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About The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903 | View Entire Issue (March 15, 1902)
i r IN THE REALM OF POLITICS THE COURIER The honor of a politician is a curious thins. It 'is easily touched und it is easily satisfied. A recent incident in Dodge county politics is a case in point. Ross Hammond has for four years been postmaster at Fremont, a position he earned by consist ent, earnest work, not only for the party but for the selfish interests of various individuals. He supposed that as the party had again been victorious nationally he would be called upon to serve his country and his townspeople in the postofflce for four years more. Suddenly he woke up to the fact that Dan Swanson, erstwhile '.lis friend and ally, was afCer the place. Dan had been representative in the last session and his vote for senator was largely guided by It. B. Schneider, who Is the political mentor of Mr. Hammond. Mr. Schneider had taken Daniel unto the heights and showed him a fair array of offices, any of which should be his for the asking. "When the time came to fulfill the promises Mr. Schneider was painfully shy of delivery. After Dan had been pulled hither and thither in pursuit of something he could not corrall, he began to grow suspicious that he was about to get what Is tech nichally known as the dinky dink, or as Mr. Noah Webster succinctly defines It, the throw-down. It was then he called upon L. D. Richards, who had been deposed as Mr. Hammond's mentor by his former pro tege. Mr. Schneider. Mr. Richards agreed to help Dan get the postofflce. They worked silently and swiftly and before Hammond fairly awoke to the situation Dan had all the endorsements Moating around save that of Mr. Schneider, who is national committee man. Ross has not been upon the po litical earth a number of years without acquiring that subtlety of feeling that enables a man to know when he is up against it. Now he did not care so much about the salary attached to the office, because he then had a good, profitable business, but If he was not re-nominated It would be construed as a turning-down. There was where his political honor became involved. In the lexicon of politics there is no word surrounded with more dread alarm than that of turned-down. The possibil ity of it attaching to his fair fame sickened the brave heart of the editor postmaster. He and Mr. Schneider im mediately got their heads together and evolved a plan. It was that, to se cure what he really thinks Is a vindi cation and to avoid the possibility of the epithet of "turned downi' being ap plied to him, a proposition should be made Swanson. This was that Swanson should agree to allow Hammond to be named. This would enable him to triumph over his enemies and give them the merry ha ha. At the same time Swanson would have Hammond's written agreement to resign within a given time and prom ised Hammond's Influence for Swan son as his successor. Swanson saw therein a certainty, and they agreed. It was In the days of the civil war when M. D. Clary was less than a dozen years of" age. that his republicanism was born. Living with his parents at that time In West Virginia and lying between the opposing armies, Mr. Clary naturally took a zealous interest in the war. Not only did Its glamour attract him, but he was concerned with all the live ly fancy of a boy because his two elder brothers were northern soldiers. Ever since, he has been unswervingly republican. Though Mr. Clary claims West Virginia as his natal land he was born in Maryland. While still a baby his parents removed to West Virginia and there he lived until in 1867, when his parents moved west, locating in Polk county, la. There on a farm he lived until he was twenty-one years of age. Then he located near Dallas Center, la., and went Into the cattle business. For three years this engrossed his attention and then under a republican administration, on July 9, 1S93, he was appointed postmaster at that town. In this capacity he served four years. While In the office he learned of Lincoln and its inviting prospects. He con cluded he was invited, and accepted. That was fifteen years ago. Dur ing his entire career in Lincoln he has been engaged In the cigar and tobacco business. Part of the time he wholesaled In it. but eventually he cut that out. Hfs political ambitions have not been many. Once before, two years ago, he was a candidate for the council in the First ward, and was de feated by just nine votes. Bob Malone taking the victory. He was also defeated for the excise board nomination last spring. These are the only Instances of his candidacy for office, but he has always been active In the Interest of his friends when they were candidates. In addition to a common school education, Mr. Clary attended college at Indlanola, la., a few years, though he did not graduate. He is mar ried, but has no child, n. Charles E. Wilkinson, republican candidate for councilman in the Second ward. Is a native of Indiana. He Is fifty years of age and first came to Lincoln in 18S0. Since then he has resided in various sections of the state, but has always considered Lincoln his home. Mr. Wilkinson received his education at the Methodist college In Brookvllle, Indiana. At the age of nineteen he began "railroading" and has followed that calling for thirty-one years. At present he Is fore man at the Burlington freight depot. In regard to politics Mr. Wilkinson has always been a republican. Never but once has he been an officeholder. In 1890, while residing In Broken Bow, he was elected mayor on a citizens' ticket. In 1896 Mr. Wil kinson was made president of the railway men's republican sound money club, an organization that enjoyed the unique distinction of being the first of its kind In the United States. In the recent contest at the primaries he won the nomination in the Second ward, where he has been a resident and property holder for many ycan. He Is thoroughly conversant with the needs of his neighbors and is well acquainted with all the voters. Ed. H. Wilkinson, a son of the subject of this sketch. Is also cm ployed by the Burlington and holds the position of cashier In Omaha. He was reared In Lincoln and Is well known here. J Later Richards kicked over this agree ment, and it became a fight between Hammond and Swanson. Schneider would not endorse Swanson and Mil lard would not appoint Hammond. He, In fact, would not appoint anyone until the Dodge county leaders got together. This meant an outsider. Hammond would not get his vindication and Swanson would not get his office. And so they got together. Hammond has been reappointed but Is to resign be fore the first of the year and Dan Is to get three years picking of the plums. If this agreement could have been kept secret Hammond would have had his vindication, but the publicity of the whole affair robs his seeming triumph of that genuine satisfaction that comes to the man who wins out. Most men would have Insisted upon four years more or none at all, but so long as Mr. Hammond is satisfied there is nothing more to say. It Is possible that in view of the great disaster that fell up on Mr. Hammond Tuesday, when the accrued labors of twenty years were wiped out by fire In a few hours, ar rangements may be made to permit him to continue as postmaster for the full term. The services he has ren dered Fremont both In a business and an editorial capacity entitle him to this assistance, just now, and no one would object to this recognition of his past efforts. Next Thursday the republican state committee will meet in this city and determine on a date for the state nom inating convention. The general opin ion seems to favor setting the time in the latter part of May or the early part of June. The reason back of the opinion Is apparent to the most super ficial observer. The contest before the convention is to be between Governor Savage and his opponents, and the whole Issue will revolve about the pardon of Joseph Bartley. There Is no escaping the con clusion that sentiment throughout the state at present is strongly against the governor on this one act of his ad ministration. Savage's enemies are in control of the state machinery. The convention that made the commltter men Is the same convention that pass ed a resolution condemning the pa role of the ex-state treasurer and de manded that he be returned to prison at once. If these men would take ad vantage of the general hostile feeling, brevity of time nill be of the. essence of their success. The longer they de lay the more they endanger their cause. From the other slde it Is hinted that the governor has not yet played his highest card. From those who are In a position to know comes the word that it is yet within the power of Gov ernor Savage to make himself the next nominee. The big trump is In his hand, and all it requires Is the courage to lay It down. No one yet has doubted the courage of the governor and It Is possible that he will do the very thing his opponents leawt suspect. If he does so act an early convention will be more to hl liking than to his disadvantage. On the heels of the announcement of the meeting of the republican commit tee came the proclamation of the dem ocrats and populists calling their state committees together in this city one day ahead of the republicans, Wednes day. March 19th. Just what this means the republicans are wondering, and in many quarters there Is a suspicion that the fusionists intend doing a little fore stalling. It has been suggested, and not with out a showing of color, that, when they meet in Joint session after the respec tive wings have completed the pre liminary matters for which they have been called to consider, they will pro ceed to pass a few resolutions on mat ters pertaining to what will apparently be Issues In the coming state campaign. It Is not difficult to foretell the things that will receive public attention throughout the fall, and few could miss very far the tenor of the platforms the various parties will adopt. If the fu sionists can get together first and commit themselves on certain Issues they will thus, they figure, get ahead of their opponents and ha-e the credit of leading the procession In matters of reform.