The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1900-04-06
REJECT FUSION.
After a Prolonged and Sharp Con
test, Dykes is Nominated.
IN Consideration Of Fusion, the Democrats
Request the Place OF Congressman,
But the POpulists Refuse TO
Make the Concession.

/ Colby, Kan, April 3.-COIby, the con
/ ventiOn town, has been the political
storm center this week. The pOpulist
convention met at IL o'clock, and
| Charles H. Nichols Of Osborne county,
was chosen temporary chairman, and
F. B. Smith Of Russell coutny, temper
| airy secretary, and at the afternoon ses-
sion the temporary organization was
made permanent.
The democrats assembled there on
Monday, April ?, and named Hon. TuI-
/ " Scott Of Oberlin, as the man of their
choice for congress. They also appoint
/ ed a conference committee Of -, one
! from each county of the district, to
meet the POpulist conference commit
tee to arrange a fusion Of the reform
forces.
The pOpUlists met at Colby, April 3,
and had full convention Of 10 mem
bers. In the eastern part of the dis
trict Dr.. John B. Dykes Of Smith cOun-
/ ty, had been put to the fore as a con-
gressiOnal candidate, and many of the
/ eastern counties of the district had
centered on him. Even in the prelim-
mary organization their strength was
shown, and the vote stood approx
maiely 40 to so, or two to one.
The western half of the district IS
thinly settled, and these counties had
smaller delegations on the basis of
votes cast. But territoriaIly, the west
half was solid for fusion with the dem
ocrats, and on the first ballot for con-
gresham, Scott had 40 votes to Dykes
Al, there being other scattering bal
lots.
There was lively passage Of arms,
both in preliminary and permanent or
ganiZatiOn, between these two ele-
ments. 1t was apparent that the Dykes
faction had forestalled any possible
fusion with the democrats.
A conference committee Of - was
selected to confer with the democrats
but after several meetings the attempt
to compromise and arrange a fusion
deal was abandoned and Dykes was
nominated by the pOpulists, and Scott
by the democrats.
This makes it a three-cOrnered fight
with the chances of election in favor
Of Reeder, as also the jeOpardizing of
pOpulist state senators and represen-
tatives, to say nothing Of the county
tickets, In many Of the counties in this
congressional district.
The democrats offered to cOncede to
the pOpulists all the y representatives
and four state senators in the congress
sionaI district, allowing, however, local
adjustment of the fusion arrangement
to meet local conditions. The
pOpUlists made a reverse proposal,
the democrats to endorse the POpulist
congressman, the pOpuIists to give the
democrats the state senators and the
representatives,
On this proposition, upon a canvass
of the counties of the district, it was
found that the pOpUlists were not in a
position to deliver the goods In the
majority Of counties, because of local
conditions, or Of candidates already in
the field. In other words, so far as the
Sixth district was concerned, the pop
ulists required the democratic endorse
ment Of the pOpulist congressman and
practically offered nothing to the dem
Ocrats In return. The compromise, Of
course, failed.
The counties in the east part of the
district that had large delegations there
| for Dykes had nothing to offer to the
democrats, and offered nothing for the
democratic endorsement Of their can
didate.
These conferences with the demo
Gratis were characterized by friendli-
ness and courtesy on both sides, and 1t
is a pity that political friends could not
get together, all because Of personal
| preferences and personal ambitions.
/ The democratic contention was a very
reasonable one. In the pOpulist camp
it was formerly said, ''let the Office
seek the man" Now, it is "the man
seeking the Office" or others seeking
it for him. This was what defeated
fusion.