The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-01-10
POLITICAL GOSSIP
Frank l.. Martin Says the Con-
vention Is the Thing.
He Wants One Held in Every
County This Year.
FRED KNAPP is INDIGNANT
Progressive Secretary Doesn't
Like J. $. Deans New Plan.
Other Yarns Told of KanSans
Before the Public Eye.

If the Republican party is to win III
Kansas this year, it Will be through
organization, according to Frank l..
Martin, Hutchinson lawyer and repre-
peka, Mir. Martin urged the holding
of county conventions in every county
in the state that the party might or
ganize for the coming campaign.
Candidates and party planks are
small matters in the opinion of Mar
tin. Party spirit and organization,
though, Will win the fight. Martin has
been ranked as a Progressive Repub-
lican and in 1911 was a candidate for
congress in the Seventh district, fol-
lowing the death of the late Ed Madi-
son. In 1915 he was a member of the
house from Reno county.
Il don't care cents about candi-
dates in the national campaign in
Kansas" declared Martin. 1T isn't
personalities that count this year. 1t is
organization. The discussion of pres
idential primary is misleading a lot of
voters. What we need in Kansas is
to get together-not farther apart.
There isn't one thing that will help
the Republican party so much as a
real convention. What 1 want to see
is an old time. rcusing convention in
every county in Kansas this year. Ii
we did that, the matter of who was
nominated for president wouldn't
make much difference. Kansas would
be Republican, we would get acQuaint-
ed again and we would get lot of
things out of our system that have
bothered us because there was no
chance to talk over our grievances"
Martin Plan Is Opposed by Others.
The Martin plan for county conven-
tions is in direct conflict with the idea
advanced by the Morgan-Allen- Bris-
tow-CapDer-Jackso crowd.
Yet it was only the other day that
Frank l.. Martin was out in the front
rank with the ProgressiVes of the state
and pointed to the glOries of the pri-
mary. Now he sees a slipping party
organization and a lack of interest on
the part of the workers through the
failure of the leaders to talk over their
battle plans.
Martin will probably take an active
hand in opposition to the Morgan plan
for a presidential primary He is not
opposed to the Hughes program-only
he wants a convention as an aid to
party success.
Certainly l could support Hughes"
said Martin. but the manner of Sc
lectine delegates is the one vital thing.
primary for this purpose can never
dispose of our troubles"
Knapp Opposed to Dean Plan
Fred W. Knapp of Beloit. secretary
of the Progressive state committee in
1914 Is strictly OppoSSu " me - %
Dean plan for an uninstructed delega-
ton TO the Republican national con-
vention. Knapp was an active leader
in the third party movement in Kan
sas in 1914 and was with the Roose-
welt crowd in 1912 SO when Dean,
as president of the Republican League,
expressed a few sentiments about the
presidential situation, Knapp promptly
took exception.
The Beloit man not only wants an
instructed delegation, but he also
wants a presidential primary Knapp
favors Hughes-just as does Allen and
Stubbs and Dolley and Jackson and