The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-05-29
Kansas Democrats Put 12.Year-
Old Machinery in Action.
Day of Peace and Business
ThoroIy Organizes Party.
MAKE US SAFEF FOR DEMOCRACY
BOurbOnS Succeeded in Agree
ing on State Ticket.
Thorns and ThistIes Are Re-
moved From Sen. Thompson.

Delegates who came to Topeka for
the Democrat state convention un-
loaded three hours of oratory, resolved
concerning the real problems of war
crisis, CREASED the track for Senator
Thompson, made careful assortments
from several dozen available candi-
dates for state and congressional jobs
and raised a thousand dollars for pre-
liminary campaign expenses. Even in
the old days, such an achievement was
considered a fair days work in any
state convention. So when the patched
up convention machinery was hauled
from the shed after twelve years of
idleness, there was real rejoicing when
the wheels and cogs functioned with
out catastrophe.
More than 800 delegates and work
ers from the vineyard sat in the con-
vention at the Throop hotel. Twice
some one started the delegates in the
general direction of trouble. But the
plans and purposes of the convention
had been well established in the minds
of the workers and even Chairman
Lardner refused to encourage any
thing resembling an uprising. Against
the two attempts at troub1e-both
concerning the rights. power and au-
were evidences of a dozen demon
STATIONS of brotherly love and friend
ship.
"Safe for Democracy"
Every one agreed on the common
purpose of the years endeavor-to
make Kansas safe for the Democrat
party. Therein nothing was over
looked that might tend to lessen the
chances-outside chances tho they
might be.
In the matter of removing the
thorns and thistles which have chung
to Senator Thompson. the convention
was most charitable. George H.
Hodges of Olathe, former governor,
started the general rejoicing-in the
federal camp-when he told the dele
gates he wasn't a candidate for the
senatorial nomination. He didn't put
| his endorsement and approval on
Thompson, but he aided greatly in
| clearing the track thru the senatorial
primaries. But Hodges didn't bring
all of the charity to the convention.
| Hubert Lardner, state chairman, who
has stayed awake nights thinking
mean things about the Kansas Demo-
crat senator, told the delegates he
was willing to go just as far as
| Hodges. Whereupon everyone yelled
and the resolutions committee brought
turn of Senator Thompson to Wash
| ington was one of the essentials in
| connection with the general program
of winning the war.
All Was Peaceful.
BY the time the Democrats had re-
| turned from their noon day luncheon,
| the supply of charity and harmony
| had seemingly extended to all factions
| in the party. There was no fight on
the resolutions - oversight of an
esta blished convention custom and
| privilege-and the list of men willing
| to be sacrificed on the party altar in
November, more than equalled the
| number of jobs to be filled. And as a
result the voter in the Democrat
primaries will in several instances find
| that the state convention provided an
| opportunity for first, second and even
third choices for several offices.
| Efforts to induce either Peter
Goebel of, Kansas City or w. F. Ben
son of Eldorado to enter the COVER
norship race, failed. Negotiations
were conducted over the long distance
telephones and by telegraph. Goebel
was in Washington and did not attend
the convention.
Tried Stampede.
Following the nominating commit
tees report, Ben Gaitskill of Girard
| almost upset the program by starting
a stampede to draft Henderson S
| Martin of Lawrence for governor. But
| Martin insisted on staying in the race
for the Second district congressional
nomination.
l A few minutes later the draft policy
| was reversed and Gaitskil1 was draft
ed for attorney general when B. ]
Carver of Paola refused to run. Geo
w. Coffin, representative from Nor.
ris county, also declined to be a can.
didate for superintendent of insur-
| ance.
They Forgot Hyatt.
In a wild and Jealous endeavor tt
push the harmony program, the nomi
mating committee forgot it's only &C
tive candidate for state office. W
H. Hyatt of Parsons, who had Offered
himself as a human sacrifice at tbs
state committee meeting in Kansa:
City in April, was not mentioned
when the names of Henry J. Waters
Harry Gray and w. C. Lansdon were
reported for the governorship. An6
Hyatt has spent considerable none,
in publishing his picture and Aendins
announcements to friends, too.
There was a real slap at the state
administration in the resolutions
which called upon the governor tc
call a special session of the Legislature
to care for the returning soldiers. But
the ham and eggs of the resolutions
SO far as the joy of the average Demo
crat was concerned, was in the praise