Omaha daily bee., 1901-01-01
STEELE HEAD OF SENATE
Fairbury Member is Agreed Upon by the
Republican Caucus.
SEARS FOR THE HOUSE BY AcclAxATlos
Legislators Quickly Agree on Or
gsDixation - Governor In His
Message Advocates Radical
Changes.


LINCOLN, Dec S1.-(special Telegram
The republican members OF the senate
after an unsuccessful attempt to caucus
this afternoon assembled at o'clock to-
night and agreed on Calvin +. steele Of
Fairbury for president protein. John c.
Fremont McKesson for secretary and a. II.
Koim Of Falls city for assistant secretary.
All the republican senators were present
excepting John Trompen Of Lancaster.
Senator y. V. Harlan Of York county pre-
sided
Tho meeting was harmonious throughout
the only contests being over minor positions
Senator Harlan OF York was chosen for per
manent chairman OF the caucus and Senator
Oleson OF Cunning for permanent secretary
{. +. Steele was placed in nomination for
president OF the senate by Howard Baldrige
OF Omaha, and there being no opposition he
was chosen by a unanimous vote. F. &. f.
Mckesson Of Lancaster and A. II. Keim
were placed in nomination for secretary and
the former was victorious by vote Of II to
g. Mr.. Kem was then chosen by acolama-
tion for hrst assistant secretary. Clark
Robinson Of Fremont was slated for SER
geant at arms. John Patrick OF Washington
county for doorkeeper, w II. Pool OF Cass
for enrolling and engrosslng clerk. A. A.
Gresham OF Crete for chaplain and Harry
Beebe of Stanton for custodian of the cloak
room. George Crofs of Beatrice and +.
Marquette of Fremont received two votes
for chaplain.
The following committees were elected:
on Standing Committees - Lieutenant
Governor Savage A. II. Arends Of Otoe, r.
n. Allen of Furnas. II. II. Baldrige OF
Omaha J. II. VanBoslirk Of Box Butte, T..
nwpua NJ nnwgon Richard O'NpilI Of
Lancaster and w. NJ. Young OF Stanton.
To Apportion Employees Among Senator'S
Frank NJ. Burril of Custer, w. II. Newell OF
Cass and W. II. Edgar of Gage.
on Standing Rules-N. V. Harlan OF York,
Frank Martin OF Richardson and f. ID.
Owens OF Dawson.
In previous sessions the senate has had
two clerks for enrolling and engrosslng,
each receiving SO per day. The caucus de-
clded to combine these two positions in one
M salary OF 81 per day, making saving
Of 81 per day on this line OF work. The
caucus adjourned to meet at the call of tho
chairman.
The republican members of the house had
ffty-two In their caucus. there being only
one absentee. Practical agreement had
had been reached In the canvassinS during
the afternoon on most of the positions to be
fled so that the result was decisive on
most OF the ballots. Mccarthy Of Dixon
acted as caucus chairman and Andrews CT
Frontier as secretary, with Mead of Doug
las and Cain of Richardson as teller.
Tho nomination OF Sears for speaker came
by acclamation to which he responded his
thanks briefly. The other officers agreed
on are: Clerk, John Wall; first assistant.
A. ID. Gilmore of Nemaha; second assistant,
John Barnard OF Johnson; third assistant.
c. +. Sandal of York; fourth assistant. ii.
G. Wethrell OF Harlan; sergeant at arms, A.
Wees OF Frontier; chaplain, j. ii. Presson
OF Polk; doorkeeper A. Miller OF Jefferson;
postmaster, f. ID. Recon of Hamilton.
The Douglas county members supported
Rev. r. f. Trefz for chaplain but failed to
make him by n small margin. J. w. Arm
strong was agreed on for temporary speaker.
Joint Caucus of Fusion Members.
A Joint caucus OF the fusion members OF
the legislature was held in the Grand hotel
TO consider the course to be taken on legis-
lation and for the purpose Of making the
usual selection OF caucus nominees. Sem
ator Miller OF Buffalo was chairman and
Representative Murray OF Thurston secre-
tary. Frank T. Ransom Of Douglas will
receive the fusion vote for president pro
TEN of the senate. After considerable dis
cussion the following candidates were Sc
lected as the caucus nominees: For the
house Temporary speaker, John Sprecher
OF Colfax; speaker ID. w. Hamilton Of But
Ter; chief clerk, Eric Johnson of Saunders;
first assistant, Daniel Horrtgan OF Adams;
second assistant, Louis Paulson of Kear-
ney; third assistant, j. w. Harwood of
Nance; sergeant at arms, Thomas Dowd OF
Cunning; assistant sergeant alarms, o. s.
Moran of Platt; chaplain. j. NJ. Snyder Of
Sherman.
The fusion members who did not partlci-
pate In the caucus were Senator Krum-
bach and Representative Hauks OF Otoe.
Boulier of Saunders. Hunter of Howard,
Dahlsten OF Howard and Walker of Hitch
cock The caucus also gave out the fol-
lowing written statement as a bluff in the
interest of those fusion members whose
seats are contested for fraud and other
irregularities. The question of contesting
Governor Dietrich's right to Office was
taken up in the Joint conference of fusion
representatives and senators and consid-
cred at some length. and II was finally
decided to lay the matter over for further
consideration. This action was taken that
II might first be ascertained whether the
republicans were intending to consider and
determine the contest In the house and
senate on their merits fairly and II Is
probable nothing further will be done in
the matter IL the contests are decided
fairly on the evidence.
William G. Sears, the new speaker. who
will preside over the house OF tho twenty
seventh session OF the Nebraska legislature,
bas been known up to this time as a clear
headed and ar-sghted lawyer prominent
at the Burt county bar with incidental ex-
cursions into politics He is an Ohio man
hxyh Nth