The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-02-28

| They Don't Like the Idea of Small Body
of Men Getting Together in Such Sur
1 reptitious Manner and Making Out q
Ticket for Them to Either Accept or &C
I Without-Some Object to the Ticket,
Others do Not. and Still Others Laugh
and Say Nothins-Result May be spii,
| in the Ranks of the Populists.
In yesterday mornings Eagle an ac-
count was TO be found of a meeting of
citizens irrespective OF politics, the night
before, who made out g. complete city
ticket and appointed a committee to
work for it among the voters of the diff
ferent wards. The entire affair was cut
out before the meeting was assembled,
and was sailed down during the meeting.
| BY noon the brine had begun to rise, and
Il had very heavy scum upon it. too.
Wherever two or three Populists were
found together they were found to be de-
nouncing the action Of the party leaders
! in not giving them credit for having
| sense enough to attend TO their own polit-
| ical affairs without any dictation from
the men who already hold office and from
| those who don't but want to pretty bad
~.
Several well known Populists were gath
cred n Judgei Brubaker's Office. Upon
entering the office they all looked around
in an absent minded manner and when
asked their opinion about the state of
affairs they looked at each other and
In. lint
that it was all right, they guessed. They
said it in about half or three-eighths
hearted manner which indicated several
things. One OK these was Are we on
this side of the river or on the other
side? If on the other side, which one?"
or in other words, Where are we att"
Lew Butterfeld was seen and asked
his opinion. He laughed a low chuckle,
knocked the ashes off his cigar and said
that he hardly liked to be quoted, but
said:
81 don't like It. may be killing myself
politically by making an objection to the
action Of these fellows, but guess am
dead already, and don't care. l don't be-
lieve in any clique of men going off by
themselves and making up a ticket TO
suit themselves and then handing it out
to the peop.e to either accept or go with
out any, and the people whom these fell
lows claim TO represent will endure no
such foolishness. While / have nothing
to say against any of the men named on
the ticket, do object to the manner of
naming them, and 1 think every Popu-
list in the city will condemn their ac-
ton
Charlie Smythe was seen at his Office.
When questioned concerning his views on
the subject he said: "Well, we will wait
and see.' He would say nothing further
on the subject, but his general air indi-
caed that he was willing enough, if the
thing was likely to be a winner; if not,
he would not care to fight-either make
something or lose nothing, so to speak.
Upon the street corners, in the offices
and stores those who had nothing else to
do were discussing the situation, and
mildly cussing little when they thought
no one was listening Some of the police
officers were ready to express their de-
nunciation of the manner of shelving
everybody else save the favored few, but
did not desire to be quoted as it might
affect their jobs.
Mr.. Parkhurst Of the West Side was
seen and he quickly spoke his mind on
the subject. II don't think il is at all
fair said he. '.These men gathered to-
gether in such manner had no authori-
ty from the party whatever. Their &C
ton cannot be laid upon the Populist par
ty, for they received no authority from
it to take any such action. 1 would like
to see a citizens ticket nominated ire
spective of politics which would have for
its issue the purchase Of the waterworks.
People think that the purchase of the
plant means an additional heavy expense
but the city is now paying $4,000 year
for water privilege. besides other ex-
penses.'
He then went on about the waterworks |
project but ended by again denouncing |
the action of the men who thus tried 20 |
pocket all authority. He had nothing TO
say against the men named, however. |
The party leaders and other men who |
were present at the meeting when seen |
had nothing to say. Some of them |
laughed, as though they enjoyed the |
joke: others were disinclined to show any |
opinion of any kind. Those who were !
instigators Of the move undoubtedly |
planned it al out before. 1t was known |
before the meeting who was to be chosen
for mayor, and it is almost a certainty |
that they were all named before they
came together.
The circus has begun and the perform
ers are in the dressing tent disrobing for
the contest. II is hard to say who is the
ringmaster or the referee, but at present
i looks as though the party leaders were
all punched together around the pie coun
ter with the cook almost smothered in the
middle, while the party voters are in an
1ther and much larger bunch throwing
orickbats. opprobrious epithets. hot shot
md other things in their direction. while
he hand plays on and the audience ap-
1lauds the show vociferously.
CITY IN BRIEF.