The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-03-09
TIE BOSS.

The Republicans who were in Topeka
yesterday at the meeting Of the state
central committee, represented the ma
chine. There We're Republicans here
Tuesday who were representative. to be
sure, of the masses, but they were in
the minority The machine was here in
all its glory with all the parts well oil
ed, the brasses FURNISHED, the levers
and wires in good condition.
At the Copeland last evening when
Chairman Simpson, by grace of his su-
periOr officer, was permitted to call the
body together, he saw in that small
room the IS committeeman, the major
ity of which constituted the machine.
He also saw a body of newspaper men
who were there to report to the outside
world what was going on on the inside.
It was amusing.
1t was all cut and dried.
At the opening of the meeting Mr..
Leland arose and moved that the con-
venuion be held June Sth.
Personally, in all probability. the ma
jorityof the committee desired that it
be held a little later in the month, but
that did not count. Mr.. Leland was
making a fight for June Sth; June Sth
they must vote for, and they did.
The subsequent proceedings of the
committee were carried out according
to the plans and specifications drafted
adopted and approved by the pension
agent. Mr.. Leland touched a button on
one side of his chair and the connecting
wire communicated with a delegate on
the opposite side of the room, who i'm
mediately bObbed up with the motion
which had been outlined earlier in the
day. This motion prevailed.
Mr.. Leland smiled and touched an
other button. Down at the end of the
room gentleman arose, and, with great
show of originality, presented a motion
which had been handed him during the
afternoon by the sage from Troy.
The majority of the committeeman
were personally in favor of holding the
convention at Topeka They knew that
Topeka was the political Headquarters,
the most accessible place, all things
considered, with good hotel accommo-
dationss and was honestly striving to
erect an auditorium for the accommo-
dalton of people from other parts of
the state.
This was nothing. Mr.. Leland had
determined that Topeka should not get
the convention, and chose Hutchinson
as the place.
The writer listened to the roll call
and heard certain committeeman re-
spond Hutchinson" who, during the
early afternoon and in the morning, had
pledged themselves to vote for Topeka,
at least this once, but never again IN
til an auditorium was actually con-
structed. The observer was wearing an
auditorium button, but could he have
substituted another button he would
have placed the auditorium one in his
pocket and donned one reading: Il am
something of a liar myself"
Cyrus Leland rules that central COM
mittee with a rod of ironwood. When
he waves his magic wand, the commit
teemen forget their preferences; they
forget their pledges; they know nothing
but Leland's will and they sway to it as
a willow twig sways to the Kansas
zephyr.
To be sure the committeeman ex-
planned to Topeka people later that
they could do nothing for this city I'M
til an auditorium was completed. This
was a good excuse, unanswerable. But
back of it all, was Mr.. Leland's desire
to humiliate the capital city.
The citizens of this town should take
their medicine and at once prepare an
auditorium which shall hold all who
may desire to enter.
Hutchinson claims to have an audito-
rum, but Topeka could build such a
one, a better one, in 80 days.
Mr.. Leland was happy last evening.
His smiling face was a landmark in
Copeland county. He rejoiced and was
glad. Things had gone his way.
Mr.. Leland. despite our prejudices
against him, we must admit. has genius
in his way. He is manipulation of
men. He has some bright minds COM
pIetely under his domination. He runs
the Kansas machine. but he does not
run the Kansas people. If he attempts
to, and we have no doubt he will, and
Is successful, the man who is nominal
ed by Leland's dictation may content
himself with the reflection that politi-
cal success is uncertain, and may live
to mourn on election day the defeat of
his party.
I'm Of he M ste No