The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-09-03
POLITICAL GOSSIP
MIR. Reeder Is Heard From
Once More.
Now He Wants Congressional
Primary Election.
MAKES A STATEMENT.
Included in 1t Is Rap at Pro-
posed Reform.
Four Candidates for Congress
Now in Field.
MAKES A STATEMENT.

sixth district has given out a statement
reaffrming his declaration in favor of a
primary election in the Sixth If Mr.
Reeder is really in favor of a primary,
as he claims. he can doubtless have
one, as the congressional committee
was selected by Reeder's friends.
1t seems to be the general impress
sion. however, that the politicians lii
the Sixth district will see that things
are so arranged that the committee will
vote down the primary plan.
The statement from Mr.. Reeder Is
given out in reply to a story printed in
the State Journal on August 10, concern
ing visit which Mr. .Reeder made in
Topeka One Sixth district man met
Mr.. Reeder here, and to him Mr..
Reeder made this statement:
well, I'm afraid that this primary
is going to cost too much money. Per-
sonally, 1 would prefer to settle the
fight by a primary, but 1t Will be very
expensive. We don't want this thing
to be so expensive that people can not
afford to go in. 1 figure that the as
sessment will be $1,000. and the expense
of getting out the vote at least $1,000
more for each candidate That, would
make it cost every man $4,000, which Is
more than most of us can afford.
The man to whom Mr.. Reeder was
talking says in speaking of the inter
view: bill Reeder didn't say that ne
was going to be opposed to the pri-
mary, but I will bet $3.50 that ne VIII
he when the time comes.
Congressman Reeder's new statement
comes to Topeka from Beloit, the home
of W. H. Mitchell, chairman OF the
Sixth district congressional committee
Reloit. Sept. s.-The congressional
situation in the Sixth district is un-
usually quiet at this time. So far as
Congressman Reeder is concerned. ne
knows that about this time IN every APP
proa aching campaign the other fellows
have him beaten, but when the conven-
ton comes along he wins out hand
somely.
Concerning the story printed in To-
peka papers concerning Mr. Reeders
ssmvsterious'' visit to Topeka, Mr.. Reed
ct is true that L was in Topeka just
a few days previously to the date OF
the statement made by the papers In
which ! was reporteq as lh4 4hn frin
in INV usual way and stopped as | have
done for several years at the Throop
hotel I did not have any converse tlon
with any one regarding the poltlcai
situation as my visit, to Topeka had
nothing to do with politics and was
purely on matters pertaining to private
business. T
ITO make the situation entirely clear.
will saw that / have never, given the
Toneka papers but one statement re-
garding. my position relative to prl-
mary election; this interview occurred
during one of my visits to Topeka last
spring, and in it I, said substantially,
what 1 now say again, that I have for
wears been in favor of primary cleo
ton and would be glad TO see the mat
fer of who will be the next Republican
nominee for congress from the Sixth
district determined by that method.
do not know what the majority or my
congressional committee think about the
matter.
A great number of Reeder's warmest
supporters are personally strongly OPP
posed to a primary election, yet they all
admit that in Reeder'S case it is clear
lv in his interest to have the matter
Of the next nomination settled that way.
The impression seems general among
the men who are students of such mat
ters that the sparsely settled regions of
the western half of the state would
cease to be a factor in state politics if
orr state nominations were settled in
that way. They argue that the future
nominations under primary law
would be entirely dominated by the
metropolitan daily papers and the more
densely populated country and cities
of the eastern one-third of the state.
Among those who are opposed to a
primary in the Sixth district are John
o. Royce, state bank examiner, Chas.
". Lands of Osborne, ex-secretary
congressional committee, John Thomas,
register of Colby lana once, and many
others can be named.
The four candidates so far who
want to succeed Reeder are Geo. w.
Holland of Russell, w B. Ham of
stockton. and l. d. Young and A. G..
Mead of Reloit. To succeed all are
agreed that the man they have got to
beat is Reeder.
A. G.. Mead visited Lincoln. Ellis
worth and Osborne counties last week
and wherever he went he met a
friendly spirit, a pleasant handshake
and a wish you success. The Osborne
Farmer, friendly to Reeder, paid Mr..
Mead a handsome compliment in it's
| last issue. The same can be truth
| fully said of him in every paper in the
| district. If he ever wins out in his
| congressional ambition the Sixth dis
| trict will have a valuable legislator.
There are those who believe there is
an understanding between Ham and
Young, both of whom are known as
| saSouare Dealers that if primary is
adopted one of them will get out of
| the race. and in the opinion of some it
| is thought Ham will be the one who
will quit. 81
district. who is openly opposed to the
| primary election, believes the con-
/ eressional committee will decide for a
primary election, and that Reeder
will easily win
A Modern Woodmen picnic was
held recently in Waldo, Russell coun-
ty. A former Osborne county poll
| tician and a member of the Wood
| men order. was introducing one of his
/ friends, who is a candidate for con-
! gress, to his friends. Later on this
| former Osborne county politician was
addressed thusly: I'VE like your con-
gressional friend but we are for Reed
err"