commltteo room, that of
public buildings nnd grounds, In tho south
wing of tho capltol, la tho favorite mooting
placo of many congressmen not members of
his committee, but who Und thoro a kindly
atmosphere nnd a genial welcome. No
broskans from Insldo or outside of his dis
trict hunt Mercer up when they come to
Washington, Immediately after Uio dust of
travel In washed away.
Just what reasons can bo ascribed to
Mercer's romarkably successful career 1.1
somewhat problematical. Ho Is not a
showy speaker, nor can ho bo compared to
tomo of tho brilliant debaters who have
holped mako tho hlrftory of this great na
tion. Hut Mercor has n wonderful grasp
of conditions. Hu has flno Judgment, coupled
with a most engaging manner and on uddress
that unconsciously draws men toward him.
Ills laugh Is genuine, his stories lit tho
point, nnd hlt work In congruss compares
moot favorably with tho nblest men who
havo dominated tho politics of tho country
In tho past decado. E. C. S.
An liye to Business
A woman found a little fellow crying on
tho street the other day, and said: "Will
you stop crying for this penny?"
"N-no," sobbed tho urchin, "b-but If
you'll tn-mako It t-two I'll stop if It b-busta
tho p-plpes."
Omaha Debating Society
with Remarkable History
The Crystal League Literary society has colleges, all resulting In signal victories for
been playing a more or less Important part tbo league, except the contest with Hollovue,
in locul literary circles for tho last eight this going against tho league by a innrg.n
years. The Inclplency of tho organization 'uf eight points and bolng the only defeat o. or
wns unlquu and ably demonstrates tho ability received by thu league. Thu following year,
of tho American youth to succeed even under howevor, thu leaguo redeemed Itself by guiii-
tho most unfnvorublo clrcumstunces. Tho lug a very dccUlvo victory over thu same
germ and genius of tho organization sprung
from tho alleys nnd dark corners of North
Omaha. Tho alpha was a wild, Illiterate,
naughty band of "night hawks," whoso de
light wus tho torment of thu goodly com
munity. Hut ns thu years rolled on thu In
fantine pleasure lest Its charm nnd dis
satisfaction nnd unrest that drive man on
satisfaction nnd uurest that drives mnu on
to noble deeds. After ono of their usual
evening ruvels they mot for counsel. It
was midnight, the hour of tho deepest hush
of night, that these Infantine sagoj mot
under tho shadow of an old maple treo on
tho corner of Twenty-fourth nnd Sowurd
streets. From such unblddlng sourcu, on thu
morning of August 14, 1891, tho '"Crystal
Ioaguo" was launchoj upon tho tempestuous
sea of social und literary existence.
With no guiding star, save only their own
untutored milnds, tho struggle of oxlstonco
wns begun. Tossed hither and thither by
angry wnves upon an unknown, untrlod
sea, tho league gradually drow nearer to a
pure literary existence, until tho now Titan,
full panoplied, grappled with Its only rival,
tho Omnha View Dobating society, in a joint
debate, n contest resulting In victory tor tho
league by a large number of points. This
signal victory gave now llfo and renewed
energy to tho members of thu leuguo and In
quick succession occurred contests w'lth
thu South Omaha and Council II luffs High
schools, tho Omaha Commercial und Hellevuu
BSBBasaSBaHajjMjBBBjjHH
T J HEWITT. Manager DIt. W. W. IIAHTINOS, Physical Director
It, I,, Waterman. Joel Htebblns. W. K, Andre-son. Elmer Hurry
S. V Cortelyou, It, n Andresoii.
NEHRASKA UNIVERSITY I1ASKET HALL TEAM-CHAMl'IONS OF KANSAS AND NEHRASKA FOR 1900.
college representatives.
This ended thu contest era, which w.ib
followed by tho custom of giving llteiary
programs fcolely by tho luaguu membo.s, the
Idea being to Instinct and preparu tut
mcinibcrs for public speaking, and tho benu
(Its thus derived havo hewn of untold value.
Thu membership of tho league h nlwaya
boon limited to llfteen, and Is open only to
tho mnlo sea, thu only requirements bolng
a good moral charactur and a willing and
active Interest In literary work. Autlv
members only uro allowed, tho honorary
membership being only for membors who
havo left thu state.
During the eight yours of Us existence
but forty-threo names havo appealed on the
rolls of thu Institution, and at present hu
r.luo aro ennrollcd. Of thu quondam mewi
bors, sixteen aro still In tho city, and the
balance aro scattered to tho four conies
of tho universe. During nil the tlmo of lu
existence not a member has mot with aecl
dunt, but ono has been seriously III, and o'
all tho forty-threo momborH, ono only.
Walter Staley, ban been called to Join the
hereaflor.
Tho membership has been varied, and now
thoso who havo onco claimed membership
In thu orgnnlzntlon con bo found In oveiy
walk or life, from tho experimental ngrl
culturlst oven to tho highest profession.
Among thoso whoso names aro to bu found
on tho Crystal I.uaguo rolls aro: Arthu
Knrhach, president of 1. J. Karbach & Sohb
nnd venerable consul of the Modern Wood
men, 11, & M. ramp 2722; Georgo W. Plai
ner, treasurer of tho Cady Lumber companj ,
Frank E. Miss, manager of Joseph 1111 s
Hrr.s. of South Omnha; Howard Hrunor, chief
tnrirf clerk of tho Union l'nelllc; Arnold S.
Itorglum, traveling passenger agent of th
Union I'aclllc at St. Louis; Georgo W. Sher
man, grain merchant of Rlverton, la.; Jo
seph Redlleld of Redflold Hros., nnd Grant
Cleveland of th'i Fnrnnm Smith company,
whllo Ilorbort Hoppor Is In I'arls connuated
with tho World's fair, and Harvey Readln
ger Is demonstrating American push In
Mexico City.
In tho medical world thu leaguo Is repre
sented by Dr. A. Sherman I'lnlo, surgeon
nr.d captain In thu United States army, lo
cated at Havana, Cuba; Dr. Karl Connell.
who so recently passed such a creditable
examination In Nuw York City, nnd Dr. Hay
J. Huatty of Omaha and Dr. Jacob Glsh f
Chicago.
In tho Hold of legal technicality may be
found tho names of Harry H. Todrow of
Denver and Herbert L. Standevrn of Ann
Arbor, while among the rising motuliors or
tho Omnha bar are Charles Hatle'.le, Kdwa-d
M (larnutt, Charles L. Frltscher, E. (
Dodder and II. A. Whipple.
Tho league mr'(B ovory Saturday evening
In the hall of the public library, and ut
evory meeting has n full literary program,
given by tho members. Tho present officials
nro Lnwrenco T. Hoffman, prmldent; Harry
II, Cleaver, vlco prctddont and treasurer;
Frank E. HIIfb, secretary; Edward M. Oar
nott, tvlltor of tho "Crystal Leaguo Slft
Ings," and Charles L. Frltscher, custodian
of records,
Philadelphia Helishes
Philadelphia l'ress: When It It staled that
120,000 gallons (f olives, COO.OOO galloilH of
ketchup, SO, 100 giillriiH of Worcestorshl o
sauce, KiO.000 bushels of pickles, 292,000 gal
lons of mustard anil 1,000 gallons of capers
nro sent out every yeur by a largo dolleales
son wholesale firm In thin city It mny read
ily bo seen that Jaded palates hereabouts
havo plenty of splco and relish to thrive
on.