The evening times., 1899-12-30

Interest in Misunderstanding poll
ticians of both parties are just beginning
to fully realize that the situation In Nebras-
ka offers more interest for 1900 than thai
of any Western State. Nebraska's -electo-
raj vote is not of so much interest as is
the legislature to be elected at the same
time Presidential electors are chosen. Both
senatorships are TO be filed by the legis-
lature Senator Thurston's term expires in
1901 and the vacancy caused by the death
OF Senator Hayward is TO be filed. Unless
the fight now being made by Editor Hitch
cock. of the Omaha World Herald re-
suits in disrupting the working arrange
ment heretofore existing between the
Democrats and Populists it is expected
that the fusion forces will be strong
enough TO control the legislature. In tha;
event it is said that Senator Allen would
certainly be put forward as the Populist
candidate for the long term, and IL, mean
time Mr. Bryan has been defeated for the
Presidency he will consent to stand as the
Democratic candidate for the short term
the four years that will then remain of the
term for which the late Judge Hayward
was elected. 1t is this understandings
which is expected to hold the fusion forces
together for another campaign in Nebras-
ka despite Editor iitchcoek's efforts to
disrupt them. In the event of fusion vic
tory Mr.. Bryan, it is claimed. could get
either of the Senatorial terms. but he is
reported as having expressed preference
for the short term so that he will be COM
paratively free when the hopeful days OF
1904 dawn. The arrangement is in accord
with a traditional policy in Nebraska
which takes one Senator from the north
of the Platte River and the other
from south of that dividing line. Mr..
Bryan lives in the southern division and
Senator Allen in the northern division. The
declination of Senator Thurston to stand for
reelection is said to be final and to be
entirely due to his desire to resume the
practice OF law while he is yet young
enough TO work hard with the view of pro-
viding against the inevitable rainy day
But there is no dearth Of Republican can
didates. and as two Senators are to be
elected it is believed that ruinous faction
alism can more easily be prevented than if
the contention was over only one Senator
ship. The candidates now in the field are
Assistant Secretary of War Meiklejohn,
John L. Webster. Charles J. Greene, attor-
ney Of the Burlington Railway; E. Rose
water. editor of the Omaha Bee;" R. B.
Schneider. formerly Chairman of the Re-
publican State committee; ]. L. Richards.
at one time the party nominee for gov
ernor. and Lorenzo Crounse- The contest
has already become warm. and it is grow
ing in excitement every day. 1t is report
ed that Mr.. Hanna has appealed to Presi-
dent Mckinley to use his influence in ef-
fecting some such arrangement between the
candidates as exists among the fusion
fOrcac in order n tho Panuhli-
cans some guarantee of having Nebraska's
votes in the Senate for the next seven
years.
Appropriation Bills.-A subject that
has aroused the interest of many Senators
is that involved in the proposition to take
some Of the appropriation bills from the
Committee on Appropriations. In the House
bills of this kind are divided among several
different committees depending upon the
subject to which the bill refers. In the
Senate, however, the Appropriations Com
mittee, has been able to retain the consid-
Grafton Of these measures by taking espe-
cial care that the appropriation in which
Senators on other committees are interested
be properly looked after. At various times
there have been objections to this practice
and the argument has been brought for
ward that appropriations for the Navy,
Army, and, other departments should be
referred to the respective committees hav-
ing charge of other bills relating to these |
departments. There now seems a good |
chance to effect the change because of the |
manifest desire of the new Senator's to |
have hand in making up the list Of appro-
priations for the: committees to which they |
belong. The advocates of the present sys- |
TEN point to thesconstantly increasing ap-
in the House as proof that |
there is economy in having one committee |
control the entire outlay, and it is claimed |
by them that when the same rule pre- |
vailed in the House the amount of appro- |
priations was much smaller than it is now. |
But those who desire change say that it |
would in no way affect the number of ap- |
bills passed or the amounts |
carried by them, and they argue that this |
important subject should not be left en- |
tirely in the hands af the eleven members |
Of the Appropriations Committee.