The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-06-15
WHAT rHE FIGHT MEANT

II is somewhat difficult to guess what
will be the outcome of Saturdays elec-
tiOn for delegates 10 the county conven. |
ton ON the nth. There seems to be va |
rious "shades of opinion" even among
the delegates themselves Us to what will
be done The fight was a close one in
some of the wards of the city. The
issue seemed 10 be in most places as 10
whether the action OF the central COM
mittee in appointing delegates to the
state convention should be sustained or
condemned, and then there were in the
minds of many degrees 10 the extent of
the condemnation or endorsement
We have found nobody who fully
sustained the committee. Some
were in favor of this, some
OF that and some of the other course OF
action. The Republicans divided, in
the first place, on the question of a mass
convention TO appoint new delegates.
Some wanted to do this, and some want
ed to follow the regular organization,
provided II could be used in calling a
convention. II was used. Right here
there was a dividing line. The
Republican, whose editor for i've
years had done all in his
power to disorganize and break
up the Republican party, was 50 Jealous
that be wanted TO drive the committee
out oil power and consign the members
TO political ignominy. The majority
took a more moderate view, and after
the committee called the convention they
proposed to act under the call, and not
abating their condemnation OF the usur-
patton Of the committee, they proposed
TO right all the wrongs in proper way,
and at u proper time. The most unmiti-
gated .barefaced and wholesale classifying
was resorted to by the Republican to ex-
cite the people in order to manufacture
political capital. The fight, then, as near
as can be related, was
between those who desired
To preserve peace and hOrmony, and to
correct all wrongs in q proper manner
and at the proper time, (because all con-
demned the action of the commit
tee) and those who desired 10 create dis
sensions and discord for per-
sOnal and political ends. We believe
this is fair and candid statement Of
the issues.
Now a word as to the real issue so far
as the party of which the Republican is
the tool, is concerned. The trouble they
have caused about the outrage OF the
committee is a mere political dust rails
ed to hide their real purpose. The local
director of the A. T. & s. F. railroad
took a prominent part in the contest.
| He saw" the officials of the road here,
and the officials 'saw" the men under
them, and Democrats, Greenbackers
illegal voters, and all were run to the
polls, so far as they could control them {;
because, be 1t said to their honor, there
are some in the employ of the road who
insist on their manhood, and who claim
and exercise the right to do their own vOt-
ing. We are of opinion that if anybody is
labOring under the impression that these
railroad authorities care the snap OF
their finger about what the committee
did, they are badly mistaken. In fact It
is openly stated here, and was
stated IN a public speech at the Ameri-
Gus convention, that the party for which
the Republican speaks, and which gives
1t its political instructions, made list
of delegates TO be appointed by the COM
mittee which would be entirely satiSfac-
tory to the railroad interest. When
this list was not appointed the railroad
ring organ Immediately set up howl
and has filed the air with falsehoOds
and appeals to prejudice in order
to carry the delegate elections.
In this city and township each party
has carried two wards and one precinct.
The issue SO far as the railroad ring"
and its organ, the Republican, is con-
cerned, is to get political control Of this
city and county by any and all means.
That's what the fight meant on their
part, and it was strange that any one
failed to see through the trickery of the
old political shyster who con-
ducts the paper started in this
city by the railroad ring, and
which is sustained, not by legitimate
patronage, but by money given it outside
of It's earnings.
The members of the central committee
who did the very foolish work of APP
pointing the delegates to the state con-
vention may now be able TO see the effect
of their hot-headed and illadvised, not
to say outrageous, conduct. Had they
acted the sensible part the railroad ring
would have had no issue but the real
one, upon which they would not have
dared to go openly before the people.