The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-09-01
AS SEEN FROM HOCH's OFFICE.
The Situation Now and as 1t Was
-Four Years Ago.


Marion, Kan. Sept If E. w. Hoch
had time today to stand in the door
way of the office of his paper, the
Marion Record, he would view, with
changed emotions the sight so familiar
and yet so different to him, that he
witnessed four years ago this month
from this same doorway of the country
newspaper office where he has written
and clipped and pasted and edited for
more than thirty years.
But Mr. Hoch has not time today to
stand quietly in his office doorway and
look on.
1t was four years ago that the opposi-
ton had their day; their great day in
Marion county history. and when the
Populists and Democrats gathered for
an immense rally and made the welkin
ring. if the town of Marion had well
ken then, and the editor of the Record
the staunch Republican paper, felt al
most alone in the enemy's country.
The foreman stood in the doorway,
smoking his corn cob pipe anc COM
menting to the editor.
And all day long through Marion
town sounded the clatter of horses
feet and the rumble of farm wagons
as the fusion hosts Daraded past the
Office of the Marion Record toward
the city park and then when the rally
was over paraded back again.
Not much of a parade" said the
foreman by way of expressing his con-
tempt for all political faiths and eff
forts not Republican.
More than we mustered for our
last parade said the editor who was
willing to give the enemy their due.
So today Editor Hoch might have
stood in the doorway of the Office, if
he hadn't been busy as an agent Civ
food, and have seen the streets
thronged and crowded but this time
by Republicans.
The attraction for the opposition
four years ago, during the day, was
Webster Davis, who had just looped
the loop and had changed from Re
publican to Democrat so quickly that
he had not had time to patent the
In the afternoon Davis spoke. as
the Reformed Republican whose
change from Mckinley to Bryan was
quicker than the eye. at the city park.
He attracted an immense crowd.
For several weeks the Republican
state committee had had John Daw-
son booked for a night meeting at the
Marion court house, but the Populists
did not know this and thinking that
Dawson was sent a sure antidote
for the Web Davis virus, Taylor Rid
die sent in a general alarm and a
hurry up call for Breidenthal. Popu-
list candidate for governor. When
the arrangements were completed for
Breidenthal to speak at the city park
at the same time that Dawson was
speaking at the court house. Taylor
Riddle and the Populists were salts
ned At that time Dawson was a
clerk in the state treasurer's Office.
under the first Stanley administration
and Breidenthal, appointed bank COM
missioner by Governor Leedy, was q
Populist incumbent in a Republican
administration.
you'll have a state house janitor
to speak for the Republicans while we
will have our candidate for governor
said Riddle to w. V. Church, the
chairman of the Marion county Re-
publican committee.
Church set to work to impress the
people of Marion with the belief that
Dawson was just as big a politician
gun as Breidenthal. if not bigger, so
he hired a brass band and with
gayly decorated carriage was at the
depot to meet Dawson after Davis was
through speaking and his audience
was homeward bound for supper
The train whfstled for Marion. the
band began to play, the Republican
county committee cheered, the ban
ners and bunting on the carriage
waved, the train came to a stop-and
Dawson and Breidenthal stepped of
the train together. There were only
two PoDuIists on hand to act as well
coming COMMITTEES, for Briedenthal
was expected on another train. and
She two took the candidate for COVER