The Topeka state journal., 1897-11-10
NOT AN EASY THING
For the POpulists to Garry the
State Next Year.
Some Very Clever "Dividing"
Will Be Necessary.
Republican State Central Committee
Also Needs to Change Its Plan of
Action if Success is Desired.

The Kansas campaign for 1898 may
be considered open now. 1t will be the
greatest struggle for control of thestate
government ever witnesses and the
fact that the two contending parties
the Republican and allied forces-are
so nearly evenly divided, invests the
contest with special interest. In fact,
there are many conservative men in
both parties who regard the reelection
of the officers composing the state ad-
ministratiOn as practically impossible.
They point to the record since 1890,
when Humphrey was reelected. In
1892 Lewelling defeated Smith Two
years later Morrill, defeated Lewelling.
Last year Leedy defeated Morrill, 1t
happens that in presidential years it
is not difficult for all the elements op-
posed to the Republican party to come
together in a solid fusion, and twice it
has been demonstrated that when this
happens the anti-Republican element
was able to carry the state.
Speaking of this matter today, a con-
serVatiVe POpuliSt who is one of Gov
ernor Leedy's close friends said: THE
question now is, can Governor Leedy
and his party break the record and
bring out such com mbinatiOn of anti
republican voters in next years cam
paign that will carry the state? 1t is
plainly evident to my mind that to de-
feat the Republican party next year
we have got to satisfy the Democrats
and Free Silver Republicans. This
can't be done by the Populists hogging
everything in sight. 1 don't think the
Democrats will care for a place on the
state ticket, but I do think that they
are entitled to the congressional nOmi-
nations in several districts. and I don't
refer to the first district either. That
district is Republican by four or five
thousand. If a sacrifice has to be
made there, let a Populist make it, and
give Democrats a chance in districts
where there is a fighting show to win.
L would be equally interested in ex-
tending the right hand of fellowship
-I,Ts
know what they will want in the way
of recognition. but whatever it is it
will be reasonable. These men left the
Republican party because they would
not surrender a conviction installed in
them by every Republican congression-
al and state platform adopted in Kan
sas since 1888 They Joined forces in
the last campaign with the Democrats
and POpulists and assisted in admins
tering to the Republican party the
worst defeat it has sustained since
Kansas was admitted to the union. The
recent election in the Fifth judicial dis
trict is a lesson worth needing. In the
future when the opponents Of the Re
publican party come together in the 1O5
counties in Kansas to make up county
and legislative tickets, fair dealing
should prevail giving recognition not
only to POpuliSts, but to Democrats
and Free Silver Republicans as we'll"
The men who are in charge of the
Republican machinery of the state are
nOt over confident of victory next year
| This is demonstrated by the call issued
by Chairman Jim Simpson of the Re
publican committee, or rather the ''ex-
ecutiVe" end of it, to decide upon open
ing headquarters here for the winter
Evidently Mr. Simpson and his little
| crowd of executive committeeman are
/ not certain of their ground. and desire
| to stem the rising tide against bossism
| in this state. A prominent Republican
! state senator who came to Topeka yes
| terday, While he refused TO have his
name used. spoke his mind freely of
! the little charmed circle which cOmpOs-
/ es the Republican state executive com
mittee. He said:
4 see Jim Simpson has called the
| faithful together to look wise, and fix
] things for next year. I suppose all of
| Leland's henchmen will be on hand.
! There is Lit Crum, Leland's right-hand
| bower. He is a member of the exec
utive committee, and it was his duty to
| chaperon Abe Steinberger around over
the state last fall in the Watson cam
! paign. Mark Hanna is supposed to
| have put up money for this side show,
| and it is alleged that Steinberger
/ kicked because he had to divide with
Lit. Otherwise. Steinberger is reported
| to have said. he would have made a
good thing out of it
| Others of the executive board
! which is now in control of the Repub-
/ lican party in Kansas. are Mort AL
| baugh, Frank Brown, JObeS and Boss
Leland These assumed leaders ap-
point themselves to decide all about the
matter of opening headquarters. The
committee as whole, you VIII observe,
| has no voice in the thing.
There are thirty-five members of
| the Republican state committee but
| they have never assembled since the
/ last state convention was held. Why
! should not the full committee be per
mitted to come to Topeka and partici-
pate in the councils of the party? Why
should four or five men who have 50
manipulated the machinery of the par
| ty as to turn the state over to the Pop
ulists, be permitted to hold locked
door conferences. map out policies
name candidates and hold their places
on the committee. and thus bring over
Whelming defeat again to the party?
Il believe it is the duty of the entire
| Republican committee of the state to
meet at Topeka and administer a re-
buke to the self appointed executive
board which has brought so much re-