The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-08-22
PROPHETS ALL At SEA.
Kansas Politics So Badly Mixed That
None May Forecast Results.
Especial to the Chicago Times.)

Especial to the Chicago Times.)
TOPEKA, Kan, Aug. 17.-There has never
been a campaign in Kansas in which propf-
cts were so much at sea as in the one now
being waged So many disturbing elements
have entered into it, many uncertain
quantities involved that all established
bases of calculation are useless to those
who desire to take a peep into the future.
Changes of party Civilizations being made
daily and the independent voter is very
much in evidence While there are four
complete state tickets in the field, it is a
fact conceded by all that fight is be-
tween the Republicans and Populists, and
that there is no possible chance for either
the Democrats or Prohibitionsts to win.
The candidates for those parties are work.
ing only for complimentary vote and
few thousands will be sufficient to vindi-
cate the position of either of them. They
expect little and will not be disappointed
Their movements in the campaign in
teresting only IN the effect their efforts
will have upon the two leading parties 1t
goes without saying that the Democratic
state ticket is intended to be of material
assistance to the Republicans for every
cally giving half vote to the Republicans
by taking vote away from the Popu-
lists. On the other hand, the Prohibition
vote will be of direct assistance. to the
Populists. for every vote polled for the
ticket will be that many taken away from
the Republicans
Democrats a rule understand this
They realize that if they to have any
direct voice in the selection of state officers
that they must ignore their own ticket
pjr h1 oil Ia h
licans Populists They must choose be-
tween these two parties, and a large ma
jority of them will be counted with the
Populists election day. Many of the lead
erS have already declared themselves in
favor of this course, and when the conven-
ton nominated its ticket it evidently had
this idea in view, for the leaders on the
ticket-David Overmyer, candidate for gov
ernor and Joseph c. Lowe, candidate for
congressman at large-were opposed to the
fusion of two years ago and lent aid and
comfort to the Republicans by their oppo-
sition to it. Fusionists predominated in the
state convention, and among them all there
was not one who had any ambition to be
given place on the ticket When the So
called StalwartS asked for nominations they
were given them without question, as the
delegates preferred that if sacrifices were
to be made stalwarts, and not fusonists
should be the victims The ticket was not
nominated with any expecta ton of winning
or with the thought that it would command
the united party support. SO it with
this tacit understanding that the Demo-
Gratis named their candidates, expecting
that when election day rolled round they
would SO quietly to the polls and vote the
Populist ticket.
StaiNartS Desert the Republicans.
There was another reason why stalwarts
were given the leading places on the ticket
In the campaign of 1892 there were about
10000 Democrats who voted the Republican
ticket. They called Themselves stall
and would have voted for the Republicans
again this year had the Democrat tic con-
ventions Endorsed the Populists The flu
sionists. realizing this nominal ted a ticket
that would command the support of the
stalwarts and draw that many votes from
the Republicans. There is little likelihood
that the Democrats will poll to exceed 49,,
000 votes-2o,000 would be liberal estimate
and the majority of these will be those
of men who two years ago were counted on
the Republican side. So, as a matter of
fact it is altogether probable that the
Democratic ticket, instead of being an aid
to the Republicans, will, in fact be an in
jury to them.
Prohibition has for many years been a
fad in Kansas, and a Republican fad at
that. The Republicans are responsible for
all of the prohibition laws on the statute
books. and for the last 10 years have never
omitted to indorse it in their party plat
form until now BY leaving their favorite
ism" out of the platform they expected to
win votes from the ti-prohibitionists,
who call themselves resubmission Republic
They did not, however, count upon
the effect this would have upon large
class or Republicans who believe that pro-
hibition is the most important issue before
the people of Kansas. Before the conven-
ton Methodist conferences adopted reso-
lutions aimed at the Republicans, in which
it was declared that the members of the
conferences owed no allegiance to any par
~ declare uncOmOrOmiSnglV
in favor of prohibition. The state conven-
ton of the Christian Endeavorers took SIM
liar action, and since the convention many
prominent temperance Republicans have de-
clared their intention of rebuking their par
ty for it's cowardice by voting with the
ProhbtioEists. These facts have encour-
aged the Prohibitionists to believe that
they will have a larger vote this year than
ever before. Two years ago, when the Re-
publcans declared in favor of the strict
enforcement of the prohibition law, the
Prohibition party polled over 1900 votes.
This year they have reason to believe that
their candidate will receive fully 10000
votes. Should their hopes be realized, Re-
publican defeat is absolutely certain.
Popu!ists Are Thoroughly Organized.
In point of organization the Populists
have a great advantage over their rivals.
Work of organization has been kept up
constantly since the Populists came into
control of the state government, with the
result that they now nave the most perfect
and thorough political organization ever
effected in a state west of the Missouri
river by any party. Since Jan. l last
corps of clerks has been employed by the
state central committee sending out cam
paign literature and obtaining a poll of
the state to show where the most work was
necessary. Committeeman in every voting
district have been in direct communication
with the state central committee, and MOTH
ing has been left to county committees
that the state committee has not had direct
supervision of in all the details. AS all of
the preliminary work was completed before
the state convention the committee was
ready to inaugurate the campaign as soon
as the candidates were placed in nominal
ton.