The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1874-09-03
The Convention and the BoIi.

| was nearly evenly divided between delegates in
favor of Osborn and delegates opposed to him.
| The latter were evidently in small majority
but were divided in choice between different
candidates, and it was pretty clear that they
could not be united solidly upon any one man.
| If either one should withdraw, few of his dele
gates would go to Osborn, in preference to being
transferred to suy other opposing candidate.
The three candidates for Governor-Osborn,
Horton, and smallwood-all conducted them
selves most honorably, but some of their friends
went of wild occasionally. Originally, the rival
nv between Osborn and Smallwood was very
friendly; but on the morning of the Convention,
the feeling had become 80 bitter that SMALL
wood men were heard to swear that Osborn
should never be Governor again. The cause of
this was easily traced. The friends of Horton
did all in their power to open breach, and keep
| it open. They knew Horton was next Osborn
in strength, and if they could get Smallwood
and his friends irreconeilably hostile TO Osborn,
they expected to take them in aud Use them in
! the final heat. When arrived in Topeka, we
called at Smallwood's room, and the first man
we met there was beleader of the Horton forces,
one of the most INSCRIPTIONS politicians in the
State. We made up our mind at once what the
game was.
The men who were engineering Horizons cause,
were a knot of professional politicians, who have
formed syndicate to kill off corruption in the
| State-that is, they decide among themselves
what men corrupt and then proceed to
slaughter them. This syndicate is composed of
b. F. Simpson, J. d. Snoddy, Horton himself
Senators st. John and johnson, and a few lesser
| lights Nho bob around the edges. They were
all there. 1t needed only the presence of York
to he the sef-same outfit that entrapped and be-
| trayed POmeroy. Having succeeded well in
that, they imagined that any man whom they
marked was their meat. Osborn was their next
victim. Early in the morning, it was whispered
around that if Osborn nominated, they would
bolt and burst up the Convention. 1t was ru-
mored that they going to try the Pomeroy
game-that just before vote was taken for
Governor, they going to read affidavits of
men whose votes Osborn had tried to buy. But
they gave that up, rs dodge that would not win
a second time.
For temporary Chairman, they selected Col.
Carpenter, SmallwOod man. Every delegate
not in favor Of Osborn voted for him, and he
was elected And here was the only instance in
which they recognized the existence of Small
wood party. From that time OH the syndicate
took charge of the machine. Snoddy, Horton
man, was made Chairman of the Committee on
Permanent Organization; Haskell, a Horton man.
Chairman of the Committee on Credentials;
Simpson, Horton man, Chairman of the Com
mittee on Resolutions. On permanent organza-
tIon. t. Dwight Thatcher, a Horton man, was
made President; and John A. Martin, Horton
man, Secretary. The Committee on Credentials
made report, giving all the disputed seats to
Anti-OsbOrn men; but here the Osborn leaders
out-generaed them, for they fought the report
before the Convention, and gave the Osborn del
egatcs the seats The Committee on Resolutions
brought in high sounding PLATFORM which they
thought just the thing to suit the little ticket
which they proposed to nominate.
The Anti-0sborn men had control of the ma
chIne and thus far had fixed things to suit them
selves But when, on the second ballot their
own Convention nominated Osborn, they heard
something drop, and hastened to get ont. Col
Carpenter led off i'll an excited speech, which
could scarcely be heard for the Kisses and groans
Mr.. SnOddy said few words in his calm, delb- |
crate way, and slid. Mr. Sain, of woodson, wag-
ged his jaw a few times, and mizzled. Ben.
Simpson quietly oozed out, without any FUSS |
Others, probably eight a dozen in ALL took up |
their line of march. Thus ended the stampede, |
which the leaders expected would embrace one
half the Convention; and then the work pro- |
ceeded, just as if nothing had happened. In the |
evening, some half dozen disappointed editors |
got together, and promised that their papers |
should bolt the ticket. Some of these will |
bolt, while others will think better of it when |
they cool off. The bolt will lose the ticket few
votes in several Counties; but after the election,
the riLg-leaders will be surprised to find how |
little influence they have when going the wrong
way.
SnOddy and Simpson are old stagers, and we |
are not surprised at anything they may do. Bat |
we are sorry that Col. Carpenter has taken this
wild chute. We like the man, but do not think
he can Justify his course. Two years ago, the
same charges were made against Gov. Osborn that
are now made the pretext for the bolt. At that
time, Col. Carpenter was a candidate for Gov
ernor, with over twenty delegates in the Conven-
tion. 1t was bis delegates that finally went over
to Osborn, and secured his nomination After
Gov. Osborn has served almost two years, with
out single new cause for complaint, Col. Car
penter bolts his nomination, because of charges
of corruption made before his own friends elected
him two years ago. This does not look reason
able.
The same syndicate have set their seal of con-
upOn Col. Cobb, and swear that if he
IS nominated for Congress, the Opposition candi-
late will be elected. If the District is so close
hat theirfnfiuencewll turn the scale, il is to be
egretted; but the Republicans should not per-
nit themselves to he friphfened or hnlliad out of
nominating the man of their choice, whatever
nay be the result.
It's ANswER.-If "a soft answer turneth away ,
vrath," we should have no cause to be offended
t the Repablicdn's answer to our conundrums
asst week, for it is soft enough to suit the most