The Vinita weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1905, 1903-10-08
FOR TERRITORY PIE.
The Fight for National
Committeeman
Raging.

Kansas City Star dated Oct. 2 haI
the following auent the SOper
Mellette scrap for republican ma
li0nal committeeman:
The national committeeman o.
the party ia power in Washington
Is the arbiter Of postoilioe patron,
age 10 Indian Territory. His in.
dorsement of candidates foI other
federal Offices is desirable, but not
always essential, this patronage
being controlled largely by sen.
alors and congressman in the or
ganised states. The national com.
mitteeman, however, il the most
conspicuous leader of his party
while in office, and his position
enables him TO keep in touch with
The national organization, and to
render service occasionally in ua.
tioBal conventions, which places
politicians under obligations TO
him. From patronage stand
point, though limited in his au.
ihority, he is the member of con-
gress for his constituents. The
Office is fought for with great en-.
ergy and much wire.pullins.
soPER AND MELLETTE.
Three monlhs ago Indian Terri.
tory newspapers we're bristling
with statements written TO line up
republicans for the fight to elect
The next national committeeman.
The issue was between William
Mellette, the incumbent, aud US.
attorney for the western district,
aud Pliny Soper, U. s. attorney
for the northern district At vinita,
and solicitor in Indian Territory
for the Frisco railroad company.
The removal Of Clarence Is. Doug.
lass from a clerkship in .he Office
OF the United States indian agent
blew The lid OF the Dawes com
mission Kettle, and the steam and
sizzlirg that followed obscured the
con- mitteemaDship for a time, but
aiuee che warning Of the initial OK
element the friends Of Soper and
Mrllette have resumed their ma.
nipulaiions. Judge Clayton. q
brother Of Powell Clayton, am.
bassador 10 Mexico, as head Of the
federal administration In the Choc-
Law nation, designated as the
Central judicial district, has con.
lrolled the republican organization
In this district ever since the con.
venliUa aa'i 10 elect delegates to
lhe Purcell convention. Mellelle
wns iermeTly II republican poll.
llca IN AEkabase, a member Of the
Clayton msohine, aud naturally I
received the support of JudgsCIay.
loo ''ior the saks Of old times.
The anti Melletie republicans here
we're routed boots and baggage In
Ibe local primary convention, al.
though they declared that they
had > msjorily. They scknowl.
edge, not without resentment, that
hey we're ingloriously defeated.
4 month or more ago the organl.
lalion af alleged Roosevelt repub.
Iican clubs Was begun In the Choo
Iaw country aud elsewhere in The
Indian Territory. Conideniially,
promoters of these clubs said that
i vas the beginning Of nss deal
md undertaken for the specific
purpose Of smashing the Clayton
Mellette machine. Naturally, the
alubs would not be 10 the delri
nenl Of soper.
A THRUST At MELLETTE.
The fret overt hostility to the
Clayton regime appeared 81 the
irss meeting Of the newly organ.
Esd South MoAlester club a week
lgo Thursday night. A wire
leemsd TO have been laid a. far
north 80 vinlta, the home of
3oper, where soper's friend, ".
Il DaFTougb, United States mar
'hal for The Northern district, rs.
Iignsd voluntarily week ago a.
ihairman Of the Republican ex.