Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-01-14
Number of the Contests Have Been Bitter
and Long Drawn Out
HITCHCOCK CAMPAIGN ONE OF rlERcEsr
Most Erstracted Was That Of 1891, when
Aillard and Dietrich Won.
PRESENT ONE SETTLED IN CONVENTION
Norris brown Receives Nomination
and Republican Legislators
Pledged Go Vote for His
Election.
CFrom a stan Correspondent

(F'rom a staff Correspondent)
LINCOLN, Jan. 13.-(Special.)-T twO
houses of the Legislature will ballot sep
! arately for United states senator Tuesday,
and in Joint session Wednesday the result
VIII be announced and the choice of a suo-
eessor to Senator Milard proclaimed.
| For the second time in the history Of the
! state the legislature is simply to ratify the
choice made in state convention and en-
dorsed at the polls, the election of Senator
Burkett two years ago being the first time
that such a nomination was made effec-
! tive, although at least twice previous to
1905 the people had expressed a preference
for United States senator, as provided by
the law Of the state. but this preference
had been ignored.
! The first senatorial battle in Nebra ska oc-
Cured in 1867, while the capital was still
at Omaha. The principal competitors were
Alvin Saunders, who had been territorial
governor for six years. Algernon S. Pad
| dock, territorial secretary; General John
M. Thayer and Chaplain Thomas w. Tip
ton. The contest was short, sharp and de-
cisive. Thayer and Upton were chosen.
| They drew straws for their respective
terms Thayer securing the longer, or four
year term, and Upton the short, or two
year term.
At the end of his term in 1869 Mr.. Upton
was reelected to full term of six years
after most exciting canvass His chief
competitor, David Butler, then governor,
came within two votes of carrying the
caucus nomination. Mr.. Upton, who died
about three years ago, was one of the two
men whom Nebraska has hcnored by re-
election to the United States senate, Gem
eral Charles f, Manderson being the other
senator who served two terms in success
sion Senator Paddock served two terms in
the United States senate from Nebraska,
but they were not consecutive terms.
Third Contest Fierce.
The third senatorial campaign, in 1870
and 1871. was fierce, vindictve and des-
perate General Thayer was a candidate
for reelection and the seat of war Omaha,
where Thayer then resided. His only COM
petitor before the people was A. S. Pad
dock. Thayer was supported by General
Grant and the stalwarts who held Office
under him, while Paddock headed the op-
posing faction. After desperate battle in
which the hackers of both are said to have
spent huge sums of money in the Dol las
county republican primaries. Thayer inc
| off victorious. He carried the prim. .ries
and elected his full republican delegation
! from Douglas county, In spite of boilers
| ticket, supported by many self-styled ST.
mon-pure republicans, Regarding himself
virtually elected Senator Thayer hurried
! on to Washington, remaining at his desk
In the senate until the legislature convened.
In his absence a new candidate was sprung
in the person of p. w. Hitchcock, who
had kept dscretly In the background
while the canvass was pending before the
people Hitchcock had been a radical re-
/ ba
as such had been rewarded by the party
with the Office of United States marshal
| and territorial delegate to congress. After
the assassination of Lincoln he Johnson
ized to keep his grip upon the patronage.
In 1866 he accepted the surveyor general
ship of Iowa and Nebraska at the hands
of President johnson. and with other Of
ficers who had AFFILIATED with democrats at
that critical period he was summarily de-
posed in 1863, after Grant became presi-
dent. With a number of independent
| republicans and the solid democratic force
Hitchcock defeated Thayer in a pitched
battle before the legislature.
The fourth senatorial contest was fought
in 1876 when Tipton's second term expired.
Although the vacancy occurred south of
the Platte river, Thayer and Paddock
were again competitors. BY this time the
Platte had been recognized as the state d.
viding line and II had become an accepted
rule that both senators should not come
from the same side of the river. Thayer
had taken up his residence in Lincoln to
avoid this obstruction during the preceding
year and Paddock had established himself
on a sheep farm near Beatrice. In popular
tongue this migration was called the trans
fusion of blood from Omaha to the South
Platte" When the legislature convened
the race appeared to be between John NJ.
Thayer and Elmer S. Dundy. with Thayer
considerably In the lead. Dundy at that
time resided In Falls City, Richardson
| county, removing year or two later to
Omaha. In the start Paddock mustered
but two lonely votes, with half a dozen
stray democrats 20 keep them company.
]. N. II. Patrick, who figured as the mon
eyed candidate, was keeping HIS name be-
fore the legislature with the loud and solid
vote OF Church Howe. After two days'
balloting Thayer was on the point OF car
rying away the prize, when Judge Dundy.
exasperated by the alleged alliance be-
tween Thayer and Patrick. threw the votes
of his followers to Paddock. who had also
negotiated for and secured the solid DEM
ocratic support.
Jay Gould Takes a Hand.
The NTH, and up TO that time the most
exciting campaign, was fought in 1871 Jay
Gould had personally taken a hand in the
state campaign and the people had been
aroused 10 a high state OF excitement at
the EFFORT to pack the legislature through
his influence apd that OF federal officials,
backed by an unlimited supply OF money
and patronage In many II not most OF the
counties candidates for the legislature were
pledged 10 oppose the reelection OF r. w
Hitchcock. When the legislature met the
opposing factions confronted each other
like hostile armies, with lines OF pickets
from depots TO hotels keeping the managers
Informed OF every movement. The field
which opposed Hitchcock was known as the
'quadrilatera!." composed OF Alvin saun-
ders, Clinton Briggs, Lorenzo CrOunse and
Charles +. Henderson. On the third day
after the bauOting began an anti Hitchcock
/ caucus consolidated an tba &C.,. = -