The Washington times., 1901-12-05
MISSOURI FRACTIONAL FIGHT.
Mudwnter stnte Republicans Eager
for Presidents Decision.

Mudwnter Stnte Republicans Eager
for Presidents Decision.
Close observers are just bit puzzled
to know what is deferriug the decision of
the President in the contest for the con-
troll Of the Republican party in Missouri
between r. c. Kerens. national commit
ieeman, and Ethan Allen Hitchcock, Sec
retary of the Interior. II is now some
time since the hostile factions first be-
gan to p4 ess their claims before the Pres
ideut. The Hitchcock people claim that
they have won, that Kerens and his po-
litieal friends viii be turned down. and
that their overthrow will be signalized by
the appointment in short order of W. G.
Boyd as surveyor of the port of St Louis,
in place Of H. C. Smith, Kerens man.
On the other hand the Kerens people,
although somewhat loath to talk, assert
vehemently that the President has as yet
come to no decision in the matter, and
that the worst that can happen to them
is the appointment of compromise can
didate
To all appearances the political evl-
dence, the endorsements pro and con. was
y
Missourians descended on the White
House again. With the situation thus
opened up again. it Is hard to predict
when the President will give the word
which will throw one side into political
supremacy and cast the other to the
ground. 1t is practically certain that this
word is not far off. but 1t is difficult to
say exactly when it will come.
Half dozen prominent Republicans
from Missouri, representing the younger
element OF the party in that State, called
by appointment on the President yester-
day. and expressed the wish that Mr..
Kerens be left at the helm of the Repub-
hcan party They presented this request
in written form, with their signatures at
tached. Walter Deckey, leader of the Re
publican party in Kansas City and Jack
son County. who Is a valiant Kerens
worker. headed the party. 1t consisted of
Louis P. Aloe, prominent merchant CT
st. Louis. who was for three years
1s9S-l9Ol-President of the St Louis Mer-
chants League Republican Club. with a
membership of S,00O and who is mem
ber-at-large OF the State Republican
committee; Harry d. Train, President Of
the Missouri Republican Club. of Kansas
City; W. X. Amick, ex-cit~ attorney of st.
Joseph, and a member OF the Missouri
State Assembly when the obnoxiods
Nesbit election law was passed; Ralph d.
Stauber, of st. Joseph, member of the
executive committee of the State Repub-
Hcan committee; C. d. Morris. proprietor
of the Trenton Tribune and President
of the Association of Young Republicans
of Missouri. an annual dinner association,
and memberat-large of the State COM
mittee
The delegation reported a cordial re-
ception by the President Mr. Aloe
protested against the statement of
the Hitchcock faction that the situation
was all settled and that Mr.. Boyd was
to be appointed surveyor; that the Ker-
ems supporters had the word of the Presi-
dent that the appointment had not been
determined upon. Said Mr. Aloe: "The
worst that can happen to us is that the
President will not appoint a man in either
faction"
The statement is made by friends of
Mr.. Kerens that of the fifteen Congress
sional nominees ten are on record as sup
porters of Mr.. Kerens; three, including
Representatives Joy and Bartholdt, are
opposed to him; one is absent from home
on a hunting trip. and his sentiments are
not known. while the other is neutral
Theodore Kalbfelt chairman of the
city central committee of st. Louis. has
arrived in Washington. He carries with
him an endorsement OF Mr.. Kerens, signed
by twenty-five of the twenty Eight men,
bers of the committee of which he is the
head.
John B. Ivens. chairman of the Twelfth
Congressional district committee is said
to he similarly authorized to endorse Mr.
Kerens.
Before the Kercny people saw the Presi-
dent Representatives Joy and Bartholdt
talked with the President. and departed
with expressed confidence that the Presi-
dent would decide the contest in their
favor. Secretary Hitchcock was at the
White House little later, and as he de-
parted he intimated that the situation
had taken on a tinge satisfactory to him.