The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-12-28

the state for Mckinley, and when he
went to Wichita with his forces the is
sue still hung in the balance The little
ambitions of men who wanted to be
sent to the national convention, or to
be presidential electors had to be set
tied, and while they were vexatious,
Leland turned them to his advantage.
He went to trading, and when the con-
ventiOn m he had pulled the
props from under the enemy Leland
won this fight by foresight and organic
alton. He began in 1894, following Nc
Kinley's speeches in the Kansas cam
paign. He was chairman of the state
committee and Travelled with Mckinley
on the trip. The two men formed a
mutual attachment, and Leland began
to build a Mckinley machine in the
state. The friendship formed between
close relation of intimacy, lasting until
McKin1ey's death. Friendship is the
foundation rock of Leland's strength.
A FIGHTER FROM HI FIRST +
Leland began to fight when he went
to the war in August, 1851. No doubt
he and his playmates had their scraps"
no record of them He was only 10
years of age when he enlisted, and his
chose him to be it's second
lieutenant. His regiment was the
came consolidated with the Third as
the Tenth, and in the promotions he
drew a first l~ieutenancy. His first real
touch of war was at Dry Wood, when
Pap" Price was driven back. AT
Priarie Grove he comm anded his COM
pany. Early in the war he became an
Thomas Ewing, and executed the fam
Gus order No. IL" His close relations
with Ewing led him to give him his
friendship, and Ewing in turn became
greatly attached to Leland
Ewing was a Kansas man, and in
1864, he was seized with an ambition to
be United States senator to succeed
Lane. He asked Leland if he thought
he CnuId he elected TO the legislature
and pick up Doniphan county for him.
Leland thought he could, and so he re-
home. organized a boom for Ewing.
Doniphan county at that time had 8ve
representatives and two senators in the
legislature. Leland stood for election
in the Troy district and picked the 9TH
err candidates. All were elected, among
them D.. L. Payne, thirty years after
ward famous as oklahoma Dave
Payna. In the records of that 1egisla-
ture, the word Soldier" is written OPP
posite >Leland's name. All the Others
were farmers or or lawyers
After the election. Leland Went to ST.
Louis to make his report to General
Ewing
How did you come out?" Ewing
Got EN- ALL" Leland replied.
How many"
Seven
81 wish all my soldiers were boys"
But the scheme came to nothing
E<n11l6 NdS AdbI ~ SCN LIE ACCL ~
the ground" in the contest before the
legislature, and Lane was reelected. 1t
was. however, a start for Leland in poll
tics, and since then he has been a dele
gate in every Republican state conven-
tion and in every Republican congress
sional convention of the First district
In 1876 he began to go to the national
convention of the party, and in 1884
he became national committeeman, sue
ceeding John A. Martin. For twenty-
two years, until he became United
states pension agent, Leland was chair
man of the board of county commission
ers of Doniphan county. His only other
office besides representative in the 1egis-
1ature, county commissioner and pen
sion agent has been collector of internal
revenue He never has stood for an
office before the people outside of Dom
iphan county.
IN A CONGRESSIONAL CONTEST.
Leland's first big fight was at Abilene.