Evening star., 1899-03-31
WOULDSHELVE BRYAN
Effect Of a Decisive Republican Vic
tory in Nebraska.
CONTEST OF UNUSUAL SIGNIFICANCE
Would Forecast the Result in the
Year 1900.
A WARM FIGHT AHEAD

Representative D H. Mercer of Nebraska
| has just returned to Washington from that
state. He says the election there this fall.
although only supreme court Judge and
| two regents of the university are to be
| balcted for will be a contest of unusual
| significance On the judgeship the fight
will assume strictly party lines, and COM
| ing as it will just a year before the presi-
dentia' election, in state which gave
Bryan plurality of 1856 in 1886, will be
watched by the nation. The democrats will
probably nominate William V. Allen, whose
term in the Senate expired the Sd of this
month. The only other candidate mention
ed is ex-Gov. Holcomb. Either would bring
out a full vote and so afford good test
of Bryanite strength in the state.
AS between them, the understanding is
that Holcomb. who lives in the district
which has been represented in Congress
by William l.. Greene, who died few
weeks ago. may be nominated to fill this
congressional vacancy, in which case Allen
will have no rival for the nomina ton for
supreme court judge. The republicans have
not decided upon their man yet, but will
try to pick out somebody equally represen-
tative of their party in the state.
Would Forecast Result in 1900.
Between two such candidates at the polls
the result would almost certainly forecast
that of year hence, provided the two
parties continue on the same platforms, re-
spectively. In 1896 Bryan received 50 per
cent of the vote of the state and Mckinley
46 per cent. In 1898 Poynter fusionist re-
ceived so per cent in a gubernatorial con-
test, and Haywood, the republican nomi-
nee, nearly 40 per cent. On the rest of
the ticket, congressional and legislative, the
republicans were more successful.
arrfa a fret 6fSfy- hIyC
votes, the second by 92s, and lost the re-
naming four districts by majorities aggre-
eating 4,SDO. thus leaving the fusionists
with a majority on a congressional ticket
in the state of about 800. The republicans
however, carried the state legislature by a
majority of thirteen on joint ballot and
have elected republican United States
senator.
Effect of Republican Success
The state is thus in that peculiar condi-
ton of closeness where the outcome of next
falls balloting will be very interesting. If
the republicans carry the state by sub
stantial majority, it ought to put an end to
William j. Bryan as democratic nominee
1t would seem to prove that he could not
carry his own state. But if the republicans
carry it by trif1ing majority it will be
argued that Bryan's candidacy is just what
Is needed to save the day.
Everything points to a warm fight Allen
and Holcomb make any contest into which
tney enter picturesque. The republicans
Will not be outdone in the selection of tai
ent for stumping the state and 1t would
not be strange If the most significant cleo
tion held anywhere in the Union November
next would be that of Nebraska That
state has recently come into considerable
political prominence. The best joke of the
indianapolis convention, which nominated
Palmer and Buckner, was on Nebraska
When the role of states was being called
Tor the presentation of candidates the
chairman of the Nebraska delegation arose
wnen ms turn came and said: "Nebras ska
feels that she already has one candidata
TOO many for the presidency" The coming
eiection In that state will do a good deal in
determining whether she will continue to
nave that extra candidate "