Omaha daily bee., 1908-09-20
DEMOCRATS HAVE TROUBLES
Three Factions Each Desire to Name
the State Chairman.
sHALLENBERGER MAKES SWITCH
Good Rs Bryan in Changing Front on
Issues-NOw Opposes Postal Saw
inEs Banks, His Hobby of
other Years.
(From a Staff Correspondent)


LINCOLN, Sept. 19,-(Special.)-I the Sc
lection of chairman of their state COM
mittee the democrats are up against a
hard proposition. Chris Gruenther, secre-
tary of the Bryan Volunteer league, who
has done more organizing for the demo-
Gratis in the last few months than has been
done for the party during the entire sd-
! ministration OF Mr.. Bryan and Brother
in-law Tom Allen, has brought down the
wrath of the leaders OF the party on his
head because Of his activity and unusual
success. Mr. Gruenther succeeded in get
ting an organization composed of some S5
members out of the 100000 voters in the
state
Now the leaders have decreed that Mr..
Gruenther shall not be made chairman of
the state committee. Mr. Gruenther can
whip the leaders and secure the job. The
hands have been seen and he holds the
cards But he won't. He will step down
and out and let the Bryan machine manage
the affairs from now on. He has already
announced that he will not accept the chair
manship should it be rendered him.
Gruenther does not agree with Tom Allen,
w. II. Thompson and that bunch of Bryan's
friends about how the campaign should be
conducted consequently it has been de-
creed that he must turn over his organiza-
tion and step down and out. The old ma
chine democrats are Jealous of him because
he has kept his name in the papers and
they are "sore" at him because he has not
called for a conference every time he
| passed upon a questino.
! ON good authority 1t is said Thompson
himself wants the job. II Tom Allen still
adheres to his several previous declar a
/ - - mi
may be the man.
Shallenberger and Lee Herdman want 10
dispose OF the job TO one of their kind
They are anxious to get the organization as
| far away from Bryan as possible. heTy
want to use 1t for the benefit Of Shall
! lenberger without the interference OF Mr.
Bryan.
so three elements enter into the selec-
! ton of a democratic chairman. Those who
favor Chris Gruenther. because they be.
lieve him a good, clean organizer; w. j
Bryan, who will work through Tom Allen
| to save the organization for his own bene
fit, and the Herdmon- -Shallcnberger crowd
| Some of those who are closest to Bryan
are opposed to Gruenther. There is nc
question about that 1t is first hand in
formation. Thompson and his bunch dC
not want Gruenther. The latteT's friends
will oppose an old machine man for tn,
Job.
The selection of a chairman will neces
state the personal interference Of Mr.
Bryan to save a mighty fight.
ShaIIenberger Has Switched.
A C. shallenberger, democratic candidate
for governor. is proving himself to be
most consistent follower OF Mr.. Bryan
Notwithstanding he has no love for him
His speeches this year are just as differen
from his speeches OF two years ago as ar
the speeches OF Mr.. Bryan. Two years ag,
he favored postal savings banks; this yea
he is opposed to postal savings banks. Tw
years ago he favored government OWNERSHIP
of railroads; this year that principle is
dead letter with him.
Mr.. Shalenberger delivered a speech a
Havelock Wednesday night and IN tina
speech he denounced the postal saving
banks as provided for in the republica
national platform. saying the money woul
be loaned by the government to the bank
at a low rate Of interest and the peopl
would not benefit thereby and the none
would be taken out OF circulation.
In speech at Platte Center. septembe
20, 1906, when he was running for governo
on the democratic ticket. Mr.. shanenberge
said. regarding government ownership an
postal savings banks:
80 far as 1 am concerned the way TO ge
the railroads out OF politics is to get th
ownership and legislation out of the hand
of those who have made themselves ric
by private monopoly and put 1t into IN
hands of the people. where II rightfully be