Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-01-09
mas abandoned the newspaper field and will
at once take the lecture platform in the in
tereSt of socialism
DON'T WANT 1T IN JUNE.
Governor Lecdy's Scheme for an Ear
1y State Convention Meets With
Little Favor.

Topeka, kas.. Jan ~S.-(Special.) Govern
or Leedy's scheme for holding q state con-
Vent1on in june does not meet the approval
OF other state officials. especially those
whom the governor has singled out to be
placed on the block in case the resubmis-
sion deal can't be worked. The great body
OF the Pop party, they claim. is made up
OF farmers, who will be too busy attend
ing to their crops to bother with politics
that early in the summer. Those who OPP
pose the idea of holding the convention in
June declare that they pin their faith to
the farmer element of the party. 1t is
charged that the state. committee. follow
ing the command of theg overnor, fixed the
convention for June for the purpose of re-
moving it as far as possible from the con-
troll of the farmer element. A June conven-
ton means that the farmers will not want
to come. They will be busy. This will give
the dry goods box loafers a chance to man
ipulate the caucuses and select themselves
as delegates to the state convention. 1t is
this crowd the governor depends upon to
effect a fusion deal. 1t is this crowd that
the other state ofiicials-Bush. Stryker.
Morris and Hefflebower-want kept out of
the convention. Boyle says he doesn't care
when the convention is held. However, the
four other officials above mentioned are
willing to trust their cause in the hands
OF a farmer convention. If it is for fusion,
well and good; if not, they will be ready
to make the race on a straight Pop ticket.
But not SO with Leedy. He wants fusion,
and wants 1t badly. If the loafing element
then, with the whisky element from the
large cities, it will be an easy matter to
reach an agreement with the Democrats.
The plan of an early convention was con-
cocted in the governors inner sanctum, and
Chairman Riddle was notified that he must
carry out the wish of the governor. He
had a difficult task on his hands at the
committee meeting. Many of the commit
teemen wanted the convention held at the
usual time, but Riddle marshaled enough
strength to fix June as the date.
that it was unfair to the farming element
to hold the convention in June. "A June
convention means that the local aucuses
will be held right in the midst of corn
their work to attend said he. Then the
conventions will be held, and later
comes the state convention. all in the farm
would be the best"
John Breidenthal says, that if the Pop
committee wants 4 truly representative
Pop convention it should not set it in June.
Bob Semple says that a June convention
gives the farmer element the worst of it,
and he does not mince words in pronounc-
ing 1t a scheme of the governor.
Supreme Court Reporter G. C. Clemens
SAYS it is a great thing for the fusionists.
The farmers can't come said he, land
the dry goods box loafers and metropolitan
police delegates can enter into almost any
Kind of a deal suitable to the Democrats,
Just so Leedy and Boyle are saved oh. it
was a brilliant idea. However. if the old
ruralites get on they might insist on lay
ng off a day and coming up. Then it
might not be SO beautiful"
Attorney General Boyle said he did not
are when the convention was held. Au-
gust suited him Just as well as June.
Stryker. Hef1ebower and Morris favor an
convention.
There is talk of a demand being made on
he state committee by those not in on
he deal to change the date to August.