The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-10-08
NOW 1T is SCOTT
Popular lola Man May Be Forced
Into Governor Race
Burton People Have Decided to
Drop Richter.
LOOKS LIKE VICTORY.
1t Might Be Secured by Sup
porting Mr.. Scott.
Would Be Much Easier to Draw
Support to Him.
Gossip That Burton Will Help
Tracy to ScOtt's Place.
LOOKS LIKE VICTORY.

ongressman-at-Large Charles r.
Scott, of lola, is to be pushed into the
race for governor in place of H. L.
Richter, of Council Grove. This IS the
very latest move on the political chess
board. First-class authority has it that
Richter has been told that he will have
to wait.
There is the same popularity about
Scott's selection to make the race for
governor as there was about c c Cole
mans for attorney general 1t IS
question whether he knows of 1t at thlS
date. No emissary is known to have
been sent to the lola man, though 1t is
expected that the proposition will be
broached during Senator Burton's pres
ent stay in Kansas.
The machine men are being coached
to flock to Scott 1t is a common be-
lief that he is ambitious to be governor
In getting their organization around
behind the lola man, the party leaders
on that side nave hit upon rather
clever scheme. Scott is popular and
can command large personal follow
ing that would otherwise be against
the crowd.
Not long ago he announced himself
squarely for another term as congress-
man-at-large, upon seeing the channel
to a district congressional election
closed up and the way to the governors
seat apparently so. The switch to Scott
is made on the basis that he is already
conceded a place on the ticket as con-
gressman-at-large- Switching him to
governor keeps the Second district to
its two places and would strengthen
Il. 7. Kelly for state treasurer.
The machine crowd it is said, de-
r4SI fOr fhe Of
ticket on the theory that a half a bite
is better than none If they could not
succeed with man who would wear
the brand outright they could at least
have the semDlance of winning and
stand in on the lions share of the plums
anyway.
Burton's desertion of Richter gives
the Fourth district a blank in the lot
terry, for everyone has been kept down
there, so certainly has it been regarded
all along that Richter was slated for
the head of the ticket.
Herein comes the advantage of
swinging Scott off the track at large
for congress. 1t opens up the place for
a Fourth district man by a square
trade.
Furthermore, the gossips are conjec-
turing that the opening is fixed for B.
h Tracy, who is out in the cold now
that he lost in the race for the United
States district attorneyship.
Senator Burton went with Tracy to
the last ditch and it is in order to set
the pegs up for him for something, but
he would certainly not strengthen the
state ticket because of the develop
ments in the district attorney fight
That Richter's undoing is complete is
acknowledged by some of the men in
the confidence of the slate-makers.
They are close personal friends of the
lieutenant governor and are inclined to
make complaint that he has been un-
fairly treated. Hints have been drop-
ping for several weeks preparatory to
the grand throwover. which is near at
hand. if not already here.
Richter's friends are trying hard to
understand whether the present revival
of talk on the penitentiary coal scandal
which came to the surface in 1883. real
ly comes from Lucien Baker, in Leav-
enworth, the source aScribed, or nearer
to the state trasurer's office.
If it is the latter, then they are ready
to draw the line between excuse" and
reason" His friends insist that Rich
ter has been the nominee of the Repuh-
ican party three times since the coal
investigation, and elected twice. They
claim there is little danger of the
threatened attack on his public record
doing him any harm, unless the leaders
who first encouraged him to run want
to allow it,
The bar sinister, or alleged bar sinis-
ter, to Mr.. Richter's further aspirations
the penitentiary coal scandal. cracked
in 1883 Richter was made a member
of the board of directors of the peniten-
tiary IN 1885 While he was on the
board, there was a charge made that
u j. Keller, f. c. Buckley, and D. N
Barnes, OF Leavenworth, and J. A. So
per, OF Atchison, went through with a
scheme to gain control of the OUTPUT of
the penltentiary mines. When Richter
came into the senate in 1889 he had an
investigating committee turn on the
searchlight and it reported to the effect
that the capitalists formed a consnir-
acy, but exOnerated Richter and the
other directors Lucien Baker was one
or the attorneys in the investigation
and Tor that reason is credited WITH
building the present fire under Richter
and because Richter as lieutenant GOV
ernor and president of the senate. was
against him last winter
MIR BAKER DENIES
EX-Onlted States Senator Lucien Ra
ker made denial of the story thar h.
is pushing the coal scandal,' faIir -, ~
II L. Rlchter to a LeavenWorth raDar
and that fact has caused unusual ex-
c1tement among the politicians TODAY
Baker refuses to stand hitchedi,s is
the exultant cry on all sides. It seen
ed TO suit both Bakers political friends
and enemies
Richter has the bit in his teeth H.
admits that he holds no Burton rIs5o~,
beyond that of fair field and no f9@
Vor He affects to be not in the leas+
alarmed at the stories that he has Iost
the pole IN the race. He claims snffi-
cient personal strength to make a show
down now ana confidently states thar
his strength is appreciated and nroved
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