Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-06
STATE EMPLOYEES PAY BILLS
Men Working on Small Salaries Furnish
Money for Special Trains,
wU3T PUT UP OR LOSE THEIR POSITIONS
PoDu,ist state Central Committee Is
Spending More Money in'NebrnsLn
Campaign Than Ever Before
bright Republican Outlook.

LINCOLN, Nov. Especial )-Since the
present campaign opened there has been
considerable speculation as to the probable
source OF revenue OF the populist state CEN
trail committee. 1t is generally known that
more money has been spent in Nebraska by
the populists this year than in any previous
campaign, but 1t is not generally known
where the money came from. Since the cam
paign opened the populist committee has
been sending immense quantities Of pop
ulistic literature into every village and
town in the state Special trains have
been chartered and speakers have been sent
out to tell the people how they are being
oppressed by the republican party. Appar-
emily no effort has been spared, nor has
the expense been considered
AS soon as the populist state central com
mittee was organized plans were perfected
and successfully executed to raise the
money necessary to carry on the campaign.
All popocratic employees of the state house
were called together in the Office of the
Board of Transportation in the state house
early in September and Chairman j. II.
Edmison told them what they might expect.
few protested, but they were given 10
! understand that they would have to do as
the committee desired or they would lose
their positions.
At first the employees were simply asked
to devote their spare time during the cam
paign to the work of the committee. Later
the assessments were made and the same
! pressure was brought to bear with the
same telling effect
| The meeting held in the board of transpor-
tation office was behind closed doors and
during the regular Office hours Several
people not connected with the state admin
| istration applied at the door for admittance,
but were showed away and the door slammed
| in their faces. The heads of all the de-
| partments were present and the employees
dared not refuse to comply with the de-
| mands of Chairman Edmisten.
The levying of the assessment against the
state house employees falls particularly hard
with quite few who were only recently
appointed and who need all the money they
can get Extra effort has been made to keep
the assessment quiet but nevertheless con-
siderable complaint Is heard and one or two
are understood to have refused to contribute
| any portion of their salary to the campaign
| fund.
| Expense of Bryan Train.
! special assessment was levied for the
| expense of the Bryan special train when it
| was first started on the trip over the state,
| but 1t was soon found that it would be i'm
1 possible to raise enough money in this way
| to defray the entire expense and the plan
was given UP. A few of the state house en-
ployes who have complained of previous as
| sessments were not asked to contribute for
| the Bryan train but majority of them were
compelled to pay s25 each.
Despite all efforts to keep the matter from
the public 1t Is learned on reliable authority
! that the assessments against all state house
| employees are on a basis of 20 per cent Of
| the salaries paid. This brings in revenue
| to the committee amounting to several
thousand dollars and, if the same plan is
pursued in other state Institutions, the
amount will be many times larger.
| In addition to the contributions employees
are forced to work during the evening at
the headquarters of the populist committee.
Deputy Land Commissioner Nelson, Charles
| DeFrance Of the treasurer's office and
| eral employees from different state instttu-
, tions devote their entire time to the work
of the committee and at the same time draw
their salaries as usual from the state.
| The reports that are received in Lincoln
| from various sections of the Sixth district
| indicate steady gains for the republicans 1t
Is now conceded by the populists in that sec
ton of the state that the republicans stand
a good chance Of winning and the republicans
are more than ever confident that Moses P.
II. A. Babcock Of this city returned last
night from trip along the Union Pacific in
the Sixth district and from the spirit mani
tested in the places visited he formed a very
conservative opinion of the situation
| There can be no doubt said Mr. Bah
cock 'but that Judge Kinkaid will be
elected. In the northern and western coun-
ties the pOpulists generally believe that
| Neville is strongest in his own section of
the district and down there they expect his
strength to come from the other counties.
Preparations are being made in all OF the
counties to get out full vote. The cattle
men, l find, are taking unusual interest in
the election this year and all that / have
talked to are for Reese and the other re-
publican candidates.
IAN unusually strong fight is being made
In Holt county" continued Mr.. Babcock
THAT county, as you know. went for Poyn-
ter last year by good, safe majority. This
year the pOpulists are making extravagant
claims, some Of them even contending that
they will carry the county by a majority of
500 or more. The republicans are Just as
confident, and although they do not claim
such majority the indications are that the
margin will be a safe one.
"One thing is very evident and that is
that Neville will not get good vote in his
own section of the district Judge Kinkaid
is far more popular with all classes and sc
far no one has assailed his record. He is
confident of success. He thinks that Reese
will get good majority In the district and
| that he will run about even with him"
PROSPECTS ARE GOOD IN ADAMS