Omaha daily bee., 1896-12-30
CAFFIN, RICH OR SHELDON
Populists Uncertain as to Who Will Be
Speaker This Time,
THPLATTs MEN PROFESS CONFIDENCE
supporters Of Gnmn Let on that They
Have Their Man Already
Elected. hut the others Are
StiII Fighting.

LINCOLN, Dec. 29,-(Spccial)-Today
witnessed the first siirmish among the
populists preceding the battle royal for the
organization of the legislature. The trav-
cling mems banquet to Bryan last night at
the Lincoln hotel brought great many
populist and democratic wheelhorses into
town, and u large majority of them re-
malnCd over. Some of them will spend the
rest OF the week in Lincoln working for
favorite candidates for official positions in
house or senate.
Senator W. V. Allen was the center of
attraction today at the Lincoln and around
him revolved and buzzed the lesser lights
of populism and alleged local leaders of
free silver democracy" The senator has
a kind word and smile for all the aspr-
ants for the speakership, but 1t is under
stood he has so far committed himself to
no one.
or course 1t is said with gusto in Lin
coin that j. N. GafIln OF Saunders has the
inside track for the speakership, He is
South Platte candidate and South Platte
constituents do not usually give up the hight
until the last vote is counted and then they
demand hat the jury be polled to see that
no mistake has been made. Edison Rich Of
Douglas however, has some warm friends
in this vicinity, but so far 1t is evident
that no very tangible combinations nave
been made by either Mr. Rich or Mr.. Car
fin II is thought the state house element,
including Governor Holcomb, Oil Inspector
Edmisten. j. IL. Edgerton and John Pow
ors, are favorable to Gailin. If this support
is united Gafiin will prove formidable OPP
ponent to Rich However, 1t is claimed by
friends of Rich that GaIins connection as
umpire in the Bill Dorgan state prison
deal wherein he received $500 for ten days
work watching the appraisers, Broatch and
Gale, turn S35 900 over to Dorgan for lot
of junk and shop-worn goods, will initiate
against his chances to seize the speakers
gavel for the second time In his political
career. All this does not reckon with the
chances of A. Il. Sheldon Of Dawes county,
who is coming with strong support from
his section, and may be a most formidable
factor in the fight
There are three prominent candidates for
chief clerk of the house, and others not so
prominent. The three are Henry c. Rich
mond of Red Cloud, Elias Baker and Frank
Eager of Lincoln. Eager is being assailed
by friends of Baker with charges of bust
ness laxity in drawing overdraft checks,
and Eagers friends retalate by pointing to
| the alleged fact that so far Baker, who was
! clerk of the district court for four years
| in Lancaster county has not made full set
! tlement with his successor Sam Low.
| Meanwhile. Mr.. Richmond, who is news
paper man. and the editor of the Nation,
| skirts around the edges, and cultivates the
| friendship of each opposing element against
Baker and Eager. Richmond is a big man
| with big voice, and would have no dlf-
| fcnlty in making himself audible in the
| house. The clerkship VIII likely go out
! side of Lincoln anyway as the Capital city
wants so many minor clerkships of COM
| mittees pages janitors and assistant door
| keepers and postmasters that ii will be
| obliged to be content with what 1t can Sc
| euro OF these and let the bigger game go
| to the country.
The late private secretary of w. j. Bryan,
| however is making a heroic fight for sec
| retary of the senate His name Is Schwind,
and it is said he has the best backing Of
| any of the aspirants for legislative patron
| age. He is a quiet, but effectual worker,
and has Mr.. Bryan and the postofiice con-
| tingent at his back Still there are num-
| ber of good western men, who are pre-
| pared to contest the position with Mr..
! Schwind and II may develop that he is not
so strong as he thoughtFhe was.
| Congressman II. ID. Sutherland of the
| Fifth district is In the city. He Is said to
be a Warm supporter 0f MiT. Eichpond in
his race for the chief clerkshp of the hepse'
| Among Others populists and free siyer
| democrats who are here attending to legis-
latiye prelminaries are Ed p. Smith, V. o.
| Strickler, G. NJ Hitchcock, Edison Rich and
| Il. r. Duffie of Omaha and o. G.. Wees
ner and DR.. Bamrell Of Hastings. So soon
as the big plums have been shaken down
there will be a rush for the smaller fruit
in the shape Of minor clerkships But so
far there has been no crystalization of aim
| in this direction among the many aspir-
ants, but their prospects are in a rather
| rebulous condition. Those who are antici-
pating any great reduction in the number
OF house and senate employees during the
| coming session seem doomed to dsappoint-
| ment.
1t is announced that caucus will be
| held Saturday night when the first round
| of the speakershp fight will be had.