Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-06
OF NON RESIDENT MAN
Speakers At First Ward Rspublicsn Club
Loyal 70 Home Candidate.
MERCER REPEATEDLY suuss THE CLUB
Although Invited to Every Meeting
Non-Resident Congressman Fails to
Put In AppearRnce-Other
ward Meetings.

Loyalty to the First ward candidate In
the congressional fight was the keynote
G. the meeting OF the First Ward Repub-
lican club last evening and each Of tho
speakers in turn had something to say
upon hat subject.
The regular business OF the meeting,
which consisted simply in the adoption OF
the constitution and bylaws, which had
been referred back to the committee for
slight alterations in wording, was
romptly disposed OF and the remainder OF
the evening was devoted to a sort Of Tex
p~erience meeting" as II was termed by
one OF the members. The various mem
bers present were called upon and ex-
pressed their Views, each in his own man
ner, the principal and almost the only
topic being the congressional contest.
Isaac s.. Hascall, who had been absent
from the last meeting, said that the con-
stitution which the club had Just adopted
favored the people OF the First ward and
he was heartily in accord with that pril-
ciple. He believed that the voters of the
ward should see that a delegation was sent
20 the convention for the candidate Of the
First ward, Mr.. Cornish, and under those
circumstances they could not be charged
with emnity or unfair treatment toward
any man. Mercer has enjoyed nve
terms" said Judge Hascall, "and by this
time should be put back on the shelf, and
as long as a question has been raised as
TO Mercer being a resident Of Omaha, l
believe that the voters should take that
into consideration" He hoped the mem
bers OF the club would vote for Mr.. Cor
nish and a First ward delegation for Cor
nish would exercise a very important in
nuence in the convention, for the First
ward was always called upon to vote first.
Or. Ford spoke in much the same strain,
saying he fully believed that II the First
ward could secure the nomination OF Mr..
Cornish ne would be elected.
Samuel Scott, vice president of the club.
occupied the chair, in the absence OF the
president, and he commented upon the
absence OF Mr.. Mercer from the club meet
inEsa H said: at has been suggested
that some Of the voters of the First ward
aEe eowardly in not having proclaimed
their attitude in this fight, but l think
there are others who are cowardly. Mr..
Mercer. I am told by our president, has
been invited to every meeting this club
has held and yet he has not once favored
us, although all OF the other candidates
have been here"
e. ]. Cornish was received with great
enthusiasm and addressed, his fellow resi-
dents of the First ward at some length,
tnankinE them FOR their expression of
friendliness and loyalty. He said in part:
81 soc before me a body Of mel Of the
First ward who have never been defeated
and who have never made an unfair fight.
At times / have had them against me and
have had occasion to know 1t, for they
made their fight In the open. At other
times I have had them with me and l have
also felt the effect of that"
Mr.. Cornish discussed his prospects of
nomination In a most hopeful manner
others who spoke briefly were G. C.
Sunblad, Peter Back and r. w. Koetter.
The club will hold it's next meeting
Wednesday evening in National hall on
Tklrteenth street, and as the Second Ward
club also meets on that night. an effort
will be made to consolidate the two into
one big meeting.
The Sixth Ward Republican club last
night decided to. curb the verbosity of
speakers and adopted a rule whereby all
candidates are limited to ten-minute
speeches and all others to thirty minutes.
r. o. Fink announced his candidacy for
nomination for state senator, which an
nouncement was received in good part and
with, cheers by members Of the club.
The second speaker. John T. Gathers,
also CAuuAuhte IOT tue state SENATE, en-
tered upon a discussion of state Issues,
arraigning the fusion party for hypocrisy
in denouncing the influence OF corporations
in politics and state affairs and nominating
corporation attorneys for ONCE.
w. A. DeBord referred to his candidacy
for county attorney and pledged himself,
II elected, to I'LL the ONCE without fear OF
favor.
Then came songs by the Roosevelt
quartet and a short talk by N. c. Pratt,
who referred to the opportunities OF Amer
leans. In spite of sporadic attempts OF
biased committees, to deny equal opportu-
mites to candidates. THE party will moi
stand for unjust action on the part of such
committees. and / believe that In this con-
gressional district the people will arise II
their might and compel the committee t
treat all candidates justly. / have beer
denied the right Of contesting in the TIVE
other. counties Of the district. but / believ'
that my friends in this county will worl