The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-12
MEET TO Josh"
Free Silver Republican Party
Has a Session.
All the Members Now Hold Good
Jobs.
M'NALL WAS THERE.
Makes an Intellectual Attempt
to Defend Himself.
M'NALL WAS THERE.
Says He Has No Time to Pay
Attention to Politics.

There was notable gathering in To-
peka last night. The Free Silver Re
publican party held a mass convention
to discuss the proposed emigration of
half of the party into the ranks of
straight Republicanism. The session
was held in the office of Judge c. Z.
EToote.
Besides the two members which
make up the rank and file of the party
Webb McNall, the rank, and D. o.
McCray, the fiIe-there were present
R. W. Turner and Judge Foote, both
of whom formerly affiliated with the
Silver Republican party, but who have
somewhat lost their political bearings
of recent years. Turner and Foote were
the spectators at the convention. Incl
dentally. Foote footed the entertain
ment bills. as the convention was held
in his Office.
There have been some changes in the
conditions of the Silver Republican
party in the last four years. McNan
holds $4,000 job as supreme master
workman of the A o. u. w, he has
three sections of rich farming land in
Smith county, has big wheat crop, is
constantly marketing a lot of fat cattle,
and has fine prospect for a big corn
crop He lives on terrapin and pate
de fol gras at A. o. u. w. banquets,
whereas formerly he was accustomed to
corn bread and sorghum molasses. D.
| q. McCray is office holder under the
Republican administration, and it is
suspected that the book trust has at
/ tempted to f1irt with him. Turner is
grand master workman of the a. O..
=: w. OF Kansas. and is getting rich
OH MS law practice besides. Foote has
become bondholder and a plutocrat.
| Under these = a ,oI
tons 1t is no great wonder that there
should be political changes in sight in
the Silver Republican party also. None
OF the members will openly acknowl-
edge that these changes are about to
| take place, but neither will they take
the responsibility of denying them A
I state Journal reporter asked McNalI
ABOUT his reported contemplated change
shortly before the convention met last
night. He lodged the question. and
Degan to abuse McCray for misrepre-
sentlng the glorious history of the Sill
yer Republican party in the past Nc
cray mad said in an interview that
there were only two members of the
party present at the Fort Scott state
convention in 1900. McNaIl insisted that
there We're at least five members ares
ent and that they captured three
places on the triune state ticket. He
SAID McCray ought to be ashamed of
himself for misrepresenting the sad but
glorious past of the Silver Republican
!
McCTay wasn't present to defend him
self, but Foote who was standing near.
came to his defense =
You oughtn't to be too hard on D.
o., he said. Remember he has a
position to uphold as an officehoIder
under the Republican ADMINISTRATION
| Where did you get any chips in this
gamer broke in McNan. IF L remem-
Der rightly you are an ex-road agent
yourself. I think you have been dwell
no iraA4 .f .
Republican governor that you long ago
became false to the glorious principles
of the Silver Republican party and the
rights of the plain people,
| Foote lives next door to Governor
Bailey.
May be- he assented, chewing hard
on a toothpick.
well, how about your homecoming
to the Republican fold?" McNan was
asked to get him back to the original
subject.
We'll, I haven't come-yet.' he said.
"Of course, of course" ne continued
alphabetically, 4 can imagine condi-
lions under which l would come. For
other Democrat, should be nominated
by the Democrats for president would
vote for Roosevelt.
Il don't have time to pay much at
tention to politics." continued the man
whose chief pleasure used to be to
make insurance companies squirm. Il
have just been down to Kansas City
marketing another car of fat cattle, the
second car 1 have taken down in the
past ten DAYS I have 215 acres of
wheat that will make twenty bushels to
the acre, and as fine a prospect for
corn as 1 ever saw anywhere, and I've
got $50 acres of it, too. I'll make enough
to buy another quarter section of land.
When Turner heard that McNall
would vote for Roosevelt IF Hill or
German" etc, he remarked with a sig
nificent expression:
Il guess there are plenty of others in
the same fix
That means you are inclined to vote
for Roosevelt yourself?' was suggested
well, it's a little early to say sc
now"
You see," continued Mr. Turner. 81
don't feel as though 1 really have any
political home Since I wandered away
in 1896 I have been voting sort OF
mixture of tickets. Soon after that
got out and worked for Dick PickleI
the first time he was the Republican
nominee for judge. and have supported
the Republican county ticket a time OF
two So the PopulistS allege that | am
not a simon-pure Populist the Demo
Gratis claim 1 don't belong to them. and
the Republicans seem to think I'm a
mighty poor Republican"
At the mass convention last night held
by McNaIl and McCray the main OBJ
ject for which the convention was called
was lost sight of in the discussion OF
other matters.
Morton Albaugh was asked today il
he is getting a fatted calf ready fol
McNan's return to the Republican fold
No" he said, I have determined
that we will have a possum dinner or
that occasion You see. Webb might in
sist on selling us the calf himself, anc
1 don't want to risk it,
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