People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1894-05-18
Purge the Partyl

n' PuioOC OhClI conventions IOI
so long time that the manipulatOrs
rnally form rings and bring the worst
elements Of the party to the front
and into office, is a fact generally
conceded by honest men. When a
party gets into such a condition and
It becomes evident that the manipu-
latorS and ringsters are in control and
that dishonest men get into office. it
sometimes becomes necessary for the
people to rise above party and by an
independent movement wrench from
the machine the offices, in order that
good government may be restricted.
Is not the Republican party of Sum-
ner county in the condition above
described and has not the time ar
rived when an independent movement
is necessary?
Although the legislature Of the
state has enacted laws which make
ample provision for parties to nomi-
nate their candidates by a direct vote
under the primary system, or by petit
tion under the Australian ballot law,
yet the Republican manipulators
have stuck to the old delegate con-
ventiOn in order to permit the ring
sterS tOrule.
Who are the Republican leaders
and convention fxerS in this county
today? At the head Of that party, as
the chairman, is man who is regard
ed by the governor Of the state from
which he came, as a fugitive from
justice, and for whom extraditiOn
papers have been issued and served in
this county, and who is only permit
ted to remain here by the technical
tiles raised before court before
whom he presented a writ Of habeas
corpus. The secretary Of the party
is known to have for years obtained
from the county money for printing
matter, for which there was no law
for, making a charge against the
ce9nll; a man who recently Offered
to Sell a part Of the public printing
to the opposition and a man who il
under a criminal charge of having Ii
belled the county commissioner, and
who can only escape conviction by
proving a Republican county commits
siOner to be an accepter of brlbeS
The late county clerk has retired
with 81 800 of the county's money il
his possession and refuses to disgOrge
but confessed his guilt by Offering t
pay $500 to compromise the suit nov
pending against him.
The Republican register of deed.
seems to think he is under no Obliga
tiOn to pay the county its dues excep
at the insistence of the sheriff armeC
with an execution. A Republican
district judge att emptS to collec
s27.77, which the auditor of state say
belongs to his predecessor, and is nov
figuring as plaintiff in the suprem
court, praying for a Judgment agains
the auditor of the state for tina
enormous sum.
So much for the past. What o
the future? That combination ha
been formed among certain Republi
cans to manipulate the next :Repub
can convention in the interest of
candidate for probate Judge, who's
peculiar habits have required tn
efforts of bodyguard to assist hin
to keep house, whose party assC
ciates, to prevent his exposure, hav
found it necessary to resort to man
devices and schemes, but to no effect
who, while chairman Of the part
during the heat Of the campaign
took refuge in an adjoining county :
enjoy cOnvivial company-there seem
to be no doubt.
The other parties to the cOmbin
are candidate for county atterney
who is notorious and whose genera
character for truth has recently bee
successfully impeached In a court q
justice, and a candidate for count
superintendent, who has no highe
idea OF political principle than t
BOLT the party on small persona
grounds, and to resort to defamin
character to crafty his persona
spleen against those who found hiI
, unfit for Office and had him removed
In addition to these there are me
who have been indicted for embezzlt
ment and only escaped prosecution b
pleading the statute Of limitatio
! and by paying the money before a
amended indictment could be fileC
: And another, who, rather than stan
a trial for attempted bribery, ha
his partner, who is alss an aspirant
ITO pay 81, IOOinto the school fund, an
Stands high in the counsels OF th
machine which seems to be in contr,
of the party. That the masses of III
voters in all parties are In the mai