Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-08-17

ings (dem)
, For, Land Commissioned v. Wolfe of
Lincoln (pop.).
. For For Attorney Generai-Lysle l. Abbott of
For State SUPERINTENDENT. II. Watson
Of valentine (dem.).
(From a Stan Correspondent
LINCOLN. Aug 16-(specisl.) illusion
this year In Nebraska will be fusion In
name only. The two. parties have come TO
the parting of the ways and what is left
of the old populist aggregation will shortly
be absorbed in the republican. democratic,
socialist and other parties and will live on
populist party was sounded when the clerk
OF the democratic state convention an
the nomination of Shalenberger
for governor over Berge. The democrats.
flushed with an unlocked for victory. IA
vored jumping on their prostrate ally and
rendering him useless for ever after. The
news completely stunned the pops. They
huddled together in the assembly room of
the Lindell hotel like sheep without shep-
herd. They swore and cried In turns. They
knew not where 20 turn nor what to do.
They only knew the democrats had turned
them down even while they promised to
nominate their idol And indeed George w.
Berge is their idol and they worshiped
him, and the tears the gray-bearded re-
formers shed last night were genuine tears
of sorrow and disappointment. Even
though offered the rest of the state ticket
they could not have been pacined. They
asked for what they deserved and what
had been held out to them-their hero for
governor. They cared for nothing else.
They wanted nothing else They got nomi-
naIly, an auditor, 3 commissioner Of public
lar DIS and buildings and two, railroad COM
men. selected through the clever
work OF democratic leaders and endorsed
by populsts who cared little for the life
of their party. ~
The old line populists left Lincoln this
morning swearing vengeance on their demo-
cratic allies. The dyed-in-the- wool democ-
racy left Lincoln swearing vengeance on
the populists on the democratic ticket. The
only men at all satisfied are those friends
of the corporations who brought, around
this condition of affairs and they are not
entirely satisfied. They fear they went
too far.
How IL Happened.
How It happened is a simple story and Is
merely the history OF fusion political con-
ventions, The railroads did not want Berge
nominated for governor. Through Gilbert
NJ. Hitchcock and his allies they refused
to take him. Hitchcock in order to carry
this point was forced to abandon
for the moment his quest of the United
States senatorship to prevent a cotnbina-
ton of Thompson and Berge, which was
on the cards. and which would have been
winner. BY giving out the impression
that Berge would be the nominee the fallen
idol was duped into giving his endorsement
to Thompson for senator at the same time
that shallenberger assured Thompson he
would be for him. The trade was for
Thompson to keep his hands off of the race
for governor Thompson pretended to keep
his hands off the gubernatorial race but
his friends voted for Shallenberger.
But Hitchcock was not the only railroad
plugger who helped to defeat Berge. There
we're others. Republican corporation al
lies. who are working with the fake re-
formers" added their mite. They were In
evidence from Tuesday afternoon until the
final vote was taken. In fact, everywhere
was the hand OF tine railroad manipulators
shown and the turn was called In the
democratic convention by w. NJ Morning
In his depunciation OF one of the Union
Pacific moor leaders for shallenberger.
Hitchcock Also Hit Hard.
TIE habits Of a lifetime stuck to Hitch
cock, however. After he had announced
his withdrawal from the senatorial race
he labored for a proposition which would
give him an opportunity to break In again.
He fought any nomination for United
States senator, and II was only the per-
sonal popularity OF Thompson and the
good work done for him by Edgar How
ard and others that the no nomina ton
game was blocked. 1t was a hard blow
for Berge to lose the governorship, but Il
was a harder blow for Hitchcock TO lose
his pet senatorial scheme. He made the
night OF his life for II on the moor OF the
convention, aided by his railroad aliies.
but Thompson was too much for him. And
when the smoke clears away Little
Giant" will have to explain why his
friends voted for shallenberger instead OF
Berge II he wants to get the populist vote
for senator, for their confidence In him
at this time is badly shaken.
So great was the distrust of Shallen.
berger OF the populists and the ss1 demo
Gratis who voted for Berge that they cam,
near forcing shaIlenberger on Of the
ticket. but the railroad ties that hound
him were too strong Only the strenuous
work OF Thompson and few others ker
the ticket intact.
The two fusion conventions will go dowf
IN history as out OF the ordinary. From
O'Clock Wednesday afternoon until
o'clock wednesday morning the'battle wal
on and no man could tell how IT would end
Men in both conventions were entirel,
beyond control. No one but Berge coult
get hearing at the populist meeting and
mis- speech. when the pops begged and
cried and pleaded for him TO take a nom
! inatlon at their hands. was a masterpiece
McKillip, DIR. Hall and Metcalfe. two o
whom al least openly advocated the non.
/ nation OF Berge, were roundiy hissed ant
| teered by the pops when they brought ovsl