The Topeka state journal., 1901-06-22
BOURBONS HERE.
Democratic Leaders All Appear
Good Natured.
Mack Love and Ed Murphy Ride
in Together.
LITTLE SIGN OF ROW.
W. H. L. PepperiII Says it is
the Republicans.
They Are Trying to Cause Fric-
tion in Democratic Ranks.
Proposition Of Populists For
Union Turned Down.

1t was noon sharp instead of 10 o'clock
when the Democratic state central COM
mittee went into session today at the
Hotel Throop to decline the invitation
of the Populists to form a new party
for the next campaign. There were 20
members of the committee present and
an hours talk on the situation was
enough to settle it. J. G. Johnson and
Mayor James Orr of Atchison clashed
over the question of hurting the propo-
sition back in the teeth of the Populists
or of letting them down easy. Orr LASH
ed Johnson as an artful dodger, other
wise there was no bloodshed.
Orr proposed that the committee on
resolutions make it polite but positive
that the Democratic party stands on its
own bottom henceforth.
Il move that the committee be in
structed to incorporate in their draft
as the sense of this body that the Dem
ocratic party will hold it's state conven-
tions hereafter without reference to
any other party on earth. That it shall
nominate ticket composed of Demo-
Gratis, under the name of Democrat But
that we invite any who are opposed to
Republicanism to come into our con-
ventiOns and take part in our primar-
les"
Johnson counseled caution.
I'VE do not want to appear arbitrary
that we turned down this proposition
and denied our rank and file a chance
to have a say on it without any appar-
ent reason other than caprice.
1T is not for this committee to say
who shall constitute the party. That is
for the convention
But this committee calls the con-
vention. And we can call the conven-
ton to nominate a Democratic ticket
We can designate the purpose"
expostulated Johnson. I'VE cannot de-
eide an issue for the party. think the
exigencies of the case are such that we
want to tell our voters it is not best to
accept this proposition, not dictate
The convention should be at liberty to
control its makeup and not this COM
mittee."
L don't believe in lodging Oxr came
back. If am asked my politics, am
proud to answer am a Democrat, I do
not believe in hiding
Johnson stood alone in even tempor-
izing with the proposition. Messrs. .Sapp
Fike, Brandenburg, Strother. Campbell
and others spoke for the out and out
course. There was no other way to it.
Soon after Johnson and Orrs tilt, the
committee recessed till o'clock, while
the subcommittee prepared the address
to the Democratic voters and reply to
the Populists The state committee is
for taking care of its own first. The
address is first to go out to Democratic
voters which after the reply will be
leisurely given to the Populists state
committee.
The committee to prepare the draft
was made up of Messrs. Sapp, Letson
Sweeny Morgan, Strother. Scott, Pitts
and Love-
While waiting for J. Mack Love, J.
G. Johnson and E. E. Murphy to come
in together on the noon train the cool
heads of the early Democratic arrivals
We're keeping their wits trapped so as to
avoid a row. The dozen mem hers of
the committee who were on hand eariv
put in the early part of the morning
keeping cool under the electric fans
in and about the Throop and adjacent
places of amusement and soda water
fountains.
W. w Letson of Horton was warned
early to look out for Mrs. Nation. Let
son has the fortune or misfortune to
resemble David Nation, Mrs. Carries
husband. He wears his hair and beard
the same way. They are of the same
shade of greyness. Besides he has the
ion of a peony- This with his panama
set low over his forehead completes
the resemblance. He was slightly wor-
ried lest Mrs Nation pounce upon him
now that David has left her.
Tom Morgan did not add to his COM
fort by the remark that Mrs Nation
would probably now be satisfied with
any old thing and it was the better
part of valor for him to keep out of
sight
w H. L. Pepperin, the Concordia war
horse. was hot under the weather and
under the collar. too. On account of
the com bination he insisted on wear
ing a white silk handkerchief around
his neck where the collar ought to be.
This is an outrage" he said, how
the Republican papers are trying to stir
US I'D in a muss. Overmyer denied to
me that he was sore about anything
and he was no insurgent. didn't know
that / was an inSurgent and in the
gang that is to raise all kinds of trou-
Bile. I have to find it out from the Re-
publican papers,
perhaps you and Dave better sign
a protocol of peace" suggested Tully
Scott.
Protocol is good replied Bill, some
what Modified. s'I'Il sign the book-I
mean the protocol"
were George F. Pitts of wellington,
W. w. Letson of Horton, B. L. Strother
of Abilene. G. w. Brandenburg of
Frankfort, C. NJ Sawyer of Norton and
Henry Block of Syracuse. Jim Fike,
Bill Sapp and Frank Thomas came
along soon after and the meeting was
called uo to the parlor to attend to
business.
While the cooler heads are trying to
keep away from opening up the old
sores in the committee, there are plenty
of mutterings. Committeeman Pitts is
ready to make war at the drop of the
hat on Mack Love- He said today: 1T
will come in time. There is no par
ticuIar likelihood that anything will be
done here We want peace among our
selves and not war"
There is ominous meaning in the talk
between him and Tully Scott. even In