The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-04-09

markable thing in his political exper-
ience, and Mr. Hale has had consider
able of that article.
1t was very many years ago that
Sam Hale was a red-hot Republican.
In the legislative war of 1893 he sat in
the house as the Republican member
of the legislature from Rush county
and he was one of the leaders on the
Republican side. But he believed in
free silver, and when the Republican
national convention at st. Louis in
1896 went back on silver he remained
a Silver Republican and was one OF
the charter members OF the Silver Re
publican party. Then when the Silver
Republican party was about all gone
except Webb McNau and D. o. Nc
Cray. Hale went to the POpulistS and
Immediately afterward, two years ago,
he showed up in the PopuHst state
convention as q delegate from Rush
county and was elected chairman OF
the convention. He made a good one.
Hale has since been looked upon as
a POpulist and so far as is known he
has never declared himself a Demo-
crat. although he was a fusion Popu-
list and in favor or nominating only
one state ticket. He went to Wichita
the other day simply as a. spectator at
the Democratic state convention. In
order to better enjoy it he sat upon
the platform The convention got
crossways with Chairman CIaud DuvaI
and wore him out He turned around
and asked Hale to take the gavel for
a while Hale did so and ran the
convention. He made n hit and Wnen
a short recess was taken a score or
more of delegates crowded forward to
congratulate him. His name was pro-
posed for one of the six delegates-at-
large to the St. Louis convention and
his boom took" Before the ballOting
was half through it was evident that
he would be next to the four big Dem
ocrats on the list, Harris, Overmyer,
johnson and Farrelly.
f7eaxr in even
call himself a Democrat A rank OUT
slider, he ran the convention during
the afternoon. Thursday night he was
one of the big Democrats of the state
Such was the evolution of Sam Hale,
Democrat.
The election of Claud DuvaI as chair
man of the Wichita convention was a
big honor for the Hutchinson travelling
man considering the circumstances,
/ Several months ago Duval came out for
David r. Francis for president lie
/ also became a candidate for national
committeeman. The Hearst boomers
started their work in Kansas and Du-
val lined up against them. From that
time Duval was marked for defeat by
the Hearst leaders and so persistent
were their efforts that Duval finally
retired from the race for national COM
mitteeman. But the fight on him was
kept up and the Hearst crowd Organlz-
ed to defeat him in his own county.
Reno county was carried for Hearst
and its delegates to the state conVell-
ton were so instructed. Duval was
offered a place on the Reno delegation
but he refused it If he had to be tied
up for Hearst. Therefore when he
went to Wichita this week he was not
even entitled to a seat on the floor CT
the convention, yet the anti-Hearst
/ crowd forced his election as chairmal 4
Duval is one of the ca@Rnest ana
brightest men in his Pc gty and IL the
Democrats are ever to lsleet another
Democratic governor in tKansas many
people would like to see Duval the
man. He is extremely popular and a
/ good campaigner.
But DuvaI did not make a good chair
man. He wanted to be- perfectly fair
I and take advice from the delegates, ye'
! he had a policy which he had to carry
4 out and he did not understand how to
i ssioIIv'' the crowd and make it accept
his policy. good naturedly; When he
! called Hale to the chair Hale carried
1 ont DuvaFs policy but he kept the
convention in good humor. made a
number of rulings in opposition to the
/ T1aioritv of the convention, and stin
made himself exceedingly popular.