The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-08-05
SP|LAAN IS fighting
For His Rights as a Territorial
Committeeman.
OUT IN AN OPEN LETTER
To Prove His Democracy, and
Title to His Seat,
OUT IN AN OPEN LETTER

Keaton's support and have made no at
tempt before to recover ground lost by
their not going into the Democratic eau
Gus.
Judge SpiIman's letter is published to-
day in the King4isher Times and is as fol-
lows:
''To the Chairman and Members Of the
Democratic Territorial Committee, in
session at regular called meeting. held
August 6, 1888, at FL Reno. o. T., pursu-
ant to a call of the secretary, the Hon.
Frank Stevens.
''Gentlemen-I acknowledge notice of
your secretary to be present at this meet
ing of the territorial committee and L
appear for the purpose of presenting my
claim 20 a seat on the committee. l was
duly elected a member Of your body by
the Kinghsher delegation at Oklahoma
City by vote regularly cast; record OF
which was filed with the secretary, and in
my judgment the territorial committee
has exceeded it's authority and usurped
functions inherent in the county Democ-
racy when it assumed at its informal
meeting at Oklahoma City to set aside the
election of the county delegation, as it
did in my case and seat a man as COM
mnteeman who was not the choice of the
delegation. The position requires no ar
gument, and 1 shall not detain you by
discussing it, Your course in thus over
riding precedent and custom could only be
justified on one ground to-wit: party dis
loyalty; and 1 briefly invite your atten-
ZION "a that mia Ga Of the "a CO,
Il was selected as a delegate by my
county to attend the convention at Ok
lahoma City, which was called for the
purpose Of nominating a candidate to
succeed Mr. Callahan, and my county,
Kingfisher, instructed me that fusion
was paramount" and virtually instruct
ed me 10 vote or Mr.. Callahan for the
congressional nomination. 1 considered
these instructions TO be binding, and 1
considered that the county Democracy
had a right to formulate such instruc
tons; for it is a historical fact that
two years ago the Democracy of this
county and of many other counties in
Oklahoma voted at FL Reno TO endorse
the candidacy of Populist Mr.. Gala
han. No charge of party treason was
preferred against any one at the time
for supporting that gentleman.
The recent Democratic convention at
Oklahoma City by solemn resolution rati-
fed fusion.
IN view Of the attitude of the Dem
ocratic party of Oklahoma today. which
has invited and accepted fusion with
the Populists and Free Silver RepubI-
nf ~, tta
defeat Of the Republican party, the posi-
ton that 1 am disloyal TO party because
l voted for a Populist in convention,
cannot consistently be maintained by my
party organization without qualification
on its part.
IF you say I am disloyal because 1
voted in the convention at Oklahoma
City for Mr.. Callahan for the reason
that to my mind that was the best basis
on which TO accomplish fusion, then
you say. in effect. that TO endorse fusion
IS party disloyalty. and the territorial
committee and the Democratic cOnven-
ton are both guilty of the crime Of dis
loyalty when it accepts fusion. AS
your record now stands. you place your
self in the attitude of attempting to
punish me for doing the selfsame thing
that you have since done and accepted
with applause as your own act. Is this
position reasonable, just or Democratic?
Or if your action in unseating me as a
territorial committeeman for KinCfisher
county cannot be justified on the ground
that l voted for one of the allied parties
in preference TO a Democrat, for reasons
of enlightened party policy, then the sole
remaining reason for your action must
be personal dislike for me, for I dismiss
as frivolous the proposition that my fail
ure to vote in and be bound by caucus in
which l did not participate, furnishes
ground for party discipline. The terri
torial committee will not seriously as
sumo this position. I submit that person
al antipathy is no justification for your
summary action and has no place in
Democratic councils. My position and
that Of the majority of our delegation
has been misunderstood by many of the
party, and too well understood by others
VINO are not imbued with unselish love Of
party.
assuming that Mr.. J. X. Jones.
chairman of the Democratic committee.
is recognized as the official head Of the
Democratic party OF the United States.
gave heed 10 his address issued February
Is 1895. TO Free Silver Democrats. in
which he says: In recent years there
have been number Of instances Of con-
gressional districts where the advocates
Of gold and monopoly were largely out
numbered by their opponents, and where
nevertheless, by a failure to unite and act
together. the friends OF the gold standard
have been successful. Thus in wrangle.
the cause OF truth and justice has been
Overshadowed. the interests Of humanity
ignored. and the greatest good 10 the gov
eminent suhordinated TO an ignob,e
strife II there should be those
who would divide US, let them be sum
marily and emphaicslly rebuked by the
people. who have none but high and pa
triotic motives
Il DO not construe this language %
mean that support OF a Free Silver Pop
ulist of high character IS party treason
when made oreriy in convention. I'M
der the circumstances that supported
Mr.. Callahan Nor, following Mr.
Jones's advice as it has done. is the
Democratic party OF Oklahoma guilty
of treason IN embracing fusion. I diff
fered with my fellow Democrats as 10
The time beng opportune Tor the nom
inaton OF a Democrat I believed that
too much was jeopardized. that the selec-
ton OF a Democrat at this time would
endanger harmony between the forces
now alliei against Republican misrule
and would subject US to 4 possible return
10 power OF the hOrls OF adventures who