The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-18
STILL THEY COME.
Another Congressional Aspirant
in Seventh District.
This Time It Is ROdolph Hat
field of Wichita.
GENERAL UNEASINESS.
People Want to See Chester I.
Long Superseded.
News From the Various State
House Departments.
GENERAL UNEASINESS.

The prospect for a lively contest for
the congressional nomination in the
Seventh district is enhanced by the
announcement that Rodolph Hatfield,
Of Wichita, contemplates being a. can
didate.
Some of the politicians state that the
proposed candidacy of Hatfield is the
real method by which the opposition
hopes to defeat Chester Long, charging
that VIII Wallace is a candidate only
in name and that he viii later in the
contest be for Hatfield.
To persons who are familiar with the
situation in the Seventh this statement
does not appear to be correct. Wallace
is a candidate not to help some one else
but to get the nomination himself and
he is making a campaign. In fact, he
mas been making the campaign Tor
several months, and has travelled over
a large part of the district fixing his
fences.
1t is reported from Wichita that Mr..
HaLneld would need little persuasion
to become an active candidate at this
time. 1t is believed that he will enter
the contest later on
Mr.. Hatfield is a lawyer and has at
tanned considerable prominence in the
state owing to his work in the state
temperance union. He is one of the good
speakers this state has produced and
an opportunity to address a convention
or a meeting of any kind always adds
to his fame Years ago Hatfield was a
member of the board of regents of the
state normal school at Emporia. When
the regents of that institution meet it
is the custom for the president to
march the board into chapel and ex-
hibit them to the students After the
morning prayers the regents are per
mitted to make speeches. The board at
that time, as it has in all its history
and present CnnTa inp6
poor speakers. On these occasions Hat
field shone with unusual splendor. The
reputation which he established there
has since been growing until he has be-
come one Of the conspicuous figures in
the Republican party of Kansas.
Hatfield has not been given the
prominence he would otherwise have
attained had he not taken such an ac-
tive part in the temperance affairs of
the state. The mana cement of the Re
publican party for several years has
not been especially friendly TO the tenn
perance cause and because of the as
sociation in that work which was
characteristic of Hatfield he has been
deprived of opportunities to campaign
the state.
As an orator and public speaker it is
not hattery to say that Hatfield is
prominent in Kansas, especially in the
Seventh district. He is a religious
man, and takes a. prominent part in
Sunday school and church conventions.
While practcing law in Wichita Mr..
Hatfield has been dabbling in mining
property in Joplin, and the report is
out that he has made a large sum of
money. The politicians say, as a re
suit, that Hatfield is now equipped
financially to make a political cam
paign without mortgaging his house
and otherwise going in debt, and for
these reasons it is believed by them
that he is planning to take Mr.. Long
into camp.
If Hatfield becomes a candidate Wal
lace of Kingman will not be identified
with the plan, except as he is person
Wallace has good start in the race,
and the political solution, if the Re
publicans really mean to defeat Long.
would be a combination in their inter
ests of one or the other of the new men
in favor OF the one having the greatest
strength