The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1876-11-02
The Representativeship i'm the Sec.
OD0 District.

4
In the Chief last week, was published petit
ton, which had been very industriously circulat-
ed, and pretty nnmerousy signed, calling on Bfr.
Robert Tracy to become a candidate for Repre-
sentative from this District In another column
of this issue, is published the proceedings of a
meeting held by the members OF the County Cen
I tral Committee Of this District.
We propose now to say few words upon this
natter; and in doing so, we fear shall be un-
able to properly characterize the treatment which
| is Icing bestowed upon Mr.. Heatley, the regular
ly nominated candidate of the party.
In the first place, We will state what is well
| known, aud cannot be denied, that Mr.. Heatley
| was fairly and honestly nominated. If Mr.. Heat
ley's nomination is not good, then let us forever
after this do away with nominating conventions.
Bnt, If conventions are worth anything, and
nominee, as such, is entitled to the support of
his party, then Mr.. Heatley is entitled to the sup
port of every Republican in this District.
We will say word about that petition. What
does it allege a reason for the necessity of an
other candidatef Nothing in the world but that
Mr.. Heatley cannot be electedf And why
Simply because Mr. Leland and a few others had
determined to do all they possibly could to pre-
| vent his election. They utter a prophecy that
he cannot be elected, and then 60 to work to full
fill that prophecy. Had these parties gone to
| work for him with but one half the energy they
are displaying to secure his defeat, he could be
| elected by very large majority; nay, had they
simply let the matter alone, he could be elected
| We do not believe that one-half the men who
signed the petition for Mr.. Tracy to become q
| candidate, did so with any feeling of dislike of
Mr.. Heatley, and would therefore have voted for
Mr.. Fl. without any thought of doing otherwise,
had they been let alone. They will probably do
so yet. We at least cannot believe that a few
men whose likes and disIkes and love of ruling
or ruining seem to govern their political action,
have driven all desire of justice and fair-play
from the minds of the Republican voters of this
Township.
A notice was published last week for a meet
ing of the Committee of this District. This
meeting was called because Mr.. Leland willed it.
| He had no right to do so. That committee had
| no business to meet for the purpose had in view
| in the call. The object was to pull Mr.. Heatley
off the track, after he had been placed there as
the candidate Of the party, by the votes of a ma
jority of thrty-fve delegates. This committee
| of six men had no right to undo the work of
thirty five, ercept for manifest cause. And no
canse is given. There is nothing in Mr.. Heat
ley's character or politics to justify even an at
| tempt to withdraw him. He is moral and tenn
perate; he generally minds his own business he
doesn't loaf about bad places; he has at least
average ability and common sense; and whatev
| er he may have been when boy of fifteen, hs is
now Republican. Can the chief conspirators
1 Al
There are worse men on the County ticket than
Mr.. Heatley. There men there who ought
not to have been put there; yet the chairman of
| the Central Committee does not call his commit
tee together to take T. " out Of the way, and
substitute better men. He has as much cause to
do that as lie has for his course towards Mr..
Heatley. We suppose if Mr.. H. was a bond forg-
er, a drunken debauchee, a town loafer, or should
run after strange women, and was in favor with
the chairman of the committe, no effort would
be made to remove him.
And how was the action of that committee, as
published this week, brought aboutf Why, by
a little shrewd work by the chairman of the
County Committee. The Wayne Township men
seemed to be opposed to any action in the mat
ter. One of them, therefore, was made chairman
was therefore disposed of. Then another men,
Der was excused from voting, on the thin plea
that he was himself q candidate. Thus another
was disposed of. There was then but one more
left to oppose what Mr.. Leland desired to do, and
the voice of the committee was thus smothered
by superior tactics. Had Mr.. Leland been made
chairman, his voice would have been silenced,
and the action of the committee would have been
Just to the contrary of what it vas. We desire,
here and now, to call the the attention of the
Central Committee of the County to Mr.. Leland's
conduct in this matter. He is the chairman of
that committee. 1t is his business, and that of the
committee, to keep up the organization of the
party. Instead of that, he takes the lead in Pc
titoning and inducing men to run as independ
cnt candidates against the regular nominees of
the party, thus doing the work of disorganizer
for no cause. We ask that committee, for this
reason, to remove Mr.. Leland from the chairman
ship of that committee, and also, for the same
reason, to remove Mr.. johnson from his place as
Secretary. This is matter for party discipline.
If we are to have an organization, let us not
have disorganizers at the head of
In conclusion, we warn Republicans from fool
ing away their votes. Only by voting for the
regular nominee, is there any hope of electing
Republican from this District. We know what
we are talking about. Wayne Township, to her
honor be it sad utterly refuses to turn traitor
to the party in this matter, and her Republicans
will vote solidly for Mr.. Heatley. If Mr.. Tracy
runs, his defeat is certain, for he thus divides
the Republican vote, gains nothing, but will lose
the support of many of his best friends and elects
Mr.. Henshai.
Later.-Since the above was written, Mr.. Ira
cy has been dogged and devilled into a reluctant
consent to be candidate. He has made the
mistake of not saying NO, and sticking to it.
r. We think the last member of the Legisla-
ture from this District. is taking a course in the
fight on Mr.. Heatley that is not calculated to