Omaha daily bee., 1908-08-20
NEBRASKA PRESS COMMENT.

stanton Pickett: Dahimsn. Berge and
shalienberger are making the fur tly. but
their troubles are not causing Governor
Sheldon any worry.
Culbertson Banner: with Gtorse l..
Sheldon at the head Of the state ticket in
Nebraska this year the Republican party
will win out by a large majority. All
classes, except railroads. are satisfied with
his administration.
York Times: The primary so far this
year does not seem to have been a shinins
success. The fault found with the caucus
and convention system Is that but $50 out
Of 100 voters were consulted as to caudi-
dates. Under the present law. perhaps a
dozen or twenty people name candidates,
and this Is done without much opportunity
for consultation or discussion. The result:
is 4 marked tendency to buncn nominees.
This is nc fault Of anyone except those
responsible for the law, and it Is a disap-
pointment in the practical result Of the
enactment which theoI etically seemed to
be an Improvement over the old plan.
Columbus Tribune: Victor Rosewater
has put Bryan in a hole by referring to his
questionable methods of occurring populists'
votes in Nebraska as larceny. Mr.. Bryan
refuses to answer on the grounds that It
would be giving Mr.. Rosewater superfluous
advertisement It Is a good thing for Mr..
Bryan that he can find some plausible ex-
cuse for a%verting the argument for he
could not meet II with facts or logic. As
a matter of fact. the whole business OF
fusion is a farce and a fraud. and simply
a cheap means OF getting office at any
sacrifice Of principle. II would be Just as
sensible for democrats and republicans to
fuse as for populists and democrats.
Loup Valley Queen: Once more we wish
to call the attep;lo1 OF tn, Senatorial and
representative candidates to the fact that
the primary law is a fizzle so far as the
western part of Nebraska is concerned.
1t is az expensive affair, which has to be
borne by the taxpayers, and leaves the
politics of the state in the hands of a ring
more than ever before. In the cities the
primary law may be a good thing, but for
the sparsely settled territory in the west
ern part OF the state IT is a poor Jaw. 1t
might be we'll to modify the primary law
that It might be used in the cities Of the
proper class, but for the rural d,1sr cts,
the cry is for the old and reliable con-
Vention style.
Weeping Water Republican: Some Of the
democrats are criticising Victor Rosewater
because he has raised objections to some
Of the presidential electors appearing on
the primary ticket under the head of fusion.
The combining Of the democrat and popu-
list parties as fusion candidates. Mr.. Rose
water claims in an open letter to w. ].
Bryan that he is attempting to steal the
populist vote to help elect himself. In
the hearing before Secretary OF State Jun
kin, the latter decided adversely to Rose
water. We do not know whether Mr.. Rose
water will appeal to the supreme court,
but the case warrants 1t. II is a point well
taken and he should be commended for his
stand. Nebraska lie the only state where
such foolishness is tolerated. For years
we have had the spectacle Of the democrats
nominating a ticket and the populist en-
dorsing it, or the ~populists nominating and
the democrats endorsing. OF the one
selecting a partial ticket, and the
other the balance, and both parties
mad because they failed to find place
for more offices. The ballot did not
represent either party as a whole,
II was anything to catch the vote. 1t isn't
justice nor the intent Of the law, and Mr..
Rosewater, in his efforts to stop this. prac-
tice stands for cleaner politics. better citi-
zership and a righteous cause. Mr.. Berge
Is a populist, yet he expects to appear as
a candidate of both parties and wants their
support. Yet each party has a distinct
national ticket, and those supporting Berge
would not support Watson, the populIst
candidate for president. An elector on the
democratic ticket ought to vote for Bryan.
on the populist ticket for Watson, but in
Nebraska as fustonists they are all for
Bryan.