The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-06-01
POLITICAL GOSSIP
Old Soldier Vote Now Question
of Controversy.
both Leland and Stubs Claim
1t.
LONG AT EMPORIA.
AT EMPORIA.
Senator Will Open His Cam
paign There.
He Is Expected i'm Topeka We'd
nesday.

1t was announced from Senator
Longs headquarters today that Sena-
tor Long will return to Topeka on
Thursday or Friday, and on Wednes-
day evening, June 10, will open up
his speaking campaign by an address
at the Whitley opera house in En-
poria.
In this address. Senator Long will
present his answers to all the charges
which have been made against him
by his opponent. ]. L. Bristow and by
William Allen White, editor of the
Emporia Gazette. who is the literary
man of the Bristow campaign.
To go right to Emopria, the head
quarters of the anti-Long agitation, to
make his reply to the charges against
age on Senator Longs part. He can't
be accused of trying to dodge the is
sue which Mr.. White has presented.
Senator Longs secretary. Ralph
Faxon, stated this morning that
there would be no effort to make
meeting. There won't be any hair
pulling or vituperation," said Mr.
Faxon. Senator Long has promised
to come before the people of Kansas
and make a full, frank and uneQuivo-
cal defense of his record in congress.
He will do this at Emporia. He will
avoid none of the issues which have
been presented, and he is confident
that his replies will satisfy the people
of Kansas"
1t is not likely that Senator Long
will make any speeches in Kansas ex-
cept his Emporia speech, until after
the National Republican convention.
He may spend a day or two at Med1-
cine Lodge before he goes to Empor-
ia. after which he will probably be in
Topeka until the end of the week,
when he will start for Chicago. If
Senator Long is selected to second the
nomination of Taft for the presi-
dency. he will have to put in few
days getting his speech ready.
Senator Long is attending the Taft
conference in Washington today.
Senator Longs friends are very
the campaign and begin to counteract
the work which has been done by Mr..
Bristow and by Bill Whites artistic
newspaper articles. Scores of requests
for speeches are on file at the Long
headquarters, and as soon as Mr.. Long
returns from Chicago, he will WORK
night and day in the campaign. Sen
ator Long has of course spoken in eV-
cry county in the state at various
times but there is need now that he
should revisit as many counties as pos
sible, and straighten out his political
fences.
Probably the first section of the state
to receive visits from Senator Long
will be the Sixth and Seventh districts.
These districts have the big voting
strength in the senatorial fight, in pro-
portion to their population, and 1t is in
these counties that Senator Long has
always been very strong. Reports
which have been coming in indicate
that there is a good deal of dissatis-
faction in some of the western coun-
ties The Bristow people are claiming
much support in Senator Longs own
district. the Seventh
Whether or not Senator Long uses
his Emporia speech replying to the
charges made against his record as
general campaign speech depends upon
that sort of a speech. 1t is hard to tell
at present whether the attacks made
have soaked in much. If people
want Long to explain his record, and
defend himself from attacks, he feels
confident that he can do good job.
Meantime the Long headquarters are
making an energetic letter writing
campaign for Mr.. Long, and are send
!, ing out thousands of pamphlets giving
Senator Longs congressional record.
The circulation of Senator Longs petit
tions for nomination is also being ener-
find <that the ground work for his
speech-making campaign has been we'll
built by his committee of able political
lieutenants.
Who will get the majority of the old
soldier vote of Kansas, Stubbs or Le-
land?
Mr. Leland says that he will get
practically the solid support of the old
soldiers, with the exception of Demo-
Gratis and a few crank Republicans.
W. A. Morgan, who was elected de-
partment commander of the Kansas G
A. R., and was claimed by a Stubs
paper as "Stubbs candidate" says
that Leland will have eight out of ten
old soldiers of the state.
Mr.. Stubbs announces that he finds
post after post where the old soldiers
are practically all for him.
A good many old soldiers are writing
pieces for the newspapers inquiring
why Leland did not support ST. John
and A. w. Smith, and H. B. Miller,
and F. D. Coburn, and Case Broderick,
and John Seaton, and Dick Blue, and
other old soldiers when they were run
ming for office.
So it seems that there is considerable
difference of opinion among the polit-
cally inclined veterans over how the
old soldier vote will go.
The country weeklieS of the state,
which generally reflect the sentiment
of their communities pretty closely.
are also much divided in their opinions.
The Belleville Telescope, one of the
leading papers in the Fifth district.
says:
Joe Woollen, postmaster at Man
kato for the past twelve years, and an
ex-soldier, was in the city last week
and said the old soldiers at Mankato
were lining up to man for Your Uncle
CYRUS Leland for governor"
Commenting on this statement, the
Jewell City Republican says:
Cyrus Leland will not get the vote
of one old soldier in Jewell City For
a man who set out to canture the SOL