The Topeka state journal., 1897-11-20
POPULISM OR BOSSISM.
Major Joseph II. Hudson Says
the Former
Is Less to Be Feared Than the
Latter in Kansas.
Says the Republican Party Can Be
Restored to Control Only by
Downing the Bosses.

Ajor ]. K Hudson approves the sug-
erestfon of electing a chairman of the
Republican state committee in the state
convention. He is opposed to Leland's 5
boss rule and says it will defeat the
Republican party in 1898. Major Hud-
son said today:
THE Journal is right in advocating
the election of the entire Republican
state committee, its chairman and sec
retary included. by the next state con
vention. In more than thirty years
residence in Kansas l have never
known more general dissatisfaction
within the party than exists today II
does not come from dissatisfied office
seekers only but from men who nave
sought nothing from their party and
who ask for no position at TINS tlIne OF
in the future ii comes from men VINO
are Republicans from principle; men
of ability and character in every cOun-
ty in the state who have become Jlreu
and disgusted seeing the party machin-
cry simply used by q dozen politicians
who give their time to plotting and
planning and tTickery to manipulate
conventions state committees and am
bilious ofHce-Seekers. These self
STYLED leaders know nothing about ere
ating Republican sentiment by argu-
ment and the presentation of facts and
principles, but rely upon the shallow
methods adopted ia secret meetings at
the Blossom house or in some hotel
room in Topeka where they decide who
shall be nominated for congress or
placed on the state ticket months and
months before state convention IS
called.
THE old trick of fattering three or
four men located in various parts Of the
state with endorsement and support
for each state office and bringing out
several candidates for congress in each
district, is counted upon to always sue
ceed. and it does. Men who never
+ bn1 90 lf ttf 4 81 = n
willing ear to the plOtterS and bring up
theirown delegations solid upon accept
ed theory that every chump is entitled
to his home support, no matter how
little qualified he may be for the pO-
s5tion. He comes to the convention,
fiattered and lied to by the gang, an
earnest supporter of any scheme sug-
gested by those who discovered him
and induced him to be candidate In
this manner the gang has an active
working support that always aStOniSh-
es those not familiar with this stale
Old plan Of gathering votes for some
ultimate purpose.
Year after year it succeeds, officers
Of the convention are elected, platforms
are made, committees formed, and the
proceedings Of the convention are in
the hands of the dozen men who indi-
vidualIy and collectively cannot con-
troll d hundred votes on their merits.
The Republicans of Kansas have
seen this sort Of manipulation go on
until confidence in their ability to make
q change seems to have been shaken.
Federal patronage becomes a football
for the boss and his gang, and they can
bid defiance to the Indignation of the
Republicans who protest against the
party being used to give the favorites
Of the gang the patronage of the party
What is the remedy?
1T is for the voters to claim their
rights in their party. Going over to
Populism or Democracy or fusion will
not save the principles of Republican,
ism on rescue the power from the po-
litical gamblers.
First. let Republicans who are op-
posed to the present bOsSism Of the
party in every county control the con
Nenuons of 1898. nominate the best men
OF the party. send men to the state
convention as delegates who are not
under the direction of the state BOSSES \
and above all let counties refuse to
he played by the old 'faVOrite SON
racket by which the maniDuIators
capture counties enough to control the
state.
"A state convention that will nomi-
nate ticket independent of the pres
ent oHenslNe political gang, that pre-
Sumes to say what the party shall or
may do and make a platform that voic-
es the sentiment of the mass of the
party viii IT lly the voters of the Re
publican party as they have not been
rallied since 1883
For the boss and his gang to con
troll the Republican state convention
an 1898, although supported by the ma
L0naI administration, means disas-
trous defeat for the party 1t is a
contest within the party against petty.
offensive unprincipled bossism. and
the voters of the party can, if they will
assert themselves in 1898 and DIace
Kansas where she naturally belongs.
in the column of Republican states.
"PopuIsm is less to be feared in re-
claiming Kansas than BOssism."
RnelxIen,z Arniea Sa1za