Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-01-14

the Hitchcock republicans to Saunders on
the first ballot.
The sixth senatorial conflict, which re-
suited in the election OF Charles H. Van
WICK took place In 1881. In this contest,
as In the previous campaign, the force of
public sentiment was with the field, and
opposed to the reelection of Senator Pad
dock The difficulty of uniting the field
seemed almost insurmountable, but on the
firth day after the balloting had begun
and after a stampede had almost brought
about Paddock's recollection, an anti-Pad-
dock caucus was held. amid the most in
tense excitemement. and centered upon Van
WICK, electing him thirty minutes later on
thc-seventeenth ballot.
In the senatorial contest of 1888 the
seventeenth ballot was again the tails
man that decided the fateful struggle.
Fifteen days were consumed in balloting
and ten days elapsed before the necessary
number could be secured to hold a caucus.
Alvin Saunders was candidate for re-
election. but the republican vote was d.
vIded between him and John c. GOWN.
Charles +. Henderson, Joseph II. Willard
and John NJ Thayer. Willard was re-
garded a. the candidate who had the finan-
cial strength behind him. but he was un-
-,ble to secure the votes necessary to his
~tion Charles f. Henderson, who from
uart to the day previous to the end
the race mustered only eight votes,
nally given the caucus nomination
e, ohm G. Gown, the highest competi-
tor, md was elected the next day by the
unanimous republican vote. J. Sterling
Morton received the bulk of the democratic
vote
Paddock ReverSeB Result.
Il. 1887 came another hotly contested
senatorial fight, Charles H. Van Wyck
asking for reelection. He had taken ad-
vantage OF the provision of the constitu-
tion allowing him to submit his name
for an expression Of popular preference;
and was unquestionably the choice of a
majority OF the people. The opposition,
howevesi had conferred its efforts in pro-
curing legislative nominations for men who
could be depended upon to ignore the pop
ular will. Although the organization OF
the house was effected by the Van wyck
forces IN the election OF their candidate
for speaker. in the formal ballots the votes
for senator were divided between Van
wyck Paddock and a few others After
q few days balloting the republicans were
consolidated on Paddock by means of a
caucus and he was elected for a second
time. The democrats divided their votes
between DR.. George l.. Miller and John A.
McShans.
The senatorial election of 1893 was agar
protracted The Legislature was divided
between republicans, populists and demo
Gratis In such a way that no one of then
had the necessary number to elect. The
balance OF power lay with the democrats
who. by throwing to republicans or popu
lists. were able to decide the politics o.
the successful man. 1t took the democrat
pursue. In the interval the balloting con
tinued from day TO day. with the populst
voting in succession for John H. Powers
the defeated candidate for governor; w. L
Greene, later congressman from the Sixtl
district, and william V. Allen. then
judge on the district bench. The republi
cans tried to break the deadlock by swing
Ing back and forth from Paddock to Thurs
ton, but In vain. Finally, upon the eigh
tenth ballot the democrats, who had bee
holding out. swung in with the popuiist
and gave seventy votes and the election
TO William V. Allen.
The senatorial contest of 1855 was devoi
OF excitement. the prize being tendere
to John M. Thurston by written agree
ment signed by all the republican member
OF the legislature before the session wa
under way
Hayward Wins Long Contest.
The senatorial contest of 1899 precip
tated a protracted deadlock. NJ. L. Hay
ward finding himself defeated the re
publican candidate for governor. responde
TO an unmistakable popular call to enter III
race for the United States senate. His priT
cipol competitor was David r, Thompson
lincoln. who, up TO the time 1T becam
known that the Legislature had gone II
publican. had scarcely been suspected {
harboring senatorial aspirations The hel
was large. including among the candidate
John l.. Webster Of Omaha, G. NJ. Ian
bOrtson, N h. Reese and Allen w. Field
Lincoln, f. II. Hinshaw OF Fsirbury. f.
Hainer OF Aurora, c. f. Adams OF superio
J.B. Weston OF Beatrice and a number
others, but none OF them mustered To-
midabie strength. Strange 10 say, the sit,
alton developed into an alignment wit
Hayward the strong man, and the he
combined on one side. against ID. L. Thoml
son on the other The policy pursued /
Thompson OF making mysterious CLAIM
Of hidden strength kept the followers
Hayward out OF a caucus until nearly tv
months of balloting had elapsed. the vo
OF the republicans In open session belr
scattered among the various candidate
while the fusionists continued TO recol
themselves for William v. Allen. At las
after considerable contention over Il
terms, a caucus agreement was reached
the republicans. calling for a two-thir
vote by a peculiarly open-and-shut ball
which allowed certain members Of Il
caucus 10 vote secretly at their optic
Even then the caucus could arrive at
result for several days. until break W
made in the following of two or three
the smaller candidates. and the nominati
was declared for Mr.. Hayward. stori
were rife az the time OF attempt 20 I
pudiats the caucus decision. but when Z
ballot wAa taken in joint session all I
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