Omaha daily bee., 1906-08-19
rRANsP1RENr GAVE.

The demand for popular choice Of
United States senator has reached
such proportions In Nebraska that the
railroad bosses despair of being able
10 override It altogether. Their orig
inal plan was to prevent any senatorial
nomination In either democratic OF
republican conventions and, although
already baked by the democrats, they
will still try 70 force abandonment OF
nomination BY the republicans. II
they can possibly see their way clear
TO succeed. They are planning, there
fore, in the event they flnd themselves
unable TO head of the nomination Of
senator, to accomplish the same end
by q substitute under which all as
pirants will be invited to place their
names on the ballot by petition for an
expression Of preference at the regu-
lar election and take a chance on the
legislature respecting the wishes of
the voters In case there is a prepon-
derance for any one of them.
Such action on the part of the con-
vention would be the same thing as
voting down the proposed nomination
Of senator and repudiating the prom
Use made to the rank and Ole of the
party that their wishes would be re-
spected and their instructions exc
cuted. There Is nothing to prevent
any candidate now or at any time put
ting his name on the oficial ballot by
petition for popular expression of pref
erence for senator This has been tried
at least twice-in 1886 and again In
1900-only to be nullifed later by the
legislature. In both cases the ex-
pressed preference of the people was
nullifed by awarding the places to
men whose names had not even been
mentioned in that connection prior to
the election of the legislature.
If a candidate for senator il nomi-
mated by the state convention, as was
Senator Burkett two years ago. there
is a binding moral, II not legal, OBJ
legation upon the legislature to carry
out the party mandate. BY making
no nomination the party simply re-
fers the legislature to the vote of
preference cast at the regular election
and the choice of senator is again put
back on the legislative bargain coun-
ter.
Under the senatorial preference law
enacted three years ago every candi-
date nominated by party convention
is credited with the vote of every
straight party ballot cast, the same
as the nominees of his party for all
other Offices. But no party can NOM
mate more than one candidate for one
office-in other words, unless the con-
vention dominates the candidates
names would have to appear as can
didates by petition just as II this law
had never been enacted. If aspirants
to the senate were thus obliged to
fight their own battle outside of the
party they would dlsorganize the
whole campaign, and If the campaign
work did not become absolutely a
hindrance to the success Of the ticket,
it would certainly not help 1t.
The people of Nebraska are not
likely to allow themselves TO be fooled
by any such thimble-rigging game.
They are sick and tired of senatorial
deadiocks and dark-horse candidates
named in back ofices of railroad head
quarters. They have already been
Al - ~ l..
the democrats control the legislature
and they want to know also in ad-
vance who will be made senator II
the republicans control the legislature.
They want no uncertainties and no
double shufles.