Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, June 1, 1902, Page 17

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CANDIDACY OF DAVID HENRY MERCER FOR A SIXTH TERM IN CONGRESS Full Stenographic Report of the Discussion Between Edward | Rosewatzr and William F. Gurley at the Creighton Orpheum Theater, Thursday Even- ing, May Chairman R. W. Richardson—Ladies and Qentlemen: Under the rules governing this Qlacussion, se agreed to by the respective parties, Mr. Rosewater will open the de- bate with twenty minutes’ time; Mr. Gur- ley follows with twenty minutes; Mr. Rose- water then has fifteen minutes; Mr. Gurley follows in fifteen; they alternate then twice, with ten minutes each, and then ternate four times at five minutes each, thus consuming one hour and a quarter each. The time for each will be called promptly. 1 am requested to ask the friends of the respective parties, please not to make Interruptions, because it takes the time from the speakers' proportion just to that extent. Ladies and gentlemen, the gentleman for whom 1 officiate this evening needs no in- troduction. He is well known to you all and s, indeed, at this day, & national char- acter. He is a veteran in forensic debate, medium in stature, but a glant In intellect. He figkts in the open and wins by the force of logical facts. I now have the honor of presenting to you the Houorable Edward Rosewater. (Applause.) MR, ROSEWAT Mr. Chalrman, Ladies and Gentlemen: For this cordial and enthusiastic greeting | 1 extend to you my most heartfelt thanks. At the very outset 1 must ask your very generous indulgence with my Infirmities. 1 am painfully consclous of the fact that I am entering the lists of debate with a man richly endowed with the rare gifts of elo- | quence, wit and superb manhood man who can with his beaming counte- nance and seductive smiles entrance the ladies and make their hearts flutter. (Laughter.) He is a man who fervent appeal make a murder jury cry and the judge on the criminal bench whenever he indulges in his rare sallles of wit. It is something presumptuous on my part to enter into a wordy combat with a man who can spellbind and hypnotize his audi- ence. I know very well that 1 am not equal to the occasion and if I do not get the favor of this bright and intelligent au- djence, composed as it is of the beauty and chivalry of Omaha, when T am wrest- Mg with this Adonis of the Omaha bar. I will only beg you to remember that a man cannot contro} his own makeup. I am bound to ask you to bear up with my plain and commonplace English and plain spoken truths, which have gotten me into trouble so many times. 1t seemed to me somewhat of an imperti- mence for Mr. Gurley to challenge me to de- bate with him the propriety of giving David H. Mercer a sixth term In congres It s an extraordinary proceeding. I claim te be an American citizen endowed with the sovereignty of citizenship and no man has & right to question me in my cholce of pub- lic servants. That is precisely what I have been challenged. It is simply amazing that anyone should be called upon to account for his opposition to, or his preference for, public servants. But Mr. Gurley has been in the humor of presenting himself here and I bave indulged him. I am willing to discuss the candidacy of David H. Mercer, but I fear that it will be disappointing to many of you If you have come here to Msten to pyrotechnics and view a mud- flinging match from this end. I propose to devote my time exclusively to the discus- sicn of the subject in hand and if I bring Mr. Gurley in personally it will only be when he is directly connected with David H. Mercer. We must at the outset look backward and see where these two gentle- men presented themselves for the first time in the political arena. Although I bave been intimate with poli- tles In Nebraska, 1 was not aware of the prominence and predominance of either of these gentlemen until the legislative sembly of 1887. That was the first time that Mercer and Gurley were brought into prominence and are on record. From that record I propose to read to you and let it come direct from Mr. Gurley. The leg ture of 1887 had two great functions to perform; one of these was the election of » United States senator and the other was he regulation of rallwa and the ta: fon of ratlway property on a level with he property owned) by all other corpora- 1ons or individuals. We find here in this book “testimony be- pre the United States Pacific Railway tommission,” testimony taken within three ponths after the legislature of 1887 had idjourned. You will find on page 1257 Mr. furles’s testimony, and I will read a por- fon of it. I shall read from a copy. Mr. Gurley, or any of his friends, want to leep pace with me they can take this book, pen it at page 1267, and see I am not mis- tuoting. OMAHA, Neb., June 27, 1887.—W. F. Gur- iy Sworn and examined, testi- the chalrman, of Penpsylvania, guestioning: Q.—What Is your bueiness? A.—I \ttorney. organs of i by enabling the fect assimilation of food, builds the with solid flesh and muscle. He is a | by his | smile | 1t Governor am an 29, 1902. ~Have you had any business relations h_the Union Pacific’ Rallway company? sir. Q. —Were you ever employed by them? A.—Not by ‘the company Q.—By whom were you emploved con- nected with the company? A.~1 have been employed at different times by Mr. Thurston. rluyed by Mr. Thurston Q—Were you em to visit the capitol during the ‘session of it A Pacific Rallway _compan was em- ployed by Mr. Thurston one time to look after certain matters at Lincoln. Q.—What were they? A.—I looked after raliroad bills there, to see what time they came up, of what nature they were, that whether they related to railroads or A— Q.—~When were you employed, how long ago? A.—1 was there last winter. Q.—How long_ were there? A.—I think I was there ninety day Q—Was that the entire session? A.— Yes, sir, that covered pretty near tha en- tire session, 1 guess Q.—What bills were pendi legislature that the Unfon Pi company was especlally interested in? A.— |1 don’t know, 1 am sure. | Q—What dfd you do there? A.—Well, as |1 say, 1 looked after the bills to see when | they were introduced and to sée what their |nature was, and looked after them gen- erally, Q—Did you see the bills? A.—Well, gen- erally made up my mind what the inten- tion of the bill w Q.—What were the bills? A.—There were quite a number of them; 1 could not state specifically any particular bill. | "Q—Can you name apy one of them? {1 don’t think 1 uld, sir. | Q—Who was associated with | coin In watching the interest o y o, you at Lin- the Union Pacific company? A.—] don't know what | other"parties were doing there. I know what d There were a great | many at Lincoln. QDo you know of anybody else work- | ing with you in conne the Union A.—1 was working alone 80 far a was_concerned Q.—What kind of work did you do? A.— | Well, T have tried to state. As soon as a | blll was introduced 1 endeavored to find out when it was llable to come-up for | discussion and passage and to look after it in a general way. hat did you do to fix the members legislature with relation to bills? A.—Nothing more than talk in regard to the “bills. Q.—Did you talk to the individual or did you talk to them collectively? A.—I talked to_them individually, not collectivel Q.—Did they have a room in the | the legislature known as the ofl room? A.—1 have heard of such a room, but I never saw it to my knowledge. Q-Where did you hear of it?. A.—In the principally through The Bee Q actusl fact you do not know ¥ A.—~I don't know of such & room, no, sir. Q.—~What did you hear about the ofl Toom through The Bee? A.—I simply heard that there was such a room. I never un- derstood what they meant by it myself. Q.—What was it reported that they aid in that room? A.—I don't know that I can Did they have drinking materials? that the allegation? A.—I don't know, of th ely. hails of paper: .—As & of any such room? iy 1"Q 2 Were drinking materials as a_matter [ of Tact provided anywhere in the halis of | the legislature?” AT don’t know of any. |, @=8r in'the Vicinity? AT could mot ‘ s o that, i .—How were you pald? A.—I was paid | by dirterent “partics. °1 ‘was Pala” by i, | Thurston for’ the work 1 did for ‘him. 1 | had other work there for other individuals that T was paid Tor —How much Were you pald by Mr. Thurston? A.—I don't remem| lh!’enc( | R id $100 n .—Were you pal & month? I am speaking of the Union Pacific. legislation, A-1 don't remember the exact Amouni Thurston paid _me. Perhaps 0 or Probabiy about Q t was the total amoun 1t? | A hat ‘was what he paid me “They Q;-What'experises do you mean by liv. ? ving ex; board and that :maygr thing. g ), —] you lo the lobbying fe Unlion Pacific. Rallroad compangy st the cl:plml‘! A.—~What do you mean iy lobby- ing? he Chalrman—I am examining you. The Witness—1 know, but I want to tin- derstand the question fully. The Chairman—I put_the Dia you do the lobbying of the Union Pacific Rallway company at the capitol during the session_of the iegislature? | The Witness—1 have stated that I was | emploved by Mr. Thurston to go down the and look after these bills. They were rail- . 50. The i3 i employment was - you ever aj ar - "‘S";; Aa‘d'\'“' ."we before any com. —How d1d you convinee the bers AT don't know that 1 convinced ame of them. 1 very often discussed bills 1 uestion. of w&re_éxndln.. e ‘AN you name one single bill discussed with any one member ol'{lh‘e‘ Ko legislature? A.—I don't believe that I can name a single bill now. There were a eat many of them. Q—It didn't make much of an impres. slon on you at the time? A.—It might have at the time, but it has escaped my memory now. | _Q.—DId you ever succeed in convi; member of the legislature that n.‘"é‘fln‘n to change his opinio don’t know at I ever conv 1 that convinced any of them, I am Q—Did_any of them afterw their_opinion? ‘A1 cannot el T n8° |G —tiow ‘dia yoa ote work ‘at Lincoln? A1 don i that I did observe the result ve:;. :hm.i;'. Mr, Rosewater—A series of questions were then asked as to the persons asso- clated with Mr. Gurley, employed by the Union Pacific in connection with legislation at Lincoln and after Mr. Gurley had testi- fled that he did not remember a solitary person assoclated with him in the raflroad lobby he was msked, “Was there a man there by the name of David H. Mercer?" Answer—Yes, he employed in y With you? Awal employment w Tve the result of the same ca- don't know what He never told me. ou Te was there in connects ation "ot the Union ‘Pacies " A had & number of conversations with 1 don't remember what they were Now, then, when Mr. Gurley comes up to tell you the magnificent record that Mr. Mercer made you must take it with some grain of allowance. impediment in his memory and distressing lapses of veracity. He had these defects already fifteen years ago. (Laughter.) He did not remember ome solitary railroad bill that he handled only nimety days after the session. And yet I have here a list of more than twenty or thirty, The most im- portant measure was the charter of Omaha. | in which he, with others, labored arduously to destroy the work of our delegation act- ing under instructions of citizens of Omaba and pledged to enact a law that would re- quire taxation of rallway property om a oqual footing with other property. They succeeded in destroying that portion of the charter and also the provision granting the | right of eminent domaln in the acquisition of parks. It has cost us more than half a million dollars to get a plot of park land | which we could have had at that time for | less than ome bundred thousand dollars | And yet Mr. Gurley did mot remember on | the 27th of June what happened on the 30th | of March, less than ninety days previously. | His memory was mot good, but other wit- Desses are in that book, George Crawford, for example. Crawford, a fellow lobbyist, remembered very distinctly how he enter- tained the legislature. He entertaind them, he said, sometimes with bad stories, some- 'un“ with clgars, sometimes with wige, |and sometimes he would sing to them. I suppose Mr. Guriey was the man who as- sisted in the singing. (Laughter) And yet he could not remember. Now, I regret to recall this ancient his- tory, but it is part of what is to be said here tonight with regard to Mr. Meyoer aad explains why I persomally oppesed bis the legislature in the interest of the Union | have a conversation with | He s affiicted with an | THE OMAHA DAILY BEE: SUNDAY, JUNE 1, 1902. nomination when he was seeking the nomi- nation for congress the first time. MR. GOSS, 1 notice many etanding. It was the agree- ment, 1 believe, that after 8:15 all seats that were not occupled should be filled by the first comers. Some ticket holders have Dot taken their seats here (indicating) and there are others in the balcony. Those who are standing may take them Ladies and Gentlemen: In the earller days of the republic, when newspapers were #carce and the other agencles for dissemina- tion of knowledge were fewer than they now are, it was the custom for those who were advocating opposing men and measures to meet in joint debate and discuss them. The same principle applies, in a sense, here to- night. Mr. Mercer is a candidate for the re- nomination for congress. Mr. Rosewater is opposed to him. Mr. Rosewater, aside from his strong personality, has a powerful news- paper, both of which everyone concedes to him the Iiberty to use as he pleases. Mr. Mercer has no newspaper. Mr. Gurley is Mr. Mercer's friend. He challenges Mr Roscwater to discuss the proposition before the public. Mr. Roeewater accepts, and here we are. I wish that we had a dollar a head from this fine audience to apply to the uses of the republican county central committee of this county, and I made up my mind that| should be a success tonight, as it ap- | it th pears to be from this fine audience, and as 1 suspect from the suggestions of the first speaker it certalnly will be (laughter), we shall ask the gentlemen to go on the road and allow us to promote the show. We eball charge a dollar a head and make enough money, perhaps, to carry on the next campaign. Not a national campaign, because there would not be money enough, but just an ordinary state campaign. Ladies and gentlemen, it does me great honor tonight to preside on behalf of my friend, a gentleman endowed in a large de- gree with a combination that is not at all usual—the force of logic and the grace of speech. He s here tonight not to defend Mr. Mercer, but to advocate his cause. 1 have the pleasure of presenting to you Mr. Willlam F. Gurley, who will now speak for twenty minutes. (Applause.) MR. GURLEY. Mr. Chairman, 1 was somewhat embarrassed when my distinguisbed opponent commenced his opening remarks, for while he epeaks so beautifully of me, so kindly, he praised me so thoroughly that I was very much afraid that it would be em- barrassing for me to discuss the lssue which we are here to debate. But he did not remain very long in that kindly mood He proceeded to discuss my personality and devoted some fifteen to eighteen minutes of his time to discussing me. Now, fellow citizens, I am not a candidate for congress. (Applause.) I am not now a candidate for public office, but if I ever am 1 shall be glad to know that my dis- tinguished oppoment can bring no more serious charges against me than he secks to bring by reading my own testimony. (Applause). It has been said that I am the friend of David H. Mercer. That is true. I am his friend; I was his friend in 1887, and from that day to this I know not aught of the man which should deprive him of the friendship of an honest American citizen. (Loud applause). My distinguished opponent says that when I refer you to Mr. Mercers' magnificent record, he wants you to make allowances for my memory. You need not do it, fel- low citizens. When I refer tonight to the magnificent record of David H. Mercer I will support it by the record and by the testimony of some upon this platform. Then let him deny it if he can. What Is his magnificent record? Let us see. In an editorial published in The Bee July 2, 1896, Edward Rosewater, my distinguished op- ponent, says: “It would pay the people of this district better to put all the small bore mspirants for congress on a pension of $5,000 a year rather than to retire Con- gressman Mercer at this all important Juncture.” (Loud and continued applause) Further, fellow citizens, In the same edi- torial he says: “Will the citigens of Omaha permit Mr. Mercer to be turned down for staying in Washington and at- tending faithfully to their business just because some picayune pettifogger has been deluded into the belief that he is big enough to hold down a seat in congress?’ (Applause.) Picayune pettifogger! Fellow citizens, who were the opposing candidates to Mr. Mercer at that time? They were two able, distinguished, reputable membe#s of the Douglas county bar; men of unimpeachable character, men of unimpeachable integrity; friends of mine then, although then 1 was for Mercer. Friends of mine today, al- though today I am for Mercer. They were Hon. Edward J. Cornish and Hon. John L. Kennedy. (Loud applause.) Ob, yes, but at that time those gentlemen were not supporting my distinguished op- ponent. At that time they were opposing his behests. and therefore they were “picayune pettifoggers.” What s Mr. Cornish today? (Loud and continued ap- plause.) 1 know what Edward J. Cornish is today. A manly and honest man. I knew it then; I know it today. My dis- tinguished opponent knows it today and will dmit it; knew it then and denled it (Laughter.) He sald to you, my fellow citizens, that you will have to bear with his plain spoken truths which have often gotten him Into trouble. (Laughter.) I propose to read one or more of the plain spoken truths of his, which have gotten him into trouble. (Laughter.) In an editorial on July 5, 1896, he says: The anti-Mercer crusade is a most des- picable exhibition of vindictiveness and want of loyalty to the vital interests of the community. The men who have foined . in it would rather see Omaha a heap of ruine than forego their personal gratifica- tion or political advantage. The same day in an editorial my distin- guished opponent says The turning down of Mercer would not | only be an exhibition of base ingratitude 10 & man who has rendered more efficlent service to the cause of labor than any other man Nebraska has ever sent to congress. but would prove disastrous to the interests of the workingmen. These are but a few of the things which he said about Mr. Mercer. He also gave Mr. Mercer the credit—the sole credit—for passing the exposition bill in the house of representatives. He gave him the sole credit for that. He ve him the credit for the Indian supply depot. Mercer, he said, was the man. It would be base I gratitude to turn him down then. He r peated these endorsements in 1898, when Mercer had been nominated for the fourth term. He told the citizens of this congres- slonal district that he was one of the best representatives that Nebraska ever had He #ald his Influence was widely expanded, he was becoming & national character, he had more power for good, for the people of Nebraska, than any legislator we ever had from this district or any other distriet from the state of Nebraska. When did the g tleman change his mind? (Laughter d applause.) 1 want to ask my distinguished opponent when it was that the s Arst fell from his eyes? (Laughter.) 1 would ask my distinguished opponeut when was it that your vision first became unobscured ! (Laughter). 1 want to ask my distinguisehd opponent to tell this audience when it was that be bad a change of heart? (Laughter.) Was it, could it bave been—oh, perish the ignoble thought—could it have been when offices of 122 beadquarters of the De- Ladies and Gentlemen: | |partment of the Platte were transferred | tfrom The Bee building to the old postoffice* (Laughter and loud applause). Could it have been when from nine io tem thousand dollars a year were taken out of the coffers of The Bee Publishing company or build- ing company and turned into the iressury of the United States? Could it have been on account of this that my distinguished opponent changed his mind? But there are other candidates for congress and my di tinguished opponent in a speech In the Eighth ward the other night said that he admitted that Mr. Mercer had done great work for this district and this state, but he said he was a hustler, aud he said we didn't need a hustler any longer. (Laughter). He | said that Mercer had gotten all the appro- priations for public buildings that could be gotten in this district and therefore we did not need him any more. I suppose in view of the amiable acquiestent and somewhat negative cupport my distinguished opponent is giving to his congressional assoclates he does not recognize in any one of them a hustler. (Laughter.) But, fellow citizens, there are just two classes of men who have influence in the congress of the United States. One ¢l is the wideawake, active, emergetic busi- ness man, the other cl is comprised of men versed in the science of politi- cal government, eloquent in speech and like my distinguished opponent, Prince Ruperts in debate. (Laughbter and loud applause.) They are few In number. 1 want my distinguished opponent to tell us which of these other statesmen who are opposing Mr. Mercer have his support. 1 want him to tell us which one of these gentiemen, all friends of mine, are more thoroughly in accord with republican prin- ciples and republican policies than David H. Mercer. The fact is, fellow citizens, he will not name them. He has no candl- date. His mission in this campaign is not { to bulld up, but to tear down; not to create, but to destroy; not to raise, but to ruln, and I am sorry that my distinguished op- ponent has never learned the lesson which bas its “confirmation strong as proofs of holy wril that from the political ruin of his own handiwork no ladder can rise upon whose rounds he may lawlessly scale to the perch of his “winged ambitions There is, however, a large sized and respectable rumor afloat to the effect that my distinguished oppoment expects, after he has killed -off Mr. Mercer and by his chilly support freezes his assoclate candi- dates to death, to rise in his lofty majesty and take the biscuit himself. (Laughter). What a glorious sight that would be! (Laughter.) How valiantly he would fight and battle for republican principles and the success of the ticket. How he would hurrah for the permanent annexation of the Philippines. How he would faver putting the American flag wherever it could be put to stay there. What magnificent epithets he would hurl at the miscreants, political assassins and republican renegades who would have the temerity te oppose the ticket. Consistency, thou art a jewel, but if my distinguished opponent ever owndd that jewel he placed it in pawn years ago and forgot to redeem fit. MR. ROSEWATER. Chairman Goss, who presides for my dis- tinguished friend, has suggested that a subscription of one dollar per head be raised from this audience in order to as- sist the republican county committee in carrying on its work. Why not apply to Mr. David H. Mercer to pay the assessment which was levied on him and save this au- dience that small contribution. Mercer never was known to pay any monmey into campalgns unless it was raised for him by his friends. We have been reraindéd here that in 1896 ‘The Omaha Bee inade fervent, and perhaps too zealous, appeals on behalf of Mr. Mer- But my friend forgets to mention that that was Mercer's third term, and that was at a period when Omaha was strugghing with all her might and main for the suc- cess of an enterprise upon which we all be- lieved its immediate future prosperity de- pended. I refer to the exposition. It wa but patural that those who had a deep in- terest in the success of the exposition should do everything they could to continue Mr. Mercer in congress, because the expo- sition bill had to go through the committee of which Mr. Mercer was chairman. We desired a friendly chairman in charge of that bill in order that it might pi with- out serious obstruction. And this brings me to the claim Mr. Mercer has for the monumental work he has done. I do mot deny him whatever credit be- longs to him, although we have often given him credit for work done by others. But when it is assumed that he is the only man that can represent this district, I want to know upon what that assumption rests. T want my friend to tell me whether Mr. Mercer would be satisfled with a sixth term and quit there. Would he be satisfied with a seventh term? Would he want an eighth term? Would he want to be there forever? But Mr. Mercer himself has shown that he personally does not belleve that be is in- dispensable. He has shown by his conduet that he was willing at the time, when he pretended that you needed him so much, to leave you in the lurch in the house of rep- resentatives. Two years ago Mr. Mercer presented him- self as a candidate for a fifth term and I want to say right bere that my anxlety to have him nominated for a fifth term wi not very ardent. It was very clear that he when no other man from Nebraska ever | bad more than three. He had also gradu- ally disengaged himself from association with Nmaba and lost his identity here, practically altogether. He had become non-resident. Now, then, in 1900 Mr. Mer- cer presented himself to the constituency of this district and was accorded upon the appeal of himselt and his friends a ffth term. The term for which he was elected to congress will not terminate until March 4, 1903 He wi not only not content when he accepted that momination and had the peo- ple elect him to serve out that term, but what did he do? Within three days after | he bad been re-elected he began to scheme and work to abandon that place and leave it vacant and have us put to the expen: and trouble of a special election In case of his own elevation to the United States eenate. He began to vacate his own place when he pretended to be indispensable. Now, if we could have spared him during the past two years we might have man- aged to get along with inferior material, Mr. Gurley thinks. We would have been compelled to suffer unless he himself per- beps had beem nominated, (Laughter.) What an awful situstion, to be left for two years without that indispensable man in the lower house of congress! It we could bave dispensed with Mercer on the 4th of March, 1801, why cannot we dispense with him as well on the #th of March, 19037 Mr. Gurley tells us of his loyalty to Mr. Mercer and he cites the fact that in 1887 they began together and they have been together ever since. There was nothing very creditable in their being together in 1857. 1 must return to that record, because I had not flaished at the eud of my first twenty mioutes. I have the ledger bere of the Capitol hotel of Lincoln This boek contains the bills which Jobhn M. Thurston paid for the lobby. It contalns = $2.631.65 hotel bill; $910 of that was paid for Mercer, Gurley aad several other patriots, and here you will find four bua- dred and sixty odd dollars for bar bills and cigars, and that is the nice kind of work |you, | Gurley and Mercer were engaged in. Now, 1 want Mr. Mercer to answer this question through his understudy: Would Mr. Mercer remain in Omaha if be was turned down? Would he remain and retain his residence in Omaba if we should not nominute him this fall, or re-elect him, or would bs go back to Washington and en- gage 12 the old business in which he W trained at Lincoln lm 18877 Reference has been made here to my opposiiion to Mr. Mereer on account of the transfer of the headquarters of the army into the old postofice building. That hap- pened nearly three years ago. Now, the contract for locating the headquarters of the army was made in 1889, years before Mercer was thought of for congre Did Mr. Mercer have anything to do with bring- ing it there or keeping it there? The army headquarters was located in The Bee build- ing before ever the bullding was con- structed, under a contract with the gov- ernment. During the democratic administra- tion of Grover Cieveland my republican and democratic enemies exerted all their influence to have it moved, but Mr. Lamont saw through their motives and kept it right there because is was recom- mended by the commanders of the depart- ment. The rent paid by the government was not unreasonable. We are getting more rent from the tenants that we have on that floor today than we got When the army was there. Will my friend inform this audience why he has injected the army headquarters into this debate? Was it to confuse the minds of the public? The truth is that my oppositien to Mr. Mercer can be plainly stated in a few worde First and foremost, republics are not un- grateful, neither are republicans. We have done everything that could be done for this man. He has had five successive terms, and that is more than any other man has had, west of the Missouri river, but ome. There 18 but one man west of the Missouri river in the lower house of congress that has been there longer than Mr. Mercer. Not one man in all New England has been there longer than Mr. Mercer, and the men who have been retained from New York, Sereno Payne, the leader of the house of representatives, and Wadsworth, from New York, General Bingham of Philadelphia and Dalzell of Pittsburg. These are about the only men out of the entire New York and Pennsylvania delegations. Henderson and Hull from Iowa are the only two men that have represented lowa in congress more than five successive terms, and Hopkins, Hitt and Cannon of Illinois. Every one of these men is recognized as a leader, with whom Mercer cannot stand comparison. Out of the entire galaxy of democrats in southern states only five have been there longer than Mr. Mercer. Now, then, let us admit that it was well and proper for us to make a struggle for Mercer in 1896 and give him a third term. Let us admit that we gave him a fourth term for the very simple reason that we had still many things unfinished. But why a sixth term? Let me call attention to the fact that Mr. Mercer in his first term se- cured the South Omaha postoffice appropri- ation in a democratic house and with & democratic president. He was there only ome term, and it was not so much because it was David H. Mercer, but the pressure of John A. McShane, the pressure of the packing bouses and the influences behind them gave the appropriation to South Omaha, and Mercer took the credit. In the very first and only term that John A. McShane served he got the appropriation for the Omaha postoffice and had one mil- lion two hundred thousand dollars appro- priated during that term. My friend don't seem to remember also that Senator Man- dersom had something to do with securing that these appropriations. We all know the appropriations had been voted for the purchase of the grounds and & part of the Omaha postofice building when Mr. Mercer came In. would not have left the building unfinished after it had made such la appropria- tions for the acquisition of the grounds and the comstruction of the lower portion of the building. Mr. Gurley has sald to us here that he has always been the friend of Mr. Mercer. There is a man by the name of Johnny Wright, & colored man, who runs & house of about the same character as the notori- ous Midway in the lower end of the Third ward. That gentleman reats his house from Mr. Gurley and from Mr. Ransom, two very intimate friends and gentlemen of the same stock. Mr. Gurley, of course, claims to be & republican and Mr. Ransom claims to be a, silver republican democrat. Mr. Gurley went to Mr. Wright when Mr. Mer- cer was running for a fourth term, that ls, in 1898, and he said to Johnny Wright: 'Whatever Ransom tells you to do, you do. You holp out wherever he wants you to, Y cannot give you any directions.’ ‘Wright, of course, had to take his in- structions from Ransom and Ransom wi for Hitchcock, the demopop competitor of Mercer. Here is loyalty for you. MR. GURLEY. Fellow citizens, again will I ask my dis- tinguished opponent when was it that he first discovered that David H. Mercer had ceased to be a useful member of congress from this district? When was it? Has he given you any reason’ He talks to you about our Introducing facts for the purpose of confusing the issue, and then he reads to you from the hotel ledger of the Capi- tol hotel of 1887. (Laughter.) Is that m terial to the issus 1 think not. Now, fel- low citizens, he says that in 1896 he gave Mercer credit for many things which he did not do. He says that he gave Mercer credit for many things when others were entitled to part of the credit. He sald that in the Eighth ward; he says that sub- stantially tonight. In other words, my fellow citizens, he tells you that in 1896 he made false statements about David Mer- cer, knowing them to be false, for the purpose of electing him to congress because he wanted him elected. If that is so, isn't it fair to assume that tonight bhe would make false statements about Mercer, know- ing them to be false, for the purpose of defeating bim, because he wants him de- feated? (Loud applause) If there is any fiaw in the logic of that statement, will my distinguished opponent point it out when he comes to reply? A Volce—He can't do it. He said that we wented Mercer in '8¢ because the life of this city, in the opinion of meny, was at stake. Yes, they wanted him then because we all thought that that exposition would be the salvation of the city of Omaba. We bad come to the part- ing of the ways. We realized that it would give an impetus to the metropolitan character of Omaha as a city, and David H. Mercer was given by prominent mem- bers of congress the sole credit for passing that bill in the bouse. Ex-Speaker Reed 50 testified. The Omaha Bee s0 testified. (Laughter.) My distingulshed opponent so testified. He says in 98 we gave him another term because we had & few more things to do. (Laughter.) Mercer had saved the city, but there were & few leaves we waoted him to clesn up in the back yard and they are all out now, The gentle- man says there is nothing more to be aec- complished. He sald, and it is true—one thing he has stated tonight which is true, be says that Mercer got the appropriation for the South Omaha bullding through iu a democratic congress while b was a democratic president, in his first term. That is so. Feliow citizens, I want to ask The government surely { | With an opposition majority against him, | fellow republicans, candidly and soberly, how many men do you think could | €0 to the congress of the United States with an opposition president in the White House, and in his first term get an ap- propriation for a $100,000 building for the | city of South Omaha® That is what Mer- cer did. (Applause) | But he says that he Is golng to state in | & few words his opposition to Mercer, and I took it down. He says, “I am opposed to him because we have done all for him that we could do. We have given him five terms. Does he wamt to stay there for life? In 96 and '98 we had many things for him to do. We have nothing more for him to do now.” 1 want to read to you a let- ter which was handed to me yesterday by Captain -Palmer of this city, & letter which had been received by him from a congressman from South Dakota, dated May 21, taln H. B. Palmer, Omaha, Neb: My Sir—Mr. Mercer ‘rendered us good Cap Dear | service in connection with the sanitarium bill, and I want to speak a good word In his behalf. 1 sincerely hope that you and your friends may be able to assist him very materially in his candidacy for re- election. The fact Is that Mr. Mercer is a very useful member of the house of repre- sentatives, particularly from the stand- point of the west. His position as chair- man of the house commitiee on public bulldings and grounds places him where he oan be of very material service to all of the western states. He is 8o thoroughly western in his life and education. and so thoroughly posted as to our needs, that it would be a great loss to the west, in m) opinion, If he should be retired from public life. 1f he should not remain in congross | we could not hope to have a western man | chairman of that committee. The ranking member is & New Yorker. Sincerely yours, EBEN W. MARTIN (Applause) Here is anotber letter which I recelved from a gentleman by the name of Blanchard, who is connected with Shelley- Rogers company, live stock commission men of South Omaha He says, under date of May 29: The people of South Omaha are very much_interested In Congressman Mercer | and desire to help him because he helped | them. One inetance, May 6, 1902, Secretary | of the Bxchange Guild wrote Mercer that | our people wanied sub postoffice station | at the Exchange building, South Omaha. | May 13 or 14 we read in Assoclated Press | atches, Washington, D that the | matter had been presented and would be granted, ete T write you this to show again that he is alive to the interests of his people gnd goes right after anything they need.” 1f jou can use this to advantage in your . 3.°R."BLANCHARD. (Applause.) But he says, or rather intimates, for he has not yet told us why it was that he wa opposed to Mr. Mercer, but he Intimates that one of the reasons is because Mr. Mer- cer went to the city of Lincoln in 1898, while ‘my distinguished opponent thought he was a candidate for United States sen- ator. (Applause.) Aye, that was an un- pardoriable offense—for a congressman who had served six years—eight years—in this aistrict, to aspire to the senatorship of the United States while my distinguished op- ponent imagined that he bhad a show. (Laughter.) ‘Why, of course, we all know he never did. He charges Mercer with treachery because he says that a large majority of the repub- licans of this district expressed their pref- erence for him for United States senator on the ballot. Not at all; not at all; my dis- tinguiehed opponent. It ie generally known that a large number of those votes express- ing preference for you were simply demo- cratic votes cast to complicate the repub- lican situation. Volces, , yes.” (Laughter and loud and continued applause.) Now then let us see. Was that treachery? Mercer hadn't contested, it is true, for the delegation from Douglas county with my distinguished opponent. And he eays, that Mr. Webster, after my distinguished op- ponent beat him at the primaries, he says, “Webster, be it to his honor, abided by the result.”” That was in 1500. Does the gen- tlemen remember the primary of '98 when John L. Webster carried the delegation from this county? Does the gentleman re- member that after Webster carried this county, and those delegates were pledged to Webster, he went down there and he cajoled and he persuaded and he threatened and he pleaded with them that they would forsake Sent Free —s Free Trial Package of this New Dise covery Mailed to Every Man Sending Name and Address. Quickly Restores Strength and Vigor. Free trial packages of a most remark. able remedy are being malled to all _who write the State Medical Institute. 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(Laugh- ter and loud applause.) Let the gentleman deny that if he dare, and when I come to reply 1 will prove it. (Laughter and ap- plause. MR. ROSEWATER. 1 dare deny that I ever made an effort to take voles from Mr. Webster, and I declare that it is absolutely untrue that any onme of these men was Importuned to leave ‘Webster so long ‘Webster had any show. Gentlemen, I want to call your attention to the campaign of 1898 and the difference between that and 1900. In 1898 there was Do such jesue as Webster and anti-Webster at the primaries. The truth is that the majority of delegates to that convention were elected as my friends and not as those of Webster, but by a juggle and trade if the convention for minor offices the candi- dates in that convention were changed and other candidates were substituted, as I can prove. There was no issue here of Webster and aoti-Webster. The truth is, the sen- atorship was presumed to go south of the Platte. No one was voted for for senator &t those primaries and nobody was asked to express a cholce. No candidate for the legislature who went before the people of this county in 1898 admitted that he was pledged to Webster or against him. Al were sailing under the flag of an inpledged delegation. The opportunities for Mr. Webster at that time were simply of an incidental nature. There was & possibility of a deadlock and in that e he might have had the delegation with him, and 1 can prove that for at least two weeks, or three, 1 had talks with members of the delegation from day to day and when some of them wanted to break away from Web- ster I sald to them to remain there as long as it was possible for them to do so, but that was no moral obligation hinding them to any man. They were bot elected for Webster. They did not claim to be for him. In 1900 there wi this county and state. that my position is not inspired by a per- sonal grievance; net at all In 1887, when my antagopist perpetrated that crime of bulldozi: and cajoling the legislature to go bsck on their solema pledges, he was down there with Mercer doing everything he could to prevent the bonest expression from the ballot box, which s the most sacred right American citigens bave. | made my remonstrance, and made it specific enough, and what 1 said then applies fully to every instance of subversion of the popular will. In 1875 the people who framed the constitution of Nebraska were so wrought up by the cor- rupt manipulation of legislatures and out- rage perpetrated in the selection of United States senators that the framers of the organic law were compelied to insert in that instrument a provision that the people should bave a right to express their prefer- ences for Upited States semator and fin- struct the legislature whom they wanted. That privilege was not granted for fum or given merely as a jest. It lmposed the most solemn duty which & member of the legis- lature is required to discharge. What right had Mercer or any other can- didate in this district to atiempt to subvert the will of the people. Mr. Gurley says that a large perecutage of the 10,000 votes cast DRIN White Ribbon Remedy he a8 wamms wh Bemena) e e " paticnt's kuowiedge. Ribbon Remedy will cure or de- dissascd aypstite fur wlconoilc . £, uppler,” social Ampossible for . one to have au appetite lor alcol liguors aftcr using \mile Ribbon Kemedy. Eudorsea by members of W. L, ¥ U, Mrs. Moore, Press 8 Woman's Christian Ventura, Cal, writes: Rivbon ‘White {papy cass cheertully yhhon Hemedy. Members ot vur union ure lelighted to find ‘l‘frlcmu and economi- cal treatment to us in our Lemperance work. i o Mra. Unon, know of s0 many ople from the curse of drinl, by use of White Ribbon Remedy thai | marnestiy request you to give it a trial’ Druggisw by mail, 81 Friar pa fres by wijl- i A M. Townsend (for ears secretary of Woman's Christian emperance union), Bos- ton, Mass. Bold in SCHAEFER’S &/t Phone 747, 8. W. Cor. 16th and Chicago. delivered FREE to any part of aity. Woman's tates: ‘i Teds the Unfurnished? With or Without Board? A lst of The best furnished and unfurnished rooma o the city will be found on the Want Ad Page. Cut the list out and take 1t with ¥0u when you start to look for & Feesh

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