The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-06-21
POLITICAL GOSSIP
Report of More Entries in First
District Race.
Ewing Herbert and Sheffield In.
gals Are Suggested.
FAIRCHILD CAMPAIGN
His Plea for Simple Graduations
Is Taking Root.
Ex-Governor HOch Defends His
Text Book Commission.

1t is reported that Ewing Herbert,
the Hiawatha editor, and Sheffield In
gals of Atchison will get into the
First district congressional race and
make it a four cornered fight. If this
rumor should turn out to be true it
would make more than a four corner
ed fight, it would divert factional
contest into free for all scrap with
the odds in favor of the best man.
The theory that more than one can
dfdate insures the denomination of the
old congressman in a primary would
be upset in this case ingalls, comes
from a town and county that Anthony
hopes to carry and expects to carry.
Herbert is Curtis rather than
Stubbs man, while McNeal would be
left the only candidate from the most
populous county in the district and
McNeal is a mighty medicine man in
the tribe of Kansas.
The entrance of Herbert and ingalls,
into the race would force Stubbs and
Curtis tao remain neutral and the
wisest politician in the First district
would hesitate to name the winner
with confidence.
State Superintendent Fairchild some
time ago gave out an Interview in
which he took a shot at the custom
of making school commencements a
place for the wearing of expensive
.
for programs, flowers and trimmings.
Todays dispatches from Wellington,
Ohio. bear out the superintendent's
policy when they describe the appear
appearing in the graduation exercises
in a calico dress Her uncle, also
millionaire, gave the girl $50 for her
sacrifice to vanity. This uncle then
announced that he proposed to start
campaign for more sensible gowns
at commencement exercises. He de-
clared that too many poor people
spend toe much money on fine gowns,
but If every one could afford it the
custom would be all right. The Ohio
millionaire lives a long ways from To-
peka, but he merely voiced the senti
ments already expressed by the Kan
sas superintendent of schools some
days ago.
Ex-Governor Hoch hands it straight
across to the square deal newspapers
of the state that have been making
ooious comparisons between the old and
new text book commissions in signed
editorial in his Marion Record. Cover
nor Hoch believes that his commission
was Just as good as can be found in
the state at this time and calls atten
ton to the fact that he appointed prac-
tical book men, school men to select
books for the public schools. In de-
Tending his commission he refers to the
assassin stabs'' of the Stubs newspa-
pers as follows:
1.-THE attempts to discredit the
splendid work of '-1ese gentlemen and
to blacken their character has been .un-
speakably outrageous. For their sue
cessors the writer has the highest re-
spect. Most of them are his personal
friends. He appointed several of them
t. important positions. But it is only
stating a simple fact to say that they
are no better men. personally. than the
gentlemen they have succeeded With
one exception they are not identified. as
were their predecessors, with the schools
OF the state and hence are certainly no
better qualified than are they, profess
sionally. And I am sure none of them
endorse the unkind reflections upon
their predecessors, for they are not the
sort of men who try to build them
selves up by tearing others down. Nor
will they appreciate the latest claim for
them at the false expense of their
worthy predecessors, that the Ameri-
can Book company was awarded only
one contract at their recent meeting.
while it is said to have secured the
bulk of the business under the former
commission, for they know that their
predecessors only awarded one small
contract to the American Book COM
pany. And If any one else desires to
know the whole truth about all these
matters I confidently refer him to our
able and efficient state superintendent,
Fairchild. Maybe this guerrilla warfare,
this bush-whacking business is good
politics, but then. again. maybe it isn't.
If these gentlemen, in the discharge of
the duties of their office committed any
wrong, if they were corrupt, or even,
unWise in selecting text books. let the
facts be given and the proof furnished.
otherwise. let these cowardly innuen-
does, these charges by implication,
these assassin stabs. cease"