Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-31

duced his arguments and won the crowd,
who liked his manners and his looks.
Young Zimman gained a secure place
among the Jews of the city by his credit
able connection with the Young Mems
Hebrew association, a benevolent organiza-
ton of which he was president and chair
man of the relief committee five years. In
this and In other clubs and societies,
namely. the Royal Arcanum, Omaha
Hebrew club, Eagles and 1 o. o. b.. he
learned to know and understand parlia-
mentary law and gained self-possession and
the habit of speaking extemporaneously
with ease and effectiveness.
When he was IS he served a term as
deputy county assessor. That was his first
public office OF any kind. 1t helped to fur
Their Increase his acquaintance with the
people of the Third ward. Zimman was not
wasting much time about the theories of
government during this period. His study
of municipal questions were restricted to
the news reports, but he was gaining a
first hand knowledge of practical ward
politics that did him greater service later
than a four years course in political
economy and a hundred chesty speeches.
In March, 1900. there was to he an cleo
ton of city officers. The previous fall he
had cast his first vote and had taken a
considerable hand In a county campaign.
His old-time resolution TO possess a seat
in the city council resurrected itself and he
concluded that no time was to be wasted.
Acting quickly and without hesitation.
characteristics which have marked his
council career, he announced his candidacy
for the nomination. Generally he was
laughed at for his pains by the majority of
political wise-ones in the Third. This did
- a.. Ill., .-,t - a---st- ~
discouragtng outlook. he failed TO court the
support of any of the several powerful
political rings in this ward. In the events
that followed fate seems to have favored
him. Two other candidates asked the
nomination. Louis Burmeister. then in the
outgoing council, and shorty Groves, ia
vored by the old organization. Things
looked somewhat serious for the youthful
Mr.. Zimman.
He's too young" was what .he political
managers said when pressed for an argu-
ment against him.. 1t so Happened, how
ever, that shorty Groves was shot and
killed about ten days before the primary,
eliminating one candidate whose strength
fell mainly to zimman. Burmeister and
Zimman both submitted their names on
the ballots at the primary. At 4 o'clock in
the afternoon Burmeister withdrew. The
DdilONS ShoNeu tldt out OF 90 NOteS cast
four expressed a preference for Burmeister,
while sci were for the young aspirdnt This
pleased him. but it is not recorded that it
greatly enlarged his good opinion of him
self. He was thinking Of the problem of
getting elected. This is the biographical
sketch given of Zimman after he was
selected by the conventions:
Harry Zimman, chosen by the Third
ward, Is chief clerk for Gladstone Bros,
grocers. and is well known in commercial
circles. as well as in a political way. He
is a son OF the rabbi OF the Russian synR-
gogue. In a quiet way Mr.. zimman has
been a party worker for several years"
After the nominations the Patriotic league
gave a ratification banquet at the Willard
hotel. The candidates made speeches. The
papers said "Chairman Kennedy then pre-
scented Harry zimman as the 'hahy of the
ticket"
II had been listening to the leading noml-
nees making their speeches. says zlmman
Each seemed 10 have a good deal 10 say
about his political record, or his army rec
ord, or some kind Of a record. and I knew