The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-06-16
The Coming League Meeting

NV oS CCoSuO "OOh"'S'
The Topeka correspondent of the Kansas
City Times has been able to smell out
trouble at what is usually function un-
productive OF fun or fght-the coming Re
publican League meeting in Topeka. The
correspondent says:
The eyes Of every Republican politician
in Kansas are focused on Topeka this week
There will be, great deal Of medicine
made here before next Sunday. 1t is pos
sible that some stars will set and others
VIII rise In the political armament. The
annual meeting of the State Republican
League will take place Thursday, and that
which was first intended TO be love feas;
may prove 10 be battle royal in which the
exalted may be humbled and the humble
exalted. Cyrus Leland OF Troy is now too
exalted in the minds OF great many Re
publicans of the Tom Anderson school. and
It Is the intention, whether il viii be sue
cessful or not, to give him a jab on the
solar pelxus and knock him out in the full
ness Of his fame as the champion boss OF
Kansas.
At the present time Mr.. Leland has all the
machinery of the league rolled up in c.
garette paper in his vest pocket. but there
is an element camping on his trail whose
he also underestimates the danger of his
overthrow by overes timatng the loyalty OF
his lieutenants. The fact is. the following
OF Leland is honeycombed with sedtuon,
which may at any time develop into deser-
tion from the chief, if not an actual upris-
ing against his sway. Those who love Le-
land love him for pie. and the very mo-
ment II can be demonstrated that he has
not pie to give out. then begins his down.
fall If, on the other hand. II Is apparent
that he can get some pie. but wants most
OF IL himself, he ID then also in danger OF
losing his political life, or at least OF losing
his crown az a boss. If the Leland opposi-
ton is fortunate enough to pick out
fighter for their leader, one who can in
sp:re the rank and file with belief that
he can win, then Leland may well tremble
and cry out to heaven for strength. The
opposition. however Is liable TO make the
mistake of putting Tom Anderson UP as a
leader against Leland. So sure as they do
they are defeated. Tom Anderson was
never made for a leader or a fighter; he Is
natural born martyr. and II he goes about
Topeka, when the league is here, weeping
at the heels of some dashing leader, he can
do more to defeat Cy Leland than he could
by any other means or in any other capa
city.
The intention is for Shawnee county to
lead the fight against Leland. That( also,
will prove to be a mistake. There is a GER
tain prejudice against the politicians Of the
capital city which will destroy the effective
ness OF any fight of this character. If orig
mated by them. What the opposition to
Leland want, and what the wise men say
they must have, is some man like John d.
Milliken of Mcpherson of Charlie Scott OF
lola to lead in the fight. Both of them
can gather around the men who can pray
as well as those who can scrap. and that
means a great deal. Then again, both OF
them have been tried as fighters. Milliken
walked all over Jim Simpson in Mcpherson
county last year and Charlie Scott, In his
famous tilts in the senate, as well as his
actions in the Republican caucus two years
ago, has proven his ability TO cope with a
leader Of Leland's caliber.
There is one thing certain. and that is If
there is not big scrap in the meeting OF
the Republican league the factions will lose
fine opportunity. Arthur Capper of To-
peka will, in all probability, be the anti
Leland slate candidate for president of the
| league Who will be the Leland slate can
ddate is not yet known. and probably will
not be known until the battle begns. There
| is some talk Of bringing out Lutte Axline of
Medicine Lodge as the nearest man to Ches-
| ter Long, who IS supposed TO be Leland 9
| candidate for governor.
The strength Of the manifestations
| Simpson combine will be tested. and its
merits considered. 1t will have to fight q
great many battles during the next year.
even if 1t wins this one. This is the COM
| bine formed in Washington eight weeks
ago, when 10 Bristow was made chief heads
man of the admintstration-and OF the COM
bine He will have the appointment or
| something over 1000 postmasters in Kan
| sas during the next year. or before the dele
gates TO the st. Louis convention are ap-
pointed. The combine expects TO make
| every appointee recruiting agent, and also
| expects to have no less than about 400 OF
| them in the next state convention 10 vote
| for the combine candidates. For the Vari-
Gus offices TO be filled, which officers are al
| ready picked out-Chester Long Tor COVER
ner, Harry Richter for lieutenant governor
| Otis Atherton for treasurer OF state, FRANK
Brown OF Garnett. for man who accompa-
| MED the generals through Kansas last year.
| for secretary of state; Buck Dawes Tor at
| torney general f. Stanley for superintend-
| ent and Elric Cole of Great Ben for chlei
| Justice II Is said that there was some
| trouble about getting Richter on the siate'
but that Longs near friends insisted on IL
! for the reason that Richter has orother
| down n the Seventh district who mas Al
| ways worked the travelling men OF Hu'ch-
inson and Wichita for Long.
great many of the 1000 delegates that
will be at the league meeting will De tae
sons of old soldiers, and they VIII De each
presented with a fine crystal salt tear from
| Tom Anderson, the man whose campfire
stories have made their fathers from one
| end OF Kansas to the other laugh.
I'VE win have the machinery OF the
| league taken away from Cy Leland oeIore
the end OF the week. said friend OF ION
Anderson's today. Mark that predlcuon-
| vou mako fun Of the poor Greeks but