The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-13
POLITICAL GOSSIP
Politicians Think That They
Have a Clue.
Straw Indicates Hoch's Entry
Into Senatorial Race.
NAMES BENTON'S MAN.
Expects Help in Decatur County
and Sixth District.
Mr.. BristOw the Latest to Issue
a Manifesto.

Late Thursday afternoon Governor
Hoch appointed James Miller to the
position Of probate judge of Decatur
county, over Charles Rector, to fill the
vacancy created by the death of A.
L. Patchen.
The supporters of Rector say that
this was a political move by Cover
nor Hoch for the purpose of securing
the political help of Otis L. Benton of
Oberlin. They believe that 1t points
clearly to the probability that Cover
nor Hoch will get into the senatorial
race.
Both Miller and Rector have been
in Topeka for several days working
for the appointment. Rector was the
son-in-law of A. L. Patchen, the late
probate judge Of the county during
the long illness of Judge Patchen.
Both Mr.. Miller and Mr.. Rector
were endorsed by long list of promi-
ler had the backing of Otis L. Ben
ton, who is leading candidate for
Republican delegate to the national
convention from the Sixth district The
charge was made against Miller that
he was Incorporate, but this was
strenuously denied, and Mr.. Miller's
character was vouched for by some OF
the leading business men OF the coun-
ty The appointment went to Miller
largely because OF the fact that ne Is
an old soldier, it is said.
Mr.. Rector claims that it was a
strictly political appointment and that
Governor Hoch gave the place to Miller
because he believed that Otis Benton
John P O'Grady, who was here
working for Mr. Rector's appointment
and who naturally Is sore over the
turn of affairs said:
"Governor Hoch will find that this
NAV for political pull which he made
in Decatur county will hurt instead OF
help him. The Benton crowd does not
control Decatur county, and this Will
he shown at the next primary when
Miller will be beaten for the nomina-
tion by the Republican voters OF the
county.
Golfers, Weekly is. dipping into the
Kansas senatorial campaign, with an
endorsement in its last issue OF the
| candidacy Of J. L. BrtstoW- Golfers is
engaged in pure senate" campaign,
| and is printing some articles exposing
the alleged improper relations main
tanned by some members of the senate
| to certain business enterprises.
| The editorial endorsement of Br1s-
| tow is as follows:
| .eWelcome Bristow, as candidate for
/ the United States senate from Kansas
AS fourth assistant postmaster general
!
enemies among those whose serenity he
| disturbed, but he did needed work
| and did it without fear and without dis
elimination. Moreover. his platform ls
| manly, clear and earnest. His de-
| mands for tariff revision contain no
clause about the next election. He
thinks some tariff charges should be
| made at this session. He opposes the
| Aldrich bill and talks about the cur
rency with more understanding than is
| usually shown by statesmen On otner
| subjects he is frank, liberal, and in
telligent: and nobody will doubt that as
| a senator he would vote according to
his convictions and be guided only by
| what he believed to be the general good.
Longs record does not call loudly for
his reelection, and Senator Lodges
antipathy to Bristow is less relevant
now than it was in the postoffice In
yestigations Still, we shrink from any
thing disp1easing to Mr.. Lodge, and we
fear greatly that the Republican boss
of Massachusetts would by preference
have Bristow remain in Kansas, fact
which Kansas should consider.
Peabody, Kan, March 13.-J. G.
Johnson, of this city, was today
notified that he had been appointed
the Kansas member of the Demo
cratic national congressional com
mittee, to fill the vacancy occasioneo
by the death of David Overmyer. OF
, Topeka.
Cloud and Republic. constituting
continue to be a machine district
with W. w. Caldwell for the sen.
ator-Topeka State Journal.
If the Journal, which by the way
is the best paper circulated II
! above mentioned senatorial districT
. it will change its tune. The people
! up here are SO strong against Cald-
,, well and the machine which he oils
:, that his nomination will no doubt re-
suit in the election of Democratic
senator from this district--Cuba Day
light, (Republic county.
! Judge J. s. West, who is a candi-
, date for justice on the supreme court
is receiving considerable encourage
ment from the newspapers over the
state. The Olathe Mirror. the Arcadia
Times, and the Russell Record have
recently commented favorably on his
candidacy
for the Republican nomination fol
, United States senator, stopped off in
Topeka Thursday on mis- way to Law
renee where he will today address the
Journalism class on the subject o1
editorial writing.
Mr.. Bristow said, in speaking of his
campaign for the nomination: 81
feel greatly pleased at the progress
which 1 am making. My petitions are
J now being circulated by some of my
friends, and are being received in q
very encouraging manner"
Concerning the dispatch sent out
from Washington about Senator Longs
high standing with the administration
and with William H. Taft. Mr.. Bristov
said:
I'm Washington they know Lons
) Just as we'll as we know him out here