The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-11-15

There is also talk of Hayes White
of Jewell City, in the Sixth district,
coming out for tine United States sena-
torship. White was beaten in the pri-
mary last August by Senator Young
for the Republican nomination for con-
gress.
Thus we have White from the Sixth,
LObdeH from the Seventh and Murdock
from the Eighth district. and Stubbs
from the Second and Curtis from the
First district in a free-for-au for the
senatorship.
Now what does the proposed entrance
of these three candidates from the west
ern districts mean? 1t had been gen
orally understood for a year past that
the big fight of Kansas politics would
be held in 1912 between Stubbs and
Curtis for the tOga. The former is the
leader of the insurgents in the state
and the latter the head of the stand
patters. Each is conceded to be in
class by himself in his own particular
school of politics. The approaching
conflict has been discussed on every
hand and sides already taken in the
coming conflict.
Curtis took the stump for Wagstaf
last summer and turned down his old
friend Tom Men zeal for Anthony in or
der to throw his weight against all of
Stubbs' friends. But the Stubbs vic
tory in the primary gave the COVER
nors stock a decided boost.
The election last week in which the
governor was reelected by the re-
duced majority of $4,000 votes was
heralded the day after by his enemies
as a setback for the red. But now it
is generally admitted that Stubs won
quite a victory last Tuesday in the
face of a Democratic landslide and a
special fight made on him by powerful
interests.
Now comes LobdeH from the Sew
enth. Lobdel is a regular, it is true,
hTIf hp q a fn
tbs who expects little support in the
Stubs Seventh. Blessed is he who
expects nothing. Every county that
Lobdell could carry in the Seventh
would be a county taken from the
red, anl hence pull the balance down
more nearly to the column of the
black.
And Hayes White in the Sixth dis
trict, another Stubbs district. White
is an insurgent, but every county he
could muster would be a slash at the
Stubbs strength.
It will be noticed that no new can
didates have yet been spoken of from
the Third or First districts where
there is supposed to be more anti
Stubs and pro-Curtis sentiment than
elsewhere in the state. Stubbs would
still have the Second and Fourth and
Fifth districts to draw from without q
favorite son in the way He would
doubtless carry these districts but il
Curtis could carry the First and Third
he would be able to offset the Stubbs
strength And with three favoritf
sons in three Stubbs districts it would
mean a desperate fight between the
red headed governor and the black
headed senator.
But will the game work out? The
next legislature will be called upon tC
carry out the platform pledge Of en-.
acting the Oregon senatorial planL
into law. With a second choice sec
tion placed in this law all the Murdoch
and Lobdell and White strength frou
the western part of the state nigh
90 to Stubbs after the first few bal
lots. The second choice provision n
the Oregon law requires that a ma.
jOrity be necessary to elect a Tnitef
States senator instead of a bare Mi,
rality, and it registers the will of III,
people for second as we'll as frs
choice.
Any way one takes it, there is a eraa-
fight ahead for the senatorshfp. and il
is between Stubbs and Curtis. Tb.
fight is nearly two years ahead b1It
its influence is felt already in III,
Kansas political arena
The talk circulated in Topeka Ias-
week that William Allen White am
Senator Bristow would be behind Mur
dock if h decided to enter the "a =.
does no appear to have been wal
founded. It was circulated bv the roo.
ulars in the interest of the Murdoch
boom But the junior senator and tn,
Emporia editor are likely to be foun,