Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-03-28
zTMMAN SEEMS TO Be SAFE
President of Council Probably Will Serve
Out Term as Mayor
COUNCIL NOT LIKELY TO DISTURB HIM
Four Members Are for His Retention,
while Four Others Are Not
Committed for His
Removal.

Present indications are the council will
not dsplace Harry B. Zimman from the
ONCE OF the mayor, but will permit him
to serve out the remainder of the term,
which expires May 21. Although there
are members in the council hostile toward
Mayor Zimman, at least four councilmen
besides himself are willing to have him
complete the term. These Hoye,
Brien, Comstock and Dyball. 1t is pos
sible the others, Back, Huntington,
Schroeder and Evans may be disposed to
forget old anlmosities ana let the matter
rest, in view Of the futility of electing
anyone else to fill the place. but they
have been noncommittal and give the
assurance only that the mayoralty will not
be tempered with at least until after the
primaries.
Four for Zimman.
The attitude Of the councilmen friendly
toward Mayor Zimmau is known. Hoye
and O'Brien have been his consistent sup
pOrters In the council. Comstock has
announced he does not favor electng any
one else to take the Office, and Dyball
says he will not stand for anything of the
kind. In the latter's opinion the time in
yolved is too short to make any action
I~osth while.
Even should councilmanic majority
it could succeed. Lawyers have studied
the legal questions of the case aud take
issue with the city legal department that
tlra council has the clear right to elect
a man to the mayors Office. They say they
are satisfied they could carry their conten-
ton in court
Should move pc made to. turn Mayor
Zimman out, tho chances, are litigation
would ensue, entsiling restraining orders
and procedure lasting beyond the end of
the term" said prominent attorney. I'm
short, nothing would be gained, except
perhaps a-auantity of sympathy votes for
Zimman's councilmanic candidacy"
Breen Gives His Opinion.
city Attorney Breen was talking about
the matter Monday morning:
1t is tho generally accepted view" said
he. that the election by the council OF
mayor would mean the political suicide OF
the councilmen voting for it, because II
would be regarded as an attack on Mayor
Iimman by certain corporation interests.
The move would smack of persecution, be-
cause the time that he will serve as chief
executive of the city is so short. or course,
after the primaries the five councilmen
= running for nomination who have been on
the opposite side OF the fence from Zimman
may be defeated They would have nothing
to win or lose by turning Zimman out
doubt, however, If any man in the body
would stoop TO revenging himself in this
way. / am told four councilmen are de-
cidedly opposed to taking any action
either before or after the primaries, and
anticipate this will be the view taken by
all the members.
The election OF a man unused TO the
duties Of the Office would be the height Of
absurdity He would not dare 10 sign his
name TO a paper without consulting some
one TO ind out what he was doing. II re-
quires considerable time to become familiar
D with the affairs of the office Mayor Zim
man knows them thoroughly and is in
position to serve as mayor. having a tho
rough understanding of his duties and city
Affairs generally"