The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-19

pearances don't count for anything
| anyway. But when Phil Campbell
spies you, the stuff IS all off. Now
! Phip might not know as much about
the game as the. rest of those guys do,
but he has 'em all skinned, when it
comes to wearing the glad rags. Harry
! Lehr would look like ten cents worth
of dirty ice, if he ever came to Topeka
during a senatorial fight and bumped
into Phillip.
After you size Phil up. and wonder
if his glad rags would fit you, and if
you hand him the bunc for a suit of
his old toys" you perceive Senator
Benson quietly sitting over in the cor
ner- Senator Benson looks to me, like
he is in the discard; they certainly
dealt the old gentleman, misdeal, be-
cause he looks like man that had bet
after the draw, and thought he had
Royal, only to skin down his hands
and md instead of all hearts, there
was one diamond; ever had that feel
ing? The senator may not know the
game. but he is in a class by himself,
when it comes to handling Mr.. Black
stone.
Way over in the dark sits Bent Muir
dock: Old Bent is somewhat bent,
these times. too, but he is ever ready
to tell you, that all politicians are
pack of wolves and that none of them
would tell you the truth, even if their
life depended on it; and some times I
find myself. half believing him. Bent
knows all about it. too. Stubs is go
ing to land. and that settles it. After
a tussle with Bent it's a pleasure to
run against young Victor.
First time I met Vic Murdoch was
at Wichita. when I was campaigning
for secretary of state, Chat was be-
fore I was switched by the machine).
1 called at his office and announced
my candidacy even before telling
them who 1 was, or where I was from.
Murdoch reared back in his chair and
fairly roared; he didn't laugh, he fair
" rOared; I thought maybe he was
crazy but when he Gained himself he
introduced me to the men present, and
the first man I shook hands with was
Gene Denton, who had just announced
himself for secretary of state. q never
found out what part the machine had.
in his case).
All the guys so far look alike to me,
until I spy a man over in the corner
that, looks to me like ready money;
when he turns around, I goes for my
money; that's Jim Getty from Wyan-
dotte; Jim and 1 are a slight bit per
soma non grata," but 1 think so far as
real genuine legal ability and general
fitness goes, he has all the other guys
beat so bad that it's a shame to take
the money.
But wait-a great sensation has
been caused by the arrival of some one
from the short grass; men run hither
and thither. like they do usually when
they wake up in the night and find
their house afire; everybody seems to
hold his breath, then the tension is APP
parently removed, and an awful calm
settles down on the maddening throng,
as f. Dumont Smith. of I<insley. hoves
in sight. F. DumOnt. 1 must confess
has got Phil Campbell worried when
it comes to the glad rags. Phil and
his class are all right for a quiet
church affair, but f. Dumont can trot
in any class, and carry any old weight.
Spats; those things make an average
hanSan shy, same as country horse
shys at a ZIZZwagon. But there they
are, right on his trilbys; a pair of
Pants that would make Chuck Con-
nors challenge the winner of the Cans
Britt argument and a long tailed coat
that would make good fit for vest
for young Dan Anthony, and just one
glass F. Dumont doesn't stay long;
only In spirit; but his memory fingers,
because You can't forgot vision like
that, even in crowd of politicians.
AS he disappears up the lift the
buzz commences afresh and then just
when you commence to feel tired, and
think that you think a good drink
would be just the thing. and you know
that they haven't lifted the lid and
that makes you feel sore even on your
VIE and family. the door opens, and
In walks UNCLE CY Uncle Cy is
TRULY the father of them all; in the
last forty years they tell me they have
peen trying to down Cy Leland. but as
he STROBE through the corridor that !
night, they all had to admit that he
was IN some respects like old Bob |
+ tzsimmons, with one more good !
night in him. Uncle Cy is surely my
friend. and it was an awful disap- !
polntment to me, when he ran third |
the other night.
Cy and Mort are in different parts
81 the room They now even travel |
al1terent paths. they wend their |
weary way to the drug store. Time |
was. and it is still in the memory of |
man, that when Cy and Mort and |
SlIly Morgan ever went into a caucus,
nat something surely had to drop |
But it's different now; they never
speak as thev pass by. Here's hoping
-3at they viii get together again; CIV,
Bill and Mort are the big three. and it |
sn good politics to have them
hSed As you start to the door
YOU stop to chat with Dave MuIvane
Dave has the reputation of having the
argest acquaintance all over Kansas
u any one in it; and I am willing to
et 1t go at that; he certainly showed
me last spring that he knew how to
plaV the political game and T am |
rather glad to be hooked IN with him
way. $50 S
As you emerge into the night You
pull Your overcoat close around Won
having met ON al: Bristow St,,hbs
curtis. Campbell. Getty. Benson. and
an OF them; everyone of them tells
Eou' the neht IS won, and 1t is all over
5uo the shouting. and as YOU anbIe
down Kansas avenue toward your pri-
fate room you can only think to YOUR
SELF. what is it all about and how will
I al! end And that is milling in
Copeland county.
FRANK ]. RYAN
81 Leavenworth, Railroad Commits
sioner.