Omaha daily bee., 1899-08-12
WILL NOT SUPPORT BURBANK
Sentiment in Republican County Committee
Opposes His Policy.
MANY MEMBERS FAVOR A REORGANIZATION
Burbank's Friends Attempting to
Keep Members Away from Satur-
days Meeting, but Their Sue
cess is Not Encouraging.
MANY MEMBERS FAVOR A REORGANIZATION

The more members of the republican
county committee consider the arbitrary
action of Chairman Burbank in making the
expressed wish Of the committee secondary
to his personal views, the more force their
Indignation acquires. For the first time IN
the history of Douglas county politics., the
chairman of the committee has arrogated to
himself the right to veto the sentiment OF
the members and to pursue his W course
regardless of their wishes.
1t is the general feeling that Burbanks
action in this case Is inexcusable and there
is every indication that this sentiment VIII
be expressed in no uncertain terms when
the occasion arises. Burbanks shallow ex-
cuse that no candidate or member OF the
committee had asked him personally to calf
the committee together when he had In his
possession at that time a written request
from two-thirds of the members and half a
dozen of the leading candidates is regarded
as conclusive evidence that he was not act
ing In good faith. The subterfuge is so ap-
parent that 1t deceives no one and 1t IL even
likely that he would have been less sharply
criticised If he had simply refused to call
the meeting without assigning such a gauzy
preteXt.
That the chairman should recognize the
expressed desire of the committee to meet
,is generally admitted even among such few
members as support Burbank in his action.
These merely say that they do not wish to
mix in the matter on account of their per-
sonal relations with the chairman. By far
the majority Of the members are outspoken
In their sentiments and criticise Burbank
more or less sharply in proportion to their
interest in the campaign. They call atten-
tion to the fact that the chairman Is merely
the executive officer of the committee and
subject to its action just as the president OF
the board Of directors OF a corporation is
subject to the action OF the directors. This
is substantiated by the action of the ma
tional committee Of the democratic party,
which called a meeting recently in exactly
the manner in which the meeting at WASH
ington hall Saturday was called.
Some Expressions of Opinion.
Chairman Burbank's conduct in this in
stance recalls some of the incidents OF the
last campaign, in which his incompetency
was SO disastrously apparent. In
Ing on the situation one OF the committee
men said that 1t Is about what is to be ex-
pected OF a chairman who went home at IL
O'Clock on election night, Just when his
services were needed. I'VE remember Also"
he continued, that a year ago Burbank re-
fused to call the committee together until 1t
was too late TO reorganize the ticket, when
every one was ready to remedy a situation
that threatened disaster. in that campaign
there were 5000 less republican votes regis
tered than should and would have been on
the books with a competent organization,
and thousands of those who did register
stayed away from the polls because there
was no one 20 bring them out"
THE trouble with Burbank" declared an
other member. lis that he is too far up in
the air. He never gets around among the
boys and consequently he does not get in
touch with the sentiment of the party. He
does not even know many OF the workers OF
the party, and when he sits up in his office