The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-07-23
Founder of the Independence
Party Is Slated
For Temporary Chairman Of
First National Convention.
MEETS NEXT MONDAY.
Candidates for Presidential
Nomination Are Numerous.
Howard Of Alabama Already Has
Opened Headquarters.

Chicago, July 23-The battle for
the Independence party's presidential
nomination has opened in Chicago.
Former Congressman NJ. w. Howard
of Alabama, one of the leading con-
testants for the honor. has arrived at
the convention seat of war with his
chief boomer and opened headquarters
for an aggressive campaign.
Other leaders of the party's desti-
MES from distant states have reached
the city also and prepared to busy
themselves with presidential booms
and other convention matters general
ly until the fall of the gavel in Orches-
ira hall next Monday evening.
The preparations begun TO take
form both in physical and political
ways. under the direction Of w. A De-
Ford, assistant attorney general or
New York, who is convention secre-
tary. After conferences with Secre-
committee. he was able to announce
the probable slate to be presented
next Saturday afternoon to the sub
committee on arrangements OF the ma
tional committee for two of the tenn
porary convention officers.
The probable selections are:
For temporary chairman, William
Randolph Hearst.
For temporary secretary, William A.
DeFord
If this slate is ratified by the SUBJ
committee which meets at~2 O'Clock
next Saturday afternoon at the ma
tional headquarters, and is in turn
supported by the committee, Secretary
Walsh will call the convention to order
and introduce Mr.. Hearst, who, as tenn
porary chairman, will make the key
note address.
Campaign OF Publicity.
The committee on arrangements also
has prepared for a vigorous campaign
of publicity with the purpose of giving
to the public every detail of the party
deliberations without reserve Ros-
well Field, the well-known Chicago
chairman of the press committee, under
direction of the national committee. He
will be furnished with a corps of pro-
fessional assistants, and will have
charge Of the press arrangements for
the committee and the convention.
Congressman Howard is accompanied
by James B. Drake, one Of the nation
al committeeman from Alabama. Mr..
Drake is OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Of the
Alabama State Federation of Labor
and secretary of his district for the In
ternational Association of Machinists.
He is the original Howard boomer and
is one of the most enthusiastic party
men for the nomination of his states
favorite son in the first office.
Both the Alabama men, while. they
came here to advance the candidacy of
Congressman Howard. will give their
time during the days preceding the
convention to the party in aiding the
preparations and joining in the DELHI
erations in important matters.
Henry w. Diffenderfer, national
committeeman from Oklahoma,
though he has no favorite for the
n iol ,iyo oil RI
volunteer his services. He procured
headquarters for the entire Oklahoma
delegation at the Grand Pacific hotel
and spent the day in conference with
Secretary Walsh and Secretary De
Ford.
The Howard boom VIII be further
promoted when Perry Middlebrook,
one of the most influential men in
Georgia, comes next Sunday with the
offer of his state delegations support
for the southerner.
Mr.. Middlebrook lives in Madison,
most powerful and wealthiest families
in his state. He was a prominent
figure in the fight between Hoke
Smith and Little Joe'' Brown for the
Democratic gubernatorial nomination
last month. and he expects the In
dependence party candidate to defeat
Brown, the victor In that fight.
The Hisgen Shouters.
The entire New England delegation
on a special train bringing with a /
hurrah the boom of Thomas L. His
gen for the presidential nomination,
will arrive Sunday and will quarter at
the Palmer house, where Hisgen
headquarters and rooms for the dele
gates have been chartered.
At the same time the Indiana dele
cation, sixty strong, with twice as
many additional boomers and wives
and families will come in and give the
boom for Charles F. s. Neal of Lisbon
a flying start at the Windsor-Clifton
hotel.
The state standards are finished and
will be placed in the hall at once.
Profiting by the experience of both the
Democratic and Republican conven-
tons. in which delegates tore the
standards. from the chairs to which
they were attached to parade them
about the hall, the managers decided
to give each of the insignia founda-
ton Of its own.
Mingled with the rush of the con-
vention arrangements. the contest for
the presidency and other national af-
fairs of the party, came the call for
the state convention, issued by An
drew M. Lawrence, provisional chair