The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-02-23

Grant Harnington's Monkey
Wrench Stopped Machinery.
SENT PEACE GRAM TO WILSON
Then Thompsen-Hadges Fac.
lions Wentsat Threats Again.
Democracy Rsrades Wounds to
Visiting Repnbs.

AS curtain raiser Tor the 1915
tnat eaca ana to the world
troll of the party In Kansas, repre-
sentatives of all elements, factions.
gangs and crowds within the Demo-
craft party staged a two hour war on
the floor of Masonic Temple Monday
night that shattered all hopes of inn
mediate peace and tranquility. All of
the fractional feeling left over from
the recent campaign was dragged into
the fight which started over nothing
much in particular and ended in
wounded feelings and a widening of
the gap within the party.
For almost three minutes following
passing good dinner, it looked as
though Tom Sweeney of Lawrence,
president Of the club, would offer
balm for the wounded feelings of dis
appointed party workers. But it was
a short, sweet dream. Grant Har-
rington OF Kansas City dropped a
monkeywrench in the machinery as
soon as Sweeney sat down. A few 9TH
ers from the ranks contributed bits
of scrap iron and for something more
than an hour it looked as though all
OF the valuable parts of the Bourbon
state organization we're ready for the
scrap pile.
Harrington's little innocent contri-
button to the troubles of the state or
ganizatiOn was a suggestion that the
Democratic clubs constitution needed
fixing. Harrington and some OF his
friends had patched up the old con-
stitutiOn and given it a new coat of
paint and sent 1t back for approval.
Our Old Friend Colonel Sapp.
One of the first men to find fault
with the new constitution-which in
reality only broadened the present
powers of the club-was Colonel W. p.
Sapp Of Galena. The Democratic ma
tional committeeman said that the old
constitution has been quite serviceable
for ten years. He limited that some
one was trying to play politics and
build a machine. w. L. (Ironjaw)
Brown suggested q slight amendment
to the proposed constitution. Click
Fockele of Leroy was recognized long
enough to say something about par
1iamentary procedure. But there were
other and more important measures to
be considered.
The club president recognized A. p.
Tone Wilson of Topeka, who ran for
five minutes with his exhaust wide
open and several dozen people fnvit-
ing him to sit down. Sweeney was
hall came shouts Of approval and de-
rfsive cries from workers OF opposite
factions. .s,f.tI aa4Ss- ~ 800
FEEDER Poured Oil.
w. p. FEEDER, secretary to the utili-
ties commission was recognized.
FEEDER poured more oil ON the wheels
Of discord. He mentioned with par
donable pride his own work for the
party and said that the Hodges crowd
wanted the new constitution adopted.
This statement pleased Medley Demo-
Gratis until they volunteered q general
house cleaning. A dozen Democrats
were trying to talk at once. Grasping
further debate. Sweeney recognized
Ben S. Gaitskill- OF Girard. Gaitskill
urged harmony. E. e. Murphy OF
Leavenworth, state chairman. also
preached peace. The new constitution
was adopted and each member voted
his convictions without explanation or
apology.
Then as though a fitting travesty on
the scene just enacted, F. NJ. Pearl OF
Hiawatha offered a telegram ad-
dressed to President Wilson wherein
the Kansas Democracy commended his
stand for worldwide peace. The
telegram was sent. Five minutes lat
er. the Democrats were at each others
Threats again.
Lansilon President.
The election Of w. C. Lansdon OF
Salina as club president slid by with
out serious trouble, although Sam
Hale of Lacrosse was nominated in
opposition. In the election of district
vice presidents, however, Democracy
was to encounter sorrow from a new
source. Conflicting nominations were
made in the Fourth district, but the
name of E. M. Brewer of Wamego
was withdrawn and Click Fockele OF
Leroy was elected.
But the Seventh district elected tc
settle its difficulties on the floor
John Wagner of Larned nominated
Harvey Eckert, editor of the Larned
Tiller and Toiler. w. M. Duvall OF
Hutchinson nominated ]. p. Casey OF
Claflin, deputy state oil inspector
Then Sam Hale charged that Wagner
had sat in the Casey caucus and sup
| ported the Claflin man. Wagner
promptly arose to a question of per
sonal privilege and told Hale in plain
hand decorated English that was not
the case. Friends of neither candi-
date would give up the fight. The
contest went to a vote that resulted
in Eckert's election. More harmony
For nearly two hours Kansas De-
mocracy had fought and paraded hel
wounds to a number of Republican
legislators and state officials who
! were in attendance at the banquet. II
was nearly $3.50 when time was called
on the last round Of the free for al
1 fiUhf The enoa king nrn0ram HAD