Omaha daily bee., 1902-05-10
CAMPAIGN IN SECOND NEBRASKA DISTRICT


consequently. as national committeeman, I
conferred all Of my energy to carry the
state for Benjamin Harrison, and notwith-
standing the fact that there was 20. 1000 ma
jority against us. the total vote gave Har.
rison electors 1880 plurality and kept the
state in the republican column. Applause
We not only carried the state for Harrison.
but we elected Governor Crounse and the
entire republican state ticket. Mr.. Mercer
also was elected.
At the end OF his first term The Bee en-
oorsed his denomination for a second term
in the following editorial on August p,
1894, under the heading, "A High Compile
ment:"N
Congressman d. II. Mercer has received
a nattertng compliment at the hands of the
republicans OF this district. without a dis
congressional district vote MIN a renomi-
nation Tor the position he has filled during
the past two. years. With this action The
bee mas no fault to find. Mr.. Mercer has
made a very creditable and efficient repre-
sentative and In accord with its we'll known
him credit whenever credit was due ~
Mr.. Mercer has agreeably disappointed
those who had no confidence In his ability
ana ltness 70 represent the state In the ma
tonal legislature. His record has been
consistent and satisfactory to all classes OF
republicans, and his constituency, regard
has done as well In promoting their inter
ests during his first eighteen months in
der like conditions. This we cheerfully
certify. without ever receiving, asking or
Mercer. II he shall do as well in the future
as ne has In the past he will have no rea-
son d fGT c cpnaPiat Of not being appreciated
ices he may render.
Mercer and the Exposition.
In 1896. when Mr.. Mercer had served two
terms, we had reached a very critical
stage in the affairs Of Omaha. We had
assumed the responsibility for a great en-
terprise. the Transmississippi exposition,
and the fact that Mr.. Mercer occupied a
position Of prominence in the committee
on public buildings, in my Judgment and
in the judgment OF the great majority
Of business men Of Omaha, necessitatei
the reelection OF Mercer. TIC bring this
about the most strenuous efforts were
made by myself and The Bee, as you may
note from the following editorial that ap-
peared in The Bee Of July 8 on behalf Of
Mercer, entitled, A Appeal to Working
men,"
The workingmen of Omaha have more al
stake In the denomination of Congressman
Gems. The most essential thing for work.
ingmen is. employment. II Mercer goes
eommi 10 ,@ai reneTed F 9ef a W5pSeT T safh h hs
will be In position to command support for
liberal appropriations for all public works
a aDG Vicinity fafft WAY He G viii PFrSS be- In pos u 5nii to 9 sey
cure all the funds necessary for complet.
have little difiouity in securing an increase
from 100000 to 100000 for the T~ransmissis-
sippi exposition, With a renewed commits
sion Mercer Will be chairman of the COM
mittee on public buildings and that means
a great deal not only for workingmen in
where a federal building is to be located.
Rallied Tn by The Bee.
Following this editorial came a double
loaded appeal Just before the primaries,
saying. Omaha Must Stand BY Omaha"
No man ever, can SUCCEED who does not
and prospered that has lowered its flag and
turned its back upon its founders or It's
gresham Mercer and his opponents the
issue Is s9uarely presented whether Omaha
Viii stand up for herself or go pack on
contest involved SO much for the future OF
Omaha as does the renomination of Mer;
factions and, petty feuds all sink Into In
significance before the one supreme Issue,
staggering blow at. a project that is most
vital to her upbuilding and a revival of
S tions 81 m Sssiy witty s sE f HotorioasSiy the lnes a%SIe
most %erfftlcal time for the TTansmiss is fai
realize that the rejection of Mercer in the
face of the colossal work he has done for
two sessions would be Interpreted at
Washington as a declaration that Omaha
does not appreciate the fayors granted as
sentative, and therefore is entitled 10 no
further consideration by congress.
In behalf of Omaha, for which The Bee
has always stood and In which its future is
bound up perpetually, we call upon every
citizen who has a vote to cast at the re-
publican primaries to stand up for Omaha
gates. We cali upon Citizens who have eei NO
with those who have. We call upon busI9
ness men and property owners who have
for half a day to the redemption OF Omaha
from business. depression.
Mr.. Mercer Is a poor man. His resources
rights ought to have been fought for him
by Omaha without q penny Of expense. 1t
OF this mans service, which no amount OF
money could have duplicated, that those
them at his disposal for the primary p eIeee
ton for half a day.
Our Absentee Representative.
These articles certainly show that Mr..
Mercer was under some obligations to The
Bee and received q very cordial and very
eneTBetc packing through that medium.
Nobody can truthfully charge that after
Mr.. MERGERS first term and up to a recent
period he has not had the earnest aud
jealous support Of The Bee with all the
influence that It could exert. and that in
cludes the last election as we'll as the
second. third and fourth elections.
In 1898 when he had already served three
terms my efforts In his behalf were re-
newcd with the same earnest vigor and
his opponents found to their sorrow that
the appeals of The Bee to the business
man and to the working man had a very
decided effect. so Mr.. Mercer certainly had
no grievance and had no right to have any
up to the last time he was elected, and.
In fact, up to the present time.
After he had served four terms bis con-
tinuance became a serious question. II
began to dawn upon the community that
Mr.. Mercer was what might be called a
visiting statesman. He had absented him
self from Omaha from year to year except
when he came up for reelection. For
twenty out OF twenty-tour months Mr..
Blackburn was the only medium through
whom Mercer could be reached, although
during the periodic congressional cam