The St. Louis Republic., 1900-09-13
Differences Among Fifth District
Democrats TO Be SmOOthed
Over.
BRIGHT PROSPECT FOR PEACE.
State Committee, Acting as a Com
mittee on Credentials, May Re
convene and Reorganize the
County Convention.
REPUBLIC SPECIAL.

Kansas City, Sept. ia telegram from
ST. Louis. dated to-day. quotes the Demo
cratic State chairman as promising the in
fiuence Of his COMMITTEES toward settling
the differences in the Democratic party here.
The news is sure to be welcome to the rank
and file of the party and at least to one
wing of tie divided leaders.
Another piece of news contained in the
same telegram, discredits the claim of
Charles Noland Of Cabool. wherein it was
represented that Mr.. Noland was here with
instructions from Chairman Seibert to probe
the troubles and make a report to him.
Noland's arrival on Monday was not at all
to the hkin Of either faction. both claim
ing that If any one interferes It must be no
less a person than the manager of the State
campaign.
Origin of the Trouble.
There are two distinct Democratic Or
ganizations here now, each having its own
County Committee and its own list of can
didates for the county Offices. Kansas City
is usually Republican by slight ma
Jority. due 10 the 1850 negro voters
who stick to the Republican party regard
less or all argument or reason. Jackson
County, including Kansas City, is 2,0c0 to
5000 Democratic Jackson County, with La
gressional District, Is from $500 to $500
Democratic in presidential years. So unsafe
Is the local vote, however, that last April
James Reed, Democratic candidate for May
or. overthrew the Republicans 200 ma
1orfty and took possession Of the Repub-
lican City Hall, with 800 votes TO spare
The danger now is that these 6. 200 shifting
votes Will swing the other way. and with
the Democrats abusing each other II is not
10 marvel that Congressman Cowherd is
leaving no stone unturned to get the State
Committee to come to Kansas City.
Up to this spring the Democratic party
has moved in two columns, but always to-
gether One column, known as the city
and led by Alderman James Pendergast,
has confined Itself to municipal offices, and
IN tnat night has been aided by the county
shannon. When the county ticket was I'D
for nomination Shsnnons friends would b.,
permitted to conduct the primaries and the
conventions, supported by the city column.
Mayor Reeds Ambition.
This year Mayor Reed, encouraged by his
remarkable success. decided to invade the
County Courthouse, and early announced his
ticket. In this way, when the primaries
We're held, not only were there contesting
delegates In every ward. but there was in
tense rivalry.
At the close Of the polls five of the four
teen wards were found to be Close the big
Third. for instance, being claimed by the
Pendergast men by three votes. When the
day of the convention arrived this County
committee sat to make up the temporary,
roll: Claiming the precedent established
Kansas City, next by the Republican Ma
tional Convention at Philadelphia, again by
the Democratic Judicial Convention at Mo-
berly. and still again by the Democrats
National Convention at Kansas City. this
COMMITTEES called for testimony, hearing
which, it threw out enough Pendergast
votes to deliver the Third TO the county
column. The same was the result of inves-
ugating three Of the other doubtful wards
the end being to show the county would
vention.
1t was o'clock in the evening before the
County Committee finished its sitting and
on auJourning II was announced that the
convention would be called to order at 7:30.
In the interim the Pendergast men, con-
na,,ut sci0us mat they were IN the minority. an
Nention on the grounds that they had elect
ed ed the most delegates at the primaries.
porary roll made up by the County Com
mi:tee, alleging that the Third, Fourth,
Fifth and half of the Seventh wards had
tended that charges of police electioneering
were not established. and for that reason
Gecnned to accept the decision Of the Coun-
Two conventions resulted, two tickets were
named and two new county committees
elected In that shape the party stands.
Hard Fight IL United.
Congressman Cowherd who himself has
been Mayor of the city, became anxious
for the safety of the United States senator
ship, pointing out that Mayor Reeds 3 200
majority must not be relied upon, and that
nve Representatives and two Senator'S to
be voted on at the general election, might
be carried by the Republicans unless the
democrats amalgamated. The fact that the
Republicans only required a change of
thirteen TO give them the last Legislature
further aroused the Congressman He was
not the more confident when reminded that
, Two years ago. heavily Democratic though
for County Treasurer was saved by less
than ninety votes. the Republicans Claiming
the election even then,
One week from Thursday tha Republicans