The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-07-31

governor. Fred Jackson, the present
attorney general has been mentioned.
and w. ]. Bailey. former governor
who was given only one term.
But the new man to be mentioned
as a compromise is F. D. Coburn, sec
retary of the state board of agricul-
ture, and Coburn's name has a good
deal OF magic in it IN Kansas.
IF Coburn is nominated for gov
ernor on the Republican ticket" said
one of the leading Republican politi-
clans OF the state today, "he will be
elected without opposition. The Dem
ocrats will make no fight on him,
and may make no nomination. In
case of a hot national campaign. thew
might be obliged to give the nomina-
ton to somebody, but it would be
merely to keep up the right appear
ance''
OF course Mr.. Coburn ISM. "can-
didate" for the nomination. Mr.. Co
burn is not in the habit of being a
candidate for anything. II is more in
his line to decline honors which are
thrust upon him. he declined the
United States senatorship. But 1t is
said by some of Coburn's friends that
If the nomination for governor should
be offered to Mr.. Couburn. he would
sas for four years would round out
Mr.. Coburn's public career in Kansas.
and would no doubt be an honor
which the famous Kansas secretary
The politicians would naturally be
opposed to Coburn, but they might be
forced to take up his candidacy in
self defense. The Hornaday boom for
governor is not likely to get very far;
Stubbs has many bitter enemies and
doesn't want the nomination anyway;
Fitzgerald is not satisfactory to the
square dealers, and besides. he isn't
"honing' to get into the fight this
year. Some think that Charley Lob
dell will inherit the Fitzgerald boom,
while others look for the "machine''
crowd to hand its support to Fred
Jackson, though jackson is not class
ed as a machine man.
But what will be the effect if the
Coburn boom gets a good start?
At the time w. E. Stanley was nom
irated for governor, F. D. Coburn was
candidate for the nomination. He
didn't make any fight for the place at
the time, but the farmers were for
him, and the politicians were against
him. At that time, the politicians cut
a good deal more ice than they cut
now. The people were not watching
things quite so closely, and the senti-
ment against political, machines was
not as strong as it is now. Yet in
spite of those conditions, Go burn gave
the politicians quite a scare. While
he made no fight for the place. there
been pleased to accept the nomina-
ton. But the politicians were mad at
him and he lost.
Now 1t is the fad for the people
70 run things in Kansas. Politicians
are discredited. and political machines
are crippled. Is not this an auspicious
occasion for such a man as Coburn?
OF course tho politicians would
fight Coburn, because he would not
run the office of governor to suit them
He would run it as he believed to be
for the best interests of the people
He would not have any star-chamber
sessions on political business nor
would he open hea eadquarters at the
Copeland. But he would be governor
all the time for what he believed to
be right. That is Coburn's way. He
would also be q "1aw enforcement"
governor. 1t is one of Coburn's hob
bies that the prohibitorv law can and
should be enforced in Kansas.
The progress of the Coburn boom
will bear watching. 1t is likely to be
force worth counting on by the
time snow flies.