The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-10-31
POLITICAL GOSSIP
Senator F. DumOnt Smith May
Have Trouble Ahead.
Reported That II. w. Grass
Will Oppose Him.
SAM HALE is WAITING.
Will Be Fusion Candidate If
Grass Keeps Out.
Mr.. COnklin, of Reno County,
Enters a Denial.
SAM HALE is WAITING.

Senator Frederick Dumont Smith may
have trouble for denomination for state
senator next year. 1t is reported that
H W. Grass. a banker of Lacrosse,
Rush county, will be a candidate for
the Republican nomination in the
Thirty-eighth senatorial district, which
Senator Smith has represented during
the last four years
This information. to be sure comes
from a Populist, Representative s. l.
Hale, also of Rush county. Mr.. Hale
adds also that his fellow-townsman is
a mighty good man and he, Hale, be-
lieves he can get the nomination If he
goes after it.
Smith is conceded to be the leader in
the state senate. Notwithstanding
defect in his hearing apparatus during
his first term as senator he made his
ability felt and although he represents
the most sparsely settled district in the
state, he is recognized as probably the
readiest debater and shrewdest par
Humanitarian In the senate, though
some of his actions have been peculiar
to say the least. The news therefore
that he will have opposition of serious
character for denomination next year IS
of more than passing interest.
The Thirty-eighth district is by far
the largest in the state 1t contains
eighteen counties 1t is twice as large
as the First, Second or Third congress
sional districts, and is much larger than
either the Fourth or Fifth. A sena-
torial nomination in that district there
fore means as much of a contest, III
case of a fight, as the nomination of
congressman in some districts. The dis
trict covers 50 much ground that 1t IS
difficult to look after all the interests
in it.
Sam Hale has a boom for senator of
his own. A good many PoDulists of
the Thirty-eighth district want to see
him advanced to the senate, and it is
not at all improbable that he will make
the ~acs.
1T all depends on my friend Grass"
said Mr.. Hale today. If he goes after
the Republican nomination and gets it
] will not run against him, because he
is mighty good man. If Smith
should be reEominated, though, or any
body else except Grass, 1 don't believe
1t will be very hard for my friends to
urge me to run.
And if I run I will be elected. too.'
added Mr.. Hale. THE district is
pretty close, and my own county would
give me enough extra votes to pull me
through"
The Hutchinson News enters an OBJ
lection to Reno county politics being
run from Topeka. A few days ago
State Supt. Dayhoff said that there will
be fight on Senator Frank Vincent
for denomination, and named Senator
gonklin and Emerson Carey as pos
sible candidates, and a number of
newspapers published it. In comment
ing on the story the News saws:
Mr.. Conl1lin said to a News reporter:
l am not guilty, and I can lick the
fellow that started the story on me-
Nobody has ever mentioned the propo-
s1tion. and I haven't thought of it.
What's the scheme behind it?'
Emerson Carey is in Hot Springs
Ark, but is doubtless as innocent as
Mr.. Conklin. Frank Vincent is in Chi
caSo, and couldn't be found to give a
guess at the reason for the excitement
In Topeka. Mr.. Conklin's question is
therefore unanswered, but it is doubt
less time that the same Topeka poll
tlcians who always fight Hutchinson.
Hutchinson men, Hutchinson fairs. and
everything that they can't run, are
schemfng to divide Reno county ex-
pectlng thereby to beat not only Vim
cent but any Reno county man
Reno county has gotten in the habit
OF managing its own affairs quite sue
cessLully and of beating the Topeka
machine at every turn in the road and
VIII continue to do So"
b. w. Hoch is extremely careful in
cuillInehdlhg Governor Bailey for the
appointment of J. 7. Dickerson as dis
trlct Judge in the Eighth judicial dis
trlct rms is the appointment that Rail-
ey's enemies would say on one day that
balley would not make because Dick
erson Is Hoch's brother-in-law, and on
the next day that he would make it to
buy OF Hoch from running for COVER
nor. Inc only comment HOch makes
along this line is this:
Whatever may have been the mo-
tVeS which prompted this appointment
the appointee is all right"
After giving a sketch of the new iudea
Mr.. Hoch says:
He is immensely popular in this
county where he has grown 10 nan-
hood. He has a beautiful home in Mar
ion and a lovely family, a Charming
wife and five of the prettiest children in
town, including twins. He is the most
generous man we ever knew. His char
acter is above reproach. True. he is our
brother-in-laW, but he is not RESPONSE
BILE for that. True, also, he is bald
headed, but it is only on the outside.
This, in brief is our new district Judge
Mr- Joseph T. Dickerson, who will don
the ermine the first of January He
will make an able, incorruptible fear
less and just judge, and ought to be
nominated next year by acclamation.' .
Word comes from CowIey county that
Ed Wflkerson, member of the Republic
can state central committee from that
Judicial district will be a candidate for
state senator next year, and the Repub-
Hcans expect to elect him CowIev Is
one county in the state that has never
had any but Populist senator since the
rise OF Populism. In fact, it has had the
same senator for almost two decades. L.
r King was elected by the Republicans
OF Cowley county nearly 20 years ago.
He served as Republican until the
Populfst party was formed and then he
became a Populist. but still the people
Of Cowley county continued to send him
10 the state senate. This time. however.
he proposes to retire and the Republi-
cans believe they will have little trouble
IN carrying the county. They elected ev-
sry county officer last year except sher-
Il and one representative Wilkerson is