Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-29
SENATOR NILLAKD,s DEBT no MERonR

SENATOR BLLLARD'S DEBT TO MERCER.
Congressman Mercer is naturally much
interested In the appointment Of a radical
anti-board, and Il IL stated that Senator
Willard is Of the same mind. Parties who
claim to know say that the senator IL very
much disguised with the continued inter
ference OF Rosewater in the distribution Of
patronage and that he regards his former
competitor as an unmitigated nuisance. 1t
Is reported here that he wants an anti
board. and also that Rosewater has been
busy sending representatives to see the
senator to impress upon him that he had
better keep hands on.-Lincoln Corre-
spondence in Sunday world-Herald.
This screed is doubtless inspired by
the political parasites who have been
swarming around Senator Willard ever
since his elevation to the senatorship for
the purpose of ingratiating themselves
in his favor. II has been a well defined
rumor that the action brought by Cur
ley and Ransom to bust the existing po-
lice board was in the interest Of Con-
gresham Mercer, whose desperate
anxiety to retain his lucrative job at
Washington is unconcealed. 1t is an
open secret also that Mr.. Mercer has en-
deavored to enlist Senator Millard's In
iuence with Governor Savage for the
appointment Of his chief fugler, Thomas
w. Blackburn, as member of the police
commission.
1t is absolutely untrue, however, that
I have approached Senator Millard d.
rectly or indirectly for or against any
n who may aspire to a place on the
police board. While my relations with
the senator have been friendly, no one
can t%ruthfully charge that 1 have sought
to interfere in the distribution of fed
eral patronage. The only interference
on my part, IL it can be called such, has
been directed against the retention Of
disreputable and VIGOROUSLY dishonest
federal officials appointed at the In
stance of his predecessor. These efforts
were solely in the interest Of good gov
eminent and with no idea or design of
debating who should fill these positions.
That the senator has 80 far shown a
dissemination to second my efforts to
rid the federal service Of unfit and dis
honest men is regrettable because Of the
demoralizing effect on the party and its
inevitable tendency to weaken the In
fuence Of the senator at Washington.
There certainly is no good reason why
Senator Willard should not cheerfully
cooperate with me in my endeavors to
purge the party and keep it on the
straight and narrow path.
The intimation that 1 have offended
the senator as his competitor is as
stupid as it is ridiculous. Everyone who
knows anything about the senatorial
campaign of 1900 knows that Mr.. Mil
lard was in no sense a competitor in the
race and everyone in Nebraska knows
that he would not occupy a seat in the
senate today IL Mr.. Mercer had had his
way or If l had not voluntarily with
drawn to make sure that Nebraska
should be represented In the United
States senate by two republicans. If
Mr.. Mercer and his friends had had
their way, Douglas county would have
returned a democratic delegation and
the legislature would have sent Bryan
and Allen to the senate. If after failing
in this, Mr.. Mercer could have had his
way, the legislature would have ad'
journed without electing any senator
In either case Mr.. Mercer would have
been in position to become chief dis
penser Of federal patronage for Ne
braska. Where Mr.. Mercer has any
claims upon either of the senators oil
upon Governor Savage in the face OF
such a record, the rank and file Of the
republican party Of this district and
state will be at a loss to know.
Z. RoSEWATER-