The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-07-09
LEWELLING FLOPS
Ex-Governor Joins Forces of G..
C.. Clemens.
He PresideS at Socialist Meet
ing at Wichita.
AGAINST BREIDENTHAL
elimination of a Quarrel Be-
tween the Two Men.
The Latest Move is Not Entirely
Unexpected.
AGAINST PRUDENTIAL

ex-governor, ex-member of the state
board of railroad commissioners and
senator, L. D. Lewelling, has deserted
the POpulists and identified himself
with the Socialist movement now being
engineered by G. c. Clemens, candidate
for governor.
The action by which Lewelling prac-
tically deserts the party which has ele-
waited him to the highest office in the
state, was taken Saturday night at a
meeting held by Clemens in Wichita,
over which the ex-governor presided,
introducing the speaker by saying:
Mr.. Clemens is an old friend of mine
and am glad to say that 1 am very
much interested in the cause of which
he is The principal champion in Kansas
The Socialist principles are much super
Tor in many respects to those OF the
Populists''
Before making the last statement the
governor referred to his connection with
the Populist party and concluded by ex-
pressing the opinion that the Socialists
are nearer on the right road than the
old party has been.
The flop of the ex-governor is sur
prise to many, although it has been
claimed by the managers of the POpulist
campaign that this step would be taken
by Lewelling before the campaign was
well under way. This has been dis
credited in various quarters but the &C
ton taken by Lewelling Saturday night
puts all doubts at rest He is in this
movement because he wants to oppose
and make impossible the election Of
John BreidenthaI governor by the
fuSiOnists.
Mr.. LeweIling was governor during
the first .tPOpuliSt state administration
on earth This was in Kansas, of
course, and his administration recalls
the legislative war. Lewelling was de-
feated for reelection. After Governor
Morrills term of two years had expired
and the time came for the selection of
q Populist to oppose him for detection
ls6W6lIlnQ in the bllr he lost
John W. Leedy was nominated and
elected In exchange for the support
which Lewelling gave him, Leedy placed
the ex-governor on the state board Of
railroad commissioners.
In the Abilene convention Leedy was
made to believe that the Lewelling
forces started the break which resulted
IN wild scramble for Leedy during the
balloting- OF course, such a favor as
this was not to be forgotten and Level
ling's friends used it with such effect as
to place him Oh the railroad board
In the last legislature considerable
friction between Lewelling and Breid-
enthal was developed. 1t did not take
the appearance of a row until this sum-
mer when in a published interview
Lewelling charged Breidenthal and Bob
Semple with betraying the Populists in
to the hands of the Republicans when
Lewelling sought a reelection.
Breidenthal and Semple were also
charged with giving away the inner
secrets of the party and furnishing
campaign thunder for the opposition.
Breidenthal and Semple refused to be-
lieve that Lewelling had made the state
mentS which were imputed to him and
wrote to Lewelling asking for verif.
cation before they made up their minds
on the subject.
To their letters Lewelling made no
reply. He seemed to indicate by his
silence that he had made the charges
and that he was ready to stand by
them This closed the incident except
that Breidenthal and Lewelling immed-
lately commenced fighting each other
bitterly
These conditions have been RESPONSE
BILE for dwellings desertion of the
party. This action VIII likely be fol-
lowed by similar movements on the
part of some of dwellings staunch
friends and in this way an effort will
be made to convince the people that
Breidentha1 is not the man for COVER
nor.