Omaha daily bee., 1899-09-13
HOT TINES FOR DEMOCRATS
Clash Of Rival Ambitions Promises to Make
Their Primaries Interesting,
DRtxEL AND HoSTYN FORM COMBINATION
This Menace the Interests of other
Candidates and the situation BE-
comes CompIicnted-Gossip
I'm Political Circles.

cratic primaries to be held In Douglas
county Thursday afternoon. A few days ago
the democrats we're congregating on the
curbstones to congratulate each other on
the torrid character Of the republican pri-
maries. but nov they have turned to con-
template family troubles OF their own. An
expert examination of the maturing corn
husks is unnecessary to convince them that
there Is a spell Of hot weather ahead and
1t Is sure to be followed by a killing frost
that will nip a lot OF budding aspirations
that are now springing up profusely all over
the democratic pasture. The controversy
over the precise ingredients OF the fusion
connection is not the only trouble on their
minds and 1t looks as though there will be
a redhot fight In nearly every ward In the
city over the selection OF the delegates to
the democratic convention.
The most serious complication is Injected
by the announcement that John Drexel and
Pat Mostyn have formed a combination and
that they intend to make a fight all over the
tity 20 control the delegations In the con-
ventlon. Mostyn Is a candidate for sheriff
and Drexel is a comparatively recent as
pirant for the job of running against l. G.
Baright and the situation is such that the
combination Is apparently taking the field
with considerable strength.
Both these offices are definitely conceded
TO the democrats by the populists and silver
republicans. The effect of this is to induce
democratic candidateS to go after one of
them In preference to other places that may
yet DO subject to interference as a prelimi-
nary to fusion. In each case there is now
a strong field of candidates and the injec-
ton of a new element into the fight has
awakened the suspicious of candidates who
are confronted with the unexpected prob
ability OF contests In their own wards.
Con G~allagher's friends are trying to
create the impression that he is practically
out OF the race for sheriff, except to the
extent to which mis- influence may affect the
interests OF other candidates, while care
fully connecting a scheme to have him
brought in on the last lap as a compromise.
Harry Miller, John Powers and Mostyn are
apparently the men in sight, the race with
Powers exhibiting the most strength. But
nothing Is now certain until after the pri-
maries and even then the size OF the field
opens the way to combinations that may
pocket the favorites close to the wire.
Drexel's boom for clerk OF the court
makes at least five candidates, each OF
whom is likely to come into the convention
with q following. 1t is conceded Elsasser
will have the Second ward and that Frank
Broadwell will have South Omaha. Streator
expects to have the Seventh ward and Harry
Deuel's popularity makes him a factor worth
reckoning with. Just how much strength
Droxel will acquire Is the unknown quantity
that the ticket carpenters have not succeeded
in figuring out to their satisfaction. With
the opposition divided among four candi-
dates, Elsasser's friends still assert that
they are in the lead, but If 1t should unite
on one man it is admitted that the chances
Of fbp Sacop6 ward statesman are NOT the
most promising.
B~roadwell stock is not quoted, as high as
It was a few days ago. Since DreXel came
into the field the idea has been quietly
handed around the circle that it would be
rank folly to put up an out-of-town man
with any expectation Of beating the Omaha
candidate. AS the friends OF all the Omaha
candidates are pushing this proposition it
ia gathering weight and it is becoming more
and more impossible that Broadwcll willy
have any substantial support among the
Omaha delegates.
1t Is announced from both democratic and
populist sources that the complications grow
ing out OF the resent judicial conventions
have been practically settled. The demo-
Gratis carry their point. The two parties
will fuse on five democrats and two pop
ulists and the silver republicans will be left
to carry their burden of sorrow and Scott
alone. Up to this time the populists have
nominated their two men and endorsed the
first four democrats that were nominated.
1t is now agreed that their judicial COM
mittee shall add the name of Carl C. Wright
to the ticket, which will then consist of
Wright, Ferguson, Shields. Abbott and Eng
lish. democrats, and Magney and Bowes,
populists.
The silver republicans had a meeting to
consider the judicial situation the other day
that was a whole show in itself. The meet
ing waf called with a view to feeling the
pulse OF Judge Scott In regard to 2 with
drawal from the ticket. This was evidently
under the hat and Scott was not aware of
its purpose until it was gently limited to him
after the committee was in session. Then
there was trouble. The Independent can
didate treated his colleagues to a storm OF
bilungsgate that fairly routed them, ano
the committee adjourned without doing any
thing. The purpose OF the meeting was
automatically preached by Or. J. j. Saville.
who suggested that 1t appeared that some
concession should be made in order to effect
fusion and followed this up by some abstract
generalities in regard to the duty OF the
individual to make his personal ambition
second to the welfare Of the cause. He did
not refer directly TO Scott, but when ]. w.
ShiT got up III EtIndIhtu ludl ne dRTttu
with the previous speaker and that, II the
democrats and populists could be induced
TO endorse his colleague on the ticket, he
would gladly withdraw his own candidacy,
Scott began to see things, He flew into a
rage and took the floor for an extended
speech, in which he abused Saville, de-
nounced Carr as a traitor and condemned
the silver republican party to perdition gen.
orally. But he did not withdraw and the
committee gave up the job in disgust.
Saturday promises TO be a lively day with
politicians OF all parties. In addition to
the three fusion conventions. the first meet
ing OF the new republican county committee
will probably be held on that day, and
Chairman Baldbrige of the judicial commit
toe expects to call his committee together
during the day,
Run Over by Ice Wagon.
" Albert profasspp ~ hnoLkaanInr ma