Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-05
No Concentration of Sentiment on Any One
Man is to Be Noted.
FFoRT TO REVIVE TWo-YEAR-oLD FIGHT
Cards Which Are Intended to Damn Mockett
with Its Praise
SOME SUGGESTION OF A DARK HORSE
Indications that MOckett VIII Lead Mt
the start, with Thompson a close
secOnd-several Ballots
Probable.
(From a Stan Correspondence }

(From STAN Correepondent)
LINCOLN, Jan. 4.-(Special Telegram.)-
Although only one day remains before tho
caucus that is to settle the speakership
fight the contest is still being waged. with
the field full of candidates. The day has
been full OF rumors. none OF which, how
ever, have materialiEed into any definite
action. binding any number OF members to
! a particular candidate.
The rush line tactics pursued by the
senatorial end OF The field, which carried
| Harrison to Hall over the goal OF president
| pro TEN. have produced a sort OF reaction.
Harrison is recognized sort OF legatee
of the so-called antis of the last legisla-
ture and his scoring has been followed sp
by an effort on the part OF the same ele-
ment to resurrect the old issue OF D. q.
Thompson factor in the speakership
contest against Mockett, who was one OF
the lieutenants of the Lancaster county
candidate for United States senator two
years ago. Early in the evening cards were
j distributed throughout the hotel lobby pur-
| porting to be a plea for Mockett, but In
reality designed to cut under him. The
reading matter on the card is from the
pen that produced the screeds against d.
| e. Thompson during the session OF 1901
and were aptly referred to as an extra
edition OF the historic Daily Capital"
published at that time by the sc-called
! antis.
Sentiment is general that this effort to
| revive a buried issue is likely to over
reach itself and react against the can
didacy OF w. T. Thompson, in whose be-
| half its authors appear to be working.
| W. T. Thompson himself, II is only fair to
| say, disclaims any knowledge or coun-
tenance of these campaign cards.
| Suggestion of Dark Horse.
So far as the lineup between the speaker
| ship candidates is concerned, It cannot be
accurately described, because about half Of
the members OF the house are yet to put
In their appearance The impression Is
that Mocke.t will lead in point Of strength,
with w. T. Thompson close second, and
I that the finish will not be seen until the
caucus proceeds to ballot tomorrow night
The hope of the other candidates is that
neither OF the leaders will be able to muster
the necessary number of votes, and that
their followers will be compelled to choose
among them.
There is some suggestion Of a possible
emergency which may bring out new man
altogether, but at the same time there is
a general aversion to dark horses on ac-
count OF unsatisfactory experiences with
dark horses on former occasions.
While the agreement upon Harrison by
the senators has caused a renewal Of the
talk about a compact that was to make
Mockett's running mate, all parties con-
tinue to deny the existence Of such q COM
pact. Rouse OF Hall, who was expected to
be a formidable candidate for speaker. has
unquestionable suffered from the premature
action of the senators, but has tried to
combat the argument against giving the
presiding officers of both houses to one
and the same county by recalling the legS-
lature of 1899. when Lancaster county cap
tured both the presidency OF the senate and
the speakership of the house.
| Delesdenior OF Cass and Sears OF Burt
each have numerous delegations OF their
friends here assisting in the promotion OF
their campaigns.
The death OF Representative Musick Of
Nuckolls and the serious illness OF Repre-
sentative Atwood of Seward will reduce
the number participating In the caucus.
even If all the rest are at hand. and make
the vote necessary to nominate thirty
eight instead OF thirty-nine.
Senator's to Caucus.
Notwithstanding the fact that the senate
organization is practically decided on, Q
senate caucus will be held to make II a
formal matter and agree upon the minor
J Offices Senator O'Neill was by mistake
been present at the conference Of Harri-
son followers yesterday. when In fact he
was not there, and naturally does not want
his friends TO labor under the impression
that he gave up the fight and went over
to Harrison without their knowledge or
assent. He has, however, acquiesced in
the result and expresses himself today as
satisfied with It.
Among the onlookers here are State
Chairman Lindsay. Congressman -elsct Hin
shaw and Mccarthy and United States Mar
shall Matthews, but they all insist they are
here as spectators only.
Message is Ready.
Governor Savage's message is practically
completed and will be ready by tomorrow
! for transmission to the legislature, al
though Il will not be delivered before
l Wednesday. II is understood that the mes
r sage is a quite lengthy document, going
y into considerable details for all the various
8 departments of the state government and
= full Of recommendation on various sub
q jects of public importance. It is expected
to be in the governors characteristic
r style, with forcible language that calls a
5 spade a spade.
FusiOnists Are Lonesome.
2 In the melee the fusionists seem to have
: | been almost entirely overlooked. The few
already here indicate a disposition TO vote
for George L. Loomis Of Dodge for speaker
{. Just TO show a friendly disposition. The
n four fusion votes in the senate have not
n yet found a logging place
Dedicate New PythiRR Hall.
ASHLAND. Neb Jan. 4.-(special.)-
. Shelters new hall. which was completed
last week. was dedicated last night for the
" use Of Star lodge. No. 9. Knights Of Pyth-
Z las. Frank J. Kelley. grand chancellor oi
Nebraska, oficisted in the ceremonies Of
n dedication. after which the members re-
paired to tfe Selma hotel. where a ban,
/ cuaf haId nlafaa he4pg lot o..