The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-04-25
Charged That Wires Are Laid
to Prevent Fusion.
LEEDY AND Lands.
Claimed That They Are Authors
Of the Scheme.
Other Candidates Lend a Help
ing Hand.
Mai. A. M. Harvey Made Chair
man of Convention.

Clay Center, April 25-Within an
hour after John Breidenthal and his |
lieutenants arrived in Clay Center
Tuesday afternoon the contest for gov
ernor was inaugurated with a bitter
ness which up to that time had been |
concealed beneath the surface of po- |
ntical events. The Breidenthal forces |
are charged with Immediately begin |
ming the circulation of charges to the |
effect that his opponents for the nom
1nation for governor are responsible for
the nomination Of two congressional
candidates in the various districts
Mr.. Breidenthal and his workers
claim that Munger, King, Leedy, Lew
cling, Ryan and Dennison have art
fully managed to, while attending these
congressional conventions, keep the sit
uati0n stirred up sufficiently to cause
a split resulting in the nomination of
Democratic and Populist candidates for
congress.
These charges started a row and the
bitterness between the combined oppo
sition and Breidenthal ran riot among
the delegates
This is a feature of the campaign
which has not been heretofore devel-
oped. These charges were the out
growth Of the effort being made by the
opposition to defer a fight in this con-
vention by opposing the reorganization
of the state committee This forced
the Breidenthal workers from under
cover. They said the opposition was
suing or pretending to sue for peace
yet was all the while busy fixing up
what is proving to be a dangerous OBJ
stacle to BreidenthaPs success in the
campaign, even if he should be nomi-
mated for governor.
Mr.. Breidenthal is excited about the
Third district muddle, although he is
not in a pleasant frame of mind con-
corning the Sixth and Seventh districts.
In the Third district, Harry Lands,
e-l-warden of the penitentiary, and eX-
are charged with being red-handed in
the arrangement which brought out
Smith of Baxter Springs as a Demo
cratic candidate for congress. Leedy
and Lands are charged with having in
Leedy's office at Joplin fixed the deal
by which Smith was brought out.
The Brcidenthal people claim that
the remaining candidates have dlscOV-
cred that they are not strong enough
TO defeat him and have adopted the
tactics Of producing anti-fusion ar
engagements in the various districts so
InaI Wnen ne IS the nominee of the
party the situation will be 50 compli-
Gated that only sure defeat awaits his
campaign.
The charges made by the Breidenthal
forces in this respect are positive. The
statements were made in connection
with the demand that the state COM
nittee be reOrganized. The immediate
result was an adjournment of the COM
mittee until this morning, no action
having been taken. The opposition last
night was in the saddle with power
enough to cause an adjournment with
the understanding that the committee
would itself take no action towards
effecting a reorganization, as sug-
gested by the forces cOntending for it.
today. The attitude of the committed
was practically against the plan to re-
organize, which is a preliminary victory
for the Breidenthal opposition.
This condition was responsible for a
renewal of the charges against the op-
f,ia1 fcsl1f hot -
alleged fact that the opposing candi-
dates have deliberately planned Brei-
denthals defeat when the nomination
IS as his managers claim, safe within
his grasp.
There is another new feature brought
out here today and that is the terms
of the agreement reached by the can
dtdateS opposing Breidenthal at Crea
Bend, where a conference was held t,
determine what action should be takel
to defeat the bank commissioner.
was there decided that in the event
ballot IS taken in the convention at For
Scott and Breidenthal fails to land tn
nomination the opposing candidate VIII
receives the largest number of vote
viii then be given the strength of al
the others. Should this cOntingenc,
arise and should Breidenthal fail on tn
first ballot or fail to secure the in
struction of sufficient delegates to in
sure "cinch" at the very begiEnin
the opposition figures that all hope
lost to him. 1t is a fact that no ma
who has sought the office of governo
in Kansas In the last ten years has bee
confronted by such a bitter and unre
lenting fight as Mr.. BreidenthaI
Should the indications that Breideu
thai be nominated on the first ballot b
verified in advance of the convention
the opposition candidates will exe1
their influence to maintain the two
candidates-for-c congress scheme an
thereby insure BreidenthaIs defeat be
cause a split in the vote will surel
produce this result.
The committee, which seeks to. ORE
vent the BUSTING of it's chairman an
secretary in response to Brefdenthal
demands, through Taylor Riddle, chaii
man. has served notice on Breiderth;
that If he succeeds in accomplishing
reorganization by the convention hel
today or tonight that the present of
cials OF the committee will refuse
recognize or in any manner give wa
to their successors until the Fort SEQ
convention ratihes the work here
elects some one else to take the plac
which the Breidenthal forces now d
sire to get in their control. Riddle h.
identified himself by this move with Il
auti-Breidenthal forces.
That these plans have been matur,
and were reaffirmed by a caucus of Il
anti Breidenthal forces at the Gille
hotel last night is thoroughly demo
strated by the remark made to a sta
Journal reporter by one OF the men
that caLeus; a man who is a candida
Tor governor. He said:
s'If Breidenthal is nominated for SO