The Topeka state journal., 1902-05-10
Sentiment Among Rank and
File Points That Way.
STANDS IN THE WAY.
Fike-Orr Crowd Trying to Pre-
vent Fusion.
G. w. Hanna May Be Candidate
For Lieutenant Governor.

I
cratic state convention to meet on June
"A. the same date as the Populist con-
vention. but 1t is doubtful if they will
be able to accomplish their desire.
A number of counties have passed
resolutions asking the Democratic state
committee to order the convention post
poned and the Democratic congress
sional committee of the Third district
this week took the same action. The
Third district resolution was as fol-
lows
sResolved, By the Democratic con-
gresstonal committee in session at
Cherryvale, Kas-, this 7th day Of May,
1902, that we favor the postponement
of the Democratic state convention to
the same time and place as has been
designated by the Populist state COM
mittee, to the end that a complete union
may be made, If possible, of the anti
Republican forces of the state"
The Fike-Orr crowd of Democrats
does not want fusion with the Popu-
lists, and hence is opposed to postpon-
ing the convention. But the Democrats
who want a share of the county Offices
and know they can only get them with
the help of the Populists, are in favor
OF pOStpOnement, and they are in the
majority. J. Mack Love, chairman of
the Democratic state committee, is be-
tween the two factions and does not
know just what to do.
The anti-fuSion crowd which wants
to be in shape to control the federal pa
tronage in Kansas in the event of Dem
Ocratic success nationally, proposes to
turn Love down and elect Hugh Far
reilly as chairman of the state commit
tee. The fusion crowd wants George I.
Pitts for chairman. Love would like to
be chairman again, but he does not
know exactly how to accomplish it. He
does not want to call the state com
mittee together for the purpose of post
pOning the state convention, because
that would offend the anti-fusion crowd.
14rca-- tc In r,fr 7-f-
ponement. It is doubtful if he viii ac-
cept the Democratic nomination for
governor unless a fusion arrangement
of some kind is made with the Pop
to be postponed, the committee will
have to act quickly, for the convention
is scheduled to meet May p. less than
two weeks from now.
Minneapolis Messenger: Mr.. Coburn
showed his rare good sense by squelch-
ing his little boom for governor. while
it was yet young Coburn as secretary
of the board of agriculture is the big
gest man in Kansas.
It is rum ored that ex-senator George
w Hanna, of Clay Center, would take
the POpulist nomination for lieutenant
governor if it should come his way. He
is one of the leaders in the Populist
ranks, and if he should ask for the
nomination it is quite likely that he can
have it. The element to which Senator
Hanna belongs has not yet given up the
idea OF perSuad1ng Senator Harris to
take the fusion gubernatorial nomina-
tion, Notwithstanding his positive re-
fusal to do SO. They believe that Sena-
tor Harris would make an exceptionally
strong candidate ana they are anxious
that the nomination should at least be
rendered him. Then they would like to
have Senator Hanna named for lieu
! tenant governor It is not at all i'm
probable that D J. Hanna, of Graham
county, will be the Republican nominee
for lieutenant governor He is a brother
of George w Hanna, although the two
differ in politics. If they should receive
| the nominations of their respective par
ties for lieutenant governor the state
would witness the unusual spectacle of
two brothers making the race against
one another for the same state Office
Nearly every paper in the state this
week published an item headed, Held
| Up a Congressman" but there is no
reference in it to Decatur county and
Congressman Reeder. It relates the
story of how Missouri congressman
was once held up by a bottle of Blanks
Bitters.
The Kansas weeklies this week are
taking many a shot at Senator Burton
because of his opposition to President
Roosevelt. Out of perhaps seventy-five
or hundred Kansas papers which came
| into the State Journal office yesterday
only one contained a kind word for Sen
ator Burton. The lone exception was the
/ Usage City Free Press. A great many
contained editorial bearing the same
/ spirit as the following from the Els
worth Messenger;
I'VE notice that Senator J. r. Bur
/ ton has served notice upon President
Roosevelt that if the old soldiers of
Kansas wish that the appointment of
\ H. Clay Evans, as consul general 20
London, be defeated, that he will do it
/ in the senate.
I'VE are very glad that President
! Roosevelt is only president by proxy,
and that the real president is J. r.
Burton. It is seldom that one SO young,
so inexperienced and so calloW as J. R.
Burton should, in the short space of two
years, acquire such an overwhelming
! influence that the great ruler of the
/ grea test nation on earth stands in awe
of him. It is another proof that the at
mosphere of Kansas has direct action
| in developing brain and viii power
I'VE suggest. with becoming dif1dence
l but secret pride, that the Republicans
1 in the country should take note of J.
/ R. Burton, as the Cecil Rhodes of the
/ United States. We are sure that it is
only Mr.. Burton's excessive modesty
4 which prevents him from aspiring to
l the presidency. Mr. Roosevelt should
! have care not to unnecessarily offend
the Napoleon of American politics, for
/ Kansas viii become too small for Bur
ton. and he will attempt to run all the
affairs of this government.
I'VE sincerely hope that the old sol
diers of Kansas viii not ask Mr.. Bur
ton to defeat Evans confirmation. be-
cause should they do so, it would place
/ President Roosevelt in such an awk-
| ward predicament."
Speaking of the claims of different
! factions in the gubefnatorial contest.
/ the Howard Courant says TTrOutman
| claims six out of the nine Elk county
| delegates to the state convention. Bail
/ ey's friends make the same claim
/ Troutman's friends in Topeka claim to
have personal letters from six or seven
/ ELK county delegates pledging support
| to Mr.. Troutman- We have personally
interviewed I'VE out of the nine dele