Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-17
CAMPAIGN IN The SECOND
Tom Blaokburn's Vaccinations Meeting
with Serious Obstacles.
MERGERS CANDIDACY IS UNPOPULAR
Opposing Candidates Not 60 he BIuned
on by BaseIess Claims or
CajoIed by Empty
Promises.

Engineer Tom blackburn. who makes the
plans and specifications for Congressman
MERGERS connection with a government sal
airy from term to term. is Just now very
busy surveying the situation In the district
with a view to landing a denomination for
his chief. The survey. as far as It has
progressed. has been anything but salts
factory TO the engineer. who is beginning
10 believe that a departure from the well
established principle of nomination by the
majority may be necessary.
As Blackburn touches his ELUSIVE eye
brows TO the telescope This year he beholds
q vision somewhat different from that which
he has observed Just prior to other congress
sional campaigns. There Ia no clear sweep
Of field to the horizon. with "our Dave"
looming up as the rising sun, as hereto
fore. but scattered all over the landscape
are large and promising candidates. almost
obscuring the daylight rays from the con-
gressional countenance that Is wont to rise
in the east once in every two years and
shed It's lustre over the Second Nebraska
district. The situation is indeed cloudy,
with a large area Of low barometer and
well-dehned indications OF an approaching
storm.
with the business element OF the city Of
Omaha, upon which "Our Dave has banked
In past years. waking up to the fact that
their congressman is merely a grandstand
player and has no interest in Omaha ex-
cepting purely political self-interest, there
is some reason for Blackburn to be worried.
The impending trouble is not altogether
generated by ambitious aspirants. There Is
an almost open revolt among republican
workers who are Disguised with MERGERS
selfish ways. They are tired Of fighting
battles for a man who never fights for any
body else and never knows anybody be-
tween elections except Tom Blackburn.
In anticipation of the coming trouble
Blackburn is trying hard to smooth the
ruined feathers Of malcontents by a liberal
use OF the ranking privilege and promises
OF future reward. For weeks the postofices
OF the Second Nebraska district have been
burdened with packages Of seed potatoes.
cabbage and flower seeds. and nearly every
other voter has been importuned by tafied
letters to stand up for Mercer Just once
more.
Asked as TO whether he would call for a
delegate convention or a Crawford system
nomination., Mr.. Blackburn said, with some
show Of modesty: "That is something /
cannot speak OF at this time. You see. I
am not the Who'll committee and the COM
mittee has had no meeting yet" The com
mittee to which Mr.. Blackburn refers Is
composed OF nine members; three are post
masters by grace Of Mercer, one holds a
Washington Job through Mercer, another Is
VIII Gurley and a sixth is the chairman
and whole thing" Mr.. Blackburn himself.
"As a matter OF fact, Mr.. Blackburn. you
incline toward the Crawford system this
year. don't your" was asked.
IT think II is a very fair way to make
party nominations he answered.
When a majority OF the votes cast are
made necessary to nominate"
We'll. with a half dozen candidates there
IL, hardly a probability that any one will
get a majority"
Then you favor a minority nomination? -
"oh, I won't say that"
The whole thing" then proceeded to
atate that his committee might call a dele
cate convention. Mercer can carry every
ward and precinct in the county excepting
the First, Second. Third and Fifth wards
and Clontarf precinct" he added.
Then why couldn't he get a majority
vote under the Crawford system?'
He cam promptly replied Mr.. Black
burn. But" he added, with some show Of
impotence. ITS too early to discuss these
things. We are not doing anything at ali
yet"
Meanwhile the postofice frank of the Sec
ond Nebraska district congressman Is
working overtime.
For several weeks past Boss Blackburn
has been exeftlng himself strenuously q
dissuade all aspirants from entering thu
field by representing that Mercer had
''cineh" on the nomination and trying to b
facetious about the opposition Of the ed
itor of The Bee. But these bombastit
claims do not seem to have had the efec
intended. Several formidable candidates
have already entered the arena and Their
is promise OF more.
The nrst man to announce himself as
candidate against Mercer was Nelson c
Pratt OF the Sixth ward. who has beef
making an active canvass for some weeks
The Pratt button has for some time beeI
a ~favorite ornament for the coat lapels o
the Sixth warders and there is very litti
chance for anybody to make a showing
against the candidate who Is pieture'
thereon In that particular bailiwick. MI
Pratt has also a considerable following Il
the country precincts and in several othe
of the city wards.
John p. Breen yesterday announce
that he had decided to accede to the I'm
portuhities Of his friends and became
candidate for the congressional nomination
For some weeks said he. my friend
have been urging me to enter the eontes
and ! have nnally determined to allow tn
use Of my name and to do what I can 10
ward putting up a winning fight. ! under
stand there will be Ave or six candidate
and l believe l have already been promise
not a successful, showing. I have. been IN
able to md out whether the nomination