Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-08
SIZES UP NEBRASKA POLITICS
Impartial Correspondent Of the Washington
Star Gives Hi, Visw.
PROSPECTS FOR REPUBLICAN SUCCESS
Men and Issues Involved In the Cam
paiRn-Free silver n Dead Issue
Bryan's Prestige as n National
Leader in the balance.

The campaign in Nebraska, as 1t appears |
to On observant and impartial correspondent, |
f. clearly set forth in the following letter
from Charles NJ. Pepper, stan correspondent
OF the Washington Star. Uuder date OF Lin
coin, septccn per 3d. Mr.. Pepper writes:
Men and Issues are both involved in the
Nebraska campaign this year. The outcome I
will necessarily have some bearing on Mr..
Brysn's personal fortunes as a party leader.
1t will also have a marked national influence
on the question OF expansion. The align
ment OF parties is distinctly drawn In the
platforms. The populists, or rather the fu-
sioDists for there are yet some democrats
in tho state to fuse with the populists, are
for the Chicago platform, with free silver
and everything else. They are, of course,
against the trusts and against the Philip
pioe policy OF the national administration.
The language in which they state their po
sition on this point is somewhat guarded,
but MIR. Bryan in his speeches clears away
the uncertainty.
"The republicans on their part are also
against the trusts to a degree and are even
charged by the fusionists with adopting some
OF Bryan's ideas. That Is not important.
The republicans are specifically and agrees
portant They are also aggressively for the
presidents policy OF prosecuting the war in
the Philippines until the authority OF the
United States is fully recognized. Indi-
vidual differences of opinion about what
shall be done after the flag is established
cut no figure. The party is genuinely and
thoroughly harmonious on the main PROPOSE
tion.
"The election in which the sentiment Of
Nebraska is to be determined on these ma
tional Issues Is not in itself important.
Judge Of the supreme court and two regents
of the State university are to be chosen.
That - all. Though in heated contest
like the present neither side will admit 1t,
It is a fact that the individual candidates
on both tickets good men, and the state
will not suffer whoever are successful. The
campaign and its result simply hinge on
whether Mr.. Bryan still keeps his hold and
whether he will be able to make anything
of his crusade against Imperialism and mil
itarism. SO called. as campaign cry for
19O0
Contest VIII he Close.
"Mingling with the managing politicians
of all parties, l have been impressed with
their feeling that the contest will be close
one. The state is really close and is fight
ing ground. 1t began to slump away from
the republicans eight or ten years ago, when
the Farmers alliance had its mushroom
growth. Then it became more populistic,
and the fusion of the democrats with the
populists took it away from the republicans,
and the state had a populst United States
senator and a populist governor. The re-
publicans have been fighting steadily to re-
gain their lost ground, and have been max
ing progress. Last fall they carried the leg
islature and named a straight out repub
lican to succeed Senator w. V. Allen. They
also cut the fusion majority down so that
Governor Poynter and the populist nominees
won by a narrow margin. They just missed
a complete victory. Now the hope and the
aim of the republicans Is to finish the work
Of last fall and show the country that Ne
braska is republican state for good. Yet
they might fail to carry 1t this fall, and 1t
would still be fighting ground in 1900.
THE republican party organization seems
to be in excellent shape. In several years
past | have known these Nebraska cam
paigns and never found the party machinery
in such good form as it is now. Three years
ago, when the republicans OF other states
were looking to Nebraska hopefully, the
national campaign was weakened because of
rotten state house ring. for which the re-
publicans were responsible. They managed
to keep this knowledge from getting abroad,
and the republican national committee was
deceived over the prospects. But all this is
past The party organization has been puri-
fed and there is no longer drawback to
united and effective work. There is much
satisfaction on the part Of the republican
leaders that the party has taken a definite
stand for the gold standard. This feeling is
everywhere apparent. Bryan and the fusion
Late tot,n tpr n nd
others who were once tinctured with free
silver, but these taunts have little force.
Everybody feels that the party is in better
fighting form for the future, since it has no
apology to make for its position on the money
question.
Free Coinage a Dead Issue.
Free coinage itself is no longer live
issue in Nebraska, but since the populists
keep II in their platform there is party
advantage to the republicans in Equarely
antagonizlng this contention. The lack or
free coinage agitation is one OF the marked
features OF the contest Coin Harvey
IL travelling over the state preaching his
doctrines and Mr.. Bryan declares that 10
to 1" is as much the issue 1t ever was,
only, he adds, some attention must be
given the new issues OF the trusts and
expansion which have since arisen. But
ahe truth Is that the people of the state
are not talking free silver among them
selves, and they are content with very
brief reference to it in Mr.. Bryan's
speeches / do not know what he would
have done for a text If the Philippine dlr-
fculties had not occurred.
The republicans state they are getting
some OF the wanderers back who strayed
off from them and Joined the populists
years ago. 1t is too early In the canvass
10 attempt any count OF these by town
ships or voting precincts, so that an idea
may be formed whether there Is a real
gain which will Offset any possible defec-