Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-31
PERNICIOUS pop ACTIVITY
Numerous County and State Employees Be-
come Plungers in Politics.
PUBLIC FUNDS RUNNING FUSION MACHINE
Continuous Howl About the city Adj
ministrntion Intended to Dis
trnct Attention from Fusion
officials Course.

Much stress is being laid by the mouth
piece OF the fusion organization upon the
fact that the republicans who are in office
by virtue of the city administration are ex-
ercising the universal privilege OF freedom
to take an interest in the campaign. 1t is
not claimed that any Of them are neglecting
their public duties to manifest their political
zeal, and 1t is apparent that all this clamor
is but ruse to divert attention from the
''pernicious activity OF the popocratic off,
cial crew, whose members are letting public
affairs go to the dogs while out scrambling
for the fusion tickets.
1t is notorious that the actions Of the
democratic majority of the Board OF County
Commissioners during the last year have
been marked by an evident ambition To
direct all expenditures of public funds
toward the carrying of the county for fusion
this fall, and the full force of the county
patronage, so far as II could be controlled
by the democratic majority, has been
brought to bear in that behalf. The let-
ting of heavy grading contracts at time
when their fufllment would help in the
colonization Of voters in the precincts Of
the Third district for the aid of demo-
cratic member aspiring for reelection was
bit of cunning that has not escaped pub
lie notice. 1t is interesting to note that on
precinct and another in Elkhorn, work was
just begun last week with large gangs of
political graders.
County Funds for Political Purposes.
1t is in the active performance Of the
duties Of the campaign, however that the
county funds are just now being dispensed
Democrats and popuists now drawing sal
aries from the county treasury by reason
of the fayOrq of the poard of County Com
missioners constitute the nucleus of the local
fusion organization of workers. There are
/. ]. Dunn, Elmer Thomas, ]. H. Grossmanr
and Lee Helsley, deputy county attorneys
drawing together $400 a month from
the county for bearing laboring oars in the
campaign and earning their salaries chief,
by political work, regardless of the work o
the county.
The commissioners created special offic,
unknown in the days Of the republican ad
mnistration of county affairs for w. H
Gunsolaus, the duties Of which are so onerou
that he is enabled to put in full time, da.
and night, as secretary OF the democrati
county committee and custodian Of its head
quarters at SIS per month out Of the count
treasury, ostensibly as detective for tn
county attorney.
William R. oShaughnessy, deputy coun.
auditor, is earning his salary from the dem
ocratic board chiefly by active political worl
W. H. Olmstead, superintendent OF tn
county hospital, and large force OF subor
dinates are not unmindful Of the poitica
duties expected of them by the board tha
created them and secured for them thei
salaries from the county treasury, an
O'Connor and Guy, in charge of the count
charity store. are getting in Jealous lick
for the fusion machine whenever and wher'
ever the opportunity seems to present itsel
Pernicious Activity.
This feyerish and pernicious activity
behalf OF the fusion cause in Omaha lis man
tested in state as well as county affairs
Out at the institute for the deaf and dun
the superintendent and his entire force a.
at work plugging for the popocratic m;
chine and the opening of the institution f
the years work was suspended for weeks
allow the attaches of this institution leew;
for political work.
Charley Tanning, who draws 500 mon
as a deputy oil inspector for the state, pu
in all his valuable time at democratic hea
quarters. John Zeller state weighmasts
can always be found in the heat Of t
fusion work, and Henry Blum, one of t
clerks in the governors office, is putting
the states full time clerk in dem
cratic state headquarters in the Karba
block, Just as Elon w. Nelson, deputy col
missioner of public lands and buildings,
officiating in the headquarters of the pop
list state committee.
In fact mighty few OF the appointees
the democratic county board are failing
put in overtime just now in struggling
advance the failing fusion cause, down
the graders and common laborers, and
around the state house ii would not requ
a legislative investigation to disclose
fact that no pretense is made of doing a
but political work for the fusion ticket d,
ing the prevalence of state campaign.
Thomas Ryan's Grading Bill.
The chief efforts Of the creatures of
democratic county board is. of course,
enable the democrats to retain control
the board. Now and then the official q
of the board point out the reasons why s
control is desirable and, indeed, a polit
necessity. One of them is found on ID
249 OF the county's individual ledger
record there shows the filing of claim
23,4S5 by Thomas Ryan, a favored der
cratic contractor, for 1898, for grading W
alleged to have been done in Clontarf 7
cinct. This claim was filed Septembe
last for work alleged to have been done
Ing August and early September Reside
OF the precinct say that no grading has b
done In that precinct, but the bill has
been rejected but simply held over the e
tion. Along during the heavy rains OF
summer there is said to have been wa
out in Clontarf precinct. Commissioners