The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-05-13
'BREIDENTHAL'S PLANS.
The POpuIist Leader Breaks His
Customary Silence.
To Inform the Public Through
The journal
On the Probable Action Of His Party
In Kansas This Xear-Jerry
Simpson Slated for Con-
gresham at Large.

/ days in the bank commissioner de-
partment the Office being moved back
+ to the state house.
Books. piles of papers, and docu-
ments galore were stacked high around
the room and upon the floor. and sur
rounded by all these. John w Breid-
enthaI talked politics with a State
Journal reporter. The chairman Of the
POpulist state central committee dwelt
at length upon all phases Of national,
state, congressional and even local pol
itics.
without doubt. John Prudential is
the brains of the POpulist party OF
Kansas. He is the leader Of the lead
ers and the boss OF the bosses NOLnlng
within the party is done without mis-
sanction and he is careful in the small
est details of his work
There is no question that it is Breid-
enthal's desire to have Ex-Governor
LeWelling the candidate of his party
for congressman in the Seventh dis
trict and Jerry Simpson as the nominee
for congress mani t-large. This is the
idea that has been under process of
formation for sometime and it is about
to be put into operation II Lewelling
Will consent
Speaking of the gubernatorial nomi-
nation on the POpulst ticket, chair
man Breidenthal said
III consider that ex-COngressman
Harris has the only chance for the
nomination for governor. The people
are with him and so are the leaders.
The nomination viii be practically UNI
animOus. Take it in the Sixth district,
for instance. There is only one county
which in my opinion viii send to the
Abilene convention delegation Op-
posed to Harris This is Smith cOun-
~, where Scott Rice is the POpuhst
leader. Rice was connected with the
Lewelling administration. is now the
county attorney of Smith county. and
is very friendly toward Leweiling.
Smith viii therefore probably send
delegation favoring the denomination
Of the ex-governor
There is stim some talk of yourself
in connection with the nomination, Mr.
Breidenthal' said the reporter.
Yes, 4 know there is replied the
bank commissioner, laughingly- 'It
seems as though I cannot shut of my
enthusiastic friends. Why. out in Lin
coin county. they insist upon sending
a delegation to the Abilene convention
for my nomination. in spite of my in
sistance that will never become
candidate"
Are there no contingencies which
may arise, which may prevail upon
you to accept the nomination."
NO do not want even my name
considered have labOred to stop
even the mention of my name in con-
nection with Ii. IF the Lincoln or any
other delegation comes to Abilene for
me, VIII refuse TO have them vote for
nae"
But you viii still be state chair
again, but now as matters stand, I
would not be surprised if were re-
elected. If there is the least OppOSi-
ton manifested to me. however. i shall
absolutely refuse to be chairman. You
know our conventions. and not our
committee and candidates. select the
CHAIRMAN BY the way L inaugurated
that plan in 1892 and think it good
one. LeWelling and others do not seem
to think the idea Of the convention
choosing the chairman a fair one, or a
1T seems be me that it is the best way
and ais we are a party Of the people. the 4
people ought to have something to say
about the matter.
You are for Jerry Simpson for con
gressman-at-large, are you not?" asked
the reporter.
Yes, because Simpson is a good cam
paigner and a strong man. We need
jerry more over the state than just
merely i'm the Seventh district where
every body knows him. anyway. am
in favor of his nomination for con-
gressman-at-large
Did you know that we have three /
conventions at Colby. Thomas county. /
this month which come consecutively2
There is the Thirty-ninth senatorial T
convention on the 26th; the congress 1
ional convention on the 9th and the APP
pellate convention for the western di- /
vision. northern department. on the I
-oAAs A4AEg WA44 NC 6Cg4 G0tAh E4ll4QLl=s
too, well attended and fun Of enthus- /
iasm."
Speaking of national politics. Chair I
man Brefdenthal said that the coming /
St. Louis convention would be the larg- /
est of the year in point of number of I
delegates. There are to be 1888 in all. /
and of this number. North Carolina has /
the largest delegation with So delegates; I
Texas has "a and Kansas 90.
AS to candidates, the chairman said. !
sIf the national Democratic party T
convention at Chicago dominates a sin I
gle gold standard candidate for presi- I
dent, the oliver delegates to that con /
vention viii bolt, but VIII not make a
nomination. In my opinion, they will +
adjourn to st. Louis and there agree 1
with our convention and the national +
silver convention upon one man. which /
viii practically be a fusion Of all the +
silver forces in the country If the Re 7
publicans in their national convention /
who are opposed to the gold standard +
viii secede. which 4 doubt, they are t
free to join US also.
who. in your opinion viii be the /
Populist nominee-Judge Caldwen2"
Under certain conditions. judge !
Caldwell viii be a strong candidate and +
may be nominated If he should secure T
the Arkansas and Texas delega tions. he +
win be in the convention and viii prob !
ably be nominated Senator Allen Of +
Nebraska would be an available man +
and the best one we could get. but he +
absolutely refuses the nomination OF T
even the consideration of his name.
How about Pitchfork Ben Tillman2'' +
"EIe would never do. LeweIling was I
favorable to him for awhile and so were /
a number Of prominent Kansas Popu- t
lists. but he abuses the party SO much {
and has done SO, so recently that I
guess Populists have ceased talking Of /
him"
Are you a candidate for national +