The Topeka state journal., 1902-09-13

POLITICAL GOSSIP
Interesting Fight Coming on
Congressional Apportionment.
Fixers Are Already Discussing
the Ways and Means.
PLANS NOW ADVANCED.
Certain That Seventh Must Fur
nish Most Of New One.
Shawnee County Will Be Bone
of Contention.
PLANS NOW ADVANCED.

One of the most important things that
will come before the next legislature af-
ter United States senator and state
printer have been elected will be new
congressional appOrtionment. 1t is
quite likely that there will be a strug-
gle to control the committees on con-
gressional apportionment and every
proposed plan for new division OF the
state will be strongly opposed.
The reason for this swil1 be that the
men already in congress will not want
to be thrown in a district with some
other member SO that he will have a big
fight on his hands for a denomination.
and at the same time there are many
congressional aspirantS over the state
who want to create a district in which
they will have the best chance to win.
The problem before the legislature will
be to create eight districts that will be
as sure Republican as it will be possl-
hle to make them and still please all the
congressional aspirants.
There are many different plans for
new division. but most of them do not
materially change the present districts
except to carve enough territory out of
the south central part of the state to
make the new Eighth. Most of the
plans contemplate this idea but there
are half dozen different ideas about
just what counties ought to be included
in the new Eighth.
There is some talk too. of a new
alignment altogether. One plan is to
make one district of the Missouri river
counties from Doniphan to Wyandotte.
but this idea does not meet with much
favor. Another idea is to throw the
entire western end of the state into
single district, but this plan has less
favor than the other because it would
create an immense territory which few
men could cover in a campaign.
The popular plan is to take some of
the Seventh, Fourth and Third for the
new. district. The greater part of the
new district must come off the Seventh.
because that has BY far the greatest
population of any district in the state.
The Sixth is the next in population.
and If anything like equal districts are
ma r. ined there will have to be one
or two counties Topped off from that,
and to do this will be difficult prob
lem.
It is going to be extremely hard to
cut any territory out of the Seventh
district. because it is the counties in
the eastern end OF the district that
Furnish the greatest Republican ma
I jorities. Mcpherson. Harvey and Sum
ner are the principal Republican coun-
ties in the district, and two years ago
Chester 1. Long received only about
1,5OO majority in the whole district, so
the Republicans cannot afford to take
too many votes out of it.
One proposed plan is to take Reno,
Kingman, Harper, Sumner. Sedgwick
and Harvey from the Seventh. Butler
from the Fourth, and Cowley from the
Third and make these the new Eighth
/ district, with Wichita as its center.
| This would make an excellent district
SO far as the Eighth is concerned, but
| it would not leave the others in very
| good shape. 1t would leave Mcpherson
and Rice as little neck running east
| from the Seventh, and something would
| probably have to be added to the Sew
enth from the Sixth.
| Another proposition is to throw the
new Eighth one district further east and
make 1t take in Sumner. Sedgwick ana
| Harvey from the Seventh, Butler ann
| Greenwood from the Fourth. and Cow
| ley, Elk and Chautauqua from the
Third, Then the Third would be recom-
pensed by getting Bourbon and Allen
| from the Second or Allen from tbs:
| Second and Woodson from the Fourth
| Still another idea is to take McPher-
| son, Sedgwick and Harvey from the
! Seventh, Saline, Dickinson and Ottawa
! from the Fifth and Marion from the
! Fourth. Another is to take Mcpherson,
! Rice and Barton from the Seventh.
the Sixth. Saline from the Fifth and
| Marion from the Fourth. This would
come nearer taking the proper number
from the other districts than any OF
! the other suggestions.
If Mcpherson county is included in
the new Eighth district it is quite prob
| able that Frank Nelson will be looked
upon as available congressional timber
One of the hardest problems to solve
| will be to place Congressman-at-Lar
Scott. If the Democrats should carry
the Third district again this year Allen
be thrown into that and he might not
have to scramble for nomination
But the indications are that Phi
Campbell will be elected in the Third
district this year, and If he is Mr.. Scott
probably would stand no chance of q
nomination against him.
Shawnee county will also be bone OF
contention in the next legislature
There may be an effort to put it back
into the Fourth district from the First
Congressman Miller's friends in the
| Fourth will resist this because he will
not want to fight Congressman Curtis
| for denomination.
There will probably be a good deal OF
figuring among the various interests al
stake. to get control. of the committees
of congressional apportionment in botf
houses in order to control the plans
| which shall come before each house.
Somebody started the rumor that Poo
Grinstead. formerly editor of the Wa
Cyrus Leland for member of the legis
lature from Doniphan county. Grin
stead does not care to do so. He pub
fishes Lelands picture in his presen
paper, the Wathena Times. and beneath
it he prints the following in Large type
This is the man last Saturdays pa
pers said the editor of the Times /.
going to run against for the legislature
We plead not guilty. Having already
run against him in other capacities W,
have found it unprofitable The las
time the editor OF the Times ran agains
Mr.. Leland it cost cold thousand ant
lit was not in contest for office either
There is not much occasion for tn
| editor of the Times to decline an off1cl
that has not been rendered, but it ma,
4 as well be said once for all that he Il
uof now. nor will he he a caudfdaf,
:, against Mr.. Leland, so that gentleman
| may rest easy and lose no sleep, owe
dangers of defeat.
Mr.. Leland is fairly and reeularl,