The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-06-07
LOOKS LIKE HOOD
Or Else 1t is Stanley Who Will
Be Nominated
At the Republican State Con-
VentiOn at Hutchinson.
SEATON WILL HAVE
Many Workers, But Leland Has
Turned Against Him.
A Surprise is Sprung on the
Assembling Convention.

Hutchinson, June THE preliminary
skirmishes of the biggest Republican
convention held in the history of the
state of Kansas took place in this city
! last night. A record breaker-both
! in attendance and interests the con-
| ventiOn which will be called to order
! in the auditorium, more than a mile
| from the hotels, at IL o'clock Wednes-
| day forenoon.
The auditorium referred to is the one
| which caused much self-con gratula-
| ton among the Republican politicians
when it was said that it would be
moved up town for this convention.
But not So The auditorium still occu-
pies its old time place in the park south
of town on the sandy banks of the Ar
Kansas river and there it promises to
forever stay.
When the Republican party in Kan
sas was a sort of an infant in arms
or rather when the majority of the del
egates carried ffre-arms-the first con-
Vention was held in Lawrence. That
was in the very early days, since which
time without any deviation the biennial
conventions of this party to nominate
state officers have been held in To-
peka.
There are those here-and many of
them-who were dissatisfied at being
compelled to come to Hutchinson, but
since they have found that the public
spirited Kansans here, as elsewhere,
are leaving nothing undone to add to
the comfort of the guests and the sue
cess of the convention but little COM
plant is offered and that only because
the auditorium is so far out
The subject of governor overshadows
everything else in connection with this
convention. There are two causes for
this condition The iC hot Iaa
contest between the seven men seeking
the honor promises to be one of the
prettiest getaways" with the most
spectacular finishes witnessed in sew
eral years. The other reason is that
there are so many counties tied up to
candidates for subordinate positions on
the ticket that it is an utter impossi-
bility for any man to make a reason
able guess as to the outcome.
The lightning calculators are here
They have already figured Mr.. Hessin,
Mr.. Coburn, Mr.. Edwards and Mr.
Funston out of the race, placing before
some of the newer delegates and
strangers, too, the following PROPOSE
ton:
There are but three men in this race
at this time. Stanley, Seaton and
Hood. Major Hood is essentially the
center around which these two revolve.
Therefore he has the best chance"
OF course there are friends of the
other candidates, who deny this and the
policy of all of them is to claim Just
as good a chance as any other candi-
date
Not a single man who is on the
ground at this time pretends to con-
tradict or dispute this fact. But, if
StraWS in the wind indicate anything
in this convention, Major Hood will be
named, if indeed the power to effect
the nomination lies within the control
of some of the potent influences that
are manifesting their power.
Cy Leland, who has been regarded
as an active supporter of John Seaton.
last night made this sensational an
nOuncement:
Il am for Major Hood. My county
may vote for Mr.. Seaton when the
balloting begins but my first and last
vote in the convention will be recorded
for Major Hood"
When Leland made this statement
Hood stock commenced to boom and
the action of the national committee
man in thus declaring himself is, by
many, accepted as an indication that
the battle is on and his friends would
be expected to govern themselves ac-
cordingly.
But it must not be believed that the
other candidates are sitting idly by
watching the other fellows join Le
lands crowd. On the contrary every
man is here and at work as though
his very life depended on it. Stanley
will have from Wichita tonight or to-
morrow 500 deep voiced rOOters who
will be expected to storm the outposts
while Stanley does the fire work in the
ton will be recruited by Topekans and
the folks from Atchison in great
numbers tonight, headed by Jacksons
military band of Topeka.
All of the candidates for places on
the state ticket arrived yesterday and
thronged the hotels with the opening
of the campaign which will end with
the convention. Then the various in
terests and different parts of the state
will to all outward appearances at least
be united and harmonious for the
ticket which will be named.