Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-25
LAWLEss AND REVOLUTIONARY

The question confronting the repub-
leans Of Douglas county is whether they
will tamely submit to the lawless and
revolutionary proceedings by which Da-
vid II. Mercer is trying to force a sixth
term nomination upon this district In the
face Of inevitable defeat.
The function Of state, congressional
and judicial committees has under time
honored usage been limited to the call
ing Of conventions to which each county
in the state OF district, as the case may
be, is invited to elect delegates in pro
portion to the number of votes cast for a
designated party candidate at the pre-
cedlng election. The number of delegates
to which each township, precinct or city
ward in any county is entitled in the
representation Of that county has always
| been left by all parties entirely to the
respective county committees, who pro
vide for primary elections and CONVEX
lions to select delegates under proper
safeguards.
This has been the method pursued in
every congressional district in Nebraska
this year. This also has been the method
pursued in the selection Of delegates to
the Second district congressional con-
vention in Washington and Sarpy coun-
ties. Having ratified and legitimlzed
the action taken in those counties, the
Mercer committee has neither the legal
nor moral right to impose unheard of
conditions upon the republicans of Doug
las county not imposed on the repub-
cans of the other counties In this dis
trict or in any other district in this state.
Whoever heard of such a thing as q
congressman levying a head tax upon
his competitors as IN entrance fee to
the congressional racetrack2 Yet that
is precisely what Mercer is trying to do
in requiring every aspirant for his place
to pay $50 to his campaign manager for
the privilege Of being considered a can
didate, and then $14 for every ward del.
egation and SO for every precinct dele
CATION whose names he wants placed on
the official ballot. In other words, every
candidate in Douglas county must con-
tribute $50 to MERGERS campaign fund
before he is allowed to compete, while
candidates in Washington or Sarpy coun-
ties can come In free. What right has
the Mercer committee to exact any pay
ment from pledged or unpledged dele
gates in Douglas county so long as the
expense of conducting the primary cleo
ton is borne by the county committee
out of the filing fees for delegates to
the county nominating convention2
Under the direct pressure Of Mercer
this revolutionary proceeding has been
supplemented by a lawless attempt Ia
impose a test oath on registered repub.
lican voters who have complied with the
statutory requirement Of registering
their political affiliation. A still more
fragrant violation of the law is the at.
tempt to allow a select committee Of five
to locate the voting places and appoint
the election officers In the various pre-
cincts and wards in the face of the ex
press provision in the law that these
functions must be performed by the
whole county committee.
1t is almost a foregone conclusion thai
q nomination secured by such law
less and revolutionary methods would
be pronounced invalid by the supreme
court and the name of the candidate
would be ruled off the ticket as a reg
ular party nominee. Mr.. Mercer in hi
desperation may be willing to take
these risks. But can the republicans
Of this district afford to run the chane,
even If they were willing to submit t
the outrage perpetrated, by the Mercer
committee2