t
IN THE REALM OF
POLITICS
THE'COTJBIER
Governor Savage has apparently lost
none of his confidence that he will be
the next nominee of the republicans
for chief executive, but he Is finding
. out that things are not nearly so rose
ate as he has imagined. It will not
be long until he tumbles to the fact
that some of his appointees, who have
been telling him In great confidence
about their great influence and knowl
edge of Inner movements in political
circles, are mere tyros at the business
and know not whereof they speak- The
rovernor has been unfortunate in that
he has been imposed .upon in this re
spect by men who ought to know bet
ter. Usually a governor names as' his
private secretary some man of recog
nized political genius and capability.
Governor Thayer, for instance, had
Captain J. E. Hill, Governor Boyd was
buoyed up by the knowledge that his
secrets were safe with Frank Morr'ls
sey, Governor Crounse had the benefit
of W. E. Andrew's advice, Benton
Maret was Governor Holcomb's strong
staff and Frted Jewell looked after
Governor Poynter's political Interests.
When Dietrich assumed the reins he
called in that astute young political
leader, Harry Llndsey. After Mr.
Dietrich had gone up higher Mr. Llnd
'sey dropped out and the now governor,
with a daring disregard for precedent
and the future appointed Co. Bob
Clancey, an astute gentleman from
Omaha. Mr. Clancey was an un
familiar figure in Nebraska politics,
and he has not yet become so promi
nent as to strike the vision at every
point.
,, A new man for governor .who has not
as yet got past the "mentioned for""
class is Judge Barnes of Norfolk, at
present supreme court commissioner.
Judge Barnes is a sttong man in the
northeastern section of the state, as he
demonstrated when he contested for the
supreme court judgeship last year. He
Is particularly popular in the Elkhorn
valley, and would be a good second
choice in many.parts of the state.
&
Mr. Clancey, it is stated, is the gen
tleman who has given the governor
the assurance that Lancaster county
will be for him. Every day or two he
goes up to Omaha and holds mysterious
consultations with politicians. We pre
sume this is how he discovered that
Douglas county is also for Savage. Lo
cal politicians say that they have not
heard of anyone being around putting
In any plugs foi4 Savage, and It must
be that Col. Hays, who was appointed
from this county as oil Inspector is the
wizard who is to transform everything.
Mr. Hays' name does not appear on the
roster of active republican politicians
in Lancaster county, and he really has
about as much influence in local affairs
as the Hon. Ed Rosewater. General
Colby was appointed adjutant general
from Gage county, but Courier advices
from that neighborhood are to the ef
fect that the general is not cutting as
much ice as an armless man. With
Clancey of Douglas and Hays of Lan
caster and Colby of Gage, three coun
ties almost necessary to the governor's
success, ineffective to deliver a single
vote. Governor Savage Is more to be
pitied than criticised. A first term
governor must of necessity pick his
men with a view to their capability in
boosting him back into the place, their
reward being"" two more years of clover
. '
-. jii-M wn -w k. mr '-.ii-iw
GEORGE L. CAMPEN.
George L. Campen, city engineer since last July and candidate for
election to that office on the republican ticket, is a native of Michigan.
He was born in. Pittsford. July 27, 1867. In the country schools of that
state he secured the rudiments of his education, supplementing this
course with one year in the Hillsdale high school. Besides this he enjoyed
two years at the Michigan state normal college.
Mr. Campen came to Saunders county, Nebraska in 1885. He taught
school two years and at the end of that time went to work in the en
gineering department of the Burlington.
After this he attended the state university, working on the campus in
order to help defray his expenses. His summers were spent in the serv
ice of the Burlington and in working for the city.
In 1890 Mr. Campen went to Wyoming where he was employed by
some large mining and coal companies. In September, 1891, he came
back to Lincoln and for seven years served In the city engineer's office.
He was next called to Des Moines to take a position with a large
bridge building company. He returned to Lincoln last April, and in July
was appointed city engineer to succeed Adna Dobson, who had been
made secretary of the state board of irrigation.
Mr. Campen has always been a. republican and is for the first time a
candidate for office. He served as deputy under City Engineer Bonstedt
and had charge of the office while the latter was superintending the con
struction of the viaduct.
He Is thoroughly familiar with every detail in connection with the
office of city engineer, and in addition has received a technical train
ing which cannot be excelled for practical work. .s
P. JAMES COSGRAVE.
Republican Candidate for Police Judge.
"Stories have been circulated that I have had the special backing of
the rough element and that consequently I will be handicapped by obli
gations. I will say that they are untrue. I have made no promises to
any corporation or persons. Every man, woman or child who is brought
before me, if I am elected, will receive simply justice, based on my best
judgment. No culprit and no attorney need expect favors. I will con
nive at no offense. The merits and nothing more will influence me In my
judgment of any case that is brought before me. It is my intention to
use my best endeavors to raise the standard of the police Judgeship high
er, if possible, than the standard Allowed heretofore."
P. James Cosgrave thus speaks of his Intended administration. If elect
ed to the office of police judge. The best Interests of the people of Lin
coln, morally and commercially, so far as they are affected by the ac
tions of the police Judge, will be subserved by him, he says. Mr. Cos
grave is young and ambitious. He was born in Wllkesbarre, Pa., June 23,
1871. Before coming to Nebraska he lived one year in Iowa. He has lived
in Lincoln twenty years. Graduating from the Lincoln high school in
1889 he took up the study of law at Ann Arbor. He graduated from this
school in 1891 and became a post graduate in 1892. Ever since that time
he has practiced law in Lincoln. In 1898 he enlisted and went to the war.
He was made First Lieutenant of company D of Lincoln and went to
Manila as such. Because of his soldierly qualities and valor in action,
he was promoted to the Captaincy of company I. He came home with
the soldiers and was mustered out at San Francisco. His offices now are
at 105 North Eleventh. In lodge, as well as social circles, he is conspicu
ous, being an officer of the Knights of Pythias, a member of the Elks, a
Ben Hur, a Redman, a Royal Highlander, a member of the Sons and
Daughters of Protection and of other orders.
themselves. In picking his men the
governor must display wisdom of su
Ierlor order, and any mistake is likely
to be costly. This is where Governor
Savage has been unwise. He is not a
man who will take advice and his
knowledge of politics when he was sud
denly thrust Into the governorship was
about as extensive as that of a high
school graduate. At present the gov
ernor is just grinning and bearing iL
Fusion will once more be the watch
word of all true populists and demo
ocrats. This Is not surprising. Few
people at all conversant with the politi
cal situation expected anything else. A
combination based on a partition of the
spoils is the only effectual way to get
within fighting distance of victory and
the gloom of defeat helps the dis
gruntled to become reconciled to the
situation. So very few populists were
of the middle-of-the-road opinion. The
democrats were far more shy. They
did not seem to care whether there
was fusion or whether there wasn't.
But this sang froid was all assumed.
Deep down beneath the surface was a
strong fusion undercurrent and the out
ward calmness was simply the opening
skirmish to force the populists into
listening to the claims of the bourbons
for the chief place on the state ticket.
Some of these days the executive com
mittees of both parties will call sepa
rate conventions somewhere on Identi
cal dates. There will be a grand
scramble for positions and the usnal
double headed campaign will follow.
In a financial way the fusion coxi
mittos will be right up against a seri
ous proposition. Bills unpaid still awe
the faithful. When the defeat of last
fall was encountered everything was
dropped. Funds on hand were spent
in the liquidation of the most pressing
debts. A legacy in no way encourag
ing had been inherited from the regime
of J. Harley Edmlsten. So last fall
the campaign was desultory In its na
ture. Office holders, the most approved
source of raising revenue, were not
accessible for assessment. Candidates
could only contribute limited amounts.
Hence the dearth of coin. The faith
ful came at times and put their
shoulders to the wheel, but for the
most part Chairman De France had
to work uncomplainingly under cir
cumstances most discouraging. The
victory of Judge Sedgwick followed.
Now there Is a possibility that the
same thing will happen again. It Is
this problem of raising revenue from
candidates not at all enthused with
hopes of ultimate victory that causes
all good populists to view with dis
may. The campaign this fall will be one
of charges and counter charges. Fu
sionists will condemn; republicans will
compare. The Poynter administration
will be revamped and placed side by
side with the last two years. Prob
ably no one thing so outlines what the
fusionlsts are thinking of as the tact
ful manner in which they avoided call
ing a convention until the date for the
republican nominations had been made.
As one populist expressed It "the Ju"Gi
must have the last whack." The sub
sequent gathering has an opportunfty
(Contlnned on page eleven.)
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