The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-08-12
Chairman Of the Republican
Com mittee Seeks Vindicati0n. Z
Wants to Be Reelected to Posi-
tiOn on Saturday.
BACKED BY MULVANE.
Some of the Other Members
Show Disposition to Balk.
May Result in Election of
Swendson, Square Dealer.

n HSnt center9 around the Ell
forts of Reese Van SAINT to be elected
as chairman Of the new Republican
county central committee at the meet
ing which has been called for Saturday
afternoon at the Copeland.
Van SAINT Is making a personal cam
paign, buttonholing every one of the
members of the committee and asking
for their support. Van SAINT is the only
avowed candidate of what is termed
the machine crowd while s. A. Swend-
son has been groomed and put forth
as the candidate for the anti-machine
forces.
Van SAINT is making his fight on the
grounds of personal "vindication" but
the machine crowd Is not taking as
kindly to the programme Of vindica-
ton as the members might. While
Van SAINT is liked well enough per
sonally they are not tearing on their
coats, throwing their hats up in the
air or letting out a wild whoop for his
candidacy. In fact his announcement
is taken very calmly enough-probably
little too calmly for the entire reas-
surance of Mr.. Van SAINT.
81 am the only active candidate that
1 know of for the place." said Mr.. Van
SAINT. If the committee wants me as
chairman 1t Will result in Vindication
but don't know that 1 am asking for
1t for that reason or that you could call
it that. 1t will work out that way II
the committee decides that 1t wishes to
have me as chairman.
Il can only say this that II elected
I will be for the whole ticket from the
ticket in the field now and am work
ing for that. Before the primary 1t
was different but there is no such q
thing as an anti-Stubbs faction now.
The fight that was started within
the committee last January and the
that mazda AGAINST
Van SAINT, who was then chairman,
that he had been careless in his
handling Of the finances of the office
has not entirely passed away. the
sore spots are still there ana even
some Of the machine men. SO termed,
have got their hammer out knocking
on Van SAINT. Mr.. Mulvane who
largely dominates the organization OF
the committee and others OF the COM
mittee who are aligned with him
his solicitation, 80. that probably set
ties that feature of it though the
names of John CLANCY, Matt Weight
man and Frank Bowen have all been
mentioned as possibilities for the Of
flee, and if a bolt is started it may re-
suit in crowding out Van SAINT to the
benefit of any of the above three. The
vindication that Van SAINT asks for is
to wipe away the stains of the crfti-
cism which were freely poured out
concerning his management OF the
party's campaign fund. If he is nomi-
mated again to the office and elected
he will consider the blot on his
| scutcheon made white.
One member of the committee
stated that he did not propose to
HE doesn't know how to manage
said this man who has always been
considered as a machine man. He
demonstrated that forcibly enough
Every other chairman tnat we have
| ever had never received any pay, II
was purely honorary but along comes
this man and beginning right from
July Is until October he draws 500
a month. He seemed to think that
all that committee was organized for
was for Reese Van SAINT and nothing
| else. It's Just this sort of thing that
has led to our side weakening in the
control of the committee and 1t will
result in the end of our losing out al
together. The Mulvane faction claim
| anywhere from 80 to 35 votes out OF
the fight which has started is caus-
| ing considerable uneasiness and sew
| eraI have come right out and voiced
their fears as to what the committee
men from the country might do. sew
eral of these latter have become
FESTIVE"
| Robert Stone, who is the leader OF
the anti-machine forces in Shawnee
asserts that his side will be in control
of the committee when it comes to the
vote on chairman. The anti-machine
lost two men in the city where a tie
| existed in the vote. On drawing Belts
| heat Page out as committeeman
from the First ward and Russell was
the more lucky as against Stockwell
| in the Second ward.
I'VE claim that the committee
should be organized so that 1t may be
| in sympathy with the forces that won
out" said Stone. 'It should be or
ganized by the side that won out In
| the state That is the way it is being
| done in the case of the chairman OF
the state central committee. Mr..
Morgan says that he is for Dolley,
though Mr. Morgan belonged to the
side that lost 1t is customary for the
side to win to organize and we think
that Mr. Swendson should be elected.
We will control the committee. We
are against Van SAINT and while we do
not oppose the selection of CLANCY to
such an extent, still he is machine
man. 1 don't now about Weightman,
and decent. Bowen Is machine"
Usually the chairman OF the COM
mittee is instructed to cast the vote in
favor of one man for chairman In the
mast because of the absence of any
noticeable contest for the place but
with a contest on a written ballot is
| the manner in which the vote Is cast
and in this case it is limited that a
holt will result which may seat Swend-
son as chairman of the committee, a
| member of a faction that has been
struggling unsuccessfully for years to
capture the organization.