Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-05
CAUCUSES IN ORDER
Democratic Legislators Fight it Out
Behind Closed Doors.
REPUBLICANS MEET IN OPEN
Some Leaks from the Democratic Sen.
atorial Caucus.
TIBBETTs PRESIDENT PRO TEN
Not Word Filters Outside from the
House Conclave.
LIVELY TIMES PRECEDE CAUCUS
House Republicans Endorse OFFICERS
OF Last session aud select Kill
Iinn of GRRe as Floor
Leader.
LIVELY TIMES PRECEDE CAUCUS
CFrom a staff Correspondent


LINCOLN, Jan. 4.-(Special Telegrcm0--
The democrats are meeting In secret cau-
Gus tonight to select officers for the sem
ate and house. II has leaked out, over
the transom. Of the senate caucus that
the Following have been agreed upon: e.
W. Tibbetts, president pro TEN; j. r.
Smith, secretary; Edward Howell Of
Douglas, chairman of the committee on
employees; Doc Tanner, also Of Douglas.
chairman of the committee on commit
tees The house caucus is more secretIve
and not word has leaked to the outside
of the doings behind the closed doors
The republican caucuses we're both open.
The house caucus decided to present the
officers of the last session, headed by Dan
Nettleton of Clay, for speaker Dan Killian
OF Gage. was selected as floor leader.
Inc senate caucus named a committee to
ascertain what committees the majority
proposed to give them and name the chair
men of those committees and also TO ascer-
tain II the democrats desired to allow the
republicans to name the majority members
of the committees, and If so, to make up
such representation. The committee Sc
lected Tor this purpose is: First district,
Cain of Richardson; Second district, Law
erty of Saunders; Third district, wiltse OF
Cedar; Fourth district, King of oPlk; Fifth
district, Warren of Phelps; sixth district.
Meyer of Brown
Clark Refuses to Attend Meeting.
with the approach of voting in caucus
and final settlement of the speakership
fight tho antl-ortlon forces 1edoubled their
efforts to secure . declaration from mem-
hers Stoecker of Douglas renewed his ac-
tivity and the feature was an effort to get
all the opponents Of option into a meeting
together with the candidates FOR speaker
VINO were on this side. 1t was plainly an
effort OF Stoecker TO boost his stock under
tho guisa OF furtheranco of anti-op:ion, but
1t failed for the Clark forces would not be
drawn into the net and when invited by
Henry Richmond, candidate for chief clerk
of the house, Clark of Richardson. leading
candidate OF the antl-optionstS for speaker
refused to enter the Meeting on the ground
that the other candidates. WIRE not there.
Mr.. Clark had no hesitancy In giving his
decision and remained outside while the
| fifteen or twenty who had gathered in the
caucus room sat there till they grew tired
and the company melted away.
The attempt to stampede proved utterly
| futile and the contest after this returned
to the old state of milling into which
1t has been kept by few clever politicians
who hoped at the last to accomplish their
desires when the members were worn out
| trying in vain to land favorfte sons and
would be glad 70 jump into the band
wagon.
Clark of Richardson during the day
played an astute part, keeping aloof from
entangling alliances, as was evinced by his
refusal TO go into a meeting that might
give color TO his part In a combination.
Hotel Lobbies Lively.
The lobby of the Lincoln hotel, where
the members have been holding their pre-
legislative consultations. presented today a
scene much like that which always accom-
panies the conventions OF the demo-pop
party as they have gathered In the past
The majority of the democratic members
have come to Lincoln for the first time and
are unsk He'd in the gentle art OF manipu-
lating, but there are some the ground
who have been here before, who have bscn
here for years running and who know what
to do in just such cases. These gentle
men are not visible in the lobbes. but their
work was seen in the outcome Of the con-
test
/ The situation on chief clerkship was un-
changed during the day. As between Henry
/ Richmond and Trenmore Cone, Mr.. Cone
seemed the more certain OF success, though
at any time a compromise and division of
the spoil possibility.
! During the day the road the band wagon
! would take was hard to discern. The on
slaught of the Anu-optionists upon the
/ strength of Henry OF Holt the leading
option candidate, was vigorous. The trains
brought in many workers, who bent every
effort to reduce his strength, and were
4 free in their predictions that even II Henry
should be a leader, or even high man, still
his lead would be insufficient to make him,
! and then both Taylor OF Custer and Bow.
man OF Nuckolls, Lesser lights on the option
| side, would go down, for it was said they
| could not accompl sh what Henry failed e.
! do Then the hope Of the anti pti :nists
! lay in the belief support would flow nstur-
/ ally to Clark I'm the desire to settle the
contest-if a dark horse did not succeed In
= stampeding the caucus. The dark horse
4 touted most eneTgetically was Pool OF
johnson. an anti option'st. His frees w6r.
not thoroughly organized and consequently
/ the predictions In his behalf were not OF
| the roseate hue, though he WAS frequently
mentioned as a man OF the option type
upon whom the members might unite with
less friction than upon Clark who is the
recognized candidate OF the allied interests.
Friends Of Taylor OF Custer, and Bowman
| Of Nuckolls. would by no means admit
during the day they we're out OF the run
ming, and Taylor was mentioned frequently
| as a man to watch and one whose strength
| might be a surprise The fizzle of the
| Stoecker agitation was generally COM
| mented upon. II is known that he has not
an absolute hold upon the delegation and
| one report is that four members from
Douglas county would not be swung by
| hiH..
MuIIin Refuses 10 subside.
| Arthur Mullen who gave up his large
| law practice TO be oil inspector under
| Governor-elect ShallenbeTger, reached Lin-
| coin last night, and after casting a crit
| lcal eye over the work Of his heutensnts
| had a conference with Governor-elect
! shallenberger. At the conference Mr. Null
len was informed that Il was considered
| very reprehensibie In the eyes Of the gov