Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-20
mickey OF NEBRASKA
Has Been Named to Run With
Roosevelt.
HE DOES NOT WANT TO
THINKS SOME MAN FROM AN
OTHER STATE WOULD BE BETTER
Says the West is Strongly for Presi-
dent-His Administration
as Governor.
pecial From a STAFF Correspondent.


rendered him. it is not likely that he would
decline to run.
In an interview with representative OF
The Evening Star Governor Mickey said:
Il have no ambition to become Vice Presl-
dent of the United States, and II had
hardly believe that it would come to me as
the governor of Nebraska. Our state Is too
small, it has only few electoral votes and
1t seems to me that the nomination will fall
to some worthy republican farther east.
Nebraska will be found in the republican
ranks anyway, and the selection of a candi-
date from this state would not increase the
republican majority in the electoral col
from some of the states where the result
may be more uncertain would perhaps work
to the benefit of the party.
West Strongly for Roosevelt.
'It is true that am thoroughly in SYM
pathy with President Roosevelt's policy.
and. besides, admire him personally and
officially very much. He Is a great man
aside from his abilities as President Of the
country. The west is certainly strongly
Roosevelt. It seems to me that either Gov
ernor Durbin or Senator Bevertdge of In
diana might look well in the harness with
Roosevelt, but that Is only my personal
opinion, and am not prepared to say what
the sentiment of the western republicans
may be toward either Of those men.
1.-THE republican party is gaining steadily
in Nebraska. The feeling between the
democrats and the populists Is not so
friendly as it was four years ago. and there
is considerable division in the fusion ranks
Many former adherentS to the fusion forces
have drifted back to republicanism and
will swell the majority for the administra-
ton party in 1904. The people of the state
are prosperous, they have plenty Of money
and it Is not held from circulation by a
few, as 1t seems to be in the east at this
time. The farmers throughout the state
are unusually free from debt, and they
farms in the last few years. They are do
ing well and are satisfied to let things
alone. Business men are also enjoying in
creased prosperity and great confidence is
manifested on all sides in the republican
administration Of government affairs"
When Governor Mickey assumed charge
Of the affairs Of Nebraska there was con-
siderable stir in the republican party be-
cause OF the fact that his predecessor Ezra
p. Savage, pardoned former State Treas
urer BARLEY, whose Irregularities cost the
state about half million dollars Con-
siderable feeling over this incident was ex-
pressed by republicans all over the state
and for time things looked ominous for
harmony in the party. Governor Mickey
had been suggested as good man for
gubernatorial honors on several previous
occasions, and last fall he received the
nomination. He assumed the governorship
without making any pledges or promises
and though opposed somewhat strongly by
the liquor interests of the state vet he
received comfortable majority It has
been his purpose to give the people of the
state a clean business administration. and
because OF fortunate and apt appointments
to the various state offices Governor Mickey
has been instrumental in subduing what
ever factions existed in the state prior to
his election
From inquiry among well-informed MEM
bers OF the party here it would seem that
the report of probable trouble in the state
between the Rosewater and Thompson fac
tons is entirely without substantial founda.
ton. While 1t Is not denied that such fac
lions exist. yet 1t is stated that the feeling
between the two republican forces is friend
~ rather than antagonistic, and that they
will hang together when the interests Of
the party are concerned
Would Not Commute Death Sentence,
Governor Mickey came into considerable
general prominence a short time ago nv
reason OF his refusal to commute the death
sentence of William Rhea, who was con-
victed of numbering a saloon keeper In a
small town in the state. Young Rhea. in
company with another young man, was
tramp1ng through the country, and one
night they entered a saloon in a. small town
ana with drawn revolvers held I'D the
keeper OF the resort and the bystanders.
life and property with the aid of a hatchet
when Rhea shot him dead. He then pro.
ceeded to rifle the cash register and the
pockets OF his victim, and as he left he
brutally kicked the dead body as it Law
upon the floor.
The jury fixed the death penalty upon
Rhea and the supreme court of the state
unanimously affirmed the decision Re-
cause the victim of the crime was saloon
Keeper and for other trivial reasons a large
number of ministers and other persons in
the state importuned the governor to COM
mute the death sentence to life imprtson-
ment. Some Of the ministers even urged
their contention from their pulpits Ind
considerable feeling was aroused over the
matter Governor Mickey, however, care
fully reviewed the case and decided that
in the face of all the evidence and con-
sidering all the circumstances it was a
dangerous thing for an executive to set
execution the friends and attorneys of the
murderer kept up their petitions to the
governor, but he remained firm in his de-
cision, and the man was hanged.
Gov. Mickey is one of the prominent
Methodists of the country and also a strong
temperance advocate, and great pressure was
brought to bear upon him by those who were
urging the communication of the sentence.
The outcome Of the matter was watched
with great interest, and it was regarded as
a critical time for the governor His en-
emies had accused him of being of the
"wishy-washy type. and his friends were
apprehensive for time lest he should per-
init his sympathy to get the better Of his
firmness. but when he had conscientiousIy
determined on his course and held to his
determination the incident disproved the
accusations of his enemies and confirmed
the good opinion of his friends.
Gov. Mickey's Career.
Gov. Mickey was born near Burlington.
Iowa. September 80, 1876, and received a
common school education in Louisa county,
Iowa. His parents were devout members
Of the Methodist Protestant Church, and
his early religious training was not neglect
ed. In 1868 Mr.. Mickey enlisted as q pri-
vate in Company D. 9Th Iowa Cavalry, and
served until the close Of the civil war, when
he returned to Iowa, and for two years at
tended the Iowa Wesleyan College at Mt.
Pleasant. After leaving college he taught
school and devoted his vacation periods to
farming. He was married In September,
1867, to Miss Marinda McCray of Des
Moines, and a year later moved to Polk
county. Neb, in a prairie schooner" At
that time there was only one other family
nving in the county. He helped to lay out
the town Of Osceola, Neb.. and served as
county treasurer Of Polk county for ten
years. In 1880 he was member Of the
state legislature, and was an ardent sup
porter of the Slocum bill for the regulation
of the sale of liquors in the state. He start