The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-06-28
BACK TO LIFE.
Effort to Revive Republican
League Being Made.
Has DWindled in Numbers and
Enthusiasm.
ONLY so DELEGATES.
The Constitution VIII UndOubt-
edIy Be Changed.
Will Recommend Support of
Various Candidates.
ONLY so DELEGATES.
National Committee Has Prom
ised Financial Help.

The twelfth state meeting of the
Kansas Republican league was held in
the old court house in this city today
1t has been two years since this or
ganization has met. because the ma
tional meeting at Omaha changed the
plan of annual meetings to biennial /
meetings. Frank P. Lindsay of Topeka
state president, who presided at today's |
session, has served two years in that /
capacity. J. z. Larimer of Topeka re- !
signed as secretary a year ago and NJ. |
NJ. Lea editor of the ST. Marys Eagle, |
was appointed, He performed the duties |
of that office today. The attendance at |
today's meeting was very small. Not to |
exceed fifty delegates were present |
from out of town. A considerable ma |
jority of the meeting was furnished by |
Topeka.
From an annual convention of 1 900 to
| 1900 enthusiastic delegates the league
| has dwindled to a handful.
| The league has reached this condition
| because the Republican leaders have
| heretofore opposed the work of the or
| ganiZation, claiming that there is no
place for it in Kansas politics, the opin-
| ion being that the regu;ar Republican
| organization is best qualified to man.
age campaigns and do the hurrahing.
| The railroads also put a stop to giving
| passes to delegates.
A radical change in the sentiment of
| the leaders at this time is responsible
for the effort to inStill new life into the
| organization.
Chairman A1baugh, Cyrus Leland, the
state officers Governor Stanley, Secre-
tary Tom Kelly, State Printer Morgan,
A. K. Rodgers, President Lindsay. and
others, after having frequent confer
ences, decided that it would be unwise
to permit the league to die at this time
and in the heat of a presidential cam
paign. The promoters Of the league
| have had assurances Of financial assist
ance from the national Republican
| committee AS funds are entirely
necessary in the management Of all po-
litieal organizations, the promise of
money has worked the charm and the
Republicans have. in earnest. COM
menced the work of reyivin the
corpse.
The national committee has come to
the leagues rescue because there is a
prospect of the organization taking a
hand in national politics. Heretofore
the mission and work of the organiza-
ton in state and nation has been the
adoption of resolutions and the promul-
; cation of lengthy opinions upon issues
of Importance before the country.
Now there is pending before the ma
| tional meeting to be held at St. Paul
! July 1923, a proposition to amend the
constitution, in such a manner as to
, make it an aggressive power with au-
! thority to endorse candidates for state
offices, and for federal positions. This
: new plan to make the league an active
feature in politics, has opened the eyes
of politicians who hope to profit by the
new purposes of the organization, and
for these reasons they court the favor
; of its membership by offering to furnish
: | funds to keep it going. The politicians
did not pay much attention to the
| league so long as the constitution pro-
i | hibited the endorsement of candidates
y and the membership was restricted to
:, me, too" resolutions and enthusiastic
; cheering for nominees after the party
had selected them. Now that the ma
tional body purposes to get into the
:: game of hunting offices the politicians
I are with it in purpose and in purse.
The league in Kansas was organized
{ in 1888. J. G. Slonecker was the first
! president. Col. E. c. Little was also
u president of the league for one year.
T The convention today met at 1890
{ and the following committees were al
: once named:
inson; H. J. Mattson. Washington
r Charles H. Ridgway, Ottawa; John S
e Dawson, Hill City; John T. CLANCY, To
u pelka.
n To select forty-fve delegates to the
l. national conventional. K Rodgers
Il Topeka, chairman; ]. F. Buell., St
u Marys; Geo. w. Watson, Kinsley; J. H
s Guy, Topeka; T. T. Kelly, Paola.
Lieutenant Governor H. E. Richter
Captain H. NJ Phillips, Topeka and
n Charles E. Lobdell were appointed as {
II special committee to call upon the Wo
3 mems Republican league auxiliary. IL
J. session in another hall and invite then
II II to meet with the league in joint conven
q tion this afternoon.
ie The league then endorsed the Kansas
n exposition by adopting the following:
4, Resolved, That we heartily endors
ie the movement to celebrate in 1904 tn
fftieth anniversary of the birth of Kan
r saS and pledge ourselves as an organic
Is alton and as individuals to give it on
s. best efforts.
{ The preliminary business was com
D. pleted at 11:20 o'clock, at which tim
2 the convention adjourned until 2 p. N
q WORK TO BE PUSHED.
~ The noon hour discussions as to tn
&c future of the State Republican league
"a following the general understanding
- that funds to continue the work of tn
: organization were forthcoming, result
~ ed in an understanding between tn
~ promoters of the league and the Repub
- lican state central committee.
~ The league organization is to b
20 pushed. especially the work Of form
N ing Mckinley and Stanley clubs an
- these organizations throughout tn
= state are to be effected in conjunctio
- with the work of the state central com
a mittee.
The old antagonisms between the tw
a5 organizations made the work ef orgar
- izing campaign clubs difficult becaus
~ the league wanted to be the whole thin
~ and where it had obtained a foothol
he there was opposition to the separai
'ot work of the state committee No
re these differences have Deen adjuste
a. and the two organizations will work t.
gether this year.
=, Before noon there had been a rum,
,os / that Grant Hornaday of Fort Scott ".
- . to be president and that he was to pc
NIT the league to die. This plan. aft