The Topeka state journal., 1903-03-20
KANSAS IN LEAD.
Republicans viii Select National
Delegates Next Year.
Friends of President Roosevelt
Want Early Convention.
EXPECTED TO STARTIT
State Looked to to Furnish First
Roosevelt Delegation.
Chairman Albaugh Says Kansas
viii Do Pace Setting.
MOre Information About That
Trip to Washington.
EXPECTED TO START IT

"The state convention to elect dele I
gates to the Republican national con
vention viii be held early next year
Kansas will do a. little pace setting in !
national politics in The coming national
campaign
such is the statement of Morton AL I
baugh chairman of the Republican
state central committee. 1t means that
Kansas viii start things the coming
year by declaring for Roosevelt for
president. 1t Will probably be the first
state 10 do so And this is the real rea-
son Cyrus Leland and Governor Bailey
have been in Washington this week
consulting with the president.
There is an element i'm the cast which
would undoubtedly like to see President
Roosevelt defeated for the Republican
nomination for the presidency next
year III is the same element which i'm
sisted that he should become the Re
publican candidate for vice president in
1900. thereby hoping to shelve him po-
lireally where he could do those in
terests no harm These interests are the
trust interests, including Senator Piatt
OF New York and his allies
10 is a well known fact that the senior
senator from Kansas is counted among
these allies. 1t was this senior senator
no, as chairman of the Kansas delega-
ton TO the Philadelphia convention in
1900. called upon Mr.. Roosevelt and
dramatically demanded that he ACCEPT
tne nomination FOR the vice presidency.
The death of President Mckinley could
NOT be toreseen al that time. of course
aud when it came it brought to naught
tne plans of the interests which had
peen working to shelVe Roosevelt Rv
the death of Mckinley Mr. Roosevelt
was elevated TO the presidency This
N rfnna H--
senatorial cabaI last spring to en-
Darrass President Roosevelt and his ad-
mlnisiration by opposing what were
Ano"n TO be his policies among them
Cuban reciprocity
President Roosevelt recognizes an
these things and he knows that SEN
ator Burton and his element will be
found lighting his nomination next
year If they believe IL will do anv good
The chances are that by the time the
convention meets all opposition Will
have melted away, and Senator Burton
VIII be found shouting for Roosevelt
FOR the simple reason that he Will not
dare to do otherwise
President Roosevelt realizes this and
he also realizes that Governor Bailey,
cyrus Leland. Morton AIhaugh SEN
ator Long and their friends are the
men who are the real Roosevelt men
in Kansas. President Roosevelt has
heeH quoted as saying he now regrets
having removed NE Leland from the
Is true or not. he knows that Leland
bears him no ill viii for having listen
ed 10 Burton i'm that instance. and that
A1r.-Eeland viii do all he can for his
nomination next year
Governor Bailey and Mr. Leland had
not intended TO go to Washington until
after the Great Bend convention on
April Tt was the plan for Morton
Albaugh To accompany them immed-
lately after that event The invitation
FOR them To come to Washington came
through Senator Long. 1t WAS meant
primarily for Mr.. Leland. whom presi-
dent Roosevelt especially wished to see
and the governor and Mr.. Albaugh
were simply going along as support
ers. Several days ago Mr Albaug1
wired Senator Long that they could
not we'll go to Washington till after
the Great Bend convention. but on Fri
DAY night he received dis patch re-
questing that NIr. Leland come at once
the president would leave washing
ton as soon is the senate adjourned.
That is why Mr. Leland started for
Washington Saturday noon Governor
J}ailey did not fully make mp his mind
10 eo to Washington until after he
reached Kansas City. Saturday morn
ine before he left Topeka he fully in
tended to 20 to his farm for few
days. and mad an appointment to
meet two Of his recent appointees in
Topeka or Thursday of this week Mr.
Leland persuaded him TO go on to
Washington. however md that is how
the trip came to be made at this time.
When he reached Chicago the governor
wired his secretary. Harry Bone. to
postpone his appointments for Thurs
day until next Monday. That was the
first that oven his secretary knew that
the governor was ON his way to Wash
inRton. although ne knew he had been
considering the trip.
This Washington visit and the con-
ference with President Roosevelt doubt
less means that Mr.. Leland viii be in
charge of the Roosevelt campaign in
Kansas prior to the election of delegates
IN the national Republican convention
next wear. When Mr.. Leland had his
night of January %. following the Kan
sas DaV banquet. 1T was the plan that
Governor Bailey should go to Washing
ton to confer with the president regard
ing Kansas part i'm national politics as
Governor Bailey win undoubtedly head
the state ticket again next year and
have much to do with naming those
"a no viii direct the state campaign. The
president. however, wished BIr- Leland
himself 10 come to Washington
The Republican national convention
next year win probably be held at St
louis II is not at all improbable that
the Kansas convention to elect delegates
10 1T viii be held as early as March as
81 was in 1896. when it set the pace in
fustructing for Mckinley. which was
also "a movement directed by Mr.. Le-
land
There will doubtless be q struggle for
the control of that state convention.
Senator Burton win very likely want to
head the Kansas delegation again. but
there viii be trouble IF he does. D. w
Muivane win want to be named as ma
tional committeeman for Kansas again.
be hotly contested Whether MI. Leland