The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-06-11
IN A TURMOIL.
Winfield Ready For Third Dis
trict Convention.
One of the Liveliest Contests of
the Year.
ARE FOUR CANDIDATES.
Report That SprOul Would
Quit is Denied.
Real Fight Will Come on Sec
Ond Choice.
ARE FOUR CANDIDATES.

Winfield, Kan. June Livery thing
as Ia a state of turn oil In Winfield to-
day The great Third district RepupH-
can congressional convention VIII meet
here tomorrow. and already the town IS
full of delegates and Republican root
ersH from every county in the district
George w. Wheatley, OF Galenai who
was the Republican standard bearer
two years ago. but who was defeated
by CONGRESSMAN Jackson by narrow
majority Of 268. and who would like the
job of standard bearer again, came In
early with his manager, e. A. MCNEIL
"A crowd of his hackers from Cherokee
county VIII also be here.
Then, too. there is a big crowd here
from Labette and Montgomery counties
backing o. p. Ergenbright, Of indie
pendence, who, according to the esu-
mates, VIII lead in the balloting in the
start
PHI Campbell, Crawford eounty's
young orator, came in early also, and
there will be several car loads of his
friends here from Pittsburg, Columbus
and other towns. The Pittsburg crowd
is composed of a lot Of good pushers,
and they are confident that Campbell
win land the nomination in the end
Somebody started the report last night
that w. H. SprOul, of Sedan, would
withdraw in the interest of E1rgenbright-
but this is denied by Sprouts friends
who are here from Chautauqua and Elk
counties. Sproul is still young and even
though he should not land the nOmina-
ton this time he has made good can
Vass and has made friends who may be
able to help him in the future
Although the Republicans have not
carried this district for several years and
they will have to make a hard fight il
they succeed this year, the light for the
nomination has been harder in this than
in any other district in the state, not
excepting even the Sixth. Two years
ago Wheatley had to contend with
charges of crOOkedness ALLEGED to have
hnnr committed nv him in a rnnnfrin1i
office several years ago, and one of the
leading papers of his home county, the
Columbus Courier, Waged d bitter fight
on him, even after his nomination, and
this probably did much to defeat him.
This year he won q decisive victory
over Judge A. II. Skidmore in the
prim aries in Cherokee county and has
succeeded in duieting the fight against
him at home. This is much in his favor.
although several papers in other parts
of the district have been fighting him.
believing that his nomination meant
defeat again for the Republicans.
The fusiOnists would rather have
Wheatley nominated than anyone else.
1T is generally admitted that Congress-
man Jackson is considerably stronger
than he was two years ago and his
friends believe that his increased popu-
larity VIII more than offset the increas-
ed influence Of WheatIey by reason Of
quoting part Of the opposition to him
in his own party, and they believe by
emphasizing the campaign Of two years
ago and playing up JacksOns pOpu-
larity they can defeat Wheatley.
But the fusionists are not sure about
some OF the other candidates. Next to
Wheatley, it is said that they would
ike to have Ergenbright nominated, be-
cause they think a lot of Wheatley sup
porters would bolt him, as there are
also runlOrs Of Irregularities in his pro
fessiona1 career as an attorney which
the 'antis' are banking on bringing out
IN the campaign in case Ergenbright Is
nominated. Nevertheless Ergenbright
is very strong candidate.
The man whom the fusiOnists are
most afraid Of is Phil Campbell. He
has made no enemies he is vigorous
campaigner and is known all over the
district For this reason his friends
urge that he is by far the most avail
able candidate before the convention.
SprOul, too has no political enemies.
and he is so popular at home that he
carried the primaries in Chautauqua
county by big majority against Sena-
tor w S. Fitzpatrick.
A few years ago the fusionists were
accustomed to rolling up a majority of
1000 or more against the Republicans
in the Third district. Two years ago
Wheatley whitfield this down to only
256. 1t was Wheatley's own county,
however, that elected Jackson. Wheat
ley carried six of the nine counties in
The district but Cherokee county alone
gave majority against him almost as
large as the combined majorities in the
SIX counties which he carried The votes
py counties in 1900 was as follows;