Omaha daily bee., 1893-09-18

were at kearney soliciting support for
yourself as a delegate to tho national
convention and making most frantic
efforts to keep the convention
from endorsing me for tho posi-
tion of national committeeman.
| remained at Omaha and never asked n
man, either delegate or outsider, to
have my name mentioned for anything
before that convention. The first infor-
nation | had that any attempt would be
made to have me endorsed as committee
man came in a telegram from DR..
Mercer, her chairman of the state
committee. Dr.. Mercer will bear me
out that | wired him positively declin-
ing to authorize the use Of rny name for
any purpose before that convention.
The truth is, my nomination came as a
compliment entirely unsolicited on my
part and contrary to the tenor of the
message wired by me to DIR. Mercer.
AS to the incidents OF the Dodge county
primaries and convention, | know moth
ing personally. What has been charged
and published came from whatI consider
credible sources | had been absent
from the state nearly seven weeks, and
on my return, the last day of August.
learned that a scheme had been set on
foot by railroad republicans and the
state house ringsters to turn down Max
well. The plan Of campaign against
him was to draw out candidates in cvery
district, organize the field against him,
and, by calling the convention at the last
moment, prevent any effective OPPOSE
ton to the man on whom the ~railroaders
should pool. The first step was ex-
panding the representation to 95S dele
gates. as an opening wedge for pass men
and proxies. The next step in the pro-
gram was to force an early con-
vention in Dodge county, mass all
the mercenaries and railroad de-
pendents before the rank and file
could discover the plot, and throw
Maxwell on his back with the cry that
he had been discarded by his own
county. The trouble was to find a can
didate who would prostitute himself to
such an end. Nobody, not even Mr.. Prick,
was disposed to assume this role. Mr..
Prick, | am credibly informed, had
actually volunteered to support Maxwell
for denomination. But he finally was
caught in the drag net of the railroad
spider that you and your associates had
woven so skilfully. You deny that Max
well was downed through a snap con-
vention. My best information is that
the convention was called when only
seven out of your county committee of
nineteen were present. A call by barely
one-third Of the committee looks very
much like a snap game to an outsider.
The convention was called early in Sep
TENDER, so as to enable the snappers to
influence the rest of the state by claim.
ing that Maxwell had been repudiated
at home, when in TACT he had really been
sold out and tricked out.
Your structures of Judge Maxwell
scarcely need refutation at my hands.
They are impertinent, contemplate and
p~harasaical. You set yourself up as a
critic of his legal abilities, and sheer
at his decisions, when you are simply a
poor parrot cchoing the talk of second
rate lawyers and such political lepers as
Walt Seeley, who are perambulating the
state talking down a man who has been
living al upright, unsullied life, and, like
CAESARS wife, has maintained his reputa-
ton above suspicion. You say Maxwell
is too old you wan n younger man.
Did you or any of your ilk raise that OBJ
lection to Cobb two years ago? In 1891
Cobb was of exactly the sam age as
Maxwell is today and he was not half as
vigorous. Out with such arraut hypoc-
risy!
do not know what you refer to when
you charge that Maxwell decided that q
legal contract cannot be enforced. nor
do | understand whaG you refer to VII en-
you say the business interests of the
state will be better subserved by q
younger man.. What business interests
have ever suffered at the hands of Max
well? Are the business interests you
refer to the railroad interests, and do
you want a man on the supreme bench
who will disregard the plain mandate of
the constitution as regurds the power
and duty of the Legislature to establish
reasonable maximum rates? If this is
the sort of judge Mr.. Prick would make,
his chances for election are mighty
slim.
You nave the audaeity to charge by
inuendo hat | am a blackmailer and
have come by whatever property l own
by dishonest methods. If YOU will make
that charge specific / will guarantee to
give you an opportunity to prove it in
the courts, just as ] did some years ago
with parties that charged me with dis
loyalty during the war. l defy you or
any other man to name any candidate,
Office holder, or public man in any capa-
city who has ever been held up or asked
to contribute a dollar for my influence
or the support of The BEE. More than
forty public men who have held Office in
this state, including senators, congress-
men, governors and state officers, survive.
Some are friendly and some unfriendly.
But | challenge you to find a single
one who will testify that he has been
blackmailed or compelled to contribute
to myself or THE BEE, directly or indi-
lectly, as a consideration for support, or
who will testify hat he failed to get my
support or that of The BEE because he
,af,cnI 20 Nou t,ib,,ta e., ,,n,a,, -, ~,