The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-02-18


Delegates Will be a Victory for Reed
News of the Territory.
Guthrie, o. T, Feb. 17.-(SpeciaL)-
| Oklahoma is getting in a big contro-
Versy over the presidential candidates
The fact is that Oklahoma had been set
| aside by the powers that be for Thomas
! Bracket Reed. Reed has done Oklaho-
ma many favors through its delegate
Dennis Flynn. Flynn is on more com
mittees than any other territorial dele
/ gate in the house. Reed has also ac-
/ lively assisted Flynn in the Home bill
matter. And Reed also has given it out
/ that he is not in favor Of making Ari-
! iona and New Mexico states. At the
same time he has been silent in regard
to Oklahoma which silence is under
stood TO mean that he is in favor OF
statehood for Oklahoma.
In view of all these favors the Re-
publican politicians in Oklahoma, that
IS the politicians who have been in con-
troll, are for Reed. The Republicans OF
the territory generally have caught the
Mckinley fever bad just as the Republi-
cans or Kansas have il, and realizing
| this the politicians who have not been
| in control and who are against Dennis
Flynn have jumped on top the Nc
kinley wave of prosperity and riding
it CALAMITY.
An early convention TO select dele
gates at large whl mean Reed delegates.
! II, however, the convention is set late
Reeds chances will be weakened con-
siderably in favor Of Mckinley. This
is the view of it taken here. The date
| and place Of this convention will be
fixed one day this week at the Kerfoot
hotel in FL Reno. The discussion as to
the relative merits of Reed and McKin-
ley is no where livelier than it is here
in Oklahoma today.
WAR OF POLITICIANS.
CARRIER, o. T., Feb. Ito the editor
OF the Eagle: A growing controversy
is now being waged through the press
as to who this territory should support
at the next national Republican con-
Vention at st. Louis. Reed and McKin-
ley factions are secretly at work max
ing an active canvas for their respective
candidates. 1t is simply a war of poll
ucians; their methods, claims and as
sumpuons would eliminate, preclude
and disenfrapchiSe any voice or vote
from the rural districts. The opinion or
preference of the farmer is considered
into considera ton. Possibly he may
have been thinking upon this subject.
Knowing the Eagles disposition TO
treat all questions freely and fairly;
to publish both sides of adiscussion of
Of public questions and that the views
of a farmer, however humble they may
be, are Just as welcome TO your col
umns as those of the professions, l here
with present a few Of the qualifications
and claims of a western man for presi-
dent Of the United States.
In the early days of the Republican
party when it took a rail-splitter out of
the timber of the western state of Ill
inofs and nominated him for president
it was considered suicidal politics by the
politicians, but a mighty good job by
the laboring masses of the American
people. Abraham Lincoln was a pro-
duct Of toll and the soil of a western
state; his sympathies and interests,
born of western circumstances and eX-
perience, were with the common people
and his common-sense craftsmanship,
broad and patriotic enough to preserve
the union. No one regrets the action
Of the Republican party then, in select
ing him TO represent its central idea
and the purpose for which it was or
ganiZed-the elevation and promotion
honor now. Is it not about time to have
another western man elevated to that
position? Is there not some truth in
the allegation that the tendency Of con-
troll of party organization and hence
national affairs, has been steadily grow
ing in the east and declining In the
west? The great agricultural section
of country lying west of the MissisS-
ippi river has never in all the history
of the party been honored with a pres
idential nomination. If the east Is sin
Cere in its cry 1--WE want no sectional
ism," why does it demand all the presi-
dents. 1t may be alleged that doubtful
and pivotal states essential to the cleo
ton needed the influences of local can
didates. That is not valid reason now
and for sundry reasons is not being
made use of. We are told by those same
parties in a hroad-minded spirit. that
location should not enter into the mer-
its of a nomination. Oh. no, We must
be as broad as the country and of course
as a consequence support this eastern
friend. The doubtful and pivotal states
in the next campaign will not lie in
the east but in the west and will be
closely contested by the free silver nom
descriptS. Give us a western man to
offset this new and undetermined west
ern FORCE ana the nomination or
western man by the Democratic party.
Give us the slogan, "A western man for
and We'll vouch for every
western state. TIE people of Oklahoma
are deeply interested in two local ques-
tons, namely: free homes and state
hood. Where is our support coming
from 10 secure the necessary legislation
those two propositions? Be
careful now; a. little side decker with
Reed is not such an explanation as the
question demands and which the peO-
pie Of this territory viii demand. Do
we not rely upon our western men who
were at one time Interested in the same
question? Do we not depend absolute
" upon western men for free homes ,
Could we possibly hope under any cir
10 secure such legislation
if unajded. unendorsed. unsanctioned
by the broad and sympathetic men who
the agricultural states in the
great and growing west? Would il not
be poor politics. base ingratitude, cow
ardly presumption and treacheTy 10 de-
Sert and refuse 10 support one OF our
own men and so 10 the remote east
for a candidate when We have one in
1880