The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-09-12
POLITICAL GOSSIP
Only Two Congressional Con-
tests in Kansas.
First and Second Districts the
Backgrounds.
ALLEN is GAINING.
Believed That Tide Has Started
In His Favor.
AlignmentS This Year Surpris-
ing and Unusual.

| The only two congressional districts
in Kansas in which there will be fights
next year are the First and the Second.
In the first the opponents of Congress
man Curtis are worrying him to a con-
siderable extent, but how the battle
will go is very much in doubt at this
time.
In the Second district, however, the
indications are that H. J. Allen of
Franklin county is getting the best of
it. There is little doubt but Allen is
gaining in strength right along, and if
nothing happens to turn the tide the
other way he will quite likely wrest
the congressional nomination from Con-
gresham Bowersock.
The Pleasanton Herald goes so far
as to prophesy that Mr.. Bowersocks s
name will not even be presented to the
convention. 1t says that Allen is gain
ling daily in Linn county, county that
six weeks ago was commonly conceded
to Bowersock, and the indications now
are that he cannot carry Linn county.
When it is remembered that the Pleas
anton Herald is the paper which last
year entered Mr.. Bowersock in the SEN
atorial race and was his principal
boomer for weeks, the force of its
prophecy will be seen. The entrance
of E. H. Funston, former congressman,
Into the race has Drought about con-
| siderable change in that county. Funs-
ton has many friends in Linn county
and it is said that they will combine
with Aliens forces in taking the coun-
ty away from Bowersock.
| Allen is almost certain to get Bour-
bon county now. The postoffice fight
down there u year ago was the undoing
of Mr.. Bowersock. He patched up a
compromise which did not suit any
1
| crowd. which generally runs the coun-
! ty, is supporting Allen, while the Bur
ton crowd is giving Bowersock only a
! lukewarm support.
! Allen county is generally conceded to
Funston. although il would be to the
interest of Congressman-at-L Large
Charles E. Scott to throw Allen county
| to Bowersock if possible. and he may
try to do So The nomination of Fun
ston would almost eliminate Scott from
congress. while the nomination of
| Allen would mean that when the state
is divided into eight districts Scott and
Allen would have to contest for su-
/ premacy in the Second district. 1t is
generally understood, however. that
Funston will have Allen county. If so,
the second choice of the delegation VIII
be Allen in all probability.
In Anderson county there is "a
stra light fight between Allen and Bow
ersock and Allen has some strong in
| huences at work for him. while it is
doubtful if Bowersock is doing well.
Allen confidently expects to carry An
derSOn cOnntv-
In Miami county there are the Kelly
and anti-Kelly factions to be consid-
cred State Treasurer Kelly is for any-
body to beat Allen. but last fall the
anti-Kelly faction was largely in the
ma jority in Miami county, and it is said
that there has been little change since
| then. Mr. Kelly was so unpopular in
| his home county last fall that, with the
support of half the Democrats in the
| county. he lost it by 933 votes, while
| Governor Bailey carried the county by
125. This year the anti-kelly faction
is supporting Allen for congressman.
| Johnson county is common fighting
ground between Bowersock and Allen
and it will be close race between
them. Allen has made a school house
| campaign in the county during the last
two campaigns and has large ac-
quaintance. In addition he has the
active support of ex-senator Parker anu
other leaders.
In Wyandotte there are five local can
| didates. There are E. A. Enright. j. Il.
Cubbison. Nat Barnes. Silas Porter and
Henry McGrew. 1t is possible that
| Wyandotte may hold the balance of
power in the convention. 1t has big
delegation, but no one is ever just sure
because of the postoffice muddle In Kan
sas City, Kan. and if it comes TO
second choice Allen will likely get the
most of Wyandotte's votes, although the
1t is possible that a nomination can
be made without Wyandotte. Aliens
friends allege that if he gets Franklin
which is conceded to him-Bourbon, An
derson and Miami. he will have. within
| four votes of nomination, with Linn,
Allen, Johnson and Wyandotte to fall
back on.
Sabetha Republican-Herald: Right
4 now is a good time to remember that
the much abused last house of repre-
! sentatives passed a bill allowing state
/ taxes to remain in the hands of county
ftreasurers until needed by the state.
Thus the various counties-or IN other
words, the taxpayers of the. state
4 would have received interest on the
money. The bill was killed in the SEN
ate by the influence of Mr.. Kelly. Why
did he oppose the bill?
CONGRESSMAN Scott in the lola Regis
ter: One rather Interestingly feature of
the very interesting controversy that is
being waged over the question to
whether the legislature or the board of
equalization is responsible for the IN
creased state tax levy, is the fact that
the papers which are now most loudly
condemping the legislature for extrava-
gance are the same ones who last June
were very wroth because a million dol
lars more was not appropriated for the
flood sufferers
Sheffield ingalls, viii run for probate
judge in Atchison county instead Of for
state senator.
Effingham New Leaf: About as much
foolish talk is INDUCED in in Kansas
politics over s'the bosses" and 'sthesna-
chine" as on any other subjects There
is no denying that some men haveose-
cured greater power in the party than
Others but it is hard to see how any
one faction deserves that name more
than ar-other. Long has or had his ma
chine in the Seventh district. Calder
head has his in the Fourth; Bowersock
has his in the Second; W. A. Reeder