The Topeka state journal., 1899-09-12
INTO THE ARENA.
Another Aspirant For Guber-
Material HOnOrs Appears.
He is Congressman Ed RidgIey
of Pittsburg.
HINT OF A SCHEME.
New Candidate Is Close Friend
of Breidenthal.
Does 1t Mean an IrOnclad
Combination?

Senator NJ. A Householder of Cher
okee county is authority for the state
ment that Congressman Ridgley will be
q candidate for the Populist nomina-
tiOn for governor next year. Asked
what had become of the Breidenthal
boom in that part of the state, Mr..
Householder said:
''BreidenthaI has repeatedly told the
POpulists in our section of the state
that he does not want the nomination
for governor and that he will not be a
candidate for the place. We have taken
him at his word and have found a man
who is capable, available and worthy
of the office"
If Ridgley should become governor
of this state, Mr.. Householder will be
TeappOinted as q, member of the state
board of charities and will be chairman
of the board.
Discussing BreidenthaI's position fur
ther. Householder said: IF Breiden-
thai had announced himself as a candi-
date a few weeks ago we would have
been for him but it now too late for
him to even back into the race. Breid-
enthal formerly lived in the Third dis
trict and would have had much
strength from his old home but Ridg-
ley has the right of way in the Third
district now and we will be for him un-
til the finish.
Our district gave Bryan and Leedy
a heavier vote than any other district
in the state and it was the only dis
trict last year which elected a Popu-
list congressman We believe we are
entitled to the nominee for governor
and We are going after it
If Ridgley has really decided to be
come candidate for governor his con-
clusiOn means that he is keeping his
pledge with the Democrats to get out
OF the way next year in the congress
sIonal contest The Democrats claim
that Ridgley promised to help them
land their candidate next year in ex-
change for the support which they gave
nm laSU year To become a candidate
for governor affords an easy way out
and It IS believed that this is Ridgley's
reason
There is another phase to this an
nouncement from Mr. Householder and
that finds expression in the suspicion
by some of the POpuliSt brethren that
BreidenthaI and RidgIey have made a
deal whereby Ridgley is to, at the last
moment, deliver his strength to Breid-
enthal and force the nomination of the
state bank commissioner.
Ih1s is denied by Breidenthal who
stlI insists that he is not a candidate
Tor the office. However, there is room
Tor the belief, expressed by POpulists
that Ridgley would not so into this
nght unless he first had some sort of an
understanding with BreidenthaI The
Two men are great friends. RidgIey,
when he came to Topeka during the
Aeedy administration ignored the rest
OF the POpul1StS in the state house and
spent his time at BreidenthaFs office
and home. There is no reason to be-
HeVe that Ridgley would attempt to
circumvent the wishes and ambition of
BreidenthaL Another solution of the
question is found in the claim that
Breidenthal will not be a candidate for
the Office of governor but will help
Ridgley to the nomination.
The candidacy OF RidgIey will kill off
a number Of incipient booms in the
southeastern part of the state. Among
them is Senator W. H. Ryan of Craw-
ford county; Senator Householder of
Cherokee county and l. P King OF
COwley county. These three men live
in the Third congressional district with
Ridgley-
Householder admits that he is out of
the race and is for Ridgley. Ryan ad-
mits nothing OF the kind but is court
ing fame by the gubernatOriaI route
with much energy.
Senator King has been ENCOURAGED
to make the race several times but it
has always developed that he was be-
ing used to advance the interests of
other men who carried off the plum.
This was true at Abilene when Leedy
was nominated. King had been urged
and ''jollied" by friends Of Lewelling