Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-12-21
FEW REPUBLICANS ON HAND
POPULISTS ARE TO HOLD CAUCuSES
THIS FORENOON.
Railroad Attorneys Are on the
Ground Ready to Guard Their
Employers rs'Interests-Leedy-
ties in Favor of Passing
Railroad Bill Only.

TOPEKA, Dec. 20.-(Special) The spe-
cial session Of the Kansas legislature called
by Governor Leedy to enact Populist legis-
lation on the eve of turning over the ad-
ministration to the Republicans will begin
at noon tomorrow. The Populist members
are nearly all here. but there are only fif-
teen Republican members out of sixty in to-
night. The Republicans held brief meet
ing this evening, but decided not to for
mulate any plan until the other members
of the party reach here tomorrow
The presence Of Bale Waggener upon
the scene has somewhat excited some Of
the PopuliSts. They are already getting
scared of themselves. Bale had numer-
Gus conferences with Populist leaders to-
day.
Colonel ]. H. Richards. also of the Mis-
souri, Pacific. and Thomas Sedgwick, CT
the Missouri. Kansas & Texas, spent the
day around the Copeland.
There is. one railroad attorney who is
earnestly urging the passage of railroad
law. 1t is Judge William Whitelow, gen.
eral attorney for the Hutchinson & South
the Populists. and is advising them what
kind of provisions can be inserted that will
stand the test of the courts
The Populsts held no regular caucus
Tonight, on account of the absence of many
members of the party. The Populist SEN
ators will caucus at $50 In the morning on
organization. and at loco, if they are
through. la
caucus TO discuss proposed legislation II
the senators have not finished by that time.
the Populist representatives will caucus on
house organization.
Speaker Pro TEN Z. c. Weilep. of the
house. arrived this afternoon from WASH
ington, ID. C.. where he has been holding
down position as assistant sergeant at
arms OF the senate. He says his Wash
ington position does not disqualify him
from sitting a member of the legisla-
ture- Senators Hoar and Turpie both tod
me that l could sit as Il member" said he.
and l guess their knowledge of constitu-
tonal law is good"
ms lnterferes with the plans set up to
make Glenn Fairchild speaker pro TEN.
Representatives Jaquins, of Cowley, has
knife up his sleeve for his colleague in the
house from that county-Charles Brown.
He claims that Brown has deserted the
u iuHc IolCeS ana Is now BACK in the Re
publican party. For this reason Jauuins
does not want Brown permitted to sit In the
Pop caucuses- Ed Hackney, who seems to
have the Pop representatives in custody,
says that Brown will not be shut out
Bank Commissioner Breidenthal has en-
countered considerable opposition to his
guarantee fund bill for the protection of
depositors, right among his own crowd of
legislators. II seems that the Ieedyites
have taken a new tack. They want to rush
through railroad bill and then adjourn,
This would make Leedy the big Pop of the
state-that is If the right kind of a rail-
road bill is passed.
1t would humiiate Breidenthal and curb
his influence with his party if his guaran-
tee bill failed to get through, they argue,
and Breidenthars friends admit it. The
Leedyites are talking this programme
strong in the hotel lobbes. Some strong
fellows have been worked into the deal and
it will take some tall hustling on the part
of Breidenthal and his crowd to save the
day. The fight is drifting to point where,
in order to get his bill through, Breiden-
thai may have to insist that it go ahead
of the railroad bill. He has many hackers
who want TO deliver an ultimatum to this
effect. +. ]. Chandler, banker of Medi-
cine Lodge, if here working against the
passage of the guarantee bill. He has cut
considerable ice to-day.