St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-01-03
THE KANSAS FIGHT.
The Senatorial Fight Overshad-
ows All Questions OF Lcgis-
lation.
Power and Are Saying
Nothing.

YToPEKA, Kan, Jan. 1.-The intensity
OF the interest in the fight for senator in
Kansas has practically overshad0wed
questions of legislation. All that has
been said and written about the
coming session since election has
had reference to the selection of
Senator Perkins successor rather
than to the passage, amendment, or
repeal of laws. The Legislature does
not open. until week hence, and all
matters regarding its organization and
probable action are in chaotic state.
Both the senatorial and the legislative
questions hinge upon the organization
o the house. The Republicans have a
bare majority of one in the house, and
if they can compel the attendance of
every Republican member and keep in
line, there seems 10 be every reason to
believe that they will succeed in organ
izing the house. That done, they will
have the power, If they desire to use it,
to unSeat enough PopulstS to secure a
majority on joint ballot and to elect a
Republican successor to Senator Per
kiDs TO fill out the uneXpired term
OF the late Senator Plumb, Perkins
having been appointed to serve
only until the present session of the
legislature. On the other hand, the
P0pulists have a majority in the senate
of three, and will be unable to unseat
the entire minority of eleven members.
it necessary, to overcome on Joint ballot
the majority which the Republicans
might secure by the unseating process
in the house. The fight then would de-
generate into a question of which party
would unSeat the most members. Both
parties disclam any intention of un-
seating anybody. In that event, the
Republicans will be able to organize the
house, the Populists will have major
ity of three in the senate; and the four
Straight-out Democrats, three in the
house and one in the senate, will hold
the balance of power on joint ballot. the
parties in joint session being divided as
follows: Republicans 70: Populists 70;
Democrats 4. Up to the time that
the PopuIist leaders at their
indianapolis meeting issued the mani
festO urging all Populist legislators to
support only straight-out Populist can
didates for the senate, the chances
seemed good for fusion of P0pulSIS
and Democrats upon senatorial candi-
date, either some liberal Democrat who
had adopted the basic Popuist princi-
pies, like Judge John Martin, or some
Populist who had Democratic tenden-
cies. like Congressman-elect Harris.
The PopuliSt manifesto, however. seems
now to have precluded such POSSIBLE |
ity. The PopulistS are inclined to obey
their leaders order, and the Democrats
are perfectly willing to let them attempt
to elect with minority while they
(the Democrats) hold the balance or
power Senator Perkins is candi- |
date for reelection by the Republicans.
He has no opposition and will, without |
doubt, secure the Republican caucus
nomination. There are dozen cand-
dates who will go before the Populist |
caucus. The leaders among them now
seem to be Judge John Martin, OF To-
oral ticket between the P0pulistS and
Democrats. and Chairman Breidenthal, |
of the Populist state central committee.
Mrs. Lease is not seriously candidate.
She has signified her acceptance OF a
place on the state board of charities,
and that is regarded as diSDOSlng of her
senatorial ambition. She naiyely an
nounceS, however, that she will
resign from the board of char
tiles if she is elected to
represent her state in the
senate. Questions of legislation have
barely been thought of in the scramble
Tor senatorial h0nOIS, the only lmpOr-
tant measure that has even been men
toned as likely to engage the attention
of the legislature being the scheme of
Gov.-Eect Lewelling to create state
loan commission. the objects OF which
have been explained in these dispatches.
Another measure which has been
limited at is to give the railway commits
sion power to enforce its orders
pending appeals by the roads to the
courts. Tine latter matter, however,
has not even found a sponsor and has
assumed no definite shape.
The situation as sregards the sena-
toral fight will be further complicated
tomorrow when it becomes known that
certain coterie of Republicans favor
fusion with the Populists If such step
should become necessary to defeat any
plan having for its object the election
of Democrat. A dispatch from Wich
tia states that such proposition has
been canvasSed in the southwest and
that it has met with favor among the
Republican members of the legislature
from that section. The Wichita Eagle,
the leading Republican paper of the
southwest, favors the plan and indorseS
Gov.-elect Lewelling as the fusion can
didate. The fact that Gov. Lewelling
is a Wichita man may have something
to do with the Eagles Endorsement.