The Washington times., 1904-08-10
RAILROADS MAY
HELP BRYAN OUT
Hill and Hartman Quarrel
Full of Promise.
FUSION CONVENTION TODAY
Silver Champions Likely to Week To-
gether to Beat Republican
Nominee for Governor.
FUSION CONVENTION TODAY

OMAHA, Neb.. Aug. 1o-William ].
Bryan and his friends hope 10 take the
first step toward the restoration OF the
Nebraska leader 10 power and influence
ia the politics OF the State and nation
AZ the Democratic and Pcpuiist State
convention, which conveneS in Lincoln
to-day.
They hope to perfect a fusion that will
not only land Bryan himself in the
United States Senatesto succeed Charles
II. Dietrich. but that VIII elect a fusion
governor and give to Bryan control Of
the state patronage.
The Bryan men are extremely hopeful
Ct being able to carry this program
through, even though the difficulties in
the way of fusion are admittedly grayer
than ever before, and it is conceded
that Roosevelt Will carry Nebraska over
the combined votes Of the Democratic
and Populist candidates for President by
at least 5000 majority.
In Last Legislature.
In the last session OF the Legislature
the Republican vote on joint ballot was
four times larger than the fusion vote;
the normal Republican majority in the
last two elections has been shown TO be
close 10 2o.OJ), and yet there are poll
ticians in all parties who believe that, if
fusion between the two forces is per
fected. Nebraska viii. while casting an
overwhelming vote for the Roosevelt
electors, at the same time elect a
Bryanite Legislature and governor.
The ground for this belief is found in
the fierce factional fight which has di-
vided the Republican party into two
hostile groups and the fact that the Re
Publican nominee for governor has the
support of neither faction, not TO speak
of his personal unpopularity among the
voters Of the party
For many years the Republican or
ganizatiOn in the State has been in the
hands of the Burlington and Missouri
River Railroad. an independent portion
of the Burlington system. with head
quarters in Omaha. and George w. Hol-
drege as general manager of both the
railroad and the machine. His chief lieu
tenant and most trusted adviser has
been d. z. Thompson. now United
States minister TO Brazil.
Railroads in Evidence.
Opposed to the Burlington domination
has been a faction OF the party backed
py the Union racine ana Chicago and
Northwestern railroads. Until compar-
atively recently this faction has been
invariably the under dog" although IL
was able to defeat Thompson for United
States Senator.
But the Burlington machine has sud
denly collapsed, and in its place at the
head OF the organization is a Union Pa
cihc-Northwestern machine. HoIdregc
and Thompson are, for the time being,
down. and r. b. Schneider, of Fremont,
a find OF l.. IT. Hartman, who has
just been appointed a member of the
national executive commit
tee, is the political genius who has laid
them low.
When James J. Hill acquired the Bur
llngton system it became at once strict
~ accountable 10 Hill. both in politics
and In business. At the same time Har-
riman determined that his interests re-
quired a friendly Republican orSauiza-
ton in this State, and delegated 10
Schneider the power 10 bring this about.
Schneider has accomplished his pur-
pose-bCI the price is ute Yet paid
Schneider, by whose efforts Thompson
was twice defeated for the United States
Senate, has gone into the Burlington
camp and has picked Representative
Elma J. Burkett 10 defeat Thompson a
third time