Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1913-03-21
TROUBLE ON EYE
Of CONVENTION
pROGRESsIVES ARE THREATEN
ED WITH DISORDER AT TO-
DAYS MEETING HERE.
johnson. HAS RESIGNED
SAYS lie VIII No Longer stand for
Strong Arm Methods, Priest
. ley and Dlzney.
OKLAHOMA CITY. March 2O,-spe-

OKLAHOMA CITY. March 20'-Spe-
,cial) )--On the eve of the great pro-
gresslve gathering to be held in Tulsa
tomorrow, the progressive stale Or
ganization is split wide open. Like
holt out Of clear sky came today the
resignation of Orville j. Johnson, sec
retary OF the state progressive com
the erpublican and progressive organ
izations and his announcement OF the
progressive organization In TINS state.
Mr.. Johnson comes out strongly
against the strong arm methods ne
claims have been used by the progress
sive leaders in this state and against
The use OF the state organization ana
state money in furthering local nights
in Oklahoma City. He is opposed to
The domination of the progressive
party by men like Perkins and Priest
ly and other railroad and Standard OIL
interests
1t has developed that there viii be
y sharp fight at the Tulsa meeting
directed at State Chairman Alva Nc
Donald. Dizney and other leaders.
This fight will evolve Itself into bat
tie between the progressives who favor
an amalgamation with the republican
= party along the lines laid down by the
national leaders and the men who are
opposed to any amalgamation, led
by Mcdonald and others. Mcdonald
and his men are well armed with
proxies, ready to secure control of the
convention by the use of any methods.
They have resolutions already drawn,
endorsing their own policies.
Mr.. Johnson's resignation was mail
ed to Chairman Mcdonald today and
will be presented to the meeting to-
morrow. Fred Suits, chairman OF the
Oklahoma City Central committee, Is
> sls ted for Mr.. Johnson's place
This morning Mr.. johnson issued
the following statement.
VERY recently the republicans and
progressives in congress, with the eX-
ception of Victor Murdock of Kansas
and Senator PoindeXter of Washing
ton together with many of the nation
al leaders of both parties, held a con-
ference in the national capitol and ef-
fected plan that is expected to re-
unite the members of both parties.
1t is proposed to call meeting OF the
republican national committee during
the coming summer months for the
purpose of changing the rules of the
national republican committee, espec-
tally as to southern representation in
national conventions, and to adopt
such other changes as such leaders as
Governors Hadley and Osborne, Sem
hs,tor La Toilette and other progress
sives might think necessary and this
plan is expected to be carried into
execution by many of the leading pro-
gressives, particularly those who nave
no personal ambition to satisfy in the
existence of third party. This plan
would seem both feasible and satisfac-
cory 20 the large majority of those who
left the republican ranks recently as
ii accompllshes all the reforms in
the republican party which caused the
dissension. Real progressives are
more willing to follow Hadley, Os-
borne. LaFollette Borah. Cummins
and their like than George Perkins,
Priestley and other railway and Stand
ard Oil representatives"
A genuine love feast and harmoni-
Gus meeting of the progressive party
at conference is promised today-per-
haps, The last vestige of discord in
the ranks of the party has been re-
moved by the resignation of Orvil
Johnson, former secretary of the State
', committee.
O. p. Workman. chairman of the
Oklahoma County Progressive Central
committee. arrived last night and In
an interview by the World staff re-
porter he stated that the resignation
of Mr.. johnson had made the pro-
gressive party in Oklahoma county
: twice as strong as 1t was before" He
stated that "Mr. johnson never was in
accord with the party in the county
and that they had had trouble with
him all through the recent cam
paign."
The Office being an appointive one
he was asked to resign by Chairman
Mcdonald. As soon as this request
sas made by Mr.. Mcdonald, Mr.. John
son went to the Oklahoma City Pro-
gressive club and endeavored to gel
them to endorse him which they fiat
ly refused to do.
y MIR. Mcdonald has persistenly en-
deavored to get Bull Moose ticket IN
the field In every election since the
party was formed. believing thereby
that precedents would be established
that would at all times make 1t easiei
to accomplish this from day to day
A splendid idea.
Mr. johnson Is succeeded 10y Fred
Suits of Oklahoma City. who resigned
as chairman of the Oklahoma Cit,
Central committee to accept the posi-
ton of secretary Of the State Progress
sive committee. Mr.. Suits was sue
ceeded by s. H. Miller of Oklahoma
City.
Orvil Johnson's interviews in ethei
papers show his coalition with the ole
republican party. a fact which seem'
to mitigate against him as progres
sive.