The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-02-22
ROARK DROPS OUT
WithdraWs From the Race for
Attorney General.
Fifth District BeeOmingCrOwded
With Candidates.
HE CAN'T AFFORD IT.
Gives That as His Reason for
Quitting Field.
Mr.. Biddle Makes Statement
About LeayenWOrth MIDDLE.

Republican state central committee |
that he is out of the race for attorney
general.
ROark's withdrawal viii strengthen
the candidacy of S. C. drummer for
state auditor. drummer is from the
same district with Roark, the Fifth,
and as the Fifth already has three
candidates for two different places on
the supreme bench, things were get
ting decidedly overcrowded. But Mr..
Etoark has another reason for keeping
out of the fight. He said yesterdays
''WithOu in any way casting dis
credit upon this Office of attorney gen
eral for the state of Kansas. I have
come to the conclusion that I can not
afford to be a candidate for the Office,
even under the assumption that
would be elected. The pay is small
for the amount of work required, art1
while I would certainly appreciate the
honor of serving the state as its attOr-
ney, I feel that I can not sacrifice my
private business. If 1 should be a can
didate for this Office, and should be
elected, I would necesSa rily lose many
of my present clients. would return
at the end of my term of service to
find my business in the hands of other
lawyers, and 1t would be necessary for
me to start in and build up again.
Il fully realize that the duties of at
tOrney general of Kansas are of the
most Onerous character. In addition
to handling the important litigation of
the state, the office is swamped with a
vast amount of detail work which
should never come into that depart
ment. County attorneys from all over
the state are writing in to the attorney
general every day for Information
which they ought 10 get for them
selves. They want opinions about mat
ters which they ought to be able to
give themselves; they want information
which it is their duty to secure with
out burdening the attorney general I
do not believe that county attorneys
throughout the state realize the amount
of unnecessary work they cause by
| such customs. 1 have been county at
torney in our county for ten years, and
[ believe [ can say that no attorney
general has been unduly burdened with
work on my account"
The withdrawal of Mr.. Roark from
the race leaves four avowed candi-
dates in the field. They are Sardius
M Brewster Of Troy. A E. Crane Of
HoltOn Oscar Raines of Jefferson
county, and NJ. A. GorriIl of Lawrence.
The first three are all residents of the
First district, which makes it look
rather congested.
There is some possibility that F. S.
Jackson, the newly appointed assistant
attorney general in Mr. Coleman S
Office, will become a candidate for at
torney general He is doing some tall
thinking about the matter, and if it
were not for the fact that he is a
Fourth district man, where there are
already three uncontested candidates,
he would doubtless go after the place.
W. T. Biddle, Of Leavenworth. gives
out a statement today concerning the
report published in Wedn esday's State
Journal to the effect that the Curtis
people are going to make a fight on
Biddle's election as member of the
congressional committee. Mr. Biddle
says that Stewart Mckee was brought
out for the place by Fred ". Jamison
who is a relative of Mckee. Jamison
is one Of the owners OF the Leaven-
worth Post. Mr.. Biddle says:
There is no trouble in Ileavenworth
on old factional lines within the Re
publican party. At the meeting of the
Republican county central committee
held Monday afternoon. when 90 ont
of "a mem bers of the committee were
/ represented, resolutions were adopted
strongly endorsing Mr.. Curtis for re-
nomination for congress, and at the
same time the committee kindly. Nv
unanimous vote, endorsed me for con-
gressiOnal committeeman. I filed an
application with Mr.. Capper for con-
gressional committeeman more than a
week ago.
All of last week two men in Leaven-
worth county, bitter personal enemies of
mine were putting in their time trying
1 to get a candidate out against me They
were going around offering to pay the
( 90 CAAAA dAlE6 lee "A uu9lD6T OF gentle
men had under consideration plans to
| become candidates, but when they learn
/ ed that was standing for the place thew
4 kindly stepped aside. Late Saturday
night the application of DR.. Stewart
! Mckee was fled here in Topeka as a
candidate against me. Dr. Mckee is a
| connection by marriage of one of the
men who was bent on getting up oppo-
sition to my candidacy.
AT the committee meeting Monday.
not d single one Of the members favored
the candidacy Of DR.. Mckee. Even the
! Curtis members on the committee were
against him. It is said that the relative
/ OF Dr.. Mckee proposes to try to run
him as a Curtis candidate. This is a
/ great joke, as DR.. Mckee was removed
from a pension. board and has been mad
at Mr.. Curtis ever since. DR.. Mckee last
! April tried to get hack on the pension
board when Mr.. Curtis recommended
/ DR.. Everhardt in his stead.
Only few weeks ago, Dr. Mckee
was candidate for appointment as
/ physician at the United States civil Den-
/ itentiary. when another Ryas chosen in
his stead, and It Is reported that this
made him still madden. He was never
| known to take sides in any political con-
test, either factiOnal or party, and !
have no grievance against DR.. Mckee
THE resolution endorsing me for con
gress was offered by W. N. Todd, presi-
dent Of the Curtis club, and all the
friends of Mr.. Curtis who looked after
his interests in the past factional con
tests are supporting me
M Curtis personally is taking no
hand as understand 1t. in the Leaven-
worth committee fight
J. W. Creech gave out formal state
ment Wednesday evening which Is taken
by the politicians as the equivalent Of a
withdrawal from the race for the Re
publican nomination for governor Mr.
Creeeh says:
ct -
date for governor. Mr. friends have
urged me and are still urging me to
enter the race and I have appreciated
their generous support It is impossible
to say what viii happen between now
and May, but am at present, as have
been ali the time, q candidate only for
reelection as representative in my home
district. That IS the present situation