The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-12-24
IL DAJGH DROPS IN
Railroad Commission Slate
AbS0rbs Attention.
CRUM'S SLIM CHANCE
Knockers Start a Merry War
in the Sixth District.

tracking of Lit Crum and the knockers
work on Jim Fike, no one seems 10 bt
able to give a good solution to the prob.
lem.
1t was said in political circles yesterday
that Crum only held the strength he de-
veloped in the early part of the pie game
| by a narrow margin Of two, and this was
likely to melt away in the many new deals
that were being concocted by the party
| generals
Last night Mort Albaugh slipped into
| the city OH an evening train and was
| closeted for a long time in a room at the
Carey with Governor-elect Stanley. Al,
baugh's coming fresh from the seat of
war, where ne has been for several days
| past, may mean that he brings news OF
Importance 10 the governor and some
thing in the way Of fixing up matters 10
! the satisfaction of the conTerlding forces
! may pave the way for the completion OF
/ the state slate. If it does. then it might
/ happen that a few Christmas presents
| may banded out by Governor Stanley,
though they may DE put off until New
! Years. The governor was called upon
! yesterday, but he had no news to give
out. He said he was taking matters easy,
but admitted that his difficulties were not
so easy a good hard legal case before
jury in court. as there was some show
TO win on the merits of the case.
Complications are arising in the knock
ers' camp and every day some new de-
velOpments come TO the surface. In the
Sixth district a merry war has broken out
and protests are being made against the
candidacy of Fike for railroad commits
sioner.
William G. Hoffer, late candidate for
congress on the Democratic ticket. has
addressed the following circular to the
leading Democrats of the Sixth district:
Lincoln. Kan. Dec. 22.-My Dear Sir:
Are the Democrats of the Sixth district
going to have a member of the board of
railway commissioners or are the rail-
roads going to name the person to fill
SUCH position for us. is the question thar
now confronts tine Democrats of this dis
trict. I don't believe it good policy for any
one of our party who was active in the
recent campaign 10 be a candidate for
that office or any other position of ike
prominence. There was a clear under
standing between the members of the ex-
ecutlve committee and myself prior to the
election that none of US who were act
tvely engaged in the campaign should
seek or acospt official positions. Yet, the
election was scarcely over until Mr.. James
Fike of Colby announced his candidacy
for member of the board of railroad COM
missioners. He is not only a member of
the executive committee, but he was also
the maker of the above proposition. More
than that, IRE is going on the presumption
that the Democrats of this county and
myself are interested in seeing him secure
the position. This is untrue. took the
position during tine campaign and main
tain the same position still, that none of
us who were actively engaged i'm the cam
paign either as a candidate or committee
man should seek or expect any Office from
rihe Republican administration. We were
then asking the Democrats to support the
action of the Democratic convention in
the interest of the Democratic principles
and the Democratic party in this dis
trict
1T seems to me that this should still be
our plan of work. BY becoming candi- |
dates for official position we lay ourselves |
charge that all we were after was office !
spoils I believe that if we are true 10 |
the principles of Democracy you will join /
with me in writing letters TO the mem /
bers of the executive council protesting /
against the appointment of Mr. Fike as
member OF the board of railway COM
missoners. I am not a candidate and do I
not expect to be. neither do I believe that /
Mr.. Fike should be. as he was fully as act |
i've in the campaign as myself. The can
didacy of either of us would be detrimen- |
tai 10 the interests OF our party organiza- |
ton. Can We now afford to throw our |
organization to the winds in the interests |
OF place for any one of our party? 1 !
don't believe that we can afford 10 do so. |
and if You hold opinions similar TO these /
hurriedly expressed here join with me in /
sending a protest to the executive council. /
If YOU are in favor of such action. so to
work among Democrats OF your county
at once. as delay is dangerous. Yours 4
truly. WM. G. HoFFER."
Referring to the same subject Mr. Hof-
fer says in the current issue Of his paper.
the Lincoln Sentinel:
The railroad commissionership is stir
ring up The animals in the Democratic
camp no little. There Is no occasion for
unseemly strife. and there should be none
We have been solicited 10y Mr.. james Y
Fike and mis- manager. Charles NJ Sawyer
chairman Of the Democratic congressional
20 endorse Mr.. FIke for that |
position, but We have not yet done so for
several reasons. First. the appointment
OF AR. Flke would not meet with the ap-
nrDH-aI ~ nuz q. ha 5stn /
county. arsl We do TO. care 10 endorse the
candidacy OF any man for any position
wslo does not have the unqualified conf-
ience Of our constituents among whom We
I've and who are the mainstay of our sup
port. as newspaper man Second. Mr..
Fixes appoins meme would be Questionable
10 nine out of ten Democrats VINO voted
for the Democrats congressional nominee
- the recen, election.
The mos5 difficult OBSTACLE the Demo-
cratic nominee had 20 contend wsh in
every county which he visited was the
supTPcsstion that he was a candidate pure
y in the interest of Mr.. Fike for railroad
commissioner should the Republican state
ticket be successful. Everywhere ne
nominee denied me charge. ard ne stili
makes emphatic denial thac - made MS
'anlEaisn for any other purpose OF in the
interest q ANYTHING else than eae up
building ard cemensing OF the Democratic,
voters q Shls 6is,ricc for future cam
'sSgns- Even in Mr. Fixes home town a.
,csey- the writer weas compelled 10 euler
leaial OF his being Mr.. Fixes personal
,e-ld date. Everywhere ne made rs can
'aign for r.re party and for aim q, D.
made a ssool rsgeol OF the crue Demo
,rs-ic vc>srs % ;fas dlss--ct. VIII n -
'uVure prove disastrous % the welfare
4 The Democratic organization ii sass