Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-19
A COMPLICATED FIGHT
Party Lines to Be Loosely Drawn in
Kansas.
All Parties Except the PROFIT bitionists
VIII Lose Votes for Varying .
Reasons-The Issues.


Special Correspondents Of The Evening star
TOPEKA. Kan. June IL. 1894.
The campaign In Kansas this year will be
the most complicated in the history Of the
state. While the republicans and populists
are the two strong contending forces, there
are two other elements that will prove to
be potent factors In determining the result
In November. For the first time in twelve
years the republican party turned it's back
on the question Of prohibition. In every
platform Of the party since the prohibitory
amendment was adopted in 1880 a ringing
resolution pledging the candidates to a
strict enforcement Of the prohibitory liquor
law was made part Of the state platform
until this year. When the delegates to the
recent convention met they declared that
fused to again indorse what they claimed
was part of the state constitution.
Having decided to let prohibition take care
OF itself. there was a determination not to
get tangled up In the meshes of the woman
suffrage question. The voters Of Kansas
are to decide at the November election
whether the word male" shall be stricken
from the constitution as describing the
qualifications Of an elector. The advocates
OF this measure were here In great numbers,
urging the republican convention to insert
a. plank In the platform favoring the adop-
ton OF the amendment Miss Susan r An
thony Of New York. Miss Anna B. shaw and
Mrs. Carrie Lane Chapman-Catt, with local
leaders, swarmed about the convention hall
and pleaded for suffrage Endorsement.
THESE women appeared before the platform
COMMITTEES and begged for a plank. They
nnally threatened the party with defeat de-
caring that the coming populist state con-
vention would take advantage of the stu
aeion ana grant this request to the women
PATTY In the pending campaign and their
support In future elections when they shall
nave the ballot. These appeals and threats
.,o mo, move the republicans-they decided
rear. 1880 " ,"e
The Women Won the Day,
one week later when the populists met In
state convention the same enthustas site sd-
Vocates were here to demand recognition
Ior their pet hobby. 1t is safe to say thar
three-hfths Of the delegates were opposed To
.he Endorsement of woman suffrage when
.ney arrived In Topeka. Gov. Lewelling
q unit against a suffrage plank ava ths
LuI Iorce ana power of the administra tion
M Mas USED against II, but without avail
an ne nsht lasted two days. and the women
victory ever achieved in Kansas. They nnt
IN oay and night with the platform com
Huttee' which was packed against ther,
anu LOST. linen they went before the con-
q listing
3ority. ma
since the enactment Of the prohib,torv
liquor law the democrats of Kansas have
ueen opposed TO this system of controlling
the liquor traffic. In their campaigns nrior
10 tne populist movement the party poIled
an average Of 10000 votes IN the state
t hne Datue cry which was certain to unite
.ns democrats and the foreign voters was
declaration In the platform for a resnh.
mission OF the prohibitory amendment to a
vote or the people. That party is a. an
"a tasonlsuc 10 woman suffrage az 1t has been
70 promotion. This fact explains the ac
ferred to.
Mixed Motives Of the Partfes.
Inc republicans did not ignore the suf-
frage question with the hope Of getting
democratic support. They desired to hold
S"Uo republicans. who have heretofore
voted the democratic ticket because ~ th.
CONTINUOUS Enforcement of prohibition In
the platforms. The populists know fbev
cannot win unless they get the dernocrat,c
vote, as they did two years ago. hence the
determined effort of the leaders 70 prevents
az s duop,lon or suffrage plank. which is
~ Is believed that the refusal Of the 70
puoicans to incorporate in their platform,
won suffrage and prohibition planks will
~,ysn '1 re party SUo votes. which will be
gwen 70 the prohibition party. As an or
set to this loss the adoption Of the woman
suffrage resolution by the populist conven-
uon mas alenated the democratic vote ana
i ina. party VIII meet in state convention on
July 3 and nominate a full state ticket
This convention will declare against female
suffrage and for the resubmission OF the
pronioitory amendment. while ex-Gov. ST
John VIII stump the state and tell the peo
pie that the prohibition party Is the only
one that stands for the home ana against
the saloon. These conditions make n i'm
possible for any one to foretell the result IN