The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-09-01
FIXING UP THE SLATE.
CIV LeIand's Crowd Get Into a
Little Bedroom
At the Copeland and Plan What
They Will "Give''
Republicans to Vote for in the Next
State Campaign-They are
"Agin" Hessin.


in this city for the purpose of assist
ing the county committees in carrying
on the campaign this fall was subject
of very little Importance and was so
treated at the conference of Republican
leaders in this city yesterday afternoon
and last night. 1t was a meeting of
Cy Leland's chief political friends and
the discussion turned almost solely to
plans to perpetuate his reign as a polit-
ical boss.
BY giving out the impression that
meeting of the committee was to be
held the politicians succeeded in cover
ing up the real design of the meeting
during the day.
There had been no call issued for such
a meeting of the executive committee
as L. S. Crum announced would be
held. Secretary Bristow also stated
that he believed the object of the meet
ing was to discuss opening state head
quarters, but he also seemed to have
been laboring under a misapprehension
Mr.. BriStow'S visit to Kansas at this
time is to organize a fight on John z.
Hessin, who is talked of as a candidate
for governor.
The interview in which Mr. Hessin
declared his opposition to further party
domination by Mr. Leland, published
few days ago, was one of the causes
which led up to the conference yester-
day. The national comitteeman had
not been previously informed as to Mr..
Hessin's attitude towards him, and i'm
mediately after discovering it, he hast
ened to get the fellows together to plan
HesSin'S overthrow.
During the legislature last winter, at
the suggestion of Mr.. Hessin, all Re
publican senators signed and telegraph
ed to the postmaster general and the
president as well, a protest against
Bristow's appointment as fourth assist
ant postmaster general This may ex-
plain why Mr.. Bristow is so bitter
against the gentleman from Riley
county. To begin the fight is the prin-
cipal object of Bristow's visit to Kan
sas at this time. To push it along
was the object of the conference and
Mr.. Leland insisted that the brethren
go to work at once and lay the pipes.
During the afternoon yesterday and
early last evening the politicians who
were in town sat around the hotel lobby
and visited with each other. Suddenly
they disappeared as if by magic. No
one remained. The hotel was to all APP
pearances completely deserted, but in
reality it was not.
In Mr.. Leland's room on the second
floor, packed in like peas in a pod, the
faithful supporters Of the national COM
mitteeman sat upon the bed, on the
dreSSers, waShstandS and on the floor,
peering through tobacco smoke, which
seemed thick enough to cut with
Knife, encouraged each other and urged
the leaders to renewed energy. Mr.. Lee
land wants to retain his present posi-
his friends thus early in the campaign
for the next year to assist him.
The plan against Hessin includes the
bringing out of different candidates in
Guiding Jack Harris, John Seaton, Tom
Potter, William Martindale, and 9TH
erS who desire to run, each gaining all
the strength possible and in the state
convention next year, after a few in
formal ballots, mass the scattered forces
upon the man showing the greatest
number of supporters, and thereby in
f7nFea
didate. The politicians pretend to be
not alarmed by the Hessin boom but
they are in reality considerably agita-
ted, a theory which is upheld by ad-
missions from Leland's closest friends.
During the conference last night, as
one of the men who participated said to
a Journal reporter:
Mr.. Leland suggested that Chester
Long of Medicine Lodge might be able
to carry some of the counties in the
Seventh district and deliver them to the
combination at the state convention
Long got up says the Journals in
fOrmant and said:
ut will be of no use. I find that
some of my most intimate friends are
for Mr.. Hessin and L am inclined to the
opinion that he will be nominated"
Long was repeatedly urged to make
the race and said: eff I were sure of
the nomination would run. 1 feel that
the ticket will be elected but do not
care to throw away my chances for
congress-
Well run lot governor ana nave the
congressional convention called after
the state convention" suggested Mr..
Leland. ''Then if you are defeated at
one you can go to the other Long did
not enthuse at this suggestion.
The conference discussed the various
candidates for other offices but agreed
upon but one, George Clark of Junction
City for secretary of state. Mr.. Clark
was not advised as to the meeting, but
he came down yesterday afternoon at
o'clock on the Union Pacific in response
to telegram sent by Bristow or Lee
land. He reported progress and the
conference after looking over his boom
decided that it was good thing to tie
to and assured Mr.. Clark of unqualified
support.
The entire meeting was composed of
Mr.. LelandS most trusted lieutenants
and to them was outlined the duty of
carrying out the campaign agreed up
on.
The fact that Chairman ]. M. simp-
son was not in town is additional and
indisputable evidence that Mr.. Crilm
was dallying with the credulity of the
public when he announced Monday
evening that the executive committee
had been called together. Mr. Crun
was the first to arrive Monday. He
went to the hotel and soon afterwards
declared that a committee meeting was
to be held, a fact which telegraphed
over the state to various papers and
caused a vigorous remonstrance from
the members of the executive commit
tee who accepted the story as true and
were indignant at being ignored. Not
withStanding this circumstance the
Crum, Mr.. Jobes, in fact all of them,
insisted that such was the nature of
the gathering when as a matter of fact
it was the subject of least Importance.
TEXAS FEVER AT PARSONS.