The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-05-31
Tour of the City in Campaign
For Central Committeeman.
LARGE CROWDS OUT.
Speechmakers Had Audiences
on Every Street Corner.
Mayor Hughes Disappointed the
POtWin People.

IN his special train by a com Dlnar1on OF
uncomfortable circumstances But there
is compensation. The ilustrious candi-
dates for the several positions on the
Republican central committee took out
a special electric train over the city last
night and canpaigned in every ward
1t was just an ordinary trolley car
when it ran from the car barn to the
transfer station, glowing with red, white
and blue electric lights. But before it
got back to the car barn at IL o'clock it
had been everything from a Pullman
coach to a Roman triumphal car. The
tour was started just like an ordinary
trolley party, but when it had blazed its
way three or four times across the city
the populace found out that there was
more compressed hot air bottled up
within than in a dozen trolley parties.
The hot air was uncorl1ed all along the
line and this morning great meteors Of
it were found still burning at points
where the spouters had been turned
loose.
A thousand people cheered like mad
when the political special started out on
its rounds from Eighth and Kansas ave-
nues. Everybody was there to see it off.
Cabs and bicycles choked the street and
the only automobile in town got tangled
up in the thick of the crowd The hot
air was not let loose here. G. c. Clemens
was called for repeatedly but he failed
to come up with his speech. The speak
ers had not vet got their nerve up to
the platform pitch The crowd gazed
in admiration on the streaming flags
and gay lights and read the banners
which told that these were 1.-The Candi-
dates of the Common People" and their
platform THE Octopus VS.. the OctOpu.
The car sped for POtwin first thing.
1t hadn't turned off Kansas avenue yet
when the quartette started up the stir
ring party song, Il Feel Like I Feel Like
I Feel" It was the rallying song that
did service from start to finish and thu
patriotism that was inspired cannot be
measured by United States standards.
Potwin station was scheduled for the
first stop but so thick were the crowds
on the street corners awaiting the mar
va1OuS expedition that the party had
to concede to the expressions of the
love and esteem of the people and stop
at nearly every cross street. President
G. G. Baker, of the Street Railway COM
pany tagged the train in front of his
residence. He took the number of the
car and Immediately autographed to st.
Louis for new one to take its place.
He shrewdly OWNED that it would be
scorched and blistered beyond all recog
milton and further usefulness when the
bottled up hot air was let loose. At any
rate the least that could happen to it
would be ditching in the Shunganunga.
There was a great sorrow awaiting
the expedition at Potwin. There was no
martial figure respondent in gold lace
reginentals there to greet it. The pro-
gramme had slipped a. cog Col. ]. w.
+. Hughes was not in sight. Five hun
bred people had gathered at the station
to hear him as had been previously an
nounced by the newspapers and small
bills. Scouts were sent out through the
jung1es and Businesses to drive him out
of cover. but the elusive efferveseent
quarry could not be captured
Why? That was the question. Who
ever knew Colonel Hughes to miss such
a glorious chance for a serious occa-
sion or a big lark? The colonel was not
far away. He had been spirited off not
many minutes before the special came
buzzing along. Jealous Auburndale did
it. They took the politicians lark Sc
riously. VIM Meyers has had campaign
cards printed, and he is hustling for
the place of committeeman as if it were
a position of less honor and more
spofls. In indignation at the low down
trick of putting out a political special
Colonel Hughes was kidnapped so as to
break up their meeting.
But the Hot Foot orchestra tWanged
away on their ba-njos and two obliging
ours started a dog fight The crowd
cheered itself hoarse for Charles O'Neil1
the candidate from that ward, and the
car moved majestically back toward the
city.
10 the multitude at Sixth and Clay
the hot air was uncorked by T. F.
Doran. MY text is the Octopus versus
the OctOpii'' he said. TT has developed
the county central committee The
present CON mitteemen are octopuses
themselves. They put up the price on
candidates so that they cannot get on
the ticket. We want a committee that
will listen to the voice of the common
people that will hearlxen to the horny
handed sons of toll and look to their
wants. Vote for Phil Eastman for COM
nit a nOTnV-
Of toll, the conductor of this train, and
I promise you that the waterworks oc-
topus viii be made to sQuirm and the
ice trust octopus will nave to Wriggle-
(HoW are you Mayor Drew? Glad to
see you here.) Yes, dear people, the
octopii must be driven away from the
pie counter I know you will agree
with me and will prove. your faith In
yourselves and your candidate by your
rousing cheers as this magnificent cleo
trio train dashes on to carry the Joyous
message the length and breadth of the
city. I hear another train coming up
behind Farewell Adios." He kissed
his hand and the train moved on. The
crowds yells were heard across the
Kaw Hence when the special reached
the North Topeka fire station the street
was black with people eager to receive
the distinguished party:
Here L. I. Yount tried to make
speech. Il feel like distinguished
Nebraskan who went to New York he
said . in the midst Of the eneny's coun-
try But it's a good thing to be here
when T can talk for a man like Dave
Gregg for committeeman. Once upon a
time - Yount got no further. All the
candidates and their friends set M such
a racket that yount thought the meet
ing was over and suffered himself to be
pulled back on the car. Then John
Dawson puffed up gOrgeously under his
linen vest and spun a speech like he ex-
poets to make when he goes to congress
He went further back into the dim and
musty ages Of the golden past than
Yount might have done In the days
of the Roman empire they brought their
captives home in chains at the wheels
of q triumphal car But we do different
". We harness the lightning Of heaven