Omaha daily bee., 1898-07-31
LOCAL FUSlONISTS At SEA
Gubernatoeial Nomination Perplexes the
Three-Ring Organization.
DEMOCRATS WANT IT, BUT CANNOT HAVE IT
puIists Will Have ~, but Don't
know who They want, While
Tho silver Republicans lave
Nothing 90 say.

The delegates to the democratic state
convention from Douglas county, who were
appointed by the county committee insteau
of being elected at party primaries met at
the Jacksonian club rooms yesterday to Or
ganize before going to Lincoln. There was
a good attendance of delegates and proxies
and a large amount Of discussion over party
procedure and criticism OF the actions OF
some of the constituted leaders was pre-
cipitated. hut II resulted to little aside
from turning down two or three old party
workers and the public announcement that
all was harmony within the delegation.
The principal contest OF the meeting was
over the selection of members for places
on the state committee. J. A. Conner,
Thomas Flynn, Robert E.. Lee Herdman, j.
j. O'Connor and Oscar j. Pickard were
placed in nomination for the three places.
There was active buttonholing among the
delegates in favor Of each of the candidates,
but it was soon apparent that the slate,
embracing O'Connor, Herdman and Pickard,
was to be pushed through. The friends
of Connor and Flynn accused Herdman Of
trying TO run the whole state. They found
fault with the manner in which the dele
cation was selected, charging that such
methods were undemocratic and destined to
weaken the party organization. The other
side replied with equal warmth and some
Indifference, confident of their power to
carry their point, which they did soon after,
by a large majority.
Friends of Common and Flynn after the
meeting charged that they had been sold
out to placate the element which bolted
the larger portion of the county ticket last
fall. They said that the Herdman crowd
was afraid to risk another fight with the
boiling element at this time, with the dis
satisfaction which exists within the party
and to avoid it made its peace with j. j,
O'Connor and others, and to seal the COM
pact placed O'Connor on the state commit
tee.
A sop was thrown to Conner before the
meeting adjourned by endorsing him for the
position of third assistant secretary of the
convention. AS one secretary will undoubt-
eddy have more time than anything else in
the convention this year Conner understands
how much of an honor it will be to be
named for a third assistant.
Roberts for Chairman.
John Fitz Roberts of South Omaha, ;
membe of the late Legislature, was made
chairman of the delegation; !. J. Dunn
member of the committee on resolutions ant
w. S. Shoemaker member of the commit
tee on permanent organization.
No attempt was made to canvass the del
egates for an opinion as to what position
they should take on the subject of nomi
nations at the state convention. They arr
for a democrat for governor, II they cal
secure that office, but have practically aban
doned hope in this direction and are abou
resigned to the fate of accepting anything
which may be left to them by their populis
allies. 1t is possible they may cast a com
pIimentary vote for c. j. Smyth for gov
ernor and then sit back and wait until the!
receive instructions from, the populists wha
to do next,
Local democrats on the delegation declare
among themselves that while they may no
be allowed to name a democrat for this posi-
ton, they will insist in having something t.
say as to who the populist shall be. A ma
iority are in favor of Congressman Stark o
Aurora for governor, but are in doubt as t
his availability. At the congressional con
vention last Wednesday, where Stark wa
reuominated. a delegate attempted to intro
duce a resolution providing for filling tn
vacancy in the event Stark should be nom
mated for governor. A chorus of protest
greeted the resolution and Mr.. Stark assure
the convention there was no likelihood of
vacancy on the congressional ticket, an
t%hereupon the resolution was withdrawn.
This action has thrown the democrats i
Douglas county into a fit of uncertainty a
to their whereabouts. Yet in spite of Stark
declaration, some of them still insist h
should be nominated on the ground tina
the demands of the state take precedenc
over the demands of any congressional dis
trict. Yet they are quietly casting abou
for another man whom they may take tn
credit for having made the nominee of tn
triple convention. Those most frequent
mentioned are Judge Thompson Of Gran
Island, Judge Neville of North Platte, ex
Speaker Gafin of Saunders county and eX
Mayor Weir of Lincoln.
Judge Thompson is "A brother of w. /
Thompson of the same city, who is the dem
ocratic national committeeman for Nebraska
For this reason the delegates are dispose
to lean toward the Grand Island man, bl
a fear that a too pronounced inclination
that direction, in view of the judges den
ocratic connection, might prove a hoodoo o
the other two conventions. W.. H.. ThomI
son was here a few days ago advising les
aggressive talk about Judge Thompson an