The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-06-03
Two Movements, Opposite in Fur
pose, Occupying Attention
of the Partisans.
KERENS WORKS OUT IN STATE.
This Faction Said 10 Have Suffered
Much From the Doodle Pros.
ccutiOns-Akins Is for
Roosevelt.

A year in advance OF the party conven-
tons. the Republicans in St. Louis are
starting anew their factiona fight for Fed
Grad patronage. Within the last month the
activities Of the politicians began again
with the old-time vigor and that animosity
which has always marked the preliminaries
of Republican fights.
Two movements. opposite in purpose. are
occupying the attention of the partisans
The organization of the Hamilton Club IN
St Louis by the old observation-disclosures
crowd and the spread of the Roosevelt clubs
throughout the State by the Atkins faction
have marked the renewal OF the strife be-
tween the factions.
Chairman Atkins of the State Committee
is credited with being the originator of the
Roosevelt club idea. Since he first began
spreading the good news the districts where
his friends are strongest have become the
centers of these new organizations. The by
laws of the clubs pledge the members to
giving the Missouri delegation to Roosevelt
in the next National Convention. thus car
rying out the pledge made in the conven-
ton last summer.
Secretary Hitchcock OF the Interior De-
partment is said to be heartily In favor of
this movement. and has encouraged it IN
every way possible. His appointees through
out the State are working in harmony with
the State chairman and letting nothing be
undone toward carrying out the idea.
His antipathy to National Committeeman
Kerens and his wish to prevent the re-elec-
ton of Kerens. together with the memory OF
the National Committeemans efforts to pre-
vent an Endorsement in the State Conven-
ton, are making his efforts as sincere as
they are hearty.
CLUB IDEA NOT IN FAVOR.
The Hamilton Club idea is not taking as
well as some of its members hoped. though
there is every reason to believe that the
numerous members of the new organization
who wish jobs will not stop at the present
stage of proceedings. Here in the city the
old Ziegenhein crowd is back of the game
to the finish. Owen, F1orshelm, Scha-
wacker, Frank, Aloe, Alt and the rest OF
the old crowd are the mainsprings of the
movement.
1t is said that Kerens is encouraging the
spread of the movement out in the state a.
an Offset to the Roosevelt Club idea. though
is some instances he has been forced to
lend his influence with Postmasters toward
the Atkins programme.
In other places he has discouraged the
that it would be premature. The action of
Senator Hanna in OHIO, who was finally
compelled TO allow Roosevelt Endorsement
in toe platform, is said to have changed
the programme of KerenS IN Missouri and
now lie has encouraged his lieutenantS i'll
this State TO push along the Roosevelt idea,
as nothing is To pe gained by laying lu".
The herens faction mas suffered much
from the doodle prosecutions. Every one
OF the State Senators who has been in
dicted for bribery is u member of the ker-
ems faction and has always voted for HIM
tire kerens faction i'll the State Senate has
been caught in the dragnet.
REFUSE TO RESIGN
What is more, they have all refused to
resign their positions. despite the report
of the st. Louis Grand Jury. which desig
mated such a refusal as shameful. The
Atkins faction In the Senate has come off
scot free, and no suspicion attaches to any
of them.
The only place where the Atkins faction
has been touched is in.the person of former
Senator Busche. who has been forced to re-
sign from the State Committee Tnis has
shown the temper of the two factions re-
CARDS boodling and is helping the Atkins
crowd In the State to no small degree.
The st. Louis Republican Club is working
organization that will be formidable in the
primaries next spring. Since the removal
to the new clubhouse at No 2727 Olive
street the meetings have been better attend
ed than formerly. While there are not so
many of its members who want jobs rs in
a desire to not only name the next ticket
but to control the new State Committee and
beat Kerens for reelection as National Com
mitteeman.