The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-06-30
KAN. DEMOCRATS FOR BLAND
j. G. Johnson National Democratic
Committeeman. is in Topeka.

Committeeman, is in Topeka
J. c.. Johnson of Peabody, delegate to
the national Democratic convention,
and the successor of Gen. c. w Blair
as Democratic national committeeman
from Kansas, is in the city to finally
complete arrangements for the trans
portatiOn of the Kansas delegation and
its friends to the chicago convention
The delegation viii so via the Santa Fe
in two special trains. leaving Kansas
City next Saturday evening, July f.
He thinks fully five hundred viii go
Speaking of the approaching national
convention, Mr.. Johnson said.
THE Kansas delegation viii be in
line with the majority of the cOnVen-
ton on the matter of a platform, the
entire delegation being free silver men.
AS to candidates there is quite q diff
ference Of opinion The majority, pro
badly, is for Mr.. Bland but number
are warm supporters of Governor BOies
and a few favor Mr.. Bryan AS the
unit rule viii be in force Mr.. Bland
VIII only have to hold his present ad-
vantage to secure the entire vote of the
delegation.
MY judgment is that with either of
the three candidates mentioned, the en-
tire silver vote of the country could be
concentrated in November in opposi-
ton to Mckinley and Hobart, and the
candidate who can concentrate that
vote will win.
Il have lived nearly 20 years in Kan
sas, and have never, in that time seen
such apathy among Republicans con
I
thusiasnn, no ratifcations, nothing but
| Ominous silence. Kansans, aside from
politics are not favorable to corpora
l tons, and While they admire Major Nc
| Kinley they are not favOrab1y impress
! ed with the man to whom he seems to
/ have committed his interests. They al
/ so hear that Mr.. Hobart is a director in
/ six national banks, three railroad com
/ panies and more than SO other corpora
/ lions, and the impression is growing
that man who seems to be 50 useful
I
Of man kansans wish to vote for.
But the gold standard resolution in
| the St.LOuis platform is where the shoe
pinches. Mr.. Little of Abilene says that
! he can't support the ticket because
our people have been selling wheat the
! past few years for 80 cents per buShel
to sustain the gold standard, and are
tired Of it, and that sentiment finds an
/ echo in the heart of many a Kansas
| Republican farmer. No one doubts
/ that the people of Kansas, Democrats,
! Populists, Republicans and Prohibition
1 lists, are overwhelmingly in favor of
/ free silver. by reason Of this well
/ known fact I notice that in all the es-
/ Inmates made by the Republican man
ayers on the result of the presidential
/ election Kansas is classed as a doubt
/ full state. but it would seem as though
/ the doubt ought easily to be resolved
/ against the gOldbugS if the free silver
! sentiment can find expression through
/ common candidates
The studied effort to sidetrack the
! money question Dy making pT0LeCTlOn
/ the Republican rallying cry win not
| succeed in this state 1t is well known
/ that the silver senators viii be able to
/ control national legislation during the
next six years at least, and it is ap-
/ parent to every intelligent 4nan that
! this silver majority in the senate is de-
| termined to have the silver question
! settled right before allowing any fur
| Their legislation on the tariff question
! Hence the futility of other issues in
! the present campaign.
i believe that Governor Morrill, will
! be renominated, and as Mr.. Leland
argues will be defeated; certainly so if
/ the opposition can unite on an accepta-
/ Bile candidate If the prospects were
| for Republican success I should be glad
4 to see my townsman AIr. Potter nomi-
/ mated for governor. He would be an
! ideal candidate and if elected a thor
! oughly efficient executive but all Re
/ publican candidates this year must en-
/ dOrse or repudiate the Mckinley ticket
and its gold plank The candidate who
/ can't endorse it would better not run.
/ and the one who does Will be buried as
/ deep as the national ticket"