The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-04-02

the City Business Administration In
stead of One Dominated by Factionai
OuarreIs-He- Was Called by Leading
Citizsns Regardless of Politics to be the
Tax.Papers, Standard Bearer - List of
Those Who Petitioned Him.
The professions of the opposition 70
non-partisanship, drilled into The people
DAY after day, is calculated 10 make
person very weary. The idea OF harry
Stewart and RUFF Cone running a ron
partisan ticket is so absurd that people
have long since become disguised Wnen
the same old rot is gone over again and
hashed and rehashed. The fact OF the
matter is. the opposition ticket is clique
ticket made with view, in the event OF
its success, to be used for partisan pur-
poses, the partisans being the Cone wing
Of the Pop party and the Stewart wing
Of the Democratic party which, in real
ity. is so closely allied 10 POpulism that II
is hsrj to distinguish between the poll
tics of Mr.. Cone ard Mr.. Stewart. Tfe
politics of both are embodied into one III
the campaign of Mr.. Young. Both repre-
resent factions and want 70 fight cther
fact,. rs at tre exp n5e Of Wichita II IS
hardly possible that the people az large
VINO want a little business as well as
politics a. the city hall viii consent 10
mi the interests Of q 900 people in the
ha-ds Of men for the sole purpose Of US
ing it as a club 10 punish their rival fac
tons with Mr.. Rufe Cone wants II -
punish Judge Sarkey and his crowd,
while Harry Stewart wants to use it to
punish Postmaster Fitch and his friends
There is something far above factions in
this campaign, or al least the people, re-
gardless of politics, thought so seven
weeks ago, when something like 800 of
them, mostly business meE, signed Pc
Iition asking Finlay Ross TO become a
candidate for the Office Of mayor. This
petition. as can he seen below, contains
the names Of some of the best Democrats
and Populists in this city-mer who pay
taxes for the support of the city govern
plant and not for the purpose of making
Harry Stewart a bigger boss that Tom
Fitch or Rufe Cone a bigger car than
JlI5C sodilhrs MI ILDSSs Dl4lEN LIS l44dl
the petitioners were honest IL what they
said 10 him, accepted the invitation 10
be a candidate and then and there be
came the real citizens candidate for
mayor. He was afterwards nominated
fairly, honestly ard square.y by the Re
publican convention after a hard fought
contest IN which his friends won, and. ac-
c0rding to the ethics Of politics when
there is no question about the honesty
and fairness Of methods, expected TO ge,
the loyalty Of the vanqushed. Mr.. Ross
was made the Republican nominee for the
reason that a great many people IN this
city believe that the city officers, in order
TO give better service, should be backed
by the guarantee of a responsible political
party. So that the people car again see
the names of the men who first asked
Mr.. Ross to become candidate, the petit
ton is reprinted, as follows:
Wichita, Kan, Feb. Il, 1897.
To Mr.. Finlay Ross, City.
Dear Strive, the undersig ned citizens
business men and taxpayers of Wichita,
believing that you viii give US a safe and
economical administration of our city az
fairs, and having confidence IN your hon.
ssty and ability, would therefore respect
fully ask that you permit the use of your
name n connection with the Office of mayor
al the ensuing city election: