The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-12-10
ST0CkMEN HERE
Plan Closer Organization and
Protection Their Interests.
Will Draft q New Constitution
Today.
OVER 200 ARE HERE
Fight on President Potter Of
Peabody for Reelection.
Kansas City St0ckyards Men
Oppose Him.
Err 200 ARE HERE

and better protection Of their interests.
more than 200 Kansas live stock ship
pers came to Topeka today to draft
a new constitution and bylaws, elect
officers and make plans for the future.
The one thorn in the flesh of the stock
shippers, though. is the election OF
president and the shippers went into
this afternoons meeting with war paint
on, prepared for battle royal over tne
election Of a president.
In the hotel lobbies and In the state
house, the stockmen gathered In mt
tie groups this morning and talked over
the presidency of their state assocla-
ton. 1t was a fight built entirely
around Thomas Potter Of Peabody, the
president of the association and q can
didate for reelection. Against Potter
was the solid alignment Of the Kansas
City stock yards and commission men
and the most probable support OF
delegation of so shippers and commission
men from Wichita. They wanted any
one except Potter. many of these men
declared. And Potter, who had car
ried trouble to the stock yards interests
in the recent Connecting Railway COM
pany hearing before the uti!itles com
mission, was given the burden OF oe-
Tending his record in a campaign for
reelection.
Many Candidates Suggested.
As evidence of good faith, the COM
mission house and stock yards repre-
sentative offered to take any one VINO
showed sufficient strength 10 WIN
against the Marion county man. That
uItimatum brought out a selection OF
possible candidates that made the re-
suits decidedly uncertain when the
George e. Tucker of Eureka looked
like the strongest candidate for the
presidency against Potter. Tucker
lives in the very center of the live
stock belt Of the state, Is h1msei1 an
active shipper and is popular with All
factions in the presidential fight BUT
it was intimated that Tucker wouid
not take the office. Shortly after noon
tucker declared he did not know
whether he would enter the race.
The Tucker candidacy was favor
able with the Wichita stock yards peo-
ple, who are anxious to take the meet
ing as well as the offices of the asso-
citation to that town. :.
Clyde Miller of Topeka was urged
for election by many OF the snlppers'
Miller would favor the location or OF
fees in Topeka and Topeka wants the
offices. The Kansas City delegation
told the shippers they would not quar-
rel about the location OF offices. They
wanted Potter's scalp and would De
satisfied with nothing less.
Friends of ]. M. Todd Of Maple Hill
urged their election to the presidency.
Fight for Convention.
One of the fights Of today's meeting
will be over the location Of the next
annual meeting of the Live Stock as
sociation. Wichita wants 1t. So does
Topeka. And the fight will probably
be between these towns. Many OF the
delegates are from the territory ada
cent to Wichita and it is probable that
they will support that town In the ngnt
for the meeting. On the other hand.
eastern Kansas shippers are expected
to vote for Topeka.
Wichita wants. 1t wants the Office OF
the secretary of the association. SO
does Topeka. And the ambitions OF
the two towns may mean another war.
Senator ]. H. Stewart, E. B. Jewett and
Ralph Faxon are leading the fight for
Wichita.
Mercer for Secretary.
Joe Mercer Of Chase county. will pro-
badly be elected secretary Of the as
sociation. He will apparently have no
opposition and will likely be the unan-
imous choice Of the convention for the
place. Under the new constitution to
be submitted at todays' meeting, the
secretary's salary will probably be dxed
at $500 or 5000 a year.
Many of the shippers discussed the
stock yards case now pending before
the public utilities commission, but did
not favor official action by the associ-
alton. Shippers declared they favored
more extensive facilities in the Kansas
City stock yards, but would oppose
any action which would result in their
payment for these improvements. The
association, however. will be represent
ed at the hearing and these represen-
tatives will express the general opinion
of the shippers regarding the Kansas
City facilities.
Uniform feed laws Is one Of the
problems to be presented at the meet
ing. Stock dealers and feeders at
tending the meeting are said to gem
orally favor uniform feeding laws and
may offer resolution urging congress
to enact a federal law covering the
stock feeding question.
The meeting of the association will
close tonight with a banquet at the
First Presbyterian church, on Harrison
street, between Eighth avenue and
Ninth street.