The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-02-13
Sixth District Convention Will
Be Held April 23.
Basis of Representation Will
Give 156 Delegates.
WHITE AS COMPROMISE
Rum0r That Contending Forces
May Unite on Him.
More Trouble Over Cawker City
Postoffice.

trict Republican congressional commit
tee in session here has called the Sixth
district convention to meet at Norton on
April %. The basis Of representation
will be one delegate for every $50 votes
| cast for George A. Clark for secretary
of state two years ago and one delegate
at large for each county. This will make
a convention of 156 delegates.
The discussion among the members OF
the committee and others in attendance
at the committee meeting seemed to in
dictate that Hays White. Of Jewell coun-
ty, may be the Sixth district nominee as
a compromise candidate in the yelling
ton Reeder fight.
A meeting of the judicial committee of
the Twenty-fourth judicial district was
also held and the judicial convention
was called to meet at Goodland on April
16. The district is made up of the coun-
ties of Rocks, Graham, Sheridan, Thorn
as and Sherman. There will be no con-
test over the judicial nomination, as
Judge Charles w. Smith, of Stockton,
who has been on the bench ever since
the district was organized in 1888, Will
be renominated without opposition.
1t will be no great surprise to Sixth
district politicians who are not intense
partisans of either Wellington Or
Reeder, if White wins in the Sixth dis
trict congressional fight, because Of the
bitterness which has arisen between the
Reeder and the Ellsworth county can
didate, E. w. Wellington. The forces of
the two leading candidates will be pref
ty evenly divided in the congressional
convention, while White will make no
small showing, as he will have the jew
ell county delegation SOldly for him,
which will be by far the largest delega-
ton in the convention, and some of the
western counties well. This will give
him the balance of power. The fight
between Wellington and Reeder has be-
come so bitter that the partisans of
each can see no good in the other, and
the conservatives are becoming tired Of
the struggle. That is why sentiment is
turning toward White.
Congressman Reeder's friends have
been claim ing that he is a great friend
of the old soldier. and it is fact that
he has been instrumental in securing
many pensions for his constituents, but
in other ways he has made enemies of
the old soldier element In Mitchell
county, which was for some time con-
coded to Reeder by Wellington and IN
which Wellington had expected to make
no fight Reeder has made trouble for
himself over his postoffice appointment
at Cawker City, and now there is dan
ger that he will lose the Mitchell coun-
ty delegation and that it will either go
to the convention uninstructed and di-
vide its vote between White and We'll
hrgton, or it may go to Wellington alto
gether.
As the State Journal announced some
time ago Mr.. Reeder has determined
to appoint c. M. Higley as postmaster
at Cawker City, displacing L L. AL
rich, an old soldier. Higley is a COM
par atively young man. Mr.. Reeder did
not send his recomn endation of Higley
to the president until recently, and
three days later President Roosevelt is
sued his order to the chiefs of all de-
partments instructing them that pref
erence must be given to civil war vet
Grams in both appointments and reten-
ton in Office. 1t was feared by Higley's
friends that this order might affect
him, and last Wednesday petition in
his behalf was started among
the old soldiers of Cawker City.
1t met with opposition, and the mem
bers of the Cawker G. A. r. post are
working for Alrich.
The battle-ground between Wellington
and Reeder is in Osborne and Lincoln
counties. and in each the Reeder ele-
ment is in control OF the party organ
Lincoln county is in Wellington's sena-
torial district The Ellsworth Reporter
is now pushing Wellington's Campaign,
and the Lincoln Republican is mean
enough to go back two years and hunt
up an editorial in the Reporter, pub
hshed February p, 1900, in which it un-
mercifully ''roasts" Wellington. 1t is
causing no end of amusement among
Reeder's friends. The Reporter refers
to Wellington in the editorial as 1.-The
Duke" and it says:
I'VE are somewhat amused to hear
that Mr.. E. w. Wellington, of this city,
has offered himself as a candidate for
delegate-at-large in the state to the ma
tional Republican convention.
Our friend Wellington appears to be
always on hand and ready to accept
any old thing that will help keep his
name before the dear public, and as
soon as there is evidence that place is
vacant, and the voters are looking for
a candidate, this gentleman hobs up
serenely' and informs them that 'Barkus
is within although we think that the
people of the district are not.
I'VE are unable to see any reason
why Mr. Wellington should aspire to
this position or why the people should
feel inclined to give it to him.
IF he thinks that the use of his name
will be a factor in giving strength to
the Republicans in the coming cam
paign, he 'reckons without his host.
He has been a candidate before the peo
pie in the past. Not very long ago he
wanted to represent this county in the
legislature, and although he made an
aggressive campaign, rode the county
from side to side, and top to bottom.
with the best aid his friends could give
him, yet -the voters declared that they
would rather send a gentleman by the
name of Sekavec, who resides in the
southwest part of the county.
t'As this. did not work there came
a tine when a state senator was to
be elected, and Mr.. Wellington con-
cluded that, although he was not fully
appreciated in his own county, yet the
district would surely give him a ma
jority. So he went at that. made a
thorough canvass of the district had
the voters all figured out, and had the
3f1 of a Democratic balance of power.
that he assured his friends was sure to
land him in the office. He made his |
usually thorough campaign; went
around and showed himself to the
voters, especially those who called
themselves the leaders, and assured
himself and his friends, that no mat
ter how the rest Jared on his ticket he |