The Topeka state journal., 1902-08-20
United States Senator Contest
Has Many Complications.
Upon 1t Turns Question of Po-
litical Supremacy.
THAT NEW DISTRICT.
Talk Of Forming 1t Is Once More
Resumed
Congressman Curtis Political
Enemies Plan His Downfall.

The fight for the senatorial toga
means more, to several of the asplr-
ants. that merely the winning of the
struggle. 1t is probably the death strug-
gle of more than one pOlitician@and with
congressman Long, Curtis and Calder
head victory means safety for six years
and defeat means continued struggle
for political supremacy
Great changes will likely take place
on the political checker board before
the legislature of 1903 has adjourned and
a redistricting of the state will likely
be made. Kansas has a congressman at
large for the reason that the total pOpu-
lation of the state entities Kansas to
eight representatives. There being but
seven districts. one representative must
be at large. The Republicans have
feared to use their power in the leglSla-
ture for several terms to redistrict the
state for the reason that the Democratic
and Populist strength in various locali-
ties has not been accurately estimated
by the politicians. The straight fusion
ticket in the field this fall will give the
political strategists an opportunity of
determining the strength of the opposi-
tion in several localities.
Several plans for the redistricting of
the state have been suggested but not
one can be found which will suit all
parties. Some one will suffer by the
change. Should the politicians who are
opposed to Congressman Charles Curtis
secure the balance of power 1t means
that they will attempt to gerrymander
him out of office State Senator James
Allen, of Doniphan, has lately an
nounced that he is not for Curtis for
senator. Why he suddenly changed can
not be clearly understood. Soon after
the last legislature adjourned Allen is
reported to have announced that he was
for Curtis for senator for the reason
that he wished Curtis out of the way in
the First district SO that he. Alien.
would stand a chance of being the Re
publican nominee for congressman.
One of the plans suggested for the
redistricting of the state is to make the
wick. Sumner. Cowley. Butler and
| Greenwood counties. Under this scheme
| Shawnee would be switched to the
| Fourth district to make up for Butler
! Under this plan Marshall and Pottawa-
| tonne might be placed in the First dis
! trict. Should this move be made the
battle grounds would be greatly chang
| ed.
This plan would also shake up the big
Seventh district somewhat and would
| take from that district Harvey Sedg-
wick and Sumner; But in this
case the plan has been sub
mitted to Congressman Long and if
| he is not elected senator he will not be
| particularly opposed to the move as it
| would remove Wichita from the big
Seventh and leave Hutchinson to be the
| largest town in the district. This plan
| would suit w. Y. Morgan very nicely
| as it is expected that if such move
was to be made Long would move
| from Medicine Lodge, in Barber county,
| to Hutchinson, Reno county. All this,
of course, is dependant upon Long be-
ing defeated for sena tor.
Another phase of this move is that
Harry Richter, of Morris county, H. B.
| Miller, of Usage county and Congress
man J. NJ. Miller, of Morris county, are
all supporting Curtis for senator, for,
| should he be crowded into the Fourth
| district. the fight for congress would
| be on between Miller and Curtis with
the odds in favor of Curtis for he is
| easily the stronger man. This gerry
| Wandering would leave the Second dis
| trict intact but with the addition of an
| Eighth district Congressman SCOTS
constituency would be taken from him
and he would be left in the Second to
| oppose Congressman ]. D. Bowersock.
| With two men in the race in the Second
it would be likely that Henry Allen, OF
! Franklin county, would get into the
| race although so far he has declined to
oppose Bowersock. Congressman Curtis
does not favor this plan. If he loses the
senatorship and continues the biennial
fights for seat in congress he would
| much prefer to remain in the First dis
trict as there are fewer counties, larger
towns and more to be done than in the
| Fourth.
Another plan which has been sug-
gested is to make the Eighth district