Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-21
POLITICAL FIGHT IN SIGHT
Coming Republican Senatorial Contest a
Subject for Discussion.
PLANS OF SETTLEMENT ARE SUGGESTED
some Favor DispOsinR of whole NAT
ter i'm Convention While others
Propose Taking II Into
the Legislature.
ms OF SETTLEMENT ARE SUGGESTED

The proposition made by the friends OF
Hon A. b. Cummins of Des Moines to nave
the republican senatorial contest dlspoSeu
of in the state convention Is the subject
of considerable discussion among the lead
ing republicans of this city and county
Some are much in favor of IT, while Others
are outspoken in their opposition to any
such innovation in politics. There are many
who believe that by leaving this question to
be settled by the state convention 1t VIII be
the means of ultimately having state sena-
tors chosen by the direct vote OF the peo-
rle. and for that reason favor the PROPOSE
tion made by the Cummins people. Many
of Mr. Gears supporters favor 1T for the
same reason. Others are opposed to it on
the ground that the Introduction OF the SEN
atorIal contest into the state convention
would have tendency to relegate aspirants
for the various state offices to the rear in
the interest of the candidates for the United
States senate. They prefer to have the
matter decided by the state Legislature as
has heretofore been the custom Hon. N.
NJ Pusey, who has been talked of as can
ddate for denomination state senator,
but who states he is not a candidate, Is not
in favor of the Cummns proposition. He
is strongly opposed to it and when asked
| about it yesterday said:
81 am not in favor of 1t. In the first
! place | don't know that there are only two
! candidates for the United States senator
ship. If you take the senatorial fight into
the state convention you are taking it away
from a body that has heretofore always
had the power, and everybody that is a
candidate for the other state offices before
that state convention will be submerged or
| relegated to the rear in the interest OF
that absorbing question. And inasmuch
HI Oh
these aspirants for the various state offices
can go for nomination and there is a
tribunal where in the regular and ordinary
course of things, the aspirants for the
United States senate go, | think the
course pursued in the past should be ad-
hered to now. Further, believe the nomi-
nees for the various state offices should be
selected without any regard whatever to
their preferences for United States senator,
but with an eye single to their fitness to dis
charge the duties of the office for which
they are seeking nomination"
Colonel c. G. Saunders, who is an avowed
candidate for state senator from this dis
trict takes an opposite view to Mr.. Pusey
and favors the proposition to have the SEN
atorial contest settled at the state conven-
ton. When asked for his opinion he said:
II am most decidedly in favor of referring
the senatorial matter to the state conven-
ton. Fer several years | have advocated
the election of senators by direct vote of the
people and this reference to the convention
is a step in that direction. The scandals
growing out of senatorial elections have be-
come disgusting to a large majority of Amer
lean citizens. In Utah Delaware and Cali
fornia, after unseemly struggles, the legis-
latures have adjourned without an election
and now a number of the Pennsylvania
legislators say 1T is Quay or nothing
The fight in Nebraska was a disgrace, as
was that in Montana. 1t is generally be-
lieved that four-ifths of the rank and file
of the republican party in Nebraska desired
the election of Hayward, yet it required
two months or more of hard work and q
large legitimate expenditure of money tc
secure the result desired by the people
The convention with more than 1,2OO dele
gates will be composed of the best brain anG
intelligence of the republican party in Iowa
1t will be fresh from the people and the
voice of the convention will undoubtedly
be that of the people. Moreover, two weeks
or more of time usually spent by the legis
lature in electing a senator will be avail
able for Legislation"