The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-09-08
BOTKIN OPENS IT.
Democrats Inaugurate Their
Local Campaign.
Candidate for Governor Says
Bryan Is in Air.
SENTIME NT is STRONG
General Throughout the State
Asserts Speech.
Ex-senator Martin Also De-
livers Brief Address.
SENTIMENT is STRONG

The Shawnee county Democratic
headquarters at Germania hall, SIC
Kansas avenue was formally opened
last night by the first Democratic po-
litical meeting of the campaign. The
hall will seat between six and seven
hundred people and was comfortably
filled, though the meeting had been
but little advertised and the commit
tee was not able to get lights in front
of the building or in the hall on ac-
count of Labor day.
J. d. Botkin. Democratic candidate
for governor. who happened to be in
the city, made the principal address of
the evening. though he had spoken
twice in the open air during the day;
in the afternoon at a Labor day picnic
and early in the evening at a Swed-
ish picnic at Kenwood grove. Senator
John Martin followed with a short talk
which was warmly received by the lis
teners and w. ]. Bryan. Democratic
nominee for the presidency closed the
meeting with two short Photographic
addresses.
The meeting was composed almost
entirely of men a majority of whom
came from the Santa Fe shops. 1t was
not white shirt, high collar audience
by any means and many of the men
who attended came directly from their
work as the CRIME on their hands and
faces indicated. Although urged to do
so by members of the audience, Mr.
BotIin spoke but briefly on account of
the condition of his throat. which was
tired on account of the open air ad-
dresses delivered earlier in the day:
81 come to bring you glad tidingt
of the conditions over the state" said
Mr. BotIxin "Since ! opened the cam
gc~r, Inv IN non
sfonal district in the state with the ex
ception of one and In as counties and
in every instance where I have deliv-
cred addresses or visited 1 have found
the Bryan sentiment dominating all
other
Il was surprised at the sources from
which this sentiment came, business
men and laborers alike enthusing over
the prospects of Mr.. Bryan carrying
Kansas. Men with the CRIME of the
shops and factories stood side by side
with the staid business men and lis
tened attentively to the addresses. The
conditions today remind me of those of
1884 when Cleveland defeated Blaine.
There was no Improvement in the con-
ditions and four years later Cleveland
was defeated by Harrison. the promised
relief not coming with this change the
people four years later displaced Harri-
son with Cleveland"
Mr.. Botkin paid a glowing tribute to
the Great Commoner who is today the
leader of the Democrats and every al
fusion to w. ]. Bryan brought prolong-
ed cheers from the audience. The NOM
inasion of Mr.. Taft was dictated by
President Roosevelt and made possible
by the federal patronage which he has
at his disposal" continued Mr.. Botkln.
president Roosevelt vouches for Mr..
Taft and says that he is pledged to
carry out the policies of the admins
tration while in the east we hear that
the monied interests and monopolies
are assured that the policy of Presi-
dent Roosevelt will be abandoned
MIR. Taft might prove to be all that
is represented by Mr.. Roosevelt if the
president stood over him with the big
stick for we find him travelling to Oys-
ter Bay to have his speech of accept
ance passed upon by Teddy: But Pres
ident Roosevelt is going to bury him.
self in Darkest Africa for the next two
years and then who will Mr.. Taft go to
for advice during this time II he should
happen TO be elected to the presidency.
Mr.. BOtkin spoke half an hour, devot-
ing the greater portion of his time to
conditions as they exist today among
the wage earners.
Ex-senator John Martin spoke brief
~ on the present political outlook and
delivered a tribute to Mr.. Bryan. For
one time in my life l find the Demo
cratic party right on every single issue
of the campaign and on the side of the
great mass of common people. Today
we have two great expounders of the
Democratic doctrine. President Roose-
Welt and William Jennings Bryan. The
former Is not candidate for office and
Is merely a guide.
I'VE find him directing Mr.. Taft's ev-
cry movement and every idea and Mr.
Taft dare not give forth a public ut
terance or make a speech without first
presenting 1t to President Roosevelt
hFe Taft iG without idea
of his own or convictions on any sub
ject He lacks resisting powers and
could no more prevent the return oil
the Republican policies than an S-year-
old boy il he should be elected presi-
dent"
F. B. Simms, Democratic candidate OF
Shawnee county, presided at the meet
in.