The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-10-24
POLITICAL GOSSIP
Democratic Hosts Are Gather
ing in Topeka.
Meeting of State Central Com
mittee Being Held.
FOLK HERE TONIGHT.
Will Speak With Harris at
Auditorium.
Republican Managers Weaken
ing on Betting Proposition.

A meeting of the Democratic state
Central committee is being held at the
Throop hotel this afternoon. The
meeting was called for today SO that
the Democratic leaders might have
chance to hear Governor Folks
speech at the auditorium this even
ing.
The meeting Of the Democratic
committee is secret, and it is said that
some important work is on hand The
/ Democrats refuse to say what is GO
| ing to be done. but they viii look over
the situation. and decide what finish
J ing touches should be placed on their
state campaign during the next two
weeks.
Col. W. A. Harris. the nominee for
governor, is attending the meeting.
The Democrats believe that the cleo
ton of Harris is almost assured-but
| they don't seem to believe 1t hard
enough to take any of the to
money which has been dangled by the
Republicans.
Speaking of campaign bets, how
ever, the indications are that the Re-
publican financiers have got about all
/ they want of the to proposition
that the low man on the Republican
ticket will have 10, 900 majority. The
last bet of that kind hzzled out when
called.
W. C. Cochran of Beloit, a well
known Sixth district Democrat who
took one bet of $500 to $3.50 that the
| low man on the ticket would have
10000 plurality, sent down $3.50 more
to take up another bet on the same
terms which was said to be offered at
Republican headquarters. When in
vestigations were made, it was dis
covered that the proposition had been
| changed, and that the Republicans
wanted to bet to 1 that Hoch would
have 10000. It was necessary to get
/ Mr.. Cochran's consent to post his
money on the new terms The follow
ing letter came from Mr.. Cochran dat
ed Oct. IS:
Received your dispatch in due
time, but took a little time to answer.
/ Will say in reply you may call bet for
me, $3.50 to $500 that Hoch does not
have over 10000 plurality. and ask for
more. I think now that viii take up
4 all the railroad money In sight.
Il remain. yours
"W. c. COCHRAN"
When this letter was received. a
tender of the $3.50 was again made to
the holders of the Republican money,
/ to take up the bet on their own terms.
But the $500 has not come out of hid
/ ing. and the chances are that it has
been scared into permanent retire.
ment
The Democratic meeting at the au-
ditorium this evening promises to be
I more Of a success than is usual for
of Missouri and Col. Harris, Demo-
cratic candidate for governor Of KAN
sas will be the speakers. Governor
Folk Will not arrive in Topeka until
just before the time set for the meet
ing. The Democrats are planning to
have a parade and some music before
the meeting. It is proposed to have
a large number of the 'boIting'' ne
gro voters in the parade.
There is great activity at the Repub-
lican county headquarters and a strong
effort is being made to lineup the negro
vote of the city Of Topeka, which is ev-
/ identity off the reservation. Chairman
/ workers into council and is putting
forth every energy to get the things into
better shape for the Republicans before
election.
The law and order people in the Re
publican party are displeased with the
/ way the county committee has been
running things, and many of them be-
/ neve that the proper effort has not been
made to get the Republican voters reg
istered, the reason being, they believe
that the Republican committee is not
very anxious. to have certain candidates
on the Republican ticket elected.
Take it all in all, and the condition
Of things in Shawnee county is not very
satisfactory to the Republicans The
following letter received by Dennis
/ Hope, a well known cOlOred man, and
formerly an active Republican. is sig
nif1cant:
please pardon me for taking up your
time and space in your paper, but I sm
a voter in Shawnee county, and in the
| city Of Topeka have always taken
! an active part in the state. county and
city election have always cast my
r-r-fo.
after the way I have been treated by
the Republicans of this city and coun-
i ty after all my labor getting up clubs
and sitting nights for the party, I have
/ taken up the instructions given me by
a law and order man to vote for the
man regardless of the party, and if a
white man can vote for q good Demo-
crat and still hold that he is a good
Republican, why can't do Hkewise2
you all know that no negro is a
I Democrat, but we see when It comes to
the negro question, we have as many
friends among the Democrats as we
have among the Republicans and as we
/ cannot get slice OF the public pie
/ why not give the Democrats a show
/ Some of us get our support from them.
so why not help the man that helps rs9
/ / never had q good pencil on election
I day, but this year I have one that can
use on both Republicans and Democrats.
| I found the pencil that was used on the
! negro in our last primary elections Il
was all used up except the eraser. so the
negro suffered heavy loss in the Re
publican battle, where no Democrat was
/ allowed to cast a vote I myself at one
| time had little enough sense to start
out in the Republican primaries for
councilman. They did not come after
me as Democdat would, but they wen-
after my job. and had to throw up
! both hands, and get out Of the race or
lose my job. Having a family to sup
port had to swallow It down and went