The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-09-27
Webb McNall Believes Fusionists
Will Get the Lower House.
Necessary to Gain 90 Members
to Accomplish This.
In RACE FOR SPEAKER.
Tells Where Many Gains Will
Be Made.
Interesting Information IAbout
the Wire Workers.

Webb McNall. who is the fusion can
didate for the legislature in Smith
county, believes that the fusionists Will
capture the lower house in the next leg
1slature, and he expects to be elected
speaker. He thinks the fusionists Will
have a good working majority in the
house, even If they do not have enough
70 re-elect Senator Harris to the United
The fusionists had 43 members in
the last legislature. They will have tn
gain 20 to get a majority of the lower
house, but we will get them We will
gain from three to five members III
every congressional district. Bale
Waggener, for instance, will be elected
IN the Atchison city district, where John
Seaton has been elected heretofore for
the past 20 years. We will gain a mem
Der in Brown county and various other
places. Out in the Sixth district can
count five counties in which the fusion
lists will elect members of the legisla-
ture this year that were carried by the
Republicans two years ago.
Il am going to be candidate for
speaker, and expect to be elected, too"
added Mr.. McNall.
How about the scheme to unseat
enough Republicans to re-elect Senator
Harris if you have a majority in the
lower house, Cy Leland among the
rest?" he was asked.
Il don't know anything about that
except what 1 have seen in Republican
newspapers" said McNall. Il don't
think it will be attempted. 1t is sug
gested by Republicans who would give
a hundred dollars to see Leland ousted,
and then the scheme is laid on to the
fusionists 1 would rather see Cy stay
in the house than some other fellows"
Mr.. McNall has been up into Atchison
county, where he bought a carload of
apples which he shipped out to Smith
county. 1t is rumored that he expects
to make an apple campaign for repre-
The suggestion of Judge Hazen's
name for the supreme bench to succeed
Judge Ellis has brought to light a pc
culiar provision of the state constitu-
ton. 1t absolutely prohibits district
Judge. from succeeding to the supreme
bench during his term of office.
When Assistant Attorney West heard
that Judge Hazen's name was connect
ed with the vacancy, he at once said
that Judge Hazen is Ineligible by rea-
Son of his now being on the bench.
THE constitution provides that no
judicial officer may accept any othef
state or federal Office during the term
West. That even shuts off a district
judge from resigning during his term
of office to go on the supreme bench or
take any other state office. If his term
were to expire, though, before he would
begin his new office it would be all
right, as in the case of Judge Charles
Smith, of Stockton. He is a candidate
for reelection and his present term ex-
y d
provision, for the supreme bench ought
to be recruited from the district bench"
A poll of the present justices of the
supreme court showed that with the ex-
ceptfon of Chief Justice Doster, none of
them ever had experience as trial
judges. They never tried cases but went
direct from the practice of law to the
supreme bench.
Tonight the Republican primaries will
be held in Leavenworth county. They
will be extremely exciting because OF
the Curtis-Anthony fight.
The Republican, Democratic and Pop
ulist state committees will all hold ses-
sions in Topeka next Monday. 1t is
needless to state that they will not all
meet together, although the last two
will probably do so All have vacancies
to fill on their respective state tickets
The fusionists have to choose a candi-
date for state superintendent of public
Instruction. and it will be their third
trial They will probably find man
who will stick this time The Republi-
cans have to select man to succeed
Judge Ellis. They will meet at o'clock
in the afternoon. The fusionists will
meet at s o'clock in the evening Sena-
tor Harris will attend the meeting of
the fusionists.
Emporia Gazette: Paul Jones, the
colored orator who spoke to the colored
people here on Emancipation day, was
ABOUT the SmOOIneSt talkor that has
been here since the governor GRATED q
the Whitley. Mr.. Jones is a colored
man and is assistant state auditor at
Topeka. After talking emancipation
for some time he brought in little
politics on the side.
The Leavenworth Times prints n dis
patch from Topeka stating thatAD. w.
election AS lat1onai committeeman two
years hence. This is disposing of Mr.
Mulvane rather early in the game
Emporia Gazette: There seems to be
no doubt but that the senatorial race
will be mixup- If Stanley is not elect
ed on the first few ballots there may be
q deadlock. In that case it is anybody's
race There has been considerable talk
of H. B. Miller. of Usage county, for the
senatorshiD, but he has declared that
ne is not candidate. Still. if the mat
ter should get into deadlock and he
Is found to be the man to unlock it.
he would of course be glad to have tie
nomination No man in Kansas poll
tics has more friends in Lyon county
than H. b. Miller, and the Gazette be-
Heves that it can speak for the two
Republican representatives from this
county and assure the friends of SEN
ator Miller that these two men would
come to him and be neighborly if it
ever developed that he could be nomi-
mated with Lyon county's help. There
Is every reason in the world why these
Two htpuDlcdil representatives. SHOulQ
be elected. It is by no means certain
that in the caucus they may not land
on either H. B. Miller J. NJ. Miller,
or even Curtis While they are now
probably friendly to Stanley. it is pos
siale that in the windup Mr.. Stanley's
best interests may lie in giving a boost
70 some one nearer Lyon county than
many Republicans at first may thinh
A Republican who votes against these
two men is voting against Roosevelt
They will vote for United States SEN
ator who win sustain him.