The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-09-09
BIG GAMES
Scene of Many Schemes in
Political Strategy
IN COPELAND COUNTY
ingalls, Saw His Finish There
When Pops Reigned.

anu SKIN county II hdliS@S. IL - tAe
smallest county in the state and the larg-
est in poin OF political influence. II gets
its name from Colonel Copeland Gordon,
who built it, owns it and runs it-that is.
runs everything but its politics. II is
located in Topeka in the very shadow Of
the state house done. yet its political IA
dance penetrates the state house and
spreads 10 the four corners OF the state.
1t is the university OF Kansas politics.
The 100 regularly organized counties are
the country schools.
1t is in Copeland county where United
States senators. governors and other state
and federal officers are made. 1t is also
here where some are unmade. 1t is here
where legislators shape legislation. where
lobbyists lobby. Political appointments
are here decided upon and given out at
the state house later. Whenever there is
any big political move TO be made the
governor deserts his Office and comes to
Copeland county. Outside statesmen on
political missions, upon their arrival in
Topeka, strike Copeland county first and
the state house afterward. It is here
where political measurements of a man
are taken. His bump of political sagacity
is inspected closely. His staying quail
ties are examined. His faculty OF be-
ing able to meet a man in the lobby and
smile at him and then 90 up stairs and
plot to destroy him is tested. 1t is no
crime to plot a political killing TO lie
and get caught at it is about the only
crime in the Copeland county criminal
code. Some lying. Of course, is done and
occasionally it is found out. Then comes
the Observation-Disclosures polti-
clan who is caught in a lie once in Cope
land county is usually dead one
henceforth and forever.
1t is here where the spellbinders Of the
state gather once a year-Kansas day
and get their cue as to what the para
mount issue is to be and what they shall
say in the forthcoming campaign. 1t is
here where ambitious politicians first
bring their blooms" for inspection. If
they pass muster then the booms are tax
Ell up and boosted along. If they do not
show up right then they are pigeonholed.
Some ispirants have attempted to over
ride the judgment of Copeland county
and make the race anyway. but they al
ways have fallen by the wayside sooner
or later. States are frequently made here
for conventions TO ratify. Sometimes they
are browen but not often. 1t takes brains
and Organization to run politics. oCpe-
land county has both. Occasionally fell
low with no more gumption than the law
allows breaks in but he doesn't last long.
Copeland county has no regular county
organization as provided by the consttu-
ton. It has a peculiar form OF govern
ment Of it's own. There is no other Ike
it. 1t is neither a monarchy nor republic.
No one man runs it politically as mon
arches are run. A republic is run by the
people-the rank and file. Wherein Cope
land county differs from a republic is
that it is run by the rank. The file has
no voice whatever In other words il is
run by d syndicate of political leaders.
This does not mean that peace and har-
mony always exists in Copeland county,
for they do not. There are usually two
elements contending for supremacy and
the contest between them is as fierce as
that for the control Of the A. o. L. W.
Offices in Kansas Like a state conven-
ton no one has influence there unless he
controls at least one of the regularly or
ganized counties in the state and meas
ures up TO the standard required. Ere
quently a politician who has railroad
pass and an eating house ticket gets into
Copeland county part way. looks wise.
does a lot OF trade wind whispering and
- e.
what a hot numebT he is al home. But
that doesn't take him anywhere. He
doesn't get further than the lobby He
never reaches parlor b" OF rooms j. -
IS" or %" y man must have credentials
to show that he owns a county in order
to reach the inner circle. When he pro-
duces them and tests sixty pounds TO the
bushel IN other requirements. he Is taken
into fun membership and given ali the
degrees He only remains a member az
long as he con hold his county. when
he loses that he Is out This accounts for
so many changes in the membership oF'ur
years is the average life Of a member.
Some have been known 10 stay longer.
Cyrus Leland. for instance. vas on hand
when Copeland county was first estab-
Hshed. He has been member ever since I
His tight grip Of Doniphan county makes
him secure in Copeland county. The late
Lit Crum was a lifelong member. James
Il Simpson Is another oid-tiuer. 50 is
esnator J. r Burton. This about makes
Up the list Of members o. long standing. I
Nearly al the present members are prsc-
tscauy new men. 7 sey have not owned 1
their local counties very long.
NO fear ls ever entertained ~ dis I
carded member giving away any q the T,
Political secrets because secrets q one T.
day are Of no Consequence TIE asrt on 1
account q changes in the political situa- I
ton. TIE plans q today may - cen- 4
plesely upset oy the political Developments +
OF tomorrow
II THE walls n Copeland oolssy coaid 4
talk there would - a Ersnd scatfsruent Z
O. lobbyists. Thsy would ali take to tai .
timber a voiuue q hitherto vnpsb- 4
Hshe- history cauid b writes that would .
stsrsls ths ra1ves. II IRE rooms ccul1 .
give ~ fhelr secrets The tsok would -
il greater demand than ths Blbia. pro
vlting 4 course ths lobbyists Cd rat 4
bum down Copelaad coaury before the +
secrets were ali told Cege1snd county i
las housed many Tx m~n q the nztioa-
Two preslzerts = the United states have
PIT ~ Bsn5z-sin Harrisca ard
william GcElniey
II Eas fn ron Wnese tha freeze
cur peksT Ezzle Ess 7isgse ihss saf;ied
the 9rss.n, b011dartes - IRE seFel o1n-
.---s-a-.-...f $780, - r-.-~ 60 --s E