The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-09-21
NENlR.aE
CONVENTION
Recalled by the Death Of
George w, Finch.
LONGS FIRST OPPONENT
Made a Hard Fight to Go to
the State Senate.
LONGS FIRST OPPONENT
g.! correspondenee Of IL 80

CspeciaI Correspondence of the Eagle
Medicine Lodge. kan. Sept. 2o.-The
recent death II George w. Finch, an 1t
tcmey Of Harper. and wen known in
southern Kansas, regires interest In one
OF the most exciting conventions ever
he'd in this part of the state.
The convention referred 10 is that OF
the thirty-seventh state senatorial dis
trict. held at Coldwater. Comanche
county, June 3 and T. 1889
II was this convention that nominated
Chester J. Long for state senator to ill
the unexpired term Of Francis c. Price of
Ashland, whom Governor Humphrey had
appointed to be judge Of a newly created
district. George w. Finch Of Harper,
was AIr. Longs opponent in this conven-
ton. The convention was the beginning
Of the Seventh district representatives.
political career, and not al the prophets
then perdicted that the young Medicine
Lodge attorney-age IS political expert
ence. limited. would within thirteen years
become d leading figure in Kansas poll
tics. and closely identified with national
affairs and administrations at Washing
ton.
The Thirty-seventh senatorial district
was composed Of five counties-Harper,
Barber, Comanche, Clark, Mead There
We're three active candidates-George w.
Finch, of Harper; Chester !. Long of
Barber; George Willis Emerson Of Meade.
Finch and Long were attorneys. Emer-
son was a banker a real estate dealer
and promoter. Finch had practiced law
some years III Harper county, and had
taken quite an active part in politics.
Long had been then four years in Medi-
cine Lodge, practicing law. He was young
ard ambitious. The nomination for the
state senate seemed TO open a way for
further prefcrment, SO he Went into the
contest. Emerson was wealthy, am
btious. clever. He had taken much in
terest in political matters The year be
fcIe-lSS3-he had been n presidential
elector. and had carried the states cleo
toral vote for Harrison and Morton to
Washington. He had "a chain of banks
ana real estate Offices through the short
grass country. and this gave him pres
uee lie was ambitious TO secure the
nomination Tor congress ia the Seventh
district IN 1852. and thought one way to
vacancs- Perhaps Long thought so too.
Finch secured tie eleven votes of Har-
Pc county. Lur he and his friends
couldnt get the county central commit
tee. which was presumably Flnch-dis-
POSED. o. cab convention 10 select dele
gates The committee finally selected
eleven delegates % the Coidwater con-
venton, and instructed them for Finch.
Long got The eight votes of BARKER Of
course. Then be sought 70 secure Com
archie esd clark Bach had FIVE votes.
Ee got Couancho; he lost Clark. Ned
SIS on former United States marshal IN
Cdah3ma. and now clerk Of ne of the
United states courts there oreari7ed a
boiling delegation in Comanche and de-
clared he would take it before She sena-
toIial convention and have il seated
Then the Lone supporters in Clark. VINO
had been beaten, simply to counteTact
The Jomanche break, did likewise in their
county
Emerson had he five votes from Meade
and the legitimate delegation from Clark.
The day Of the convention came around.
There were thirty-four delegates in the
conVenuou-ncceszar for a choice. eigh-
ten The ant-Lone men presented their
boiting deleeauon from C0manche The
Long men presented their boiling deIega-
tion from CLARK. Each was the same
i've IN number. They were both elimi-
mated from The temporary Organization.
ana the result. of course. was not al
fecieo LATER. he delegations from each
county righuully entitled to seats were
seated-,he Long delegation from Com