Omaha daily bee., 1902-06-01

that l should support that kind of a man
for an Office within one or two years after
that memorable campaign.
Fellow citizens, Mr.. Mercer is now our
congressman. Let him explain, or let his
friend explain for him why he should be
retained there for another term simply
because he can log roll through congress
omnibus building bills.
MIR. GURLEY.
Mr.. Chairman and Fellow Citizens: l
assumed up to the present time that we
were debating here together as repub-
licans. and of course we are. We are
having our little warfare now before the
primaries and the convention is held, and
after that preliminary skirmish Is over. OF
course we will be found shoulder to shoul-
der, my distinguished opponent and /,
fighting for the nominee, whoever he may
be. l assume that, Of course, to be true,
but my attention has been called to an
interview which my distinguished oppo-
nent had on the 2Sth day Of January, 1902,
an interview in the World-Herald. l sup
pose he gave his interview to that paper
because he wished 1t to have a large circu-
lation Oaughter), wanted It to reach en-
tirely over the district. In any event, Mr..
Rosewater says:
1t is true that under certain conditions
l will be a candidate for congress from
the Omaha district. Not that ] care for
the Office or its honor, but | want to teach
the present congressman a lesson or Two,
NJ Mercer secures the delegation to the
congressional convention this fall | viii
run by petition, and | think | can beat
him. II some other republican is nom
mated l will not run, but, on the other
hand. will do all | can to aid his election.
Mercer must understand that he cannot
represent this district another term in con-
gress.
There spoke my distinguished opponent,
muttering the words OF Louis XIV Of France
to himself, II am the state"
Il want 1t understood that politically l
have no aspirations to go to congress for
the honor that would accrue to me- He
does not wan to go to congress for the
honor. my only object is in the interests
of good government" Noble sentiment)
And a desire to beat Mercer"
When the primaries are held it is pos
sible that Mercer may manipulate them,
but l think not, as he will be pitted against
half a dozen or more good men, but n ne
should manage to secure the nomination
As l have said before, | care nothing
about a place in congress-, but / nave come
to the conclusion that 1t anr rs time tor the
I have labored under the impression,
fortified by the paper which my dis
tinguished opponent publishes, that Mercer
has been the representative Of the people.
elected by them.
of this district. He does not make II his
home and seldom comes here. Not only
this. but he has attacked me in and out
of season.
Now, l have one minute left, and l want
to ask my distinguished opponent-of
course we are here as republicans, and of
course we shall support the nominee-I
want to ask my distinguished opponent II
David II. Mercer is nominated by the will
Of the republicans Of the Second congress
sional district, will you support him or will
you not? daughter and applause).
Cries Of Answer 1t now; answer it now;
answer it yes or nor
MIR. ROsEwATER.
My very inquisitive friend has declared
to you that he is here to stand shoulder
to shoulder with republicans in elect
ing the republican ticket this fall, IL
Mr.. Mercer is nominated, but he has
not answered any Of the questions
that l put to him as regards Mercer.
Whether he would want a sixth term, a
seventh term, an eighth term and a ninth.
He has not answered me any of the other
questions as to his proposed residence in
case he is not reelected. He challenges
my republicanism when he has not voted
a straight republican ticket in ten years.
He supported practically the entire demo-
cratic ticket for the legislature the last
time when he knew that it's election
would send two demo-populists to the
United States senate. And why? Was 1t
because any one of the men on that ticket
were incompetent or dishonest, OF had a
bad record as republicans or as citizens?
Not at all. Was 1t for any other reasons
excepting that he did not want a republican
elected United States senator whose
name was Rosewater? Is 1t not a
fact that he was banded with David
H. Mercer and several hundred others
who would rather have a vacancy in the
United States senate or have two demo-
Gratis so that Mr.. Mercer could control the
patronage OF the state as the senior mem
Der from Nebraska? That was the animus,
and I can prove that Mr.. Mercer made no
secret OF It when he talked to members Of
the legislature and solicited their votes.
l have been asked to explain why I had
not prosecuted some Of the federal office
holders that had to be subsidized in order
to support the republican ticket in 1900.
Well, I had made complaints and the other
day l was before the federal grand jury and
a member Of that body who sits right here
knows that I did testify and gave sufficient
evidence, so far as my personal knowl-
edge goes, that that money was brought
here and that it was disbursed.
/ am asked another question and that is,
would / support Mr.. Mercer If he received
a majority Of the republican votes Of this
district. / want to ask the gentleman
another question: Will Mr.. Mercer sub
NIT to the majority? Is he willing to sub
NIT to It? Is he not scheming to juggle the
primaries, and hasn't he a chairman, with
three or four postmasters, and Mr.. Gurley,
who constitute the majority of the con-
gressional committee? Don't MT. Mercer
control absolutely the mode in which the
congressional primaries are to be fought
out, and is 1t not notorious here tina he
proposes to force his own denomination by
plurality; that he wants primaries on the
Crawford county system, based Upon selec-
ton by minorities?
Now, I will never support a minority
candidate. Never. (Applause.) l want
maiorities to govern, and Mr.. Mercer must
come forward and get the support Of the
majority OF the republicans. which he does
not dare to do. After spending most OF
his time at pleasure resorts and junketing
tours all over the world he knows very
well that his absence from his city bars
him from getting further honors from the