Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-04
SPLIT IN FONTANELLE CLUB
Three Members, BrsstOh, Benson and
Saunders, Want to Be Mayor,
OTHERS SEEK OTHER CITY HALL JOSS
Beard of Governors meets Saturday
TO Begin Endorsing Candidate
for Mayor and Merry
Time IL Expected.

Every kingdom divided against Itself is
brought TO desolation. and every city or
House divided against Itself shall not staho.
Matt. All. %.
The Fontaneile club will start Saturday
night at the meeting of the Board of Gov
ernors to endorse candidates for the mu-
nicipaI ticket The word start is used
advfsedly for even the most ardent indian
anticipates a long fight and a merry one
over more than ore otfice-all of course, to
be strictly within the wigwam and behind
doors. locked. bottled and double-barred.
With three leading spirits Of the organ
ization in the field FOR the mayoralty nom
ination-Broatch. Benson and Saunders
and only one endorsement available for the
lob. the fear that the old ship may go TO
pieces on this rock is more than feebiy
expressed.
II is presumed that with Broatcn's
strength on the executive committee Ills
name will be recommended by the select
few, but among the seventy-six governors
both Of the other men have many sup
porters. 1t takes two-thirds Of those pres
ont to endorse. If the mayoralty business is
finished Saturday night and the organiza-
ton is not disrupted, the governors will
deem It much accomplished indeed.
Saunders seems in Lead.
Saunders friends-and even one of his
bltterest political cnemies-declared Tues
day he would get the endorsement, because
they have counted up his sure votes and
know. Tom Blackburn has let out the
secret that the colors of the club can't
possibly go to any one but ''Rastus' Ben
son. but the Broatch machine. in which
John Mcdonald and Il. b. Howell are two
OF the big spokes in this contingency. say
the captain has things all tied up, ready
for delivery to himself and receipted
therefor which saying is secuted by such
men as ~. p. Dodge.
After the mayoralty come the city at
torneyship. clerkship, building inspector
and city comptroller. Just what date the
club will get down to these places, and
later to councilmen, is not predicted
For the city attorneyship 1t is given out
that John Paul Breen, present incumbent.
by reason of Carl c. Wrights resignation
and an election by the council. will be the
choice OF the Fontanelles. Up to few
days ago Mr.. Breen looked scandalzed
whenever the matter OF running for the
Office was mentioned. but he now admits
1t is so. He is going to try for the job.
No one else has come out for it. The names
of A. w. Jefferis and Ben S. Baker, and
even that of Irving F. Baxter, have been
floating around in the atmosphere, how
ever.
GreenIeaf for City Clerk.
Sam X. Greenleaf' is practically certain
of the clubs pat on the back for city
clerk. w. II. Elbourn, who has had the
job for six years and who has managed
to make 1t pay in salary increases, potsJ
e toes fire and casualty insurance and surety
I bonds; w. f. Stockham, inspector of pub
lie works, and Harry Corduroy, street
foreman of the asphalt repair gang. have
not been on specially good terms with the
Indians Indeed, Elbourn dropped into the
club the other day for the first time.
stockham is not of that variety and Cow
duroy hasn't mixed, either.
Although John n. Westberg has been
making eyes at his old job in the city
hall, John w Fead will get the clubs en-
dorsement for city comptroller IL is said.
so far as known he has no opposition worth
considering. He has been at the city hall
so long in expert capacities that the comp
troller's job would seem as easy to him as
eating.
For Building Inspector.
SO far the field with respect TO the build
ing inspectors office has been ornamented
by only two figures, those of John II. But
Ter and Il. NJ. Wiley. Butler is thought
TO have the inside track because of old
time affiliations.
Within the last few days politicians OF
all kinds have been at the city hall asking
questions about the Dodge primary law.
In this office they have n figured out that
primary day will be April 3, which falls
on a Tuesday. Entries for the nominations
must be filed with the city clerk at least
thirty days before the date, and this should
make events lively and interesting about
March / and for a few weeks prior. OF
course, in view OF the supreme court de-
cision. filing fees will be knocked of and
listing ones name will be cheap-in fact
Il will not cost anything. A deluge OF
names is looked for and ballot that would
make two or three of the old-fashioneC
crazy quilts that grandma used to turn out
every fourteen days.
Pertinent to all these matters is the all.
absorbing question as to whether council
men are nominated by the people of thell
wards or by the whole city. The Dodge
law is silent on the point. So is the char
ter and the election law and all the other
sources of authority that can be brought