Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-15
PROMINENTLY MENTIONED.

as n mkn-ClusS DIOIlOleI hnu uIJbhC
advertiser. With the possible excep-
ton Of Phlneas T. Barnum. nc Amer
lean Snowman has surpassed the re-
tired Nebraskan in the clever use of
printers ink. The spontaneous appear
ance of halftone portraits of the re-
tired Nebraskrn I'm the leading dallies
Of the principal cities with a compli-
mentary forecast of his contemplated
promotion TO some lucrative federal po-
sition will create no surprise in these
parts and would scarcely provoke com
ment were It not for the grotesque
biographical Accomplishments. Fol ex-
ample, the Chicago Record Herald OF
the 10Th prints under the portrait OF
the prominently mentioned" the fol-
lowing dispatch:
WASHINGTON, March 1i.-David II. Mer-
Ger, who lie prominently mentioned for APP
polntment as director of the census in
place OF william II. Merriam, is a WE'LL
known lawyer OF Omaha, and has just re-
tired from his seat in congress, where for
fve terms he has represented the Second
district OF Omaha. Mr.. Mercer Is a native
Of Iowa, q former resident Of Illinois. and
has lived in Nebraska practically since the
close OF the civil war, in which he fought
on the union side. He has been prominent
for twenty years.
There is a trlhing discrepancy be-
tween this picturesque prospectus and
the truth of history. 1t is true that
"Our Dave" has lived in Nebraska since
the close of the civil war, but as he
had barely emerged from his swaddling
clothes when Lee capitulated to Grant
under that Appomattox apple tree, the
fighting he had lone on 'the union
side'' must have been with his baby
fist on the cradle pillow.
1t is true that "Our Dave" had his
name painted on a shlngle, coupled with
the title Attorney at Law" but no.
body in Omaha or Nebraska has ever
heard of his law practice. Twenty years
ago "Our Dave" was unknown In Ne
braska except to his family aud their
n%elghbors. He was first prominently
mentioned on pages 1868 and 133S Of
the report of the testimony taken by
the Union Pacific Railway commission
In that official document Mercer was
introduced to public notice as a men,
Der OF the paid legislative lobby of the
Unicn Pacific railway, whose function
IL was to sidetrack and defeat bills
designed to curb the rapacity OF the
railroads and smother measures that
would compel them to bear their share
OF the burdens of taxation. Out of
the railroad lobby "Our Dave" gradu.
ated to a federal deputy m~arshalship,
from which position he was bodily
congress.
From that time to this "Our Dave
has never lost an opportunity tc
get himself prominently mentioned
When the late Thomas B. Reed an
nounced his retirement from the speak
ership the modest rustler from the Sec
! ond district, although only serving IL
his third term. had the sublime conceit
; to have himself advertised as the choic,
! Of a very large number of his colleague,
for the vacant speakerohip when, Al
a matter of fact, nobody in or out o.
congress, except himself, viewed hi
: candidacy we as a remote possibility
In the spring of 1900 "our Dave
: modestly permitted his name to b,
u mentioned as a possible candidate 70
vice president Of the United States, en-,
' but for the intrusion of an obscure per
son by the name Of Theodore Roose
: Welt he might today have been the oc
: cupant of the White Cottage, which h
, has of late been so persistently BON
y harding.
After the election Of 1900 "Our Gave
was again spontaneously mentioned a
a candidate for United States senate
by nearly all the members OF the legis
lature. but for some inexplicable req
son not q solitary vote was cast 70
him in joint convention on any OF tn
) forty-two days OF senatorial balloting.
1t is not TO be denied, however. tina
within the past few weeks Our Dave
has been the most prominently mer
A toned" man west of the Mississippi
y During the holiday recess last white
n It was given out cold by his press bl
N reau that President Roosevelt We
sorely perplexed over the declinin
health Of Postmaster General Pawn
and after looking about him for a p,
litical guide, philosopher and frien
singled o the spontaneous Nebraska
n for that most intimate and delicat
70 post, and with this end in view he ha
lv politely requested Fourth Assistar
~ Postmaster General Bristow TO tut
m over his quarters to the originator
p omnibus building bills.
rs That fake had scarcely been e
M plotted and exploded when the y
III rotechnic place hunter had hiT
% self prominently mentioned"
as the coming secretary OF col
IN merce in recognition Of services re
Nv dered to the nation through promise
Is GUS construction OF public buildine
- The appointment Of George r.. O.
ve telyou as secretary Of commerce eHe,
NJ. uslly pricked that bubble. but II d
not d~iScourapa the man Of denSftv