The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-08-04
SMALL BUT
VERY SELECT.
Last of the MOhicanS Meet in a
Small Room
And Formally Dissolve the An
cient Kansas Democracy.
OLD TIME DEMOCRATS
Go Out Of Business Nominating
No Ticket.
Represent the True Spirit of
BOurbOniSm.
Are For Nothing at All and
"Agin" Everything.
Are For Nothing at All and
"Agin" Everything.

The conference of stalwart Democrats
which met in Topeka Wednesday aft
ernOon was in a peculiar position. 1t
was to decide whether they would put
a state ticket in the field or not. AS far
as the personal wish of every member
present was concerned it was unani-
NOUS for a ticket. But here is where
the trouble came. If they decided to
place a ticket before the people they
must abjure forever the name Demo-
crat. That name was appropriated by
the regular state convention at Atchi-
son.
Independent action would have brand
ed them as boilers and Tom Moonlight,
Ed Carroll, Eugene Hagan and Dick
Norris do not care to be put in the list
OF boiling Democrats for the time may
come at no distant date when they will
want offices. A politician never recov-
erS from the stigma of a bolt" 1t fol-
lows him through life and some time
when he is about to grasp a coveted
plum 1t Will throw around the prize a
VapOr which he can not penetrate.
II it had not been for this feeling a
new party would have been created at
the conference. But it broke up by the
passage of a resolution which is wOrded
with all the adrOitness of a clever law
Yer like Mr.. Hagan and may mean any
thing
1t may be that jealousy had a place
In the minds of some of the straight
lead in Kansas and the rank and file of
the Democrats seem disposed to follow
him The action taken may be cOnsid-
cred q rebuke to the leaders who engi-
neered the fusion scheme and it is un-
dOubtedly intended that it should be
taken that way.
The resolution adopted is as follows:
Resolved. That it is the sense of this
conference that the Democrats of Kan
sas put no state ticket in the field, but
that it is the unanimous sense of the
conference that Democrats do all in
their power to defeat fusion and Popu-
hsm is this state"
One would suppose from reading the
resolution that it means that the "Stal-
warts" will vote the Republican ticket
but when the various members were in
terviewed they refused to say so.
S. S. Reynolds of Grainf1eld, who has
been one of the most prominent among
the ant1-fuSlOn Democrats was seen
and asked what the conference meant.
we mean to defeat Populism," he
replied.
DO you intend to vote the Republi-
I don't know but we intend to defeat
POpulism."
THAT means that you will vote the
Republican ticket this year does it
nOt2'
, Il don't know whether it does or not.
I am a Democrat but have no use on
earth for POpulism. I want to see Pop
ulism defeated and that is all there is
about it,
viii you vote the Republican tick
L don't know"
BY means of this resolution it is hop
ed that many Democrats will be infu-
enced to bolt the fusion ticket and at
the same time it will clear the leaders
from the stigma of a bolt. They did not
secede themselves-they simply induced
others to do so.
It was because things of this nature
were discussed at the meeting that no
intruder was allowed to pass through
the portals of Gene Hagan's office. The
approach of a stranger and especially
a newspaper reporter threw every one
present into a state of nervous excite
ment and they were only treasured
when Mr.. Hagan himself secured the
door and informed the intruder that his
presence was not desired