Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1896-11-08
slate MAKING COMMENCES.
Men who Wish to Preside over the
Council md nnnrL OF EdncntiOn.

Although the newly elected members of
the city council and Board of Education
will not take their seats for nearly two
months, speculation is already active in re-
gard to the organization of the two bodies.
In each case the presidents chair is an OBJ
ject OF anxious interest, not only on account
of the honor conferred. but more especially
for the freedom from committee work.
While the president is sometimes placed in
a somewhat embarrassing position by the
necessity of deciding between conflicting
interests. he is not compelled to devote
whole evenings and afternoons to the rou-
tine work that falls to the lot of the mem
bers of the committees. The manipulation
Of the gavel and the approval of the min
utes together with his signature to such
documents as may require it, constitute the
total of his labOrs.
This is especially true in the council,
where committee work is frequently arduous
and uuappreciated. The man who is lucky
enough to be elected president escapes a
large share of the troubles that beset the
official existence of his fellow members.
But this year there seems to be lacking
the unanimous gravitation toward the chair
that was apparent year ago. Then nearly
every old member OF the council was a can
didate for the presidency, and there was
such a chaos of conflicting booms that until
the time of election approached any one of
half a dozen had a string on the prefer
ment.
Among the prospective members OF the
council of 1897 there are now only two ac-
tive candidates for president. George Mer-
Ger was a candidate last year, and still re-
tains his ambition. w. +. Bechel is also
urged for the position. and up to date 1t
looks as though these two members would
have the field to themselves. Mr. Bechels
candidacy Is opposed by a sort of unwritten
hithnrtn
vides that the presidency shall go to one
of the holdover members. But the membere
who favor him urge that an exception
should be made In this case on account of
the admitted parliamentary ability of their
favorite and his experience in the position.
This Is a strong argument with the ma
jority OF the councilmen. The president has
the power to either push the business
through In comparatively short order or
allow the meetings to drag into monotonous
affairs which accomplish nothing. II Mr..
Bcchel should be successful 1t will be largely
due to the impression of the members that
with him in the chair the meetings will be
more businesslike than otherwise.
Although Mr.. Mercer has never occupied
the chair, he Is also not without a reputa-
ton for business methods. Although he is
the youngest man who has ever served in the
city council, he has developed into one of
the most vigorous fighters on the floor and
1t is conceded that he will make the fight
interesting for his opponent.
In the Board of Education the situation Is
much simplihed and unless there are new
aspirations developed the presidency is
likely to be settled without a fight. Jona-
than Edwards is the only candidate now
in the field. Edwards is the head OF one
of the two factions which have struggled
for supremacy in the board during the past
year and his adherents are said to be
solldly behind him. The other faction has
so far been unable to agree upon candi-
date. Its members would support |. o.
Rhoades, the present presiding officer, If he
would take it, but it is said that Rhoades
prefers to be on the floor In the mean
| time no one else has expressed an ambition
| to contest Edwards candidacy