Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-21
sI1th ward DeIivers.

The Sixth ward in Omaha on the original
roll call announced it's vote for Nelson c..
Pratt. but as soon as the roll was COM
pleted 1t changed this to Mercer. Imme-
diately then Fred II. Hoye Of the Second
ward arose and moved that the nomination
OF Mercer be made unanimous and the
motion was carried. amid loud cheering.
The nominee OF the convention was then
escorted to the platform and spoke for a
few minutes. In his remarks Mercer did
not forget to impress upon the audience,
in the presence Of his two defeated oppo-
nents, that he paid mtre taxes into the
county treasury than all three OF the men
-Breen, Cornish and Pratt-who had ran
against him in the primaries. The remark
had no particular connection with the
trend Of his talk.
Mr.. Mercer then said:
1--WE have passed through a whlrlwind
Of fun and have come here to rejoice in
the part we took. The boys who opposed
me made a good, hard fight and me and
my friends tried to meet them at every
turn. This is a big meeting and I think
it shows that no one can say the repub-
licans ii Omaha did not express their
choice for congressman"
After assuring his audience that he was
the right man for the place, Mercer then
unfolded the pages Of his personal history
and reviewed his pioneer" days as one Of
the advance guards OF civilization In Ne
braska. He said:
81 have lived in Nebraska ever since 1
was a little boy and l am still a resident
of Omaha and expect to reside in this mag
nihcent city for"
Where do you liver" broke IN a voice.
I'm the Seventh ward, sir, II you, please"
was MERGERS retort.
The next vital issue with which the can
didate grappled was the status OF his indi-
vidual wealth. Il am not a wealthy man"
he said. But Is that any discredit? Must
every man hold a large amour: Of property
in order to be a good American citiEen?"
Continuing, Mercer said:
The fray is over. We now enter the
campaign, and we enter solid and united.
We are now all republicans. We will up
hold the great party's principles in this
campaign and come out victorious. Who
ever the common enemy is to be in this
fight, we will meet him shoulder to shout
der. l have never compromised a political
fight and l don't propose to begin 1t now.
| have lived long enough In this community
to establish a reputation for myself Of be-
ing afraid of nothing or anybody. As to the
result OF this campaign, l have not the
slightest question, as l have said before.
You will have the opportunity Of writing to
Congressman Dave Mercer for two years
longer, at least, after election"
Cornish Promises
In response to the unanimous call of the
audience e. P. Cornish took the stand and
made a few remarks. He was grateful to
his friends for their support during the pri-
mary and the struggle preceding 1t and said
he had nothing to regret. that he had made
the best fight he could. He promised his
support to the successful candidate from
now on.
Nelson C. Pratt took notice of the fling
which Mercer made regarding the payment
of taxes by the individual candidates by
saying; II acknowledge l do not pay a
third OF the taxes paid by the three men
who ran against Mr.. Mercer, but 1t is be-
cause l have not the property on which to
pay them" Pratt, too, said he would sup
port the successful candidate.
On motion Of w. F. Gurley Mercer was
authorized to name the chairman Of the
congressional central committee and hve
members from Douglas county, two from
Washington and two from Sarpy. The COM
mittee was instructed to fill all vacancies
on the ticket or committee.