Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-31
ANTS RUN AGAINST A SNAC
They Are Prevented, Temporarily, from
Naming Primar7 Election Boards.
Mr. coNNELL READS The LAW TO THEM
Committee AdJOurns in order TO Give
Leaders Chance 20 FIX Up An
other scheme to Name
Their Own Judges.

The republican city committee met in
Washington hall with one member absent
and four represented by proxies last night,
to choose judges and clerks for the primary
election. Nothing was done, however, and
the committee adjourned on the motion Of
B. G. Burbank. the ringmaster, to meet
again Tuesday night. and perform the work
slated. This was because a little scheme
to select men favorable to the republican
faction opposed to Mayor Moores and his
friends was checkmated by City Attorney
Connell.
Owing to the peculiar portion Of the Gill
bert primary law which empowers the
judges and clerks to inquire into the man
ner in which the elector voted at the last
general election, upon challenge, the per-
sonnel of the election board is Of the ut
most Importance. This has been recog-
nized by both factions, for as has been
pointed out, 1nscrlpulous judges may carry
the inquisition TO an extreme that would
destroy the secrecy Of the ballot.
II had been planned 70 have the commit
teemen from each ward submit a list Of
judges and clerks and these lists we're
ready in the pockets Of the nine chairmen.
with one or two exceptions they named
men who would not be desired by the
Moores faction, but they we're never pre-
sented, because w. ]. Connell presented
neatly typewritten lists Of one Judge for
each ward and clerk for most, on behalf
of Mayor Moores and eight candidates for
other ofices who are supporting him.
COnneM Cites the Law.
Mr.. Connell, although not a member of
the committee, was given the privilege OF
the floor, both on behalf Of the Moores
candidates and his own, as he will be in
line for the nomination for city attorney.
He briefly called attention to the law which
requires that the primary election boards
shall be chosen by candidates, as equit-
ably as possible. This blocked the game of
the solid central committee and caused the
adjournment until a fresh scheme could
be arranged.
This was done at an executive meeting
OF the leaders in a corner Of the hall, after
the committee meeting had been declared
adjourned. The arrangement coDeocted is
clever and ought to win and place the nam
ing Of the judges and clerks solely In the
hands OF the "antis." 1t is simply this. In
stead of choosing the clerks and judges by
factions-that is giving each faction a Judge
In each ward and a clerk in every alternate
ward, as suggested and urged by City At
torney Connell-it will be done by majority
Of the candidates. The opposition, having
the greatest number OF candidates for every
ONCE, whereas the Moores people have in
most cases but one, the former will carry
away the whole election board snd this
will be declared the most fair manner of
carrying out the law After the hall had
been cleared a small number OF bosses
went to an uptown law ONCE and further
perfected the plan-whlch still is only a
plan.
Ready, but Fairs TO Act.
Chairman Herring, on calling the COM
mittee meeting to order, said that two mat
ters of business were to be transacted-re-
ceiving the report of the committee ap-
pointed to revise the rules and appointing
the judges and clerks. b. G. Burbank i'm
mediately moved that there be call Of the
committeeman from the various wards to
hand in lists for judges and clerks for the
primary election. Mr.. Connell previously
had filed his lists with Secretary Dodge. AT
this point he made q brief talk. He said:
Before a vote is taken / want to ex-
plain that / have flled a list of one Judge
and one clerk in all wards but the Ninth on
behalf OF the so-called machine candidates.
Both sides should be treated fairly In this
matter of selecting judges and clerks and
each ought to name, as nearly as possible,
half the boards. Aside from the equality
and fairness of such procedure the law en-
titles 1t to be done. The law is plain and
direct and positive in it's terms and requires
the city committee TO appoint judges and
clerks according to the wishes Of the can
didates as nearly as possible. This course
will promote the right feeling and should
be followed"
khok ~ \.
read and this was done. They were from
Mayor Moores, Fred Bruning, candidate for
tax commissioner; z. G. soloman, for city
clerk W. ]. Hunter. for comptroller, and
Fred Hoye, Bryce Crawford E. D. Evans
Frank Johnson and ID. C. Schroeder, for
! councilmen.
Taken by Surprise.
This proposition clearly took Mr. Bur.
| bank and the other opposition leaders by
surprise, and having no similar showing
! from their candidates they were in a guam
dary what to do. At this juncture H. NJ
Waring by virtue Of holding a proxy, ap-
| peared and consulted hurriedly with Bur
bank. Then he moved that the appointing
OF the judges and clerks be postponed until
next Saturday night. Connell called his
attention to the statute requiring the
choice to be made ten days before the pri-
mary election and the chairman ruled tht
| motion out of order. Then a recess was
taken, on Burbank's motion, 10 submit lists
! Of candidates for judges and clerks.
! But no such lists we're submitted. Where
! there had been calm. turmoil prevailed
| Chairman Herring. Ringmaster Burbank
1 Secretary Dodge, John Steele, w. A. Mes
sick. W. A. Saunders. II. NJ. Waring and
others bent their heads together in earnest
consultation. Assistant Ringmaster War
| ing disappeared and shortly afterward re-
appeared with a copy Of the statutes. which
was handed to Burbank, who opened and
! read, with puckered forehead. Then there
was renewed discussion without fruit.
M. Burbank admitted the validity OF Con
neIl's contention; also that he was not pre-
pared for the coupe. It was desired mos
urgently TO adjourn until a new slate eoult
be arranged, but II required another lonl
talk before he was satisfied that selection
| Of the election boards tomorrow woult
comply with the ten-day limit Of the law.
Vic Walker Enters.
II took thirty minutes TO decide upol
the adjournment, and before that Vi
Walker had come from out OF the Thir'
ward and pushed his way and advice int
the midst Of the council II was upon Mr.
Burbank's motion that adjournment wa
taken, but It was half an hour longer be
All - L..