T II K COUK I KR
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IN THE REALM OF
POLITICS
The real political sensation of the
week has been the announcement of
Mr. Kosewater that if he fails to de
feat Dave Mercer in the primaries he
will run as an independent candidate
by petition for the express purpose of
beating Mercer. Mr. Kosewater says
that he does not care to go to congress
himself, but that he is tired of seeing
Mercer there. The announcement Is
laughed away by the Mercer fellows,
but If they are not really alarmed then
they have less political acumen than
they are usually credited with. Tin
fact is that Kosewater could person
ally poll enough votes to make It hard
sledding for Mercer, and the only thins
that can prevent him from making the
race, once his mind is made up. is the
nomination of Frank Hansom by the
democrats. He is generally credited with
hating Hansom about as fervently as
Mercer, and it would be a case of half
a dozen of one and six of the other.
Mercer is now serving his fifth term,
and it is a credit to his political ability
that he has succeeded in holding on as
long as he has. Mercer Is not a states
man and makes no pretensions to be
ing one. When he first went to con
gress he could not make a speech that
anyone would listen to for any length
of time. Experience has made him
more proficient in oratory, but in. one
ranks him among the magnetic spell
binders. What is it. then, that enables him
to win time after time over young re
publicans, abler, more brilliant than
himself? Omaha has many of these in
her professional ranks, but they are
pigmies In politics compared to Mercer.
The only answer to the question is that
Mercer has consistently stuck to the
policy he began with, that of getting
things for his people and jollying them
at every turn. Dave is for an
appropriation all the time. If the com
mercial club of Omaha sees something
it wants, a federal building, army
headquarters. Indian supply depot, an
exiKJSition appropriation any thing that
takes government money out of the
treasury and plants it in Omaha they
ask Dave to get It and he proceeds to
take up the pursuit. Long service has
enabled him to learn the ins and outs
of appropriation seeking and by means
of trades and steady plugging he can
generally land whatever is wanted.
Omaha people seem to have the com
mercial spirit down fine. They do not
care for a constructive statesman, an
orator, a leader of men as congress
man. So long as this spirit obtains
Dave is reasonably certain of getting
back. Men are so constituted that an
appeal to their cupidity rarely fails to
win, and Dave is a good player at the
game.
Some enterprising reporter has dis
covered and blazoned rudely forth to
the world the fact that Governor Sav
age is a candidate for renomination.
This can hardly be classed as news,
however. The governor has been a
candidate for some months. He was
a candidate when he pardoned Hartley,
and really was deceived into the belief
that he was assisting his political for
tunes by taking that step. In his ambi
tion he is receiving the powerful sup
port of both United States senators.
Senator Millard, particularly, has in
terested himself In the governor's be
half and has turned over to him. to
use for his personal advantage, a part
of the North Platte patronage. This
fact is just being discovered by tin
men who thought their local promi
nence justified them in thinking they
could name a postmaster or two. There
is Senator Currie. for Instance. Tin
senator lives in the small town of Sar
gent, which Is also the governor's hab
itat. Mr. Currie was a prominent c.n-
didate for United States senator last
winter, and naturally thought that he
would be permitted to name the man
who should handle the mails at Sar
gent. He suggested a man. but his
choice was not named. Instead Gn -crnor
Savage's choice nailed the job.
From other towns comes the same
story, corroborative of the governor's
access of patronage-dispensing.
Col. K. K. Sixer, who can almost
read his title clear to being the next
postmaster of Lincoln, his name hav
ing been sent in to the senate fur con
tinuation, has been a resident of the
city almost continuously for twenty
eight years. He was born in Ottawa.
HI., on the 2.1th of August. 1M. He
married in 1NT1. and came to Lincoln
in 1S74. He graduated from the Otta
wa high school, and after serxing lif
teen months in a mercantile establish
ment in i'rinceton. Ill emigrated to
this clt
KD K. SIZKK.
Appointed by the piesident as post
master of Lincoln.
Mr. Steer's tirst ollicial position was
deputy district clerk under R. M.'Ved
der. a position he relinquished in 1S70
In 15S:t he was nominated for district
clerk by the republicans, carrying tin
county by over :;.00 majority. Four
years later he was re-elected by an
equally large majority. The clerk'
office in those days was a fee office,
and the profits were large. Mr. Sizer
became interested in the banking busi
ness, but later real estate investments
claimed his interest. He was the lead
ing spirit in the effort to establish a
prosperous college suburb at Lincoln
Normal, but the panic times came anil
all of the company's backers lost
heavily.
After Sam K. Low's selection as dis
trict clerk Mr. Sizer became his deputy,
serving for two years. When the war
with Spain came and Cuba fell into
American hands. Mr. Sizer was sent to
Havana, where, as chief clerk in tin
customs office, he did most excellent
service. His health failed him and In
the fall of 1900 he came home. In May.
1901. he was named as state oil inspec
tor, a iosition he yet holds.
Mr. Sizer has long borne the reputa
tion of being a most excellent political
manager. He is a believer In thorough
systemization. and his ability in this
line has made him invaluable both as
a campaign manager and the head of
a public office. His competency to till
the office of postmaster is unques
tioned. Mr. Sizer won his title of colonel as
a member of Governor Thayer's staff.
He has been prominent in a number
of secret orders, and was a member
for a time of the staff of the brigadier
general of the Uniformed rank, K.
of I
The Fremont postotlice tight is still
up in the air. but the Schneider faction
held a little rejoicing this week when
K II. came home and announced that
he had secured a pledge from Senator
Millard that no one would be recom
mended for the Fremont postotlice un
less he soured the Joint endorsement
of Schneider atnl Klchards. Thesenator
Is anxious to stop this Dodge county
quarrel, and hopes to be able to foite
a compromise on postmaster by taking
up some new man. Klchards. however,
has sworn to stand by Swanson to tin
end and Schneider feels the same way
about I Joss Hammond. The advantage
lies with the Schneider fellows hft-nui
Hammond now has the postotlice an I
will hold on until his successor Is ap
pointed and qualities, just as g I. In-
thinks, as a reappointment. Schneider
has been doing some missionary won
among the members of the couutyconi
mittee. ami called it together tile oth
er day. In view, however, of the in w
turn he took no action and told the
members that the matter had been
.settled. The postotlice department,
however, is not likely to stand for this
condition of affairs for long after
Hammond's term expires, and some
one will have to be named.
::
The tussle oer patronage Is causing
considerable hard feeling. Up at Ten
der K. A. Wiltse. tin- banker, has been
Millard's dispensing agent. He pioin-
ist-il ex-Senator McDonald, the pres
ent postmaster, to endorse him again,
lint lately tin- congressional bee has
been buzzing in the Wiltse bonnet, and
as a newspaper is a good thing to have,
he is said to have promised Kditor
Huntsberger of the Kepublic that In
should have the office. A deal was
plugged up to leave the matter l an
.t.hismy committee of twenty-four to
he scletteil by three republicans. Two
of tin- three were enemies of McDon
,, .,nd he refused to submit his candi
dal y to the committee. As it was con
stituted Huntsberger won. and now
public indignation meetings are in or
der. With tin- republican city primaries
.still six weeks o(T an unusual amount
or activity is manifest. The action of
the city council and the pretty general
opinion that a majority thereof have
handed themselves together for ulte
iltir motives have centered public at
tention upon that body and given rise
to some severe comments. Councilman
Malone. a democrat, is the retiring
First warder, and the only other demo
crat in the council, Krlenborn of the
Second, will probably be succeeded by
a republican. The men who seek to
control councilmen have great power
therein, and the quality of the new
men is as yet undeterminable. In the
Third Councilman Spears concludes six
years of service by a voluntary retire
ment. A number of prominent republi
cans in this ward have been impor
tuned to run. but they fight shy of
bucking the machine. The principal
interest centers in the Fourth and
Sixth wards, where two men whose
previous standing and conduct led
their constituents to expect greater In
dependence of action and a different
course than they have taken are
marked for slaughter. In the Fourth
Councilman liaeon will face a de
termined opposition. Five men are
mentioned to succeed him. John S.
Bishop. J. K. Inkste;-; M. Weil, J. D.
Woods and C. Y. Smith. Bacon pos
sesses certain elements of strength that
will make It necessary for a combina
tion against him if he Is to be downed.
In the Sixth the opposition to Council
man Fryer has centered on I J. Dunn,
a well known business man. Mr. Dunn
is loth to assume the burden of a fight
and the duties of the place, but now
that he Is in the fight he promises to
stav.
The principal complaint against
Fryer is that he has lined up with the
antl-Winnett faction in the council. 11
voluntarily came to the mayor and
promised to stay with him in the tight
over the matter of who shall appoint
the committees, the mayor or the
president of the council. This is the
latest step of the gang to secure un
disputed control of the committees
and thus be able t advance or throt
tie, as they choose, any piece of legls
latlon Fryer was depended upon to
vote with the mayors forces, but In
steail In- came out on the other side
He attempted to explain to the mayor
after Monday night's meeting.
"You have no Idea." he Is reported
to have said, "the pressure that was
brought to bear upon me -a pressure I
tnuld not withstand."'
"You needn't explain to me." said
the mayor, "after going bat k on your
promise I wouldn't believe anything
you said."
Then he walked away.
A count llnian must either be a force
ol a nonentity. If he possesses the
ability ami tin- courage In stand for
what he believes light even if he does
make mistakes, there Is little criticism
of his course. If the control of his vote
li-s with the manager of some railroad
or some gas company In- is indeed a
man to be pitied. There are some coun
t -ilmeii who scarcely iiiom- without ask
lug the ndvl f a coterie of friends
and these rank but little higher than
the fellows who represent tin- corpora
tlons. Under tin- present system of
ward representation it Is practically
impossible to get business or profes
sioual men to rim. If they do accept
it is under great pressure. The remedy
is plain, change the charter if you can.
Tim ce was when the Union I'a
cillc railroad company was the great
arbiter of political fortunes in Ne
braska. When llnainial misfortune
came upon it and it was outstripped
hi tin- gridii oiling of Nebraska by the
Burlington, tin- latter road assum-d
the reins of M.wer. It is still strong,
.still powerful, but in recent years a
new ractor has appeared. That is the
Klkhoru. It has enlisted in its service
M.me of the shrewdest lawyers and
politicians in the state, and It is add
ing to this force of workers each year
It was weak last winter, but still
strong enough to beat the Burlington
out of its preferred choice for senator.
The most Interesting phase of this de
termined attack upon the Burlington
citadel is the apparent intention of the
Klkhom people to take a hand in Lan
caster county polities. Within the past
month a number of annuals have been
judiciously distributed, and there are
more Klkhom passes carried in Lincoln
now than there ever were before. A
pass is a power in controlling politi
cians, ami as this move is made at -i
time when the Burlington has been
curtailing the number It hail out. it is
the more effective.
. - -
.r .- ..-
IJucksby I hear that your daughter
expects to In- at the coronation of King
Kdwaril.
Si-ailsby That dcjM-nils. She will if
we can find a peer to buy up for a hus
band before tin- event occurs.
Miss Lippincott
Studio. Itoom S5
rownell Block
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H Tpnrhpr'? Motto &
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S rience of 2S years at ?g
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212 ti STREET.
1H Phouc 52K.
tf&t&srz&y-je sr.vYxx
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v
New Lincoln Jf.
S. CAIN
'roprietor
i: S. Tenth
Street
Bowling Alleys
EirrWhin; .New aod Miktlj Flrt tla
LadlCpctull Intrltnt