The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-02-10
MULvANE DID II.
Controls Republican Committee
With Iron Hand.
Ants Made Much Noise, But
That Was All.
DELEGATES MA E ID.
People Won't Get a Chance to
Elect Them.
Chairman Reese Van SAINT Is
Also ExOnerated.

"Mr Chairman: I was reminded a
few minutes ago that I have just been
appointed a missionary to Africa L
felt ashamed to think that when 1
went as the bearer of tidings from
this highly civilized country to that
supposedly benighted land I should
be obliged, in describing conditions
here, to picture such scenes as we
have just witnessed in this hall. I
hope they will never be repeated
while l am on this committee, ana L
don't expect to be on any more"
The language. was that of AZriah T.
Allen, used at the close of a stormy
session of the county central COM
mittee held Saturday afternoon and
commencing itself as one of the most
apt and sensible utterances recorded
during this session.
The committee, on this occasion,
despite the strenuous and noisy OPP
position of a minority so small as to
be comparatively Insignificant and
which was aided by a packed lobby
that was without the semblance of re-
spect for the dignity Of a body elect
ed by and supposed to represent the
people of Shawnee county, had but
a moment before "arrogated to itself"
the right to name, and had named,
twenty-eight delegates and a like
number of alternates, to compose the
delegation that will represent Shaw
trict Republican convention to be
held in Topeka, March 4, to elect DEL
egates to the national convention and
nominate a candidate for congress
from the First district.
Incidentally there was involved the
approval or condemnation of the &C
tom Reese Van SAINT, chairman of
the committee, who had been charged
with acknowledgement and the misap
preparation of assessment money paid
ID
and above all other considerations,
the candidacy for reelection of Da-
.vid W. Mulyane as member of the
Republican national committee from
Kansas.
Mr. Mu1vane, backed by AZ MEM
beers of the committee, undoubtedly
dominated the meeting and the dele
cation named is considered favorable
to his candidacy. A subcommittee
appointed to audit the accounts
of Chairman Van SAINT exonerated
that official, the secretary and treas
urer of all charges preferred against
them, and the report was unanimous
1y adopted.
i A resolution endorsing the candi-
dacy OF William H. Taft for presi-
THE Shawnee county delegation,
speaking for the party in this coun-
ty," to vote for Taft first, last and
all the time, until he shall be triumph
antly chosen as the standard bearer
of the Republican party for the cleo
ton of 1908"
These results were achieved after
as bitter a fight as could be put UP by
so diminutive a minority fight that
would scarcely have been dignif1ed
by the term "skirmish,'' but for the
was quelled only when threatened
with an executive session. So bois-
ferrous did 1t become at times as to
all but drown the voices of members
of the committee in their efforts to
unravel the tangles presented by the
several propositions under considera-
ton.
Discord in the committee itself was
IN evidence from the beginning and
the ''lie" was passed at an early stage
of the game. Later, g. lie" was
used, and while ordinarily this would
have had the flavor of ward politics
of a bygone period, it seemed to be
strictly in keeping with the spirit of
the lobby and acquiesced in by that
body to the extent that it forgot it
self and Joined in the applause that
greeted the application Of the phrase,
The antf-Mulvane contingent under
stood to be Square Dealers, didn't seanl
to ana1yze above the legal per cent of
square deal spirits, and proved SO I'M
democratic and un-American that when
AndlIy COicAuslNely overcome Dy
the majority, they left the hail. after
dire threats that their successful oppon
! ents would hear from the people in the
ides Of August, If not sooner. These
warnings did not seem in the least to
intimidate the majority, who stated
their willingness to abide by the conso
quences and announced that they were
acting in accordance with the wishes of
their constituents.
The seceders, who were said to num-
! Der a half dozen and who were led bv
Judge e. r. Simon. intimate that they
will hold ward and precinct caucuses
and send a contesting delegation Of
their own to the state and congression-
( al conventions.
#. NJ. Stahl was permitted to sit as