The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-06-06
Jayhawkers Able to Mix in Chi
cago Convention Row.
Take Up. Battle Cry for Their
FavOrites at Once.
CHICAGO FULL OF RUMORS
Every Few Minutes Some One
Attends q Caucus.
Gossip of State Leaders by State
Journal Reporter.
By Staff Correspondent

By Staff Correspondent
Chicago, June 6.-Kansans can get
just as badly heated up as anyone
They showed their ability to mix in
the fight today and to put steam be-
hind their remarks when they took
fresh start after a few hours sleep
and took up the battlecry for their
favorite candidates. Right up to now
rumors carried opinion of their own
and they may or may not listen to rea-
son from the chieftains whose word is
! expected to be law in the convention.
i U. S. Sartin, state chairman of the
Progressive state convention, declared
| today that the Progressives would
nominate Roosevelt whether the move
was in accord with the opinion of
standpat leaders or not. Sartin said
| that a large majority of the men and
| women in the Progressive national
convention were in favor of the colo
mel and would give him their support
in the third party convention.
I'VE are for Roosevelt" said Sartin,
Maybe the Republicans will see their
way clear to nominate him. Maybe
| they won't In any event, he has the
backing Of our party We are for
him. A poll of orr delegates from
Kansas showed 35 delegates who
would stay to the finish and we won't
desert him under any action of the
| Republican convention. The Progress
sive national convention stands as
Kansas stands and Roosevelt will go
into the field as the nominee of the
Progressive party or the nominee of
the Republican party with the. en-
dorsement of the Progressives.'
| For Him First and Last.
Sartin said that ne made his state
ment in spite of any ultimatum which
might be issued by William Allen
White, Progressive national commit
teeman for Kansas. White in for
| fof N n
said, had in a degree misled the Pro-
| gresSiveS, but that they were now
clear in their stand and would go for
Roosevelt first, last nd all the time.
| The Chicago atmosphere is electri
cal with rumors. Every 20 minutes
ence somewhere and he always brings
a word from high. Always it is a new
deal. Always it is a tip from the
men in command. Maybe some of
| these reports will stand the test when
the voting comes. But the crowd con-
tinues to mill and the delegates con-
| tinue to shake their heads and a few
real wise ones whom the average re-
| porter meets in the course of a day
| in a national convention crowd, shake
their heads under cross examination
and admit they don't know. And the
! opening of the big show is but "a
hours away.
Over in the headquarters of the
Progressives. things are shaping with
a varying degree of certainty. The
White-Allen-M urdo ck-Johnson crowd
want T. r. or nothing. They are fight
ing the spirit of compromise which
came from Perkins and his followers.
They refuse to listen to the words of
praise for Hughes or the favorite sons
| whose names will go before the Re-
publican convention. If there is to be
a ratification, it is to be on the basis
of Colonel Roosevelt or the fireworks
will not be burned. That is the edict
with the White ct al stamp on it.
Smith Would Speak.
One rumor lifted the Kansas dele
gates off their feet today. No, it was
two rumors. The first rumor was to
the effect that "Cussin'" Tom Smith
Kansas, wants to make a speech.
Smith hasn't exactly denied the re-
port 1t is asserted that Smith has a
lot OF things stored up in his system
which he thinks will aid the conven-
! ton in winding up its affairs and
lodging a receiVerShip.
While Smith has been indUstriously
| rehearsing a speech which he wants to
make, he is said to have also indicated
| to some of his friends back home that
Thomas D. Smith is being mention
ed for the vice presidency. Smith. it
! is reported, has been far too busy to
make arrangements with the powers
concerning that speech. Maybe he will
gain recognition. Most likely he won't.
But a man with the salvation of his
party at heart and vice presidential
| nomination slipping up on him,
shouldn't be expected to loiter in his
attention to a bunch of details.
All of the Kansas delegates have
now had twenty-four hours or more in
| the convention city. So far as is
known, Kansas delegates have changed
little except their linens. Their opin-
ions are just about the same as they
brought from Kansas. They are will
ing to admit that a few complimentary
votes may be scattered on the early
balloting in order to make some of the
boys at home happy. But the compli-
mentary votes will mean nothing. Even
omp1iments may be forsaken if the
fight starts off right under the gun and
an organization of forces becomes
necessary for the good of the party.
Spirit of the Kansas delegates was
displayed aboard a special train on the
Chicago & Alton which carried a big
crowd of convention visitors and a
dozen delegates and a1ternates Most
of the delegates on the train were for
Root. A few were for Hughes. The
division was positive and definite. The
Hughes delegates on the train showed
little desire to go to Root and the Root
delegates were not disposed to clamor
for a place in the Hughes column I'M
der any ordinary circumstance.
The special train from Kansas City
was promoted and managed by Wesley
r. Childs, a Kansas City. Kansas. in
surance man who has for a number of
years been active in state politics.
ChiIds stands at the top of the list with
his insurance company. That is the
sort of a booster he is. That is why
he put across a solid Pullman train
special a few days notice The
train was chartered in honor of
Charles F. Scott of lola, delegate at
large and a warm personal friend of
Chi1ds.
Seven delegates-Scott, Adams. Bra
nine, Moore. Rhodes, Morse and
George-were on the train Nearly
fifty Kansa rs made the trip on the
train. Among them were. j. B.