The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-12-04
HOCH TO Be IN.
Indications Are That He Will Be
a Candidate.
Was Long in Consultation With
Burton Eixers.
HE GOES HOME TODAY.
Does Not Give Out a Positive
Statement.
Part of Plan of the Burton
Machine.
HE GOES HOME TODAY.

Hoch Will be a candidate for the Re
publican nomination for governor next
year against Governor Bailey. Mr..
Hoch does not yet admit it-perhaps
even to hir1self-but he has arrived at
the state of mind where he can be very
easily persuaded to go into the race.
/ Mr.. Hoch left for his home at Marion
at noon today after being in consulta-
tfon with some OF the anti-Bailey Re-
publican leaders since Wednesday
night. He says he has not yet made up
| his mind what he will do, but he says
he believes he can beat. Bailey for the
nomination, and if this is the case
those who have personal grudge
against Bailey will very likely get him
to come out as a candidate
Mr.. Hoch doubtless failed to get as
much encouragement in Topeka as he
| had expected. Some of the state officers
laid down. on him not to run. but he
met them with the argument that this
papers" were doing. Treasurer Kelly,
Auditor Wells and Railroad CommiS-
sioner Wheatley especially insisted that
Hoch should not be candidate.
They frankly told him that if he start
ed fight it also meant fight on them,
and they did not want it. Secretary of
State Burrow would little rather Hoch
would not run, but he does not care so
| States district attorney, who is from
Mr.. Hoch's county does not want him
| to run.
+ w H. Mackey, U. S. marshal, is
rather inclined to urge Hoch into the
race. d. w. Mulvane talked the mat
ter over with Hoch, and While if Hoch
! should go into the race it is quite like
| ly he would get Mulvane's support.
! Mulyane advised him to go slow and
not be too anxious at present
| The people who are urging Hoch to
run and who have convinced him that
he can be nominated are Representa-
tive Stubbs, Bent Murdoch and others
who in the main are bearing on their
shoulders personal grievances against
Governor Bailey. Stubbs was about the
only man IN Topeka Thursday who was
Stubs experience in politics is con-
! fined to one race for the legislature.
He says that nine out of every ten
voters in his county Douglas, are for
Hoeh and against Bailey, and he thinks
Hoch will sweep the state. Bent Muir
| dock has written to Hoch that he mas
| formed a Hoch club of 200 members in
! Ell Dorado. He says one member in Ell
Dorado started out with a paper to Sc
cure signatures for membership in the
| Hoch club and got A out of 4S men
whom he approached in the first hour.
| Such stories as these and letters he has
received at home are what make Hoch
believe that he can defeat Bailey.
Among others whom Hoch met while
| in Topeka was r. w. BeNlnSJOn, repre-
sentative from Jewell county, who came
down yesterday afternoon to indorse
Clark Smith for supreme judge Bev-
ington was Hoch's warmest supporter
for state printer in the legislature last
winter, outside of the member from his
home county, seconding Hoch's nomina-
ton for state printer in the Republican
caucus, but he told Mr.. Hoch plainly
that he is opposed to his candidacy for
governor at this time.
"I would be glad to support Hoch for
governor at the proper time" said Mr.
Bevington today but his candidacy
now is exceedingly in-timed and ill
advised and I told him SO. The ones
who are now urging Hoch to run for
governor were~ not for him for state
| printer last winter. His real friends Go
not want him to run for governor now.
If it was not so apparent that his can
didacy would be simply a fight to lick
! somebody it would be an entirely diff
ferent proposition, but it is backed by
an element that is not so anxious to
4 honor Ed Hoch as it is to defeat Gov
ernor Bailey The Sixth district was
for him for state printer last year, but
1t is an entirely different proposition
ernoF when Bailey is entitled to re-
nornina ton.
"Another thing: If Hoch runs for
governor it will open a fight that will
extend clear down the line to township
officers. and we don't want ANYTHING
of the kind. It will involve not mere
ly the state ticket. but also county
candidates. In every county where
fight is made for the state delegation
the county candidates will be almost
forced to take sides one way or the
other 1t will disrupt the Republican
party more than anything else that
could be done For instance, in my
county the Republican officers are all
serving their first term and they will
be candidates for denomination We
| haven't a very big Republican majority
/ IN, and don't want a
fight which would ALLEVIATE some Re-
publican voters. The same thing is
true in some other counties. | don
believe that Hoch can beat Bailey for
governor this year anyway, and as his
! friend I don't like to see him try it
On the other hand. George Clark and
his close friends are anxious to see
Hoch run for governor-doubtless be-
cause it would eliminate him from the
state printer race before the next leg
/ islature if the state printer constitu-
tional amendment does not carry
II hope Hoch goes into the race"
said Mr. clark last night. IF he does
it will eliminate him from politics, be-
cause he Cannot possibly defeat Bailey,
and the man who makes fight simply
to lick somebody else and gets whipped
himself is generally out of politics.
i This same argument is used by some
of Hoch's friends. but he meets them
4 with the statement that he would be
better off today had he been politically
no law compelling Mr.. Hoch to go into
politics if he knows he is better of
out os It.
| Governor BaiIey's close friends would
date because they think Bailey is en-
titled to a denomination without a
fight.
T don't like to see Hoch get into the
race and make fight on Bailey" said
Harry Bone today. not because I am
afraid he would beat Bailey but be-