Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-09-06
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Some Inside Political History.

Omaha, Sept. s.-To the Editor of
The Bee: Having been absent from
the city when your Views, Reviews
and Interviews" Of August rs APP
peared, did not see the reference to
congressional campaigns until today.
In the interest of historic accuracy,
permit me to correct some of the de-
tails.
1t was in the campaign Of 1908, not
1910, that you called together the four
gentlemen named in your article.
Only two of them had filed for con-
gress. however; | filed first and Mr..
Saunders followed. Both Messrs. JEFF
ferris and Sutton had repeatedly stated
to my friends and friends Of Mr.. Saun-
ders that they would not be in the
race.
The surprise, therefore, which you
sprung upon Saunders and me was
two new candidates. We had reason
to believe that Jefferis and Saunders
had private agreement to the effect
that IL one filed the other would keep
out. 1t looked very plain. therefore,
that the plan suggested by you was
loaded, and when Jefferis, who had
several times aspired to be county at
torney. refused to consider that office
and Saunders was not willing to be
state senator, there was not much
prospect for division Of the spoils,
according to your suggestion.
We met later in Mr.. Saunders
Office, and there Judge Sutton declined
to say whether or not he would file
for congress. Saunders and had
been campaigning several months, and
though recompense for expenses was
offered, no fair basis for an agreement
was indicated either by yourself or
Messrs. Sutton and Jefferis.
You do not quote me correctly.
What I said was, Il am not candi-
date for state senator or county at
torney, or the appointment of judge
to succeed Judge Sutton. l am a
candidate for congress and nothing
else"
You are mistaken, also, in saying
that Jefferis finally kept out" and
sutton was triumphant" JefIerls
did not file for almost two weeks after
these conferences" He did then file.
You supported him. Sutton kept out
Early in the campaign you stated
to me that Cornish was your first
choice. Baldrige your second choice
and Jefferis your third choice. I told
you had offered to stand aside for
Mr.. Cornish If he would become q
candidate. You stated he would not
run, that Baldrige could not make up
his mind and Jefferis was in doubt
After these three you said you had no
choice.
Jefferis won over Saunders and my
self at the primaries and was defeated
by Senator Hitchcock. then serving
his second term in congress. In 1910
Sutton secured the nomination over
Mr.. Saunders and Charles O. Lobeck
was elected. In 1912 Baldridge walked
away with the nomination, taking it
from Ben Baker and myself. He also
was beaten at the polls by Mr.. Lobeck.
In 1914 / was nominated over W..
B. Howard, and this same Charles O.
Lobeck carried my scalp back with
him to Washington. In 1915 Ben
Baker beat Dave Mercer for the nom
ination, but Lobeck was again the
winner in November
This is the second whirl Mr.. JEFF
ferris has had at congress. He is
competent, popular and has your sup
both the nomination and the election
us, one after another, but Jefferis
ought to win, and l hope he will win.
THOMAS w. BLACKBURN.
Note: Reference to the records
shows Mr.. Blackburn coz ect 49,, g,
date of my harmonizing effort being
1908 instead of 1910, but the force OF
the incident as illustrating the diff
Guilty of merging conflicting political
ambitions is not affected by the par
ticular time.-V. r.