Kansas City daily journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1892-1897, 1896-08-09
LON STEPHENS NOMINATION,
now AZ iNsiI>iFirANr POLITICIAN
GAINED DISTINCTION.


jefferson city. Mo. Aug. s-tspeclal)
NOW that the Jefferson City Democratic
convention rs over &; is only right that
SONS few things should be said concerning
the manner IN which the nomination Of
Bonnie Louulr was brought about. well
as % few features Of that frost-llkc gather
Ing.
Hardly had William Joel stone. he of
the gum sho,s. taken the executive seat
four yours ago than he was pleased to oc-
caa.ouIily receive calls from the state
trrasuror. Lon V. stephens, whose oillrc
is at the other end OF the corridor. The
governor was pleased. Tor before many
weeks had gone by he Understood that the
Laos -likc treasurer was ambitious TO SIT
In the guhcrnatorial chair.
True. Stone realized that Lonnc was un-
fortunate In being shy In almost every
particular qualification that goes to make
up strong candidate for the head of the
ticket. II is also true that william joel
saw before him man whom he thought
would be satisfied with the name OF gov
ornor. while he tStone) would in reality
eoutinu, in power for another term.
As II consequence. Lonnie was authorized
to 20 ahead In his campaign i"f the nom
iulaon for governor and the great hlsh
mugky- muck of the Missouri STATE G.- g.
mocrdcy would see that tn. goods were ue-
llvercd when the time came Afouhd ioF Tue
nomination 10 be mace.
10 the average person 1T may, he hard
to comprehend how one man could calmly
sit In Ills office and Euafantce 70 another
the nomination for governor without tou-
sultinE the people of the state. rms ls
easily explained when II IS realized thnt
probably never before in the history ol
any party has there been II boss 50 pew
orful IN his own party MS the present EcN-
crnor Of the state of Missouri. TRUE, Lon.
n.e did li',ls somethinE to 'riEf TIRE asSNt aSys
him an opportunity to subscribe for num-
drcds Of country uapets all over the state
of a literary turn of mind. ana gronnd out
column after column Of the most eN-
trdoriinary' articles on finance. Incfe
Is no proof that these articles We're written
Tor him. although Henry l.. Gray, an an;
roiut.e Of his. occasionally writes Wen
and IL well posted on the silver question.
l1erc were two points as a starter Tor
the stephens boom-Stone's influence and
thn friendship of the country press. IN
order TO make matters doubly sure. me
railroad influence was sought. II might
seeks and finds,
There are few people in the state. and
especially those who have watched the
political situation. who have not heard
ot one "Bill" Phelps. For years he has
attended the meetings of the state legis-
lnturc-not hs a member, but as an inter
oblcct-to see that no fellow servant law
IL enacted. In this he has never had Il
failure, although at the last session the
Republican house passed II bill which
ate committee box
After the regular session had adjourned
and its members had gone home and
PLolps was having tho satisfaction Of an
other victorious winter the great lobbyist
was stnr:lcd ono day to hear that the
governor had called a special session 10
oraot a fellow servant law, as well ns an
election law for Kansas city and 81. Louis.