Omaha daily bee., 1906-01-21
DAHLMAN DECLARES HIMSELF
Will Run fer Mayer Until tn. Last
Democratic Ditch.
SMITH MEN sIDErRAcK FUNVHoUsER
Two Camps Now Have Their Cham
pions squareIy on Track and the
Harmony Conference r. Adj
journed for One Week.

James c. Dahlman, formally announced
Saturday that he would be a candidate
for the democratic mayoralty nomination.
He said he had arrange with the officers
OF the National Live Stock Commission
company, of which he is assistant man
age. to devote large part of his time to
the campaign, and at the same time keep
in touch with his business.
Mr.. Dahlman was anxious to get in the
mayoralty contest from the time the COM
mittee appointed at a meeting Of democrats
held at the Paxton hotel early in the week
waited on him and submitted the PROPOSE
ton. The only thing that kept him from
making an unqualified announcement of his
candidacy Thursday was uncertainty he felt
about arranging with his firm.
1t was agreed that he should make his in
tentions definite to the committee at George
Rogers cigar store Saturday at o'clock.
Mr.. Dahlman kept his word.
DahIman Declares Himself.
The store was filled with democratic poll
ticians and most of the committee when
Mr.. Dahlman came in. In response to a
request for a statement he said:
/ shall endeavor to obtain the democratic
nomination for mayor. l have been able
to make business arrangements which will
enable me to do this. From now on I am
n the her, race with AL the yigor l possess.
hot fight l realized all that before / de-
cided to stand as candidate. But 1 am
willing to tackle whatever comes up.
Regarding my platform and the principles
for which stand. l have only this to say
l shall make the race for the nomination
on my record as a democrat. l have been
a Bryan democrat ever since there was
such thing, and have been with this
leader In all his great fights These facts
n RI NHTnn l. CO L. 49,
Until after primary day take 1t that
the contest is to be within the party 1
shall make no declaration of my attitude
on local issues until ] have received the
nomination, IL l should be so fortunate.
Then will be time enough to come out with
a local platform l do not see the neces-
Democrats who are my supporters will
hold an organization meeting next week.
town and Install a manager The most
of my time will he given over to the cam
paign until the democratic voters decide
who will be their candidate for mayor IL
is not fully determined. but / think my
primary campaign will be carried out along
quiet, personal lines
Smith Men in Conference.
About the same time Mr. Dahlman was
making this statement another democratic
conference was being held in the law Offices
OF I. j. Mahoney. To the majority OF these
the statement of Mr.. Dahlman gave much
rapture, especially the part wherein he said
he would announce no platfo~ This con-
ference was composed chiefly II ardent Ed
p. Smith men, who had just been laboring
with a small minority of Dahlman men to
produce the conviction that Dahlman
would turn out to be a candidate minus a
platform and by this token a poor candi-
date.
The conference called a harmony
meeting, was in reality a detailed discus
sion of the respective chances of Ed p.
Smith and James c. Dahlman to capture
the democratic nomination for mayor. Mr..
Smith, his partner, c. J. Smyth, and the
Jacksonian bunch were there strong and
the best the Dahlman men could do in the
somewhat futile debate was to get an ad-
journment for week
1t was bit disconcerting to them to be
met on leaving the Paxton block with the
news that Mr.. Dahlman had decided to fly
his kite without tail
Saloon and FunkhOuser Eliminated.
At this conference opinion was all one
way that the liquor question had been
eliminated as vital issue in the municipal
campaign and that, therefore, Smiths posi-
ton for the strict enforcement OF the Slo-
against him. The line of reasoning was
based on the agreement between the brew
ers and the civic Federation for Sunday
closing during the remainder OF the year
II the saloons are to be closed at midnight
and on Sundays, anyway, what difference
will it make, it was asked. If mayor is
in power pledged to close them.
AS for Willard Fillmore Funkhouser he
was not seriously considered In the con.
ference. Later he authorized the with
drawal Of his name as a mayoralty candi
date. 1t seems that Mr.. Funkhouser wa.
| Influenced by the theory that IL Mr.. Dahl
man came out Mr.. Smith would back up
When Mr.. Smith did not back up Mr.
| Funkhouser proceeded to say that he haC
anted in under a wrong and premature as
sumption. The Smith men very kindly Ie
| him pull out. but Mr.. Funkhouser attached
! one condition, namely, that he he would
not be a candidate as long as Mr.. Smith
remained IN the field.
FunkhSuser for Council.
To placate Funkhouser the Jacksoniar
I managers have slated him for the council
man nomination from the Eleventh ward
and Mr. Funkhouser has assented to this
The Smith people say they will begin a
once organizing their forces The frs
step was the selection OF Warren Switzle
for the city attorneyship. 1t is regarded
| as good as settled that he will file for thi
nomination Mr.. Switzler for some year
has been at outs with the democratic or
ganization, but his recent training In tn
1 Civic Federation is said to have primet
| him for a re-entry into active politics