The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-08-23
Republican Executive Committee
Can Put the Two Colonels
Out of Business.
ONLY COURAGE is LACKING.
Meeting Developed Into a Large
Gabfest-To-Day VIII Deter
mine Fate of Fusion
in st. Louis.

Colonel William H. Phelps. from his Of
flee in the Equitable building, conducted
the campaign of Colonel r. c. Kerens and
Lee Meriwether when they appeared yes
terday before the Executive Committee of
the Republican State Central Committee and
asked that the direct-nominating primary
| which had been ordered by the City Cen
tarl Committee be left severely alone.
Phelps succeeded in staving of action for
day. He ordered that the meeting be
turned into a gabfest and it was done.
From 10 o'clock in the morning until T:3O
at night, with the exception OF an hour for
lunch. Kerens talked. talked, and then
, talked some more. The result was that the
| committee adjourned until 10 o'clock this
morning, when there will be some more
| talk.
| Great Conversation Contest.
Talking began promptly on time. When
state Chairman Atkins called the meeting
, to order there were present Charles Nagel,
i Doctor NJ. c. Starklof. W. Lafe Sturde-
want and Otto Stifel of st. Louis. Frank
! ID. Roberts OF Kansas City. Edward g.
Kennish of Maitland. who held the proxy
| or his brother, John Kennish. of Mound
City. and National Committeeman Kerens.
j. II. Boutwell, of Sedaiia. Walter G.
Dickey and George A. Neal of Kansas City
| OF the Executive Committee were not pres
ent to enjoy the talking match. They prob
ably knew of what was coming and pre-
1erred staying out of the wind.
Ihefe were others present however Lee
MeriWether and his protege. b. z. Bogy,
VINO has been nominated by Mer1wether Tor
Sher1n, were called into the meeting by
tAerens. They joined in the talk-fest with a
Will Theodore d. Kalbfell. John B. owen
ana Willlam II. Hahn also consumed sew
eral dozen cigars while adding to the talk
occasionally tnose IN the corriuors OF lne
hotel could hear the talk. 1t was OF all
varieties. Some of II was very loud Some
Was supposed to be soothing, especially the
harmony talk handed out by Colonel
herens. Rare conversational powers were
III results may pe, judged, the meeting was
primarily intended for the development OF
The surprising Republican trait-taik.
Star-Chamber Proceedings.
Yet after 1t was over, after all the cigars
mad been smoked, and after several pitch
ers OF ice-water were disposed OF, those
who had been present refused TO talk. ''see
Mr. Atkins, each of them said.
Mr.. Atkins and Colonel Kerens had a con-
Terence after the meeting OF the Executive
Committee, in which they did some more
and the legislative ticket.
After this last talk Mr.. Atkins refused to
say another word
Il would tell everything IL there was a
thing to tell,'' he said. We have discussed
the situation here in st. Louis, and viii
meet again tomorrow at 10 o'clock, when
20 much tomorrow"
Atkins Has Whip Hand.
From sources which are considered relia-
BILE, it is SAID that Chairman Atkins and his
frienus, who have been advocating a dele
gate convention, demonstrated to KerenS
that they have the power to nulliry the ac-
ton of the City Committee in calling a di-
rect primary. They pointed out, also, that
the City COMMITTEES had no right to issue
a call tor primaries to nominate candidates
for the General Assembly.
Lee Meriwether and B. P. Begy who spent
an hour before the committee telling OF the
steen million of votes which they had
in their minds eye. tried to convince ths
majority OF the Executive Committee that
fusion could only be adopted by means OF
Immediately after giving his testimony.
Meriwether walked two blocks south to
the office of BlLl Phelps where lengthy
conference ensued.
1t is SAID that Kerens offered to give the
minority of the City Committee half OF
he he stopped. As there are only two judges
and one clerk in each primary precinct
this would stlll give him control OF the elec-
ton of hs legislative candidate and COM
mitteemen.
Akins Has the Power.
Beyond a doubt, 1t IS held, the Executive
COMMITTEES has the right to recognize the
minority in the City Committee as the ofti-
cial committee. The minority members
said that the Board of Election Commits
sioners would acknowledge the ruling Of
the State Committee.
II this took place there would be nothing
doing for Kerens in st. Louis unless he
could carry the primaries for the Delegate
Convention. II any sort of a. direct-nomi-
mating primary be held, he will undoubted-
ly win hands down.
Last night it looked very much as IL the
Alxins faction would LAY down to the
Kerens- NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. blum. and, after
finding a plausible excuse, let the National
Committeeman retain all the advantages he
desires.
herens like Merriwether, Travelled the road
over to the Phelps office after the commit
tee meeting. Phelps did not appear before
the committee.
Whether the committeeman were too tired
Yesterday to talk or whether they were
afraid to trust the secrets" of the party
to the ''rabble public which the fusionists
eay they can deliver. WAS not announced.
There was no publicity stirring and will not
be until after to-day's meeting.