The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-17
MIAMI COUNTY rHEFrs.

The Topeka Capital makes the
astounding declaration that the report
Wichita convention will have the re-
spect Of the entire state. Without at
tempting Intentionally to wound the
feelings of the esteemed Capital, the
Gazette wants to say that it does not
believe there is an honest man in the
state of Kansas who is conversant
with the facts. who believes that the
delegations from Miami and Wyan-
dotte that were admitted to seats in
the convention had the slightest right
to places there. The Capital itself
knows absolutely that they had no
rights which the convention was bound
to respect.-Lawrence Gazette.
In replying to this paragraph the
Capital this morning publishes the
following editorially:
Now as to Miami, the machine COM
mittee of Miami county ignored the
rules of the Republican party in that
county in its call of the county con-
vention Was that right, in the opinion
of the Lawrence Gazette? The party
rules were openly violated Further
more, the primary election law of the
state was also ignored. That law says
that when the voters assemble at the
polls to nominate party candidates
they shall select the officers of the
election then and there. But the ma
chine committee of Miami county de-
clared that the committeeman from
the precinct should name the officers
of the polls. And this was done. Was
that right? Was it legal or fair?
Were not the Miami primaries thereby
fixed and was the convention bound
to seat delegates elected at primaries
so constituted?"
The trouble with the Capital is that
its premises are wrong. The regular
county committee cid not ignore the
rules of the Republican party in Miami
county, nor was the primary election
law violated. The rules which the
Capital and the other defenders of T.
T. Kelly refer to show on their face
that they apply only to primaries for
the nomination of county officials.
They were adopted in 1901 and they
have been used in the nomination of
county officers ever since. but they
have never been used in the selection
of delegates to any convention, and
it has never before been claimed that
conventions to select delegates should
be held under these rules. The allie
CATION was made before the committee
on credentials at Wichita that the
rules had been ignored and copy of
the rules was produced. but when
Rule Three was read, which showed
that the rules applied only to the NOM
ination of county officers. Mr.. Kelly's
hired attorney had no more to say on
the subject.
Neither was the primary election law
violated in Miami county. for the pri-
mary law makes it optional whether
primaries shall be held under the law
or not, and in Miami county primaries
to elect delegates to any convention
have never been held under the pri-
mary law.
The only foundation which the ere
dentials committee could find for JUS
tifying the action of T. T. Kelly in Mi
ami county in organizing a fictitious
county committee and usurping the
power of the regularly elected commit
tee, was that the regular county COM
mittee passed resolutions endorsing
Governor Bailey's administration and
denouncing Kelly. This was clearly
within the rights of the committee, as
county committees all over the state
expressed their preference on governor.
Special stress was laid on the alleged
resolution denouncing Kelly. and this
was the only justification for Kelly s
bolt, yet five of the members of the
Miami county Republican cNsntraI com
AllNtCC WIZ WSiS III NASAled StdlSu that
the alleged Kelly resolution was a
forgery, but they were not permitted to
testify before the credentials commit
tee.
The Capital had a representative in
attendance at the meeting of the Gre
dentials committee, who heard the tes-
timony on both sides of all contests
The Capital thus should know the seat
ing of the Miami county delegation was
plain theft, a Republican political steal
as disgraceful as the Capital condemns
in Mississippi Democratic politics. The
same is true of the Jackson county del
egation.
JAYHAWKER JoTs.