The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-08-16
CUCKOOS OF KANSAS.
The Democratic Office Holders
Want No Convention.
NOT MANY OTHER DEMOCRATS

In Kansas Except POstmasters-W. P.
TOmIInsOn Giving the Leaders An
uOyance by His Demands for a Con-
ventiOn.
There is little prospect of a Demo
cratic state convention in Kansas this
year. The same influences in The Dem
ocratic state central committee that pre-
vented the adoption of free coinage of
silver pronunciamento at the June meet
ing will, for the same reason, be set at
work to prevent the calling of a state
convention.
The Democratic state central commit
tee in Kansas is dominated and controlled
absolutely by the federal Office holders
and the Office holders are in turn con-
trOlled by the powers in Washington. It
is pretty well understood in the national
capital that whenever a Democratic state
| convention, representative in character
meets in Kansas that sound money theo-
ries of President Cleveland and his cab
met will be controverted and an out and
out free coinage plank adopted in spite
of all that the postmasters can do to pre-
vent it
When it is known that a large major
ity of the Kansas Democratic state cen
trail committee are holding government
/ positions, it will be seen how impossible
it will be to have call for Democratic
| state convention issued in the regular
way. Ex-Governor Click, who, aIthoug h
! pension agent, still persists in the advo-
! cacy of the free coinage of silver, does
not favor convention, and to discourage
calling one without taking direct issue
with the free silver men in the party
/ who have not been blessed with an APP
! pOintment, has signed peu
! Il
NJ artin as non-pArtisan candi-
date for chief justice. This action on his
part is pracucal declaration against a
! convention.
; HIS son -in-Iaw, Jim Orr, is not as dis
Greet as the ex-governor. He makes no
professions to being near to the people,
and is out and out advocate of the
directed toward preventing a conven-
ton.
Chairman Richardson, when he left
Kansas for Washington in search of a
good position was in doubt as to his posi-
ton on the silver question. If he gets a
good place, which now seems probable,
! he will be against a convention, but if he
is disappointed he will come home as
soon possible. call the state central
| committee together and use his influence
| for convention.
CulOELUudL0ly tu0 CAUSE Oh SIlN0T
in the Kansas Democracy, such men as
David Overmyer and Joseph G. Lowe
while the recognized leaders of the par
ty among the people, have no voice in
the state central committee, Their
wishes were entirely ignored when the
committee was in session last and an adj
journment was forced on a technicallity
without giving them an opportunity tc
! be heard.
The Fifth district members of the state
central committee are fairly representa-
tive of the whole committee. They are
just now defendants in law suits brought
by office seekers, who had paid then
their claims for appointment, K
recover the amounts paid in to the Of
fee seekers fund. W. II. L. Pepperill
who is at the head of the Fifth distric
committee, is also secretary of the state
central committee, and he is officially
opposed to a state convention.
w. P. Tomlinson editor of the Topeka
Democrat, insists that a Democratic
state convention be held but hi
demands have no influence witt
the men who are in control O
the Democratic machine. He is 80 earn
est, however, in his desire to have state
convention that it is not unlikely that be
will attempt to force one independent Of
the committee. If his movement in this
direction should be seconded by the fret
silver leaders outside of the committee
it would prove formidable, and might
result in another split in the already
badly demoralized forces of Kansas De
mOcracY.