The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-02-15
RULE AND RUIN.
That Appears to Be Programme
of New Republican Bosses.
Mr.. HOch's Machine Issues Its
Ultimatum.
MUST GO INTO CAUCUS.
That Is Plan of faction at Wich-
ita Convention.
Hope by This Means to Force
kelly's Nomination.
MUST GO INTO CAUCUS.

It looks as though there is not much
use for any delegates going to the
Wichita convention unless they are
willing to obey the bosses who are
running the "anti-machine" movement.
Notwithstanding the fact that Mr..
Hochs nomination for governor is con-
ceded by acclamation, the bosses who
are running his candidacy propose to
hold a caucus and the work of the con-
vention will all be decided upon by the
caucus before the convention really
meets.
Letters are now being sent out to all
delegates to the state convention who
are supposed to be personally friendly
to Mr.. Hoch or who are instructed for
him, asking them to pledge themselves
to go into a caucus before the conven-
ton. These letters are sent out on the
stationery of the ''Anti-Machine Re
publican League" and are signed by
Clyde W. Miller as secretary. Here is
one of the letters, which was sent to
a western Kansas delegate:
Dear Sir-We understand you are in
sympathy with the anti-machine
movement in this state. and we write
to ask you if you will be willing to act
with US in our anti-machine caucus at
Wichita. We have no desire to build
up another machine in Kansas and no
desire to dictate to Mr.. Hoch his policy
of government, but we are very anx-
ious that he should be nominated and
should be surrounded in his campaign
by his friends. To do this, it will be
necessary to have a caucus of the real
anti-nachine fellows at Wichita to de-
Ri6d nF7 ma rui1
up Can we count on your presence
and advice at our meetings2
please let us hear from you by re-
turn mail. Yours truly,
CLYDE w. MILLER"
When the alleged tanti-machine"
people We're making their fight on Gov
ernor Bailey and Morton Albaugh sew
eral weeks ago, Mr.. Albaugh was very
much criticised because he said he had
been In favor of taking the state con-
vention to Wichita because certain
influences in Topeka would be used
against u.s." plainly meaning himself
and Governor Bailey.
Now here is a new "Us" doing busi-
ness in Kansas politics. Mr.. Miller
wants to know if the delegates he is
writing to will be willing to act with
Us in our anti-machine caucus at
Wichita Now who is "us' in this
instance? There are a good many Re-
publicans who have been and are very
warm friends of Mr.. Hoch who also
want an honest man for state treasurer
and also railroad commissioners who
are not controlled by the railroads
They do not agree with the edict sent
forth by Chairman Stubs that T. T.
Kelly must be renominated for state
treasurer.
It is evident that this caucus plan
has been sprung for the purpose of see
ing that Kelly is renominated and that
Mr.. Stubbs and his friends may control
the nomination of railroad commission
ers. By this sort of a plan it might be
possible to control the convention even
against the wishes of a majority of
the delegates. For instance: SuppOSing
there are 300 delegates for Kelly and
608 against him. The 300 Kelly dele
gates will, of course, go into Mr.Stubbs
caucus. There is no doubt about that.
But supposing 200 of the sos who are
opposed to Kelly also promise to go In
to the proposed caucus, being very
anxious to aid Mr.. Hoch in every way,
as is proposed in Mr. Miller'S letter a
proposition to renominate all the state
officers except Bailey, and including
Kelly, would be put through by the 3O0
K ely men, and the 200 anti-Kelly men
would be tied up with it. That would
make 500 votes for Kelly in the con-
vention and only 40S against him. A
railroad commissioner slate could be
put through in the same way.
The anti-machine machine now
seems to be fearful lest the convention
shall get away from it, and that 1t viii
not be able to do everything it has
planned 1t is reported that the rail-
roads have put up literally towards
the "anti-machine" organizations ex-
penses, and in return. they expect
board of railroad commissioners favor
able to them and the denomination of
Treasurer Kelly to manipulate the tax
alton business in favor of the railroads
again as he did this last year. when he
raised the assessment on the farms
about thirty million dollars in sixty
three counties, but left the railroads
untouched.
E. W. Hoch spoke against Henry
Allen in Bourbon county last week,
and the voters rolled up a big majority
for Allen. Mr. Hoch spoke against
Allen in Miami county, and Miami
county people are for Allen by con-
siderable majority. Mr. Hoch spoke
against Allen in Kansas City, Kas,
and Aliens friends, who were working
with Henry McGrew, swept the county
overwhelmingly. In fact, Mr. Hoch' s
campaign against Mr. Allen does not
seem to have met with the approval of
Second district Republicans.
To abolish Death Penalty.