The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-19
SETTLE!T TONIGHT
State Printer Caucus lis to BE
Held.
Selection VIII Clear Atmosphere
for Senatorial Contest.
APPEAR CONFIDENT.
Both Men Say That They VIII
Win.
Formal Election to Be Held To-
morrow NOOns
APPEAR CONFIDENT

Tonight viii see another of the big /
contests before the present legislature
out of the wsy-the selection Of state /
printer. Caucusing on the third and
greatest contest Of all. the selection Of
a United States senator. win begin
probably on Wednesday night
The election OF q state printer win
clear the atmosphere for the senatorial
fight Today a few members who are
Interested in the election of some GER
tain candidate as state printer are a lit
tle shy about lining up on senator.
Then. too, there may pe some trading ON
the state printership-no very much, TO
be sure, because the two contests are not
near enough equal.
The state printer caucus tonight win
not require a great deal Of time
single ballot will settle it. Both candi-
dates. George A. Clark and F. ". Hoch.
say that they win win
If the caucus had been held a week
ago there is no DOUBT but what Hoch
would have been nominated without
doubt He not only had nearly all OF
the Curtis forces with him, but he also
had a generous support from the fol
lowers Of all the other senatorial candl-
dates.
But since the speakership contest iz
out of the way, Clark has been organlz~
a lineup somewhat along the same
lines He has the aid of Cyrus Leland
because Of the action Of Hoch at the
Wichita convention About 4 O'Clock on
the morning before the Wichita conven-
tion met, when Mr. Leland was hustlins
for votes for the temporary 0rganiza~
tiOn of the state convention. ne had
conference with Hoch and offered him
his support for state printer il Hoch
would divide the vote of Marion county
on the temporary organization of the
convention and give George E Cole
even fourth of the Marion county del
egation Mr.. Hoch refused because Of
his friendship for Senator Miller. who
was a guberuat torial candidate and was
opposed to Cole. and now Leland IS aid~
ing Clark instead of H0ch.
The state printer fight Is OvershndOW-
ing everything else in Copeland county
this afternoon Each side is making q
last roundup TO ascertain If their forces
are holding tight. The next four hours
will be their last opportunity for work
All the Hoch forces are trying to do
is to hold their men in line They say
they have absolute pledges from about
so members to vote for Hoch and they
do not believe the members viii go back
on their pledges.
George A. Clark on the other hand
appears TO be very confident and says
he will be nominated by 20 majority
AS one man put it today. it is a case
of sentiment against political influence.
Hoch has the sentiment and Clark has
the influence.
Tt was reported this morning that
Congressman Curtis had taken a hand
in the state printer game to Offset Cy-
rus Leland. Tt was said that Archie
Williams told a friend Of Mr.. Clark that
Curtis had come to him and asked him
to vote for Hoch because Hochs cleo
tion would be virtually a Curtis vic
tory
The Curtis and Hoch people deny that
any such thing is being done
All we want" said HOch supporter,
lis that the contest shall be on the re-
spective merits Of the two candidates
Tor this office without any outside in
huences coming ia. We do not ask for
outside help, neither do we want it used
against us We have the assurance of
Governor Bailey that he is taking no
hand in the state printer fight and we
have had the same assurance from the
senatorial candidates no more than half
an hour ago I have heard the Archie
Williams story. but Mr. Williams says
that Curtis did not ask him to line IN
for Mr.. Hoch. think the Clark forces
are just working a game of bluff in
0nelr clains We have the absolute
word OF enough members themselves to
give us votes to spare. and the only
way we can fail is for the members to
go natly back on their promises after
repeated assurances that they are for
Mr.. Hoch The Clark forces are trying
TO use the action of the Marion county
delegation at Wichita to get some. mem
bers and others they are telling that the
wichita incident is past and makes no
difference"
The formal election of state printer
will take place tomorrow noon. The
time is fixed by the constitution. The
senate will march over in a body and
JOINT session Of the two houses viii
be held.
The fusion members of both houses
VIII hold a caucus tonight, in Room g.
HN~aa
and nominate their candidates for
United states senator and state printer
Senator Harris Will. of course Toe
named for reelection as United States
senator, and it is generally conceded
that Grant Harrington editor Of the
HiaWatha Democrat. will be given the
empty honor of the nomination for
state printer.
When the formal election Of state
printer is held tomorrow the division
viii doubtless be along partisan lines
IT all members of both houses are pres
ent except Senator Fullington. of Clay
county. who is very ill., the vote viii
stand 12s for the Republican nominee
to % for the fusionist.
Tomorrow the contest for United
states senator win break out with re-
newed activity. The first caucus fol
senator VIII probably be held on Wed
nesday night, although some of tht
members want to start in tomorrow
the state printer
Things were verv nuiet IN Topeka yes
terday. Most Of the members of fb.
legislature went home over SUNDAY
They began coming back last night. AMI
considerable number arrived thi.
morning but all of them will not ARRIVE
until the afternoon trains reach TO
pelSa from the west this afternoon. Botl
houses VIII convene at 4 o'colcl1 Tn
hour is made late so as to give the lat
members time to get in to answer t.
roll call.
It is possible that some Of the mem
bers NAV more clearly define their posi-