Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-12-15
CALL is TO BE ISSUED TO-DAY
LETTERS HAVE ALREADY BEEN
WRITTEN TO EVERY MEMBER.
Governor Leedy Was in Serious Doubt
Until the Last Minute, but Tay-
lor Riddle and w. t. Upton
Finally Forced Him
tn Act.


Leedy tonight formulated his call for
special session of the legislature. His ste
nographers wrote a letter containing the
full text Of the call to each member. and
the letters will be mailed the first thing
in the morning. The principal thing men
toned in the call is the necessity for rail-
road legislation. A few other things of
minor Importance are also spoken Of The
call is very brief.
Frank Elliott, the governors executive
clerk, says that the date fixed in the call
for the assembling of the legislature is
Wednesday, December q.
The governor did not finally decide TO
issue the call until this afternoon. Taylor
Riddle and W. T. Tipton, chairman and
secretary of the Popuist state committee
lay down on him hard. This morning ne
was inclined not to issue the call, but these
men told him that he would wreck his po-
Iitical ambitions to refuse now.
He had given them his solemn promise
that if majority of the members of both
houses would agree in writing to vote for
measures decided upon by the caucus, he
would issue call for u special session.
Phey took him at his word and so notified
the members. AS result. they got more
than Il majority. For him to refuse now
, would not only kill him politically. but
| would blast their ambitions also. The gov
ernor still held off. He wanted John
| Breidenthal to ask him to issue the call.
Breiaenthal fatty refused to do so.
| This afternoon Riddle and Upton made
a last death,ike struggle. They told the
| governor that it would place him in the
! attitude of not wanting railroad leSisia-
| ton and that. for the party's sake, he
! could not afford to hold off. Leedy finally
| gave in. He and his private secretary.
| James Lewis, formulated the call and the
| stenographers ran off 165 copies, letter
| for each member. The envelopes We're
| also addressed and the letters will be
| mailed tomorrow.
The governor was afraid of some of the
written pledges. When he came across
the telegram from Clem Fairchild. of King
man, saying he would stand by caucus
measures, the governor dryly asked: Did
| Fairchild make that promise under oath?"
Upton said no, but that he would guar
| antee that it would be kept.
Where is Bill Browns promise?" asked
| the governor.
I'VE did not send him blank agree
ment," replied Upton. We reckoned
without him. He is off the reservation
Whats this?" said the governor. as he
picked up one from member in Eastern
Kansas The pledge read Il am willing
| to stand by the caucus measures. but must
have assurances that Leedy will do the
same thing
This, Of course. was reference to
Leedy's action in vetong the railroad bill.
The governor did not relish the sally. but
Upton told him that he should not be too
sensitive. The governor was inclined to
question the reliability of a number of the
members who made promises, but Riddle
said that the Populist party was flattened
out now and the only hope of resurrection
was by a special session.
1T is a daring play said he, but it is
tho only thing to do. If We can pass some
measures that We promised in our Abilene
and Topeka platforms, We will be all right
If We fail, then We will have to retire from
the ring"
These arguments seemed to catch the
governor, especially that about the daring
play, and he at last gave Upton and Rid
die promise that he would issue the call.
with his secretary and they prepared the
call.
There is no telling what the Populists
will not do on this, their last roundup
Some think that they will come here and
! raise Cain" for week or so and then
adjourn without doing anything. Others
: are inclined TO believe that they will rush
i through a lot of legislation hurredly tina,
will be of great harm to the state The
railroad proposition will be tackled first
Then will come some other measures con-
cerning the management of the state in.
stitutions. The governor will endeavor to
have a number of his present appointees
confirmed and have the laws governing
their appointments SO changed that they
can only be removed after being convicted
on a criminal charge.
The metropolitan police law will be re
| pealed and number of Offices abolished
including the board of pardons, the stat
accountant and labor commissioner. Thi
5 is the programme of the leaders now. l
1 is possible that they will fail to carry i
{ through. though. The leaders are goln
e on the theory that anything done at thi
| special session cannot be undone at tn
. regular session, which meets next month
: for the reason that the senate will be con
r trolled then by the Populists. The prim
object of the thing is to do everything pos
sible to embarrass the incoming Republic
= an administration.
Governor-elect Stanley heard of the is
! suance of the call just before he left 70
d Wichita tonight. He declined to discus
:, the matter except to say that he woul
not embarrass his successor by calling a
| extra session of the legislature the las
month of his administration.
e FOR SECRETARY OF SENATE.
Eour Active Candidates, All PrOmi