The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-12-07
POLITICAL COSSIp
Anti-Cole Men Trying to Curb
His Boom.
Expect to DO 1t With Seth
Wells, OF Erie.
HE is NOT WILLING.
An Active Candidate For Office
of State Auditor.
How Bent MurdOck Saw Presi-
dent Roosevelt.

There Is a lull in Kansas state poll
tics just now in the Republican ranks
The candidates already in the field are
getting their wind preparatory TO max
ing a squirt just before the Kansas Day
banquet Those who are thinking OF
becoming candidates are keeping still
about it with the intention to spring
their booms with flourish on January
2S, the date of the big Republican BAN
quet.
1t is expected, however, that the poilt-
ical pot will begin to boil more rapidly
Immediately after the holidays. Then
the wire pulling will begin in earnest.
The big politicians will try to weed out
the candidates VINO are offensive to
them, or failing in that they Will spring
new candidates TO kill off the others.
This sort of tactics is being pursued
just now by some of the politicians who
are opposed to the candidacy of George
E Cole for governor. They are groom
ing Seth Wells of NeOsho county. for
auditor of state Mr.. Wells is a candt-
date for the place, and is receiving a
warm support in the Third district Tne
opponents Of Cole are trying to extend
Wells boom over the state, hoping
thereby to weaken Mr.. Cole on the
theory that it would not do TO select
two candidates so close together as
Wells and Cole would be.
Coles candidacy takes better with
the people than with the politicians. He
is the sort of man that people like to
see in a public Office. but he is not a
politician and is not good at wire
pulling. He is better at blocking
schemes to rob the state than he is at
fixing up schemes of his own to cap
ture a nomination
The trouble in the Fourth congress
sional district continues TO wax warm
If it does not interfere with Ed Hoch's
candidacy for state printer, j. w. Moore
of Marion. viii be sure enough candi-
date for Congressman Miller's psSce- He
is very much opposed to Miller, and
stands ready to make a fight against
Miller in case he can do it without in
juring Mir. HOch. In speaking of the
fight that Is being made Mr.. Miller
the Burlington Jeffersonian says: so
far most of the politicians put COffey
county in the Miller column, but an in
surrection is brewing. A number of the
'Ocal politicians are against Miller and
II seems certain a fight will be made
20 secure an anti-Ailler delegation to
the congressional convention next year.
The fight has not really opened but the
forces seem to be lined up for the fray"
The northern Kansas papers continue
to say nice things about w. w. Cald-
wells boom for attorney general, al
though Mr.. Caldwell has thus far
Iused to say that he will be a candi-
date But he will not deny it, either,
and this is taken to mean that he will
make the race if he thinks he can win.
Two other Fifth district men are also
mentioned for the place, and if either
of these insist on making the race Mr.
Caldwell probably would not run, for
il would deprive him of the solid sup
port of the Fifth district. These other
two who are in the mentioned class
are F. l.. Williams and G.. C. Coleman,
of Clay Center. They are law partners,
and each is insisting on the other MAX
ing the race. The result will probably
be that neither of them will go into
41,af
for Caldwell. Meanwhile it might be a
good plan to keep eye on Harry
Bone He lives in the Seventh district
and has a reputation of getting what
he goes after.
When the Appeal to Reason, the So
cialiStic paper published at Girard was
barred from the mails some time ago
on the ground that its subscription list
was not bona fide, its editor j. A. Way
land, Immediately asked his subscribers
TO sign a postal card stating that they
were bona fide subscribers to the paper
and mail it to him. The other day
Wayland forwarded little matter of
Ga 900 of these postal cards to the pOSf-
office department at Washington to
show what kind of a list he has. In the
meantime he has been sending out his
paper by express. He threatens if the
postal authorities continue to bar him
from the mails to move his paper to
Canada
Congressman Miller's trail in the
Fourth district is another Kansan who
is in favor with President Roosevelt
When Murdock was in Washington re-
Gently he went to call on the president
Congressman Long offered to Introduce
him to the president, but Murdock
turned down the offer. Il didn't need
anybody to introduce me-" he said in
telling of the incident There were a
couple of big guards at the main en-
trance They looked at me inquirinelv
on. I'm not a dynamiter.' 1 said. and
walked on. At the foot of the stairs |
met another guard He didn't say a
word, and l went upstairs and in the
reception room to the executive office
met the old gray-haired man who has
been doorkeeper there for twenty wears
told him l wanted to see the presi-
dent- Are you member of congress? .
Not guilty. was my reply. I am only
a private citizen, and I want Won to
take my card in to the president
You see, just after President McKin-
ley was inaugurated l put up 'Teddv'S'
name at the head of the editorial col
uTnn of my paper for president in 1904
he wrote me a very nice personal let
ter at the time and didn't think he
would refuse to see me.
Just then Congressman Long came
IN He asked me if 1 wanted to be in
troduced to the president / told him
that 1 guessed it wasn't necessary, and
Long went away. A minute later the
doorkeeper called my name and I went
In and had a ten minute talk with the
president. Got what / wanted and came
away.
You can say that ]. NJ. Miller is NOT
going back to congress- We are going
to beat him out in our district"
The list of mentioned" for the Pom
ulist congressional race in the Sixth
district Is being made up. 1t includes
A T. Rodgers, who has represented
Mitchell county in the legislature, and