Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-21
MRS. LEASE ON GUARD.
She IL Determined Ne Democratic Kansan
Shall BE Chosen senator.
Corresrond-nce Of The EvenfnO st.r

Shsh DC ahoSen senator.
Correspondence Of The Evening Star
TorEKA. KAN, Dec. 10. 1891
Mrs. Mary z. Lease viii probably not be
United States Senator from Kansas, but she
has accomplished one thing. and that is the
decline Of democratic senatorial talk among
peoples party members of the legislature.
Until recently it was rare thing to hear a
populist advocate the election Of any other
person than Judge John Martin OF Topeka,
They openly said that Martin made IL possible
for the peoples party to win in Kansas by
swinging the democracy to the support OF the
state ticket. Aside from this everybody could
see desire on tie part of Governor-elect Lew
cling to clear the decks Of all peoples
party candidates to make it easy for
Martin. He appointed Fred Close, a
one-arrned Union soldier, as his private secre-
tary to take him out of the fight Close was the
populist Candidate for Congress in the first dis
trict against Congressman Broderick Now there
arc two other stTaightout candidates.. s.
King. who withdrew in favor of Moore, d emo
crat for Congress in Funstons district on the
promise from democrats and popuists that he
was to be United States Senator and Judge
Frank Doster of Marion, the ablest member Of
the new party in Kansas. King will be made
supreme court commissioner by Lewelling, and
Doster will be given n similar place if he can be
thus shelved by LewelliDg. But there is an
other candidate for the Senate Chairman John
W. PRUDENTIAL OF the peoples party committee,
who has been offered the position of state bank
commissioner by the new governor, but he de-
ciined 10 be placated and insists that he is a
candidate and that no democrat can have pop
ullst support for this Office.
This change OF sentiment among some Of the
Leading populists did not manifest itself until
Mrs. Lease went over the state making speeches
declaring that the election of a democrat to the
Senate by pOpuilst votes would forever damn
the new party. She reminded them that the
peoples party was founded on n great prin-
ciple. aud that to now enter into this kind Of
n combine wonid DESTROY il and drive 40 600 of
its members back to the republican party. In
her speeches she declares that the democratic
party is the great enemy of the common people,
and that they must unite and fight it four wears
hence and drive its corrupt leaders from power.
For such sentiments Mrs. Lease has been
roupdly abused and denounced by many pop
ulist newspapers for ceiling out to the repub-
leans" She seems not to for these
cha rges aud pursues the even tenor of her way.
OF course she does not hope to be elected
Senator, but she will be here to see that no
democrat is chosen. While many populists do
not like her and would be glad TO put pad
lock on her mouth. vet they realize that if She
Is persecUted sRd charged with corruption much
more that she has from Is. OO0 to 40. 900 follow
ers behind her in Kansas that she can lead out
of the peoples party in thirty DAYS. These
people believe in Mrs Lease, and thew know
she IS consistent and is working for principle
They know. too, that the men in charge of the
pOpulist party in Kansas are old-time poll
ucians out of the old parties. and that they are
simply in il Tor the spoils in sight SO that in a
conflict with Mrs. Lease and the popuiist lead
ers the common people-the farmers on the
prairies who do the voting-would go with Mrs
Lease.
REPUBLICANS CHARGE FRAUD
Republicans continue to charge fraud upon
the pOpulists in the counties bordering on the
Indian territory. In some sections systematic
effort is being made to locate it and to give the
facts to the public. They say they can accom-
pllsh nothing now but convince the people that
the reform leaders would do anything to win a
victory. The Winfield BalIy Courier. whose
editor was a prominent candidate for Congress
has the following editorial on this
matter:
when the republican state central committee
was organized for the late campaign the chair
man assured the members that fusion fight
would have to be met and that at least GO, 900
majority would have to be overcome IL republi-
can victory should come. The result was that
the republicans oyercame $4,000 of the opposi-
ton and were defeated only 1000 votes. Fraud
ulent votes did it. With fair vote and fair
count the republicans would have had 800 ma
jority in Cowley county. Every candidate ex-
cept one on the county ticket would have re-
ceived from 800 to 500 majority.
AT least 260 fraudulent reform votes were
cast in Cowley county. The same conditions ex-
listed elsewhere along the state line in every
county. The pure men who left the corrupt
old parties resoried to the worst system OF
carrying an election that has ever disgrace,l
state. OF The legal votes in Kansas on the 3th
day of November. 1892. majority were cast
for the state ticket. yet the populists will ad-
minister affairs for The next two years.