The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-04-07
Got 'sFirst BlOod'' in Fight on
Timber Law.
Thinks It Is Cause of Much
Trouble.
COME BEFORE HOUSE.
There Will Be a Vote on Reeder
Measure.
Gossip About Mr. CaIderhead's
Senatorial Aspiration.

Washington, April 5.-Representa-
tive Reeder is receiving congratula-
tions over the fact that he has won
out with the committee on irrigation
in the matter of his bill repeating the
stone and timber acts and the COM
mutation clause of the homestead
act. 1t viii be remembered that one
day while Mr.. Reeder was not on
guard, Chairman Mondell of the COM
mittee on irrigation and Representa-
tive Lacey of the committee on public
lands, both of whom are opposed to
the measure, conspired to have Mr..
Reeder's BILL which the latter had
had referred to the committee on irri-
cation, re-referred to the committee
on public lands. Their purpose in do
ing this was to get the bill out of the
hands of the friendly committee on
irrigation into the hands of the hostile
committee on public lands. When Mr..
Reeder found it out. he was as mad
as a hornet. and set to work to undo
the work of his enemies. This week
he finally succeeded in getting a. vote
in the committee on irrigation on the
question of Jurisdiction, and by a vote
of six to five the committee on irriga-
ton decided to have the bill taken out
of the hands of the committee on pub
lie lands and returned to them. This
was accordingly done, much to the de-
light of Mr. Reeder. who is now hav-
ing daily hearings upon the measure,
and thinks he is in a fair way to have
Ct favOrably reported to the house.
the final hearing will be held on Sat
urday of this week. and Mr.. Reeder
confidently expects that it will result
davorably to him, and that the bill will
go before the house early next week
He has thought for a long time that if
he could get a favorable report upon
the measure and have it referred to
NJ 90 f.o.r &c
sured, and it may be that he will have
an opportunity to test the sentiment
In the house on the proposition to
amend the land laws, which Mr.. Reed
er thinks have resulted in more
abuses than most any laws now on the
statute books.
A writer in the Washington Post feels
that he has discovered something in the
fact that Kansas is not the first state
to hold state convention and declare
for President Roosevelt. The morning af-
ter the Kansas convention in March, the
eastern papers were big with headlines
giving Kansas the credit for leading the
Roosevelt procession and hailing it as
an event Of great political significance
as indeed It was This writer goes on to
say CndL the Republican convention Of
South Carolina held on February "a of
this year. more than two weeks in ad-
vance of the Kansas convention was
the first to declare for the present oceu-
pant OF the White House for renonina-
ton. He further adds that the ReDub-
lcan convention of Florida was held at
an even earlier date, and passed ring
ing resolutions declaring for the presi-
dent to succeed himself All of which
IS very interesting from a technical
standpoint, but the writer evidently for
gets that there is a wide difference in
the action or the conventions of these
southern Democratic states and that Of
Kansas, now one Of the most DEPEND
able OF Republican states The action
OF the Florida and South Carolina Re
O rr,
small interest to the rest of the country
particularly as they did only the ex-
pected thing, and the writer in the Post
mas taken these two southern sfrOno-
holds of Democracy too serio11sII1 Tbe
only way in which they could nossibIx,
have attracted attention would have
been to declare against the president.
ana IN view of the sentiment evis+in o
throughout the country it is do11btfI1I if
even this action would have caused
Enuch more than a ripple on the surface
An event OF considerable interest in
Kansas political circles in WaShip ptoD
this week was the statement made nv
Representative Calderhead that he
would probably be a. candidate To suc-
coed Senator Burton. Judge Calder
mead does not wish to be understood in
any way as announced his candidacy
Tor the place, as he would regard such
an announcement as improper at this
time. what he said was in answer to
the inquiry of a newspaper corresDon-
dent, and he was particular to specify
that his expression was not to be con-
structed as an announcement of his
candidacy for the senate. Notwith-
standing his carefully Worded inter
view, it is perfectly understood that
Mr.. Calderhead is squarely in the race.
and in view of the strength which he
rallied to mis- support during the sena-
IOriat campaign of last winter, his can
didacy is of considera BILE interest. In
the Republican caucus at Topeka last
winter, he received the entire fourt cen
votes of the Fifth district as well as
an additional vote from the Big Sew
enth, making him fifteen votes in all
What his strength would be in view of
the changed political conditions is of
course a matter of conjecture. In poll
tics Mr.. Calderhead has been identified
IS neutral between the two factions in
Kansas, although he has been re-
garded as on rather intimate terms
with the machine element on more
than one or two occasions.
Judge Calderhead is serving his
fourth term in the house, and is one
of the most influential men of the
Kansas delegation in congress. He has
done much good work as a member of
the house committee on banking and
currency, and especially on the invalid
pensions committee has he been active
and influential He is a veteran of
the civil war. and has devoted himself
to legislation for his former comrades
in arms with an untiring zeal not sur
passed by any other member of the
house. He digs away at pension cases
day in and day out, and keeps two
secretaries employed almost as stead
lily as himself on that work.
OF course there are other members
of the Kansas delegation who are
looking with longing eyes upon Sena-
tor Burton's seat, although they are
saying nothing at present, because it
would not seem proper to do so. Rep
resentative Curtis, who was a eandi-
date for the seat held by Senator Long
IS of course expected to get into the
race, and Representatives Scott and
BowersOck have been mentioned as
possible candidates. In addition to the
congressional aspirants for senatorial
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