Omaha daily bee., 1899-09-17


after little discussion laid on the table
as being too binding.
The free silver republican branch OF the
fusion combination party was late in as
sembling and its convention was not par
ticularly well attended or spirited. It's place
of meeting, 1917 Howard street, was so dis
tant from the Other two conventions as to
make communication slow, fact which was,
perhaps. partially responsible for the man
ner in which proceedings were for a time
allowed to drag.
Early in the afternoon some OF the dele
gates talked up plan by which any two
conventions we're to control nominations, as
expressed in the following resolution, which
was introduced
Resolved. That It be the sense of this
convention that the conference committee,
IL possible make an arrangement by which
Il any two conventions agree upon NOM
tnee to an office, that he shall be the NOM
inee of the fusion forces.
Some Random Talk.
1t was urged upon the committee, as a
stroke OF good politics merely, that a Bo-
hemian should be placed on the ticket IL
possible. The committee then retired.
During the intermission following DR..
Wheeler OF Waterloo was called for and
responded by prophesyng that his precinct
four or FIVE to one. George e. Gibson fol-
lowed, predicting success or partial sue
cess in the coming campaign. He then
discussed the national campaign Of next
year and sounded note for Bryan, free
silver and anti-imperialism.
S. NJ Crosby thought the fusion party
had valuable opportunity in the dissatis-
faction of the Bohemian element Of the
portu nj ha
ciates by an means to take advantage Of 1t.
DR.. Mercer said that the party should
make compromises for the sake Of free sif.
yer, but that no other end should be enter.
tanned. He thought the acquisition Of the
colonies the best thing for free silver that
had happened for a long time. He declared
the present prosperity was not general
among the poor.
DR.. Mercer said further that the admins
tration at Washington was today fighting
Dewey harder than 1t was Bryan, as was
shown by the presidents refusal to attend
the Dewey reception.
Hardly Knew What They Wanted.
About 5 o'clock the convention was in
formed by its representatives on the con-
ference committee that the silver republic
ans had been given the choice of district
The conferees asked the convention for O
decision. 1t was first suggested that the
committee be instructed to stand out for
Lobeck for clerk, but Lobeck said that he
did not want to be considered IL 1t would
put the party in an embarrassing position
He was offered the treasurership nomina-
ton, but said that If he did not run for
clerk he did not wish to run at all, pre-
ferring to save his strength for the spring
municipal campaign, at which time he ex-
pected to take an active part in the munich
pal ownership fight.
Finally, it was decided to instruct the
committee to aek for either the judgeship
for H. e. Burnam, the district clerk fol-
Lobeck, or the coroner for DR.. Wheeler, al
though the committee was advised to men
tion no names. The convention also de-
manded one nomination for justice in addi-
tion. No candidate for treasurer appeared
and that Office was allowed to go by.
When the convention came together again
in the evening word was received that the
silver republicans had been offered the treas
urer again, but none of the offices it desired
1t was decided that the party had no suitable
candidate for that place and the committee
was sent back to make strong pull on the
judgeship for Burnam.
When the report came that the free sill
yer members Of the conference had failed
of their mission and the popursts had
nominated Martin Langdon for county
judge, the report was rejected and the
committee from the populists sent back to
so notify the convention. The free silver
convention then proceeded to nominate a
ticket. The nominees Of the populist and
democratic conventions were nominated one
after another with the exception OF Lang
don for Judge. H. q. Burnam was named
for Judge. G. E. Forbes for commissioner
from the Fifth district, S. A. Lewis for
senator and S. M. Crosby for justice OF the
peace were added. Then came long wait
while the conference committee was labor
ing with the populists and endeavoring to
wrest the judgeship from them.
County Central Committee.
During a lull in the proceedings the fol-
lowing members of county central COM
mittee were selected
First ward, R. F. Williams; Second
ward, Benjamin Durham; Third ward,
James Connell Fourth ward, H. E. Bur-
nam; Fifth ward, Eric Peterson; Sixth
ward, T. F. Sturgess; Seventh ward, j. G..
Arthur; Eighth ward Lawrence Rath;
Ninth ward, S. A. Lewis; Waterloo, DR..
Wheeler; South Omaha, F. ]. Fittle; West
Omaha, William Grabach. j. G. Arthur
was elected chairman.
A little while before midnight the con-
vention received notice from the populsts
that that body had adjourned without max
ing any concession to the free silver forces
on county judge. The silver men, who by
this time had dwindled to handful, IL
lowed their nomination for county Judge to
stand, nevertheless, and left the conflict
to the central committee. The convention
receded from it's nomination for senator, and
endorsed F. A. McArdle for that place.
Sketches of the Candidates.