Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1903-02-25
FUSION In BAD WAY
Party Representatives in Legislature Fail
to Mix Campaign Medicine
HoPELESSLY DIVIDED AND IMPATIENT
Lacking in Effective Leadership in Both
Branches Of the Legislature,
LOOMS OF DODGE IS A DISAPPOINTMENT
Party Managers from Over the State Com
ing to Brace Members Up,
BILL WHICH CUTS OFF A SOFT SNAP
II IL BECOMES Law Clerk of the
Supreme Court VIII Cease to Ne
Sought After by Pol
iticiRns.
lacking in Effective Leadership in Both
Branches of the Legislature,
OoMIS OF DODGE is A DISAPPOINTMENT
Party Managers from Over the State Com
ing to Brace Members Up.
BILL WHICH CUTS OFF A SOFT SNAP
CFrom a star Correspondentl

LINCOLN. Feb. 24.-CSpecial.) There
blood on tho moon. Fusion in Nebraska is
rent in twain. Internal dissession reigns
and reconciliation is almost despaired OF.
Revenue revision. political groedness and
coarse inconsistency have wrought the
trouble. Like a lot OF shipwrecked mari
ners, grasping at every straw in the vain
hope Of saving their lives. these politicians
are floundering about in a political sea of
despair. Without leader, organization OF
visible means of support-within them
selves, they present most ludicrous
spectacle.
The democrats and popuists in the Ne
braska legislature, of whom there are
twentyfour in the house and four in the
senate, started out under the party orders
to conduct a campaign OF negation through
out the session. to seek out the popular
side of every question as against the side
OF the corporations and moneyed interests
and identify themselves with and champion
that side This obviously was for the pur-
pose Of making campaign buncombe with
which IL was the hope to drag Nebraska
back into the mire OF fusionism at the next
general election. The fusionists we're to
be the ultra -revlsionists OF the legislature,
since II was apparent to a blind man that
the overwhelming majority OF the people
Of Nebraska wanted revenue revision.
Then, as was shown by the Democratic
State Editorial associations action at
Grand Island, the fusionists were expected
to take what seemed to be the popular side
of the railroad terminal taxation question.
They we're urged by strong resolutions to
support the demand from Omaha and Lin
coin for a law enabling municipalities to
levy direct tax on the terminals OF the
ra de with haf MVnttu
And the general attitude OF the fusionists,
up to few days ago, gave the Impression
that these instructions would be needed.
Fusionists Up in the Air.
The whole upshot was that the fusicnist
managers out in the state knew that the
republicans, being 80 grcatly' in the ma
jority, could not hope to maintain a solid
front on every important question and by
keeping their forces on the side which
promised most political advantage. 1. was
hoped to be able to say to the people at
the end of the legislative session that the
republicans are responsible for all the bad
laws. But this utopian dream is now moth
ing but a miserable nightmare and the
fusionists are all ''up in the air."
Loomis OF Dodge was crowned with the
perfunctory honor of floor leader OF the
house for the fuslonists when they nom
mated him for speaker 1t was supposed
that Mr.. Loomis would make an aggressive
| and fearless leader ard that under his
command the rest Of the little band would
: be able to keep up quite racket through
out the session. But they have been the
most peaceful lot ever. Loomis has laid
down ss a leader. He was on the Joint
revenue committee and had part in intro
ducing the bill which the high priests Of
fusionism in this state already have dubbed
as a radical railroad measure, impossible OF
the tenefits which the people hoped to de-
rive through revenue revision. Mr. Loonis.
| while admitting that he is not absolutely
sworn against seeing the bill amended in
some particulars, has been quoted by the
leading fusionist organ OF the state as say
ing he will not hold the relns in the house
and is done until the time comes to vote