The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-08-14
HOW IT STANDS.
Have Square Dealers Lost Con-
troll in House?
The Indications Now Are That
They Have.
THE LODGE MAY MOVE
Senate Will Undoubtedly Be
Against "the Machine.'
Judge Clark Is Having Trouble
in Rice County.

There seems to be considerable
question as to whether the Kansas
house of representatives is going to
be square deal" organization this
winter. g
1t is said that of the members
whose line up on the square deal
or machine issue is known, a little
more than half are with the machine
crowd.
On the other hand, the state senate
nominees of the Republican party
seem to be likely to show a majority
for the square deal.
1t would be peculiar coincident IL
at the coming session the old con-
ditions were reversed, and the lodge"
should take up its headquarters in
the house, while the senate should
pass into the control of the re-
formers.
For two regular sessions and one
dominated by the influence of W. r.
Stubbs. Almost anything the reform
ers want they could get from the
house. but the senate was their
STUN bling block. The senate blocked
the primary election law at two ses-
sions. and the anti-pass law was only
pulled through after a terrific strug
gle. A special session was necessary
to put through the primary election
law. "
In case the machine should get con-
troll of the house, 1T would elect its
speaker from the machine crowd, of
course, and this would bring about
very interesting contest.
At the last session, about 80
Democrats had seats in the house.
There is a good chance for them to
have even more than that at the COM
ing session, though unless there is
Democratic landslide such as some
Republican leaders predict, it will not
be likely to stack up more than 40
Democratic votes. But the defeat of
40 Republican candidates might deter
mine the question of whether the ma
chine or the square deal will be in
control of the representative end Of
the legislature. .........
Another story which reaches To-
peka is that the election of Judge
Ansel r. Clark to the legislature from
Rice county is by no means assured.
A Rice county man who works at the
state house brought this report back
with him from visit to his home
county. He says a big fight on Clark
is brewing in Rice county.
Judge Clark is the man most talked
of by the square dealers as a candi-
date for speaker OF the house; If he
should fail to land it would improve
the chances of Robert Stone of Shaw
nee for speakership.
{ Judge Clark was nominated for the
legislature without opposition, but
there Is said to be a lot of machine
Republicans and others who dislike
him. They say that he never gets out
and does any thing for anybody else,
politically, but always wants people
to do things for him. They are "sore,'' -
and will refuse to support him, though
he is acknowledged by all to be an
RYHnnflnnQllV
legislature, and the best kind of ma
terial for speaker Of the house.
They are still having trouble over the
Barber county representative fight,
where Samuel Griffin wants to contest
the nomination of William Gesner.
A telegram was received today by
the attorney general from County At
torney w. H Cloud of Barber county,
asking whether the county clerk was
ination to the candidate who received
the larger number Of votes for repre-
sentative.
Charles D. Shukers. assistant attor-
ney general! replied that no certificate
of nomination, under the primary law,
is issued direct to the candidate, but
that the certificate of nomination Is
| the formal notification of the nomina-
tion which is made up by the canvass
ing board for the secretary of state,
ana sent 10 the Cudlrrldu OF the Varl-
| Gus party committees.
There is doubt as to whether the
county .canvassing board issues the
certificate of nomination for members
of the legislature whose districts COM
prised only one county, or whether this
should be done by the state canvassing
board, through the secretary of state,
The attorney general holds that it is
| the state canvassing board which de-
| termines who are the party nominees
for members OF the legislature
Hence the contests for nomination to
the legislature will not have to be
started until after the meeting of the
state canvassing board on August Is
J. c. Nicholson, who was defeated
for the nomination for the state sen.
by T. P Murphy by a majority of 80
| has decided not to contest the nomina-
| ton. For time he expected to file a
contest, but has concluded that Muir
| ply has too big lead on the face OF
| the returns.
| There is a rumor that the nomina-
/ ton of F. L. Travis for the state SEN
| ate in the Anen-Woodson district will
| he contested by David Phillips, but
nothing has been done yet.
considered the question of contestine
| the nomination of Murphy, but 1 don'i
\ claim to know anything about how
| those rejected ballots were voted or
| state senator. It would only be g
| chance, and the margin Of 36 votes is
| a little too large to be easily overcome
| In one precinct where the vote was :
| to 1 in my favor. rs votes were thrown
! out. 1 would make gain there. Ir
| some precincts 1 might lose"
| There is also a report of a contes,
over the district judge nomination IL
| the Eighth district, composed of Dick
/ enson, Marion, Geary and Morris coun.
ties. Judge Oscar L. Moore was de.
| feated by R. L. King.
The question of whether or not ]. N
Dolley can or will be chairman of the
i state central committee Is still agftat-
ing the politicians. It Is admitted thal