The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-05-08
Satisfied That President ROOSe-
velt Is Out of 1t.
REEDER FOR PRIMARY
Sixth District Congressman
Says He's a Square Dealer.
Just Didn't Want to Tell Com.
mittee So.

tending the G. A R. reunion. He said
today:
''1he state will be for Taft for
president The idea that Roosevelt
abandoned, for it is out of the Ques-
ton. At the meeting of the Gridiron
club in Washington a year ago, in the
presence of the newspaper men from
all parts of the country, President
Roosevelt stated that he would not be
candidate for denomination, and that
If renominated, the convention would
have to reassemble and choose some
one else. He would not have made
this statement if he had any idea Of
changing his mind.
II have not been paying much atten-
ton to state politics. and have heard
very little talk about the nomination
OF Republican candidate for COVER
nor. used to know Fitzgerald, and
know that he is man of ability.
Il have only recently returned from
the Isthmus of Panama, and since
coming home, 1 have been making a
large number of speeches in my dis
trict. The Isthmus of Panama is now
the center of industrial and CONNER
cial activity on the American CONT
nent. If anyone thinks that the 18TH
mus is still sleeping in tropfc idleness.
he Is very much mistaken Panama
has, in fact, been taken out of Central
America, and become a part of the
United States. 1t is in first class sani-
tary condition, and the climate is not
excessively not. Ino maximum tenn
perature in the day time is about 80,
and there is a cool breeze all the time.
People don't need thermometers, be-
cause they always know what the tenn
perature is going to be at certain
time of day. The monotony of the
temperature is it's chief disadvantage.
The work of digging the canal is pro-
crossing at a very rapid rate. West
a great extent, and the din and hustle
clear across the isthmuS is incessant.
The work done by Chief Engineer
Stevens before his resignation was of
vast importance. He constructed rail-.
way spurs and moved vast quantities
of dirt. He was especially expert at
this line, having been in railway work
all his life. He planned out the whole
of this part of the work, and organized
the laboring force. The work is going
ahead under his plans.
Major Goethals of the United
States army, who now has charge, is
put in his active life in the construc-
ton and management of canal work,
and dredging. He knows how to get
the right sort of men to help in that
line of work. He will make a success
of the undertaking, and the canal will
be completed before most people are
expecting to see it completed"
Reeder for Primary.
Congressman w. H. Reeder of the |
Sixth district declared himself today in |
only for the settlement of the congress |
sional contest in the Sixth district, but |
also for the nomination of all officers of
the state; county. township and otner
municipal government.
81 have never attempted to dictate |
the policy of the congressional COM
mittee in my district said Mr.. Reeder,
for I believe that the committee is
composed of intelligent men who know
what is best for the party. But will
say that 1 believe that the primary cleo
ton principle is the correct one, and L
have no objection to it's adoption by the
Sixth district committee. 1t will be en-
tirely satisfactory to me.
when the committee met two years
ago, wrote a letter to them informing
them that if they deemed it wise, 1 was
willing to have the question of nomina-
ton submitted to a primary election or
the Republican voters of the Sixth dis
trict The committee, however, decided
for convention.
Il believe that direct primary cleo
ton law for all officers would be good
thing 1t is the correct principle of
government. We should not be afraid
to put things just as close to the people
as we can. OF course 1t Is claimed that
a primary law would be detrimental to
the western part of the state. 1 hardly
think this would be true. 1t would be
more difficult to deliver the votes of the
people of any county OF eastern Kansas
to any one candidate than it would be
to the candidate.
He Is For Square Deal"
''I don't see," continued Congress
man Reeder, why some people are
trying to make out that I am opposed
to the Square Deal movement. L am
for a square deal. 1 believe that my
attitude has been consistently in favor
of a square deal. True, did not
write a letter answering the square
deal questions, because I did not think
a. nr0VinC0 of
mittee here at Topeka to question me
concerning the matters which related
wholly to my own district DID ans
wer the square deal questions, how
ever. in my speeches in the Sixth dis
trict, and 1 answered them all in the
affirmative.
''As an evidence that 1 am for a
square deal, I cite my reputation for
SO years while a resident of the Sixth
district. I also cite the fact that I
have supported every proposition
which the president Of the United
States has regarded as desirable, ex-
cept one, and that was the forcing of
New Mexico and Arizona to accept
Joint statehood without the consent of
the citizens of those territories I did
not regard that as a square deal.
Says a Word For Long.
ct don't know just how the people
out in my district feel about the re-
election of Senator Chester I. Long. I /
do not doubt that there will be con-
siderable OppOS1llOn TO nlLl But II
wouldn't be a bad thing to send Long
back to the senate. The longer man
serves there, the more useful he be-
comes to his state. Long is a young
man, and able, and he can do more 1
for his state during a second term
than he did during the first. Il
There is no doubt that people in
the Sixth district will be for Taft for
president. Roosevelt will not be a |
candidate. 1t would be bad policy for
him to be q candidate after refusing
81 rnSiti,ralN I2r1f Roosevelt has dom