The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-12-10
Leading Candidates Will All BE
on Ground.
EXPECT A CURTIS COUI
Think He viii Spring Surprise
in Speakership.
Silence of His Friends Regarded
as OminOus.

ing in Topeka before many days have
passed. For the past ten days there
has been lull in politics. Following the
departure of the congressional senator
ial candidates for Washington there
came a great calm. 1t seemed to be the
general impression that Pringle would
undoubtedly be elected speaker of the
house, and as a consequence the speak
ership contest Jagged in interest. Now
and then a future member of the house
has come to Topeka and declared him
self for Pringie but SO many others
have done the same thing before that
such a declaratio has created little stir
Now, however, politics will become
lively once more. The return of Con-
gresham Curtis from Washington yes
terday afternoon will be followed by
that of Congressman Long tonight or
tomorrow. Mr.. Long has been in New
York for several days but returned to
Washington yesterday and left soon af-
forwards for Topeka, so that he is now
on his way home.
Congressman Curtis says he has had
no time to look after his senatorial can
didacy since he went to Washington.
but now he has got his affairs in shape
so that he can probably remain in To-
pelSa until the senatorshiO is settled.
Long will likely do the same. Each will
! open headquarters at the Copeland
within a few days. and from now on
there will probably be frequent confer
ences, and members-electzof the leg1s-
lature viii make OCCASIONS pilgrimases
| to Topeka.
Governor Stanley will continue to do
his work at the state house and will re-
ceive members of the legislature there.
Stanley made the last move in bringing
out Pringle for speaker and he appears
to be very well satisfied with the situa-
ton at present. The next move is uD
to one of the other candidates.
There is a suspicion abroad that Mr.
Curtis will attempt some sort of a coup.
Although it is well known that he was
pushing Barker for the speakershiD be-
| fore Pringle was brought out by Stan
/ ley and Bailey, he has said nothing on
the subject since, and went so far as to
give it out when he went to Washing
! ton that he would take no part in the
speakeFship Since then not Curtis
supporter in the legislature has said
positively that he will vote for Barker
for speaker. Only one member has pos
itively announced for Barker and he is
John Francis. whom Barker two years
ago made chairman of the ways and
means committee in the house. In the
meantime dozens of members have been
/ declaring for Pringle. There is sus-
picion that Curtis may be holding off his
friends from declaring for Barker with
a view to springing new candidate in
case it shall be deemed desirable.
Col E. c. Culp, of Salina, has at last
landed. He has been appointed secre-
tary of the committee on ceremonies fer
the St Louis worlds fair. The ap-
pointment was made at meeting of the
| executive committee of the fair in St.
similar position during the Chicago
worlds fair, so that he will know how
to run things in connection with the
Office.
While Judge ]. S West will not as
sign any special reason for publication
why he declined a reappointment as as
sistant attorney general further than to
say it was for personal reasons. it has
leaked out that there was something po>
litical behind his personal reasons Nj
Coleman, attorney general-elect, reap
pointed Judge West solely because of
fitness for the place. During the four
years that he has served under Attorney
General GODDARD he has conducted mucn
of the litigation in the supreme court
and looked after the general run of opin
ions leaving Mr.. GODDARD free to attend
the Colorado litigation and th-
heavier work. Mr.. Coleman. realizing
this, decided on Judge Vests reappoint-
ment without reference to political affiii-
ations. That is where the trouble be-
gan. AS soon as the appointment was
announced, E A Enright, who ran for
governor in Wyandotte county last
spring and then dropped down to be-
come a member of the legislature, COM
; planned that he had not been consulted
, with regard to Vests appointment. En-
latter dared to run for attorney general
when Enright was running for governor,
and both hail from the same county.
Curtis friends want to get Enright's s
vote for Curtis for United States SEN
ator. They saw an opportunity to play
into his favor by taking up his fight
against West Coleman is under obliga-
tion to the Curtis supporters. They in
sisted that he require West to secure
Enright's endorsement. Finally Cole
man capitulated and asked West to do
So West. the story goes. refused and
withdrew his acceptance of the appoint
ment asking Mr.. Coleman to appoint
somebody else. Mr. Coleman said he did
not wish to do that, but simply wanted
to make peace with Enright. West re-
: fused to ask any favors at Enright's
hands. There the matter remained uTi-
til Tuesday. when Coleman accepted
Judge Vests withdrawal 1t is rumored
that Col. L. S. True. of Kansas City.
Kas., will be appointed to succeed West.
Enright is ambitious to make a record
in the legislature, but if this story is
correct and Pringle is elected speaker.
mis- fight on West will not materially aid
him in his ambitions.
Colonel l. S. True. who is said to be
slated for the appointment as first as
sistant attorney general is an old time
Kansan- He served during the war and
his title of colonel is a real one. I'M
mediately after the war he settled in
Franklin county and began farming and
cattle feeding f. D. Coburn served
under him during the war. and when
after the war closed the first man he
sought was Colonel True, for whom he
worked as hired hand Later Colonel
True went to Kansas City and began
the practice of law
d. J. Hanna, lieutenant governor-elect.
! came down from Hill City last evening
for the first time since the election
hos hoc IeSc 10 ffcrt