The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-10-02
at National Republi-
can League Is Disappointing.
Illness of the President Threw
Damper ON the Meeting.
ENDORSE ROOSEVELT.
Organization VIII Urge His
Nomination in 1904.
Address of President Hamilton
Feature of the Morning.

Chicago, Oct. 2.-The annual conven-
ton of the national Republican league
was called to order in the First Regiment
armory here today with about 400 dele
gates present, representing the auxiliary
leagues of the various states. This num-
ber is less than half the attendance
which had been expected before the ILL
ness of President Roosevelt, whose pres
ence had been assured.
The programme calls for four business
sessions today and tomorrow and mass
meetings tonight and tomorrow night
the chief speaker for tonight being Sem
ator Doliver of Iowa, and Senator
Beveridge of Indiana, for the meeting
tomorrow evening. General Grosvenor
of Ohio will share the honors with the
Indiana senator at the concluding meet
ing.
Before the convention opened it was
commonly admitted that the nomination
of President Roosevelt in 1904 would be
endorsed. In fact. it was only about
this matter that certain predictions were
made. Whether the Iowa delegation
would seek to have its ideas on tariff
revision endorsed, whether the league
has the constitutional right to concern
itself with state platforms, and the mat
ter of a successor to the retiring Dresl-
dent Isaac Miller Hamilton, were ques-
tions over which the delegates expected
debate when Mr.. Hamilton raped for
| order.
Among the candidates for the league
presidency were mentioned J. H. Moore
of Pennsylvania. Sid B. Redding of Lit
| tie Rock, Ark, Richard Woods of Sioux
Falls, S D., and Shirley E. johnson of
| Kentucky.
The feature of the mornings session
after the address of welcome by Roy
| O. West of the state central committee.
was the address of President Hamilton.
Mr.. Hamilton said in part:
! Composed as our organization is of the
younger men of our party in large part
of business and professional men who
nor nffiCQhO1dprG If
great deal of influence in circles not
usually reached by the influence oe the
average politician. Our organization is
entirely out of debt, all of the expenses
OF the current administration have been
paid in full and at the close of the
present convention there will remain in
the hands of the treasurer a substantial
nest egg for the coming administration.
These results have not been accom-
plished without great effort and your
officers have received efficient assist
ance in this behalf from many of our
most efficient party workers and partic-
ularly from ex-Presfdent George Stone
of California, from the national Repub-
lican committee and the congressional
Republican committee and my expert
ence leads be to believe that our sec
retary should not be a salaried officer
that he should be a man selected be-
cause of his ability and standing rather
than one who is ambitious to receive
/, compensation for his service.
should empower our president to ap-
point such assistant secretaries as in
his judgment are necessary and that
the executive committee should author
/, ize the opening of permanent headquar-
ters at the home of the president of the
organization. There is every reason
why the influence of the league should
increase. There are many men willing
. and anxious to be identified with the
best interests of the Republican party
men who are willing and anxious to
keep closely in touch with the teach
. ings of our party. Many of them have
no present desire to hold office but they
like to attend the meetings of our COM
. mites, our state and national conven-
tions, to become personally acquainted
with our public men, the men who are
. responsible for framing the policies oi
our party and government and to take
home to their respective localities the
enthusiasm and knowledge which they
acquire by attending these various
meetings. The leagues mission is just
beginning in this respect to be thorough
ly understood and appreciated and
predict that its influence from this
time forth will greatly and constantly
enhance"