Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-07-10
SHOULD LEWELLING BE NOMINATED

SHOULD LEW ELLlNG BE NOMlNAIED!
f. Scott Lantern. Julys.
The Ottawa Journal, for the past three OF
four months, has been pounding away at Breid-
enthal because he refuses to march to the edit
tors music, and with unrelenting persistency
urges the nomination of Ex-Governor Lewelllng
for governor of Kansas.
We have no criticism to make upon Costigan,
of the Journal, for advocating the nomination
of his friend Lewelling, if he really thinks
Lewelling would make the best race. He has
right to his opinions in the matter, and it IS
his duty to express them honestly and fairly, to
the end that the party and people may have the
benefit of his best thoughts and Judgment, but
he should accord to other members OF the party
the same privileges he asks for himself without
abusing, yillifying and denouncing them for so
doing
The reform papers have had little or nothing
TO saw as to the nomination of candidates dur
ing all this time but since the Daily Beacon,
Democratic organ of Wichita that supported
Overmyer in the campaign of 1894, has opened
up for Lewelling, and now the Kansas City
Times, the meanest gold-bug sheet in Kansas
CITY, comes out on its first page, in big letters,
supporting Lewelling, and other Republican
ORGANS that have for years thrown mud at us,
have nice things to say of Lewelling, and sug-
pest that he would make strong Populist can
didate, we begin to grow suspicious and inquire
what all this means.
We have figured it out that the Republican
bosses are trying to get into our convention
and nominate the weakest candidate we have
in the party to the end that the gold-standard
crowd may have an inning. Therefore, we
deem it necessary for reform papers to speak
out earnestly upon this matter, that members of
the party may not be led astray by over-zealous
friends of the Ex-Governor and the ever present
enemies of the party, and be made to do an act
that would be an everlasting detriment to the
party and the cause in Kansas.
Let us submit few facts and figures for the
candid perusal of the members of the party.
In 1894, Lewelling, after serving two years
as governor, was renonominated by the Peoples
party against Major Morrill, for governor, against
the better Judgment of many of the staunch
leaders of the party, but all acquiesced, and
the fight went on-and what was the result?
With all the power of party patronage and
spoils at his back; with all the active support
OF the Democrats and their friends to whom he
had catered and appointed to office, with Goff's
Advance, Gov. Morril's home paper, the Leav-
enworth Times, one of the ablest and most in
Auental Republican papers IN the state, and
several other Republican papers, fighting Nor
r;I1 RI a finish: with all the active support of
the Ropust pape4s OF the state, persistently
and viciously attacking Morrill's Infamous rec
ord on silver in congress and out of congress,
and constantly showing up his land swindlng,
his cut-throat money-lending, his usury-taking
and his all-round cussedness, Leweling was
beaten by Morrill, by the enormous number of
3o,36s votes, out of total vote of the state of
100000.