Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-05
MERCER MAY SOLVE MYSTERY
Secrecy Concerning Convention Which he
Alone Gan Unravel,
SOME METHODS THAT MAY Be PURSUED
.tschemes Pursued in the Past and Con-
! ditiOns that Prevail at Present
In the second
sional District.

The promised return Of Congressman
Mercer next week to raise the interdiet
! that has been holding back the call for
a congressional convention in this district
has stimulated anew inquiries as to the
/ probable procedure In the selection OF a
REPUBLICAN candidate for congress.
The republicans in FIVE of the six dis
tricts OF Nebraska have already made their
nominations, in each case according to the
naAe-observed custom OF a general call
for a convention in which delegates are
apportionod to the respective counties and
chosen by regularly called county conven-
tions. In each Of these districts the dele
| gates were named at the same time as the
; delegates TO the late republican state con-
I, vention and the appointment made on a
! plan similar to that adopted by the state
: committee, namely, OF giving each county
representation according to the vote cast
/ for the republican nominee at the last
congressional election.
II is noteworthy that In this, the Second
; district, Mr.. MERGERS managers, who are in
undisputed control OF the party machine,
because the congressional committee and
, its onicers we're all named by Mr.. Mercer
himself. have not for a moment discussed
q convention called in the usual manner.
Their misglving Of the result OF such a
convention mas driven Lnem u lutlE "lbS
ends to devise a new scheme by which
they might gain some advantage in the
situation that would not accrue to them IL
; they followed the regular precedents.
What May De Done.
, Talk about a congressional convention
TO which the delegates should be chosen
directly by the voters in the different
. wards and precincts throughout the three
\ counties comprising the congressional dis
tFict recalls the fact that two years ago
in their similar desperation a device was
/ formulated in the call issued by Chairman
l Blackburn, although rescinded later on as
surance that opposition to Mr.. MERGERS
} denomination for a NTH term had been
,choked OF. II Mr.. Mercer should repeat
: his performance of two years ago he will
lhave Mr.. Blackburn convene himself as a
Congressional committee and vote himself
Nhree or four times by proxy for the old
call, which embodied the following fea-
ltures:
! l. It provided for q primary election held
directly under the congressional commit
tee In the three counties of Washington,
Douglas and Sarpy. The congressional COM
Imittee, which was Mr.. Blackburn, consti-
tuted itself the authority to appoint all
1he judges and clerks Of election, to re-
iceive the returns, to canvass the vote and
to issue the credentials to the delegates.
Z. The primary ballots were to contain
the names not only of candidates for dele
lgates TO the convention, but also Of as
tpirants for congress. The petitions for del
,egates were to be prepared in the usual
way and fled upon payment OF a fee of 81
for each name to the treasurer of the COM
,mittee, who vas also Mr.. Blackburn. As
lpirants for congress could have their
names placed on the ofhcial ballot on pc
jtiton signed by $50 republican electors and
payment Of q fling fee Of $50 into the
hands of Mr.. Blackburn.
Ap-portiOnment of Delegates.
g. The apportionment Of delegates to the
convention was fixed as follows:
For each ward In the city OF Omaha,
item delegates.
For the city OF South Omaha, sixteen
delegates.
For each country precinct in Douglas
county, two delegates.
For sarpy county. eight delegates.
For Washington county. seventeen dele
gates.
Making a total of 157 delegates. with
seventy-nine constituting the majority
necessary to nominate.
" NhA = mNNhO VI CuOOSluK IQ6lF
delegates was allowed to Washington and
sarpy counties. although denied to Douglas
county. Washington and sarpy counties
could choose delegates by convention, or
by any other method adopted by their re-
'spectlve county committees-a discrImina-
tion in favor Of home rule for Washington
and Sarpy counties and against Douglas
county. explained by the fact that at that
time the county committee in Douglas
county was suspected Of hostility to Mr..
Mercer. while his friends controlled the
county committees In Washington and
,Earpy counties.
, s. The returns from the primary were
TO be canvassed by the executive committee
OF the congressional committee, which was
Mr. Blackburn, and In case the expressions
Of preference for congress showed one
candidate to have received a complete ma
Jority Of the vote. that fact was to be
certified to the congressional convention,
which. after It's permanent organization,
should declare the nomination OF candi-
dates receiving a majority at the primary
elections. and by formal resolution direct