The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-04-03
POLITICAL GOSSIP
Rumor That Henry Allen May
Be In Legislature.
Judge Benson Has Moved From
Old District.
He Is BACK FIRING.
Rumor d. A. Valentine Wants
to Stop His Boom.
An Interesting Election at Clay
Center Today.
he is BACK FIRING.

Judge A. w. Benson, of Franklin
county. one Of the most able and val
liable men In the last house of repre-.
sentatives. has moved out of his rep
resentative district-tae Fifteenth
and unless there IS some reimbursement.
of political affairs in Franklin county.
he will not be a member OF the next
legislature.
The Fifteenth ana Sixteenth repre-
sentative districts in Franklin county
are divided by Main street in the city
of Ottawa. Judge Benson has moved
to the other side of Main street since
the last session OF the legislature, and
is now in the district represented by J.
H. Ransom. Henry J. Allen also lives
in Ransom's district.
There Is a story that Allen may him
self be a candidate for the legislature
from the Sixteenth district. If Allen
should get into the house he would
make business pick up for w. R.
Stubs. There would certainly be some
interesting events, with Allen as lead
er for the Stubs opposition.
It Is not certain that Mr.. Ransom
will again be in the house. He was
one Of the most pleasant and genial
men in that body. but he did not
achieve the place held by Judge Ben
son, because he is not a speaker of
Bensonis ability Il may be that
Ransom Will withdraw from the race
and allow either Benson or Henry
Allen to take his place
The representative from the old
Benson district-the Fifteenth=has
not been selected. There seems to be
no one in line for the job, and it will
probably be free for all scramble.
D. A. Valentine, clerk of the supreme
court, who has been looked upon as a
I likely candidate for the position of
/ chairman of the Republican state CEN
/ trail committee, is now said to be trying
to sidetrack his boom.
Just who or what has caused this
action on the part of Mr.. Valentine is
not certain, but the general belief is
that somebody started a backfire on
Valentine by intimating that it would
not be good politics for him, in his
present position, to become engaged in
state politics as chairman of the state
committee The argument seems to
have been used that If Mr.. Valentine
should take the position of chairman
Of the state committee, it would tend
to involve the justices of the supreme
court in political quarrels; that Valen-
tine would get the credit of doing
things at the suggestion of this or that
justice and consequently, that some
body would get a knife up their sleeve
for some Justice
Mr.. Valentine, Of course, would not
be inclined to accept the position of
chairman under such coalitions, for he
/ believes in the present system OF elini-
nation of political fights from the Sc
lection If supreme court JUSTICES, as far r
/ as such a policy is possible. If it
shoI1d become apparent to Mr.. Valen-
tine that by accepting the position of
chairman Of the state committee he
would prejudice the interests of any of
the justices, he would in all proba bility
refuse to allow his name to be consid-
cred as possible candidate for chair
man,
Up to this time Mr.. Valentine has
looked with some favor upon the chair
manshfp proposition, and his friends
have been urging him to take the Office
If rendered to him. Governor Hoch IS
said to be satisfied 18th Valentine as
chairman and what Governor HOch
thinks is likely to go a long ways. The
chances are that Valentine could be
elected, If he should consent to take
/ the Office, and the pressure may be-
| come so strong that the possible objec-
tions to his candidacy will be set aside
There are a number of hard fought
city elections taking place in Kansas
today but none have been more ener-
ter where F. L. Williams former Pri-
vate secretary to Governor Hoch, and
G. G. Coleman. attorney general. are
heading a fight on city ownership OF
the electric light plant Coleman &
Williams are the attorneys for firm
which wants an electric light fran
chise.
Opposed to Coleman & Williams are
D. A. Valentine and both Of the Clay
Center newspapers. Popular sentiment
semes to be in favor Of city ownership,
and the chances are that Coleman &
williams will be defeated
The smith County Journal Demo-
cratic paper, wants the people of the
Fortieth senatorial district to elect
new state senator at the coming cleo
ton to succeed w. Il. Haskell, who is
now holding down the double job of
warden of the penitentiary and state
senator It is not likely that the wish
es Of the Smith County Journal will
have much consideration, for 1t is un-
derstood that Governor Hoch has ap-
proved Warden Haslae4Is course in
holding both Jobs.
There are several other members Of
the legisla ture in the same fix that
Haskell is L. T. Hussey, re2reSenta-
tive from Usage county. IS also the
state oil inspector, z. 3. SchermerhoTn,
representative from Cherokee, is mem
Der of the state board Of control with
| a salary of 50, 500 a year; A C. Husey,
representative from Sedgwick county,
is a deputy oil inspector; J. S. Simmons,
representative from Lane county, has
been appointed a member of the board
in charge Of the Hutchinson reforna-
tory. All Of these people get pay for
their services J. T. White is one of
the state commission which grades
grain; w r. Stubs is a member of
the university board of regents. and
other members hold similar positions of
more OF less honorary nature.
Mr.. Schermerhorn Is the only one Of
this list so lar as known who will not
be a candidate for reelection to the
legislature.
The law distinctly provides that no
member Of tha board OF control shall
hold any other ONCE of public trust
during his term as member of the
board. nor for a year thereafter.
II there was anything to prevent a