The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-02-28
Daily Eagle
NJ. NJ. MURDOCH, Editor.
SOME WICHITA GENTLEMEN.

Republicans, but for reasons persona
TO themselves, rather than of principle
they are now Populists. There are an
other number of gentlemen in this cit.
who are Democrats and who wer'
never anything else. From some occul
reason, or because of a political or othe
prejudice, this Democratic supply sue
ceeds in working and controlling The
Populistic uncertainty in all local cleo
tons. This political possibility eve
realizing that this city is Republican by
a large majority and that neither Z
straight-out Democratic ticket or :
straight Populist ticket, or an open Flu
sion of the two combined could by any
chance defeat regularly nominated
Republican ticket, the devise and trick
Of a Peoples ticket" or a "Citizens
ticket is resorted to whenever the Re
publicans formally place their candi
dates before the people. These gentle
men OF uncertain politics and of ques
tionable party duration become very
anxious for the welfare of the city, and
active in their efforts, only about pri-
mary times. They talk ncn-partisan-
ship for local affairs and, adopting the
tactics of the devil, who promised Christ
the world if He would abandon His
principles, they make the point emphat-
&c that they will concede Republicans
the best and the greatest number of
places on the ticket if they will but
agree TO their patriotic program of a
non-partisan Peoples Citizens ticket
but one Gnfailing result. The self
seeking contingent do not claim a Dem
ocratic victory, Populist victory or a
Fusion victory, but they do crow them
selves hoarSe over the palpaDle fact
that they had succeeded in defeating
the Republican party. Their victory is
just as sure and the disaster to the Re-
publican party is just as great as if the
Democrats or PopulistS or both COM
bined had beaten the Republicans in a
fair fight. The foregoing statement of
facts is not magnified nor colored. They
are the whtest of cold truth.
A number of earnest and thoughtful
Republicans of this city who believe in
the principles of the party and who
have faith in the policies of the man
who will be president Of the United
States before the end of another week,
and who realize that before a Repub-
lican victory is possible again in the
state, that ward and city and township
and county organizations must be made
solid, looked the ground over for Re
publican candidate for mayor, for one
who would not only be un0bjectionable
to every element of the party but who,
In giving the city the most economical
and honest administration, would be
free from the influences Of all cliqueS
and rings. BY perfect unanimity Mr..
flnlay Ross was accepted as such man.
A petition was circulated for the pur-
pose of testing the wisdom of said judg-
ment. To the qualification of all, the
business interests of the city proved
practically unanimous in their endorse
neEt So strong and satisfactory was
the feeling in his favor, as eyinced by
the petition, that the coterie who con-
troll the gentlemen alluded to in the
first paragraph of this article, immedi-
Rtely sent word that they would refrain
from making any nomination and give
Mr.. Ross their united support and vote
If he would refuse to run as a Republi-
can or otherwise run as a non-partisan
on a Peoples or Citizens ticket.
When asked if they would not support
him as a Republican, which he is. the
emphatic reply was NO" That NO"
told the whole tale. 1t is not the man
that they so desire and want, but the
defeat of the Republican party. A
number of these pure. unseltiSh, non
partisan patriots attended and took part
In the so-called citizens caucus report
ed IN these columns yesterday morning.
Some of these same gentlemen who
were so anxious TO vote for Mr.. Ross as
a non-partisan candidate have expend-
ed themselves in a ten days endeavor
to get UP fractional Republican divis-
ION, through the membership of a Sc
cret order.
OF course Finlay Ross is a Republi-
can, but he is a level headed business
man also, big tax payer. with the best
Interests of his home city at heart,
man to whom no strings or wires are
attached. and who, as mayor. would be
for the cutting off of expensive burdens
and the enforcement Of the greatest
economy. and the Republicans as
party not only desire him as n candi-
date but every important interest of the
city has asked him to accept the mayor
ship; so if. by the Vaccinations Of the
Fusion clique or by the fights of a fac
ton, secret or otherwise. he is defeated
Of nomination, the Republican party
of this city will not only go down in an
objectionable defeat, but the said fac
tons, their aiderS and abettorS. will be
ground to dust in an open war which
will be made upon them, n war in
which no quarter will be asked or
given.
DICK BLUES VICTORY