The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-12-16
WHO WILL BE SENATOR?
All Candidates are in Topeka Eyeing
One Another Closely.

One Another Closely.
Topeka, Kan, Dec. 15.-The senator
| ial fight is getting to be quite warm and
| there is a crowd in the corridors Of
| the Copeland hotel from morning IN
| til midnight. The candidates are not
| all here every day and indeed J. w.
| Ady has not put in an appearance for
| several days, neither has Farmer Smith
Cy Leland has been here all the week
and Major Hood has been off the past
! two days. Many are of the opinion
| that the unexpected candidacy of Cy
Leland has hurt Burton more than any
man, but if it has you would not dream
it from the looks Of Burton, who ap-
pears every morning as smiling as ev-
er. Rumor has it that Mr.. Burton has
said pretty severe things as to Leland's
coming into the race at this time. He
believes that he would have received
the nomination on the first ballot pro-
vided Leland had kept out of the fight
Just now everything is all serene and
senatorial fight is hardly the proper
term TO use.
Mr. Leland has been understood to
say that all Of the candidates except
Burton had no objections to his get
ting the senatorship if he can. Be this
as il may, Leland is in the race and will
win it if he can. The main obstacle in
his way appears to be Major Calvin
Hood. Why is it Hood has such a
following is asked? The answer is
that the people are for him. The pol
iticians are divided between Ady, Lee
land and Burton. Everybody comedies
the ability and integrity of Leland and
the scholarship and eloQuence of, Bur-
ton, but these gentlemen do not ap-
pear to be held so prominently by any
one over the others as TO entitle him
to be senator.
Hood is a representative Kansas man
with a residence of thirty years. He
was a Republican when it took courage
TO be one. All his life he has been de-
voted to the principles of the party and
without stint he has contributed of mis-
means to every campaign. When but
a boy he enlisted in the army and
came out of it with the title of major.
The history Of his military life would
make a book. An interesting one too,
for many times he was designated for
dangerous and hazardous affairs.
Among the most precious of his keep
sakes are commendatory letters from
superior officers, and gifts as tokens of
his endurance and valor. The old sol
der element of the party seem to be
scented to take the lead.
Mr.. Hood was for years the partner
of Senator Plumb. He was more than
that TO Plumb-he was his iuntimate
friend. He kept Plumb in touch with
the people. If Plumb found that the
people wanted anything done or un
done he was always ready TO DO it,
and he relied upon Major Hood to
keep him posted as TO just what the
people wanted. Sometimes Plumb
would imagine that the people We're in
favor of certain lines of legislation
which Major Hood was sure would re-
suit in an injury instead of a benefit
to the people, and then it was that
Major Hood would use all his influence
with the senator, and nine times ont of
ten he prevailed. The people of Kansas
are not afraid of Major Hood because
he is a banker, nor because he Is
wealthy man. They know that he OBJ
tanned his money by toll and industry,
by the sweat of his brow and the use
of his limbs; by pushing to the 'front.'
Ter and following the herd night and
day over. the plains of Kansas and
New Mexicoand the Indian territory;
that later on he took what he had made
and settled down to regular business
in Emporia; that he loaned his money
to those who needed it to build up and
improve their business. To create and
nat TO destroy mas been GlS motto, and
through all these busy years he has
been a distributor as well as an accu-
mulator of wealth. The men whom he
has assisted. the societies, both reiig-
iOus and educational, to which he has
generously given, have been without
number The boys and girls to whom
he has given an educa ton do not today
know the name of their benefactor, and
but for a tribute paid to him by a
friend Rev. Bowman Kelly, this would
not have been known.
Said Rev. Kelly, speaking to a
group in a railway car: las well as
you gentlemen know Hood you do not
know half his good qualities. First, he
is a genial, warm-hearted Christian
gentleman. Second, he is a member OF
the Presbyterian church, a good fellow
and a good husband. Third, he is a
Republican for ever and ever. and he
does good works daily, not that they
be known of all men, but simply and
purely because IL is his nature. He
is today educating and for years edu-
Gated poor boys and girls. He finds
out who needs help and who ought TO
have it and he says: Put this down on
your list and send the bill to me. That's
the kind of a man Calvin Hood isl