Omaha daily bee., 1898-08-28
DEMOCRATS DO 1T IN SILENCE
Patiently Submit to the Surprise
Sprung by the Leaders.


The local democratic machine sprung a
| surprise on the party yesterday, but it car
| ried it through successfully just the same.
During the morning, when the delegates
began to arrive from the country precincts
and from Washington and Sarpy counties,
| the machine became cognizant of feeling
OF resentment at its attempt to stack the
cards in favor Of Dudley Smith. The ag-
| gressiveness of the silver republicans in
| their stand that Smith is not a silver man,
| and the persistence with which the popo-
/ cratic labor leaders insisted they could not
support Smith, forced the machine to hold a
| consultation with itself. 1t was decided
to confer with the leaders Of the other par
ties, and at II o'clock meeting was held.
When this meeting adjourned it was given
out that Dudley Smith had for business rea-
sons withdrawn his name as a congressional
candidate. Nothing was said about new
name hving been agreed upon, and even
| when the democratic convention met the
] majority of the delegates expected Smith to
| be the nominee.
When the leaders began to arrive there
| were whisperings in the air about "slam-
ming The Bee," and simultaneously the
word came that G. M. Hitchcock would be
selected as the man to enter the race against
| Dave Mercer. The report was coldly re-
! ceived, and those who entered objection
were met with the statement that he was
the only man they could get to stand as
| a candidate.
There were no conference committees ap-
pointed. After the organization had been
made permanent, and the necessary COM
mittees appointed, young man named
Smith was recognized by the chair, and
said:
"Mr. Chairman: present the name of
! Gilbert M. Hitchcock as the democratic can
| didate for congress-"
An unknown voice seconded the nomina-
| ton, and the chairman asked II there were
any other names to be presented to the con-
vention. There were none, and the chair
| called for the vote.
Six delegates voted aye, and none no, and
| the chairman declared Mr.. Hitchcock to be
| the nominee. Not even a suspicion of an
| piause greeted the announcement of the re-
suit. The convention sat as IL in the pres
| ence of some awful disaster and knew not
| what to do to avert it.
Already Frostbitten.
Later Harry Miller asked the chair II a
nomination had been made, and when in
formed tht 1t had been, suggested that a
committee be appointed to notify the NOM
| inee. This was met with the statement that
Mr.. Hitchcock was out Of town and dele
| gate remarked that the nominee kept away
to avoid chilling the convention, as 1t was
| known tht he was not many miles from
| Omaha.
After the nomination the delegates began
TO leave the hall without waiting to hear
what action the other convention had taken.
10 o11
were only about twenty people left to take
part in the closing exercises.
Mayor T. H. Ensor of South Omaha, as
chairman Of the congressional committee,
called the convention to order. Ed Burgee
OF the Sixth ward was chosen temporary
chairman of the convention and C.arl:
OHanlon Of Washington and Dan Bagley
OF Sarpy were made temporary secretaries.
There were no contests and the temporary
organization was made PERMANENT.
The committee on resolutions was COM
posed of T. ]. Nolan, ]. F. Hopper and A..
Altshuler of Douglas county, w. ]. O'Erien
OF Sarpy and e. Osterman OF Washington.
To make sure the party would not be with
out a candidate the congressional committee
was empowered to fill any vacancy in case
Of death or otherwise.
Harry Miller moved that committee Of
three be appointed to notify Mr.. Hitchcock
Of his nomination.
Walter Noise ventured the Information
that Mr.. Hitchcock was out of the city.
Does anybody know whether he will ac-
cept?" inquired verdant delegate.
"Yes," came the assurance Of Will Herd
man.
But the committee was appointed anyway
composed Of H. c. Miller, Walter Noise and
l. ]. Dunn.
T. ]. Nolan, DR.. Ensor and Peter NJ
Tyson were appointed to notify the other
| conventions Of this nomination. Whom the
committee from the silver republicans here
| appeared and announced that their conven-
tion had nominated Mr.. Hitchcock, Frank
Ransom, at its head, was called on to make
speech and predicted that Mr.. Hitchcock
| would be tower Of strength. lie told how
he Is running great newspaper which
carried the glad tidings Of FREQ silver and
| reform into every home in the state and
then branched OFF on to the war and criti-
cized Its management, predicting that the
republicans will be swept from power at the
| next general election.
The platform endorses the democratic ma
| tional platform of 1896 and declares for
| free coinage at 16 to 1; congratulates the
| country on the successful conclusion OF the
war and sends greeting to the soldiers and
| sailors at the 'front.' denounces the issue Of
| war bonds and endorses W. ]. Bryan as the
grandest and noblest figure in American
politics.