In some instances they were strong enough to have their own way, and in others they combined with other parties and were sufficiently strong to dominate the conventions and practically name the candidates.

As late as 1896, Bryan carried Scotts Bluff county by fifteen. T. D. Deutsch was again elected county commissioner. The Courier then paid the following compliment to the present mayor of Scottsbluff city: "The returns indicate a good healthy trade on county officers was conducted, but the delivery was principally on one side. It is a losing operation every time unless a good schemer like Theo. Deutsch has hold of one of the strings. Theo. is a mighty smooth politician, and when he can't fool a big part of the people all the time it is no use for common fellows to try."

While this is "old stuff" in more than one sense the peculiar part of the accusation was that there were but two county officers elected that year. T. M. Morrow was elected county attorney over W. J. Richardson by a vote of 246 to 213 and Morrow and Deutsch were on the same ticket. That left no one to be traded. This was but one of the many battles royal in the old days and anything is good for an argument according to the standards of the times and politicians of the periods. Then, young people take to heart the subjects of political economy far more seriously than do we when full of years.