The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-24

"In fact sur. I sat down and figured
Up t%hirty-One different reasons why
I should be the idol of the electors OF
my state, and why, in case I was nom
mated for governor, / should snow the
opposition under so deep that my rival
would never again be heard of as a
candidate. When the committee wait
ed on me to tender me h nomination
they advanced nine other reasons,
making forty in all, n we felicitated
ourselves that it was all over u the
shouting.
Il should not have sought the nom
ination, sub. 1 have ever held to the
good ole rule that the Office should
seek the man. It sought me. 7 re-
fused to give a decided answer until
1 had felt of the pulse of the people
a little further. 1 soon had reason to
believe that the public press and all
classes OF people would hail me as a
second Moses to lead them out of the.
wilderness. and then I consented to
take the nomination Several Of the.
leading daily papers were good
enough to advise the opposition to
saw their campaign money by not
making any nominations.
"Nhen I was nominated in convention it
was by reclamation, and amidst the wild
est enthusiasm man could wish for In
deed, sub. 1 was borne from the hall on
the shoulders of the populace, and the
number of cOngratulatOry kilograms and
letters received by me during the week
numbered thousands. Old war horses of
the other party travelled a hundred miles
to see me and predict my election by a
hundred thousand majority. Bands sere-
naded me every evening for weeks, and
whenever I left my own town / was re-
ceived with such enthusiasm that it was
hard for me to keep my feet on the
ground. The odds in the betting at the
first gO-on were so to l, and as the cam
paign progressed and the voice of the
people became palmer they rose to 50 to
J. and there remained as firm as the rock
Of Gibraltar until the day of election.
am a conservative man IN all things,
sun, and l never made no wild jumps in
politics, but it seemed to me to be per-
1ectiy safe TO go ahead and announce my
appointees. This I did two weeks previous
TO election I also disposed Of my law
and real estate business and made Ger
tain contracts for repairs to the g%uberna-
torial mansion at my own expense.
Every daily paper published in the in
terests of my party was laid on my desk
every morning. as well as some who We're
not. hut it was always the same old story
everything solid for Colonel Bunker.
There had been some doubt at first about
my receiving the colOred vote. as 1 was
known to be opposed to the prOmiscuOus
slaughter of posSums, but days and days
before the polls opened 1 knew hat I
had II solid II got about that if I op-
posed pOssum slaughter 1 favored an in
crease of Chicken-raising by the white
population and this seemed to be taken
There was no need of my speech-mak-
mS ~ SIS ~ voters with me, put tnere
was a loud demand for the idol of the
people to show himself here and there,
and Needed 1t and travelled about. In ev-
cry district there was wild enthusi-
asm, and in many of them my horses
We're taken from the carriage and the pa
tr1ots pulled me from the hotel to the hall
and back I am a modest. unassuming-
man. sub, as I believe all great men are,
but I don't feel that I can be blamed for
feeling a bit cocky over the alteration Of
the multitude.
on the night preceding the election the
member OF the state campaign commit
tee gathered at my house, together with
other gentlemen, and each OF us made a
guess at my majority. Not wishing to as
sumo too much, I marked 5000 on my
caro-, ano It was the lowest by 25,Oo. Some
OF the gentlemen had Wagered that the
nsUSs Would exceed 1l5,0o. We under
stood that the rival candidate conceded
my slec1lon by 1000, and was in mourn
4us vi account OF the MONEY he had use
lessly -squandered. Wine was set ont and
goasts given and responded to. and at a
11se noun OF me night the idol of the peo-
PIE sought his couch with a feeling of
pity for the rest of mankind.
During election day hundreds Of re-
ports came IN, all of one color, and it was
not until after the ballots had been
Souhteq mat the Niger in the fence made
his whereabouts known. Talk of land
sldesi Why. sub. I was buried a hundred
1eet oeep: was crushed. I was wiped
out OF existence. I didn't even carry nv
own ward or city. AS a matter OF fact.
I was beaten by over lO0O00 ma ori+v@f
the idol Of the people ana the hero Of the
hour!
1T took me a week to get nv breath
PACK, and a whole year to figure out now
It came about It was what thew call a
poIlcaI stampede. Up to bedtime of the
night BEFORE the election the people want
ed me-cried for me and wouldn't have no
other. During their sleep a subtle change
morning to feel that it was their solemn
DUTY to jump on me with both feet. There
is no other explanation possible ana no
man can explain the explanation.
NO. sub, 1t can't be explained by any
rule OF human nature. sub, and it's some
thing that every candidate has got to 90
blind on The people may hold steady
and rusn him IN by a humping majority.
or they may turn against him in a night
and send him up Salt Creek so far thar
he viii never be heard of again.
7 was sent up the creek. sub. and I
lave never got back sub, and as a de-