Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1897-01-05
LEGISLATURE MEETS TODAY
Biennial Gathering of Lawmakers is ip
Readiness to Start,
GAFFN CERTAIN TO BE The SPEAKER
Opposition to the Saunders County
Man Mclts Like Snow-Schyind
StilI Triumphs Over All
Combinations.

| The TwCnty-hfth session of the Nebraska
! legislature Convenes at noon tomorrow, and
on Thursday the state government will DO
| formally transferred to the populist party.
! For the first time in the history of Ne
| braska the republican party has reinquishod
/ control OF the executive departments. That
! tho new administration will establish new
! order OF things from the very outset has
! been clearly evidenced by the concerted
action of the newly elected officials. A
month ago the new officials designated their
/ deputies and most of the clerks in their
respective departments. Several OF the SUI
! perintendents for the state educational and
/ eleemosynary institutions were selected
and at final caucus held at the Hotel
/ Lincoln tonight a populist or free silver
democrat was named for every place not
already filled, Plans for assuming immedi-
| ate control of every department of the
/ state government have been formulated and
/ within week or ten days from next Thurs
/ day the only vestige of republican control
| visible to the naked eye will be seen in
| the supreme court and its auxiliary office
| the state library
The new state officials have acted with a
|. promptness which has startled the hun
| dreds OF anxious place-huntcrs who for the
| week just closed have crowded the corridors
OF the Hotel Lincoln. The immense ro-
tunda of that hosiery has been hacked
nightly with hundreds of men, and every
man either a place hunter or an advocate
Tor n place-hunter. The pressure has been
so tremendous that the state oficers-e elect
have been compelled to seek the seclusion
OF private quarters. Even the few men
employed as messengers have been COM
PEELED to reach their chiefs by means of
the kitchen entrance and the servants
stairway.
Nothing now remains to be accomplished
but the filling OF the places dependent upon
the legislature and the legislative commit
tee,
SILVER DEMOCRATS ARE SORE.
The attitude of Edison Rich of Omaha reIa-
tive to the contest over the speakership has
been disappointment to his friends, who
had hoped to induce him to break with his
recent populist allies and thus pave the way
to lucrative places for many free silver
democrats who will otherwise remain in
obscurty. MIR. Rich could have been elected
speaker had he remained outside the door
of the populist caucus chamber. While the
thirty-three republican members of the house
have taken no formal action, il is tactiiy
understood that they would have voted for
him on the second ballot and made him the
speaker, without exacting pledges which
would be likely TO embarrass him in his Office
Mr. Rich has fully understood the attitude
of the republican members. Their willing
utSS 10 NOle lOf MN IN preference to
middle-of- the-road populist has been made
plain to him by his friends. lie steadfastiy
refused, however, to remain away from the
fusion caucus, although he insisted from
start to finish that he was in the race As
a reward for his hdelty to the fusion OF
democratic and populistlc elements Mr. Rich
will be made chairman of the house judic-
larry committee, a position involving as
much If not more hard work than any other
In the gift of the speaker.
j. N. Gafin who viii be elected speaker
of the house tomorrow Is a familiar figure
in populist politics in Nebraska. He was
speaker In the trying days of the session of
1898, and proved his capacity for executive
work, He is affable to his friends and
equally courteous to his political opponents.
AS parliamentarian he ranks with the best
in his party, If. indeed he is not the best
Two yeas ago, when the populist state con-
vention met at Grand Island Mr. Calm was
one of the leaders in the contest for the
gubernatorial nomination. His nomination
was believed to be an absolute certainty
until late in the night before convention
day. At the eleventh hour the combined in
fluence of Senator Allen and the late Con-
gresham McKeghan was thrown against
him and on the next day Governor Holcomb
was nominated on the first ballot The
same combination of circumstances which
placed the present chief executive at tho
head Of the ticket gave Mr. Gafin the Sec
ord place. Other men In the populist party
would have resented the situation. GafHn
accepted 1t gracefully His election to the
speakership comes as an evener, and his
friends make no secret of their hope to
place his name at the head of the state
ticket two years hence.
SENATE CAUCUS SELECTIONS.
The democrats and populists of the sem
ate held a joint caucus al the Lndell to-
night. The session was brief. Senator Wat
son of Saline was made chairman and Howell
OF Douglas secretary 4 commit UnE
pointed TO report on permanent officers for
the senate committee, consisting of Sena-
tors bearing of Cass, Mccain of Boone Os-
born of Richardson, Feltz Of Keith, Grothan
Of Howard and Mut2 Of Keya Paha. Tho
committee will report tomorrow. The slate
as made up during the day was as follows:
Frank Ransom of Omaha was chosen for
president pro tenn. W. y. Schwind was
made secretary. II. A. Edwards Of Grand
Island drew the assistant secretaryship.
Conlon of Fender was made sergeant-at-
arms. Other officers selected were as fol-
lows: Postmstress, Laura d. Forbes of
Boyd county; assistant postmaster, Il. j.
Butler; doorkeeper, Charles Dawes; file
messenger, Donovan OF Madison; proof
reader, w, o. Sherman Of Plattsmouth; mail
carrier j. j. SwohCdy of Cass county; clerk
of the committee of the whole w. NJ. Clary
of Nebraska City; chaplain, Rev Frank ].
Chatburn of WILDER.
The selection Of w. f. Schwind as secre-
no one but Mr.. Bryan and Mr. Schwind Tho
democrats repudiate him; the populists
did not want him One OF the leading free
silver democrats of the state, one who has
been prominent in the last two campaigns,
said after the caucus tonight that Mr.. Bryan
had sacrificed every democrat in Lancaster
county to make a place for man who
three years ago was an intense republican.
Personally, Mr.. Schwlnd Is well qualified
for the difficult position to which he has
been elected. The only criticism heard
against him comes from the men OF his
own party, who believe that Mr.. Bryan
asked too much in insisting upon his cleo
ton.
The republican members of the senate
had called a caucus at the Llndell for
o'clock this evening, but as all OF them
were not on the ground II was decided to
postpone the AFFAIR until 10 a. m. tomorrow.
It was given out on the floor of the Lin
dell that an effnrt would be made to name
A. Il. Talbot. Bryan'g law partner. for the
complimentary vote for president OF tho
senate. A great many republicans became
excited when this information was preached
and freely expressed the opinion that Mr..
Bryan was running the populst end OF
the organization and should keep his hands
off the republican part OF the deal.
The republican house members met In
caucus, but adjourned until $3.50 a. m to-