The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-04-19
POLITICAL GOSSIP.
w. b. Ham Withdraws From
Sixth Congressional Race.
Sickness Given as Reason for
Square Dealers Action.
WHAT ABOUT HODGES?
Is He Going to Withdraw From
GubernatOrial Race?
Henry Allen Writes Character
Sketch of Wagstaff.

/ w. B. Ham of Stockton. Rocks
county, has withdrawn from the race
| for congress in the Sixth district on
account of his health. He states that
he has been ordered by his physician
to give up all business cares and go
away to some quiet spot and rest. He
| will go to the Pacific coast soon to
| spend the summer. Ham MADE the
race against Reeder for the nomina-
ton for congress two years ago and
| was beaten. He agreed. it is claimed /,
at that time. if beaten. to keen out
of the race two years hence. and SEN
ator Young, now candidate, says ne
got out of Hams way on the strength
| of that agreement. When the time
! came to start the biennial fight on
| Reeder Ham declared that he had
| made no agreement to keep out OF IL
and he started in to again make the
race for congress. He and Senator
Young held newspaper debate over
the matter without results of course:
Now Hams sickness puts him out of
the race in spite of himself.
Senator Young and Hayes B. White
are the most formidable candidates
with whom Reeder now has to deal
If these two men will agree to toss
coin for the privilege of fighting
Reeder, the winner stands a chance to
nose out the old time congressman.
The Smith County Pioneer editor de-
clares that he has seen a letter from
Senator Hodges of Olathe in which
the Democratic candidate for the
gubernatorial nomination stated that
he would not be a candidate. There
has been a report for some time that
Hodges would withdraw from the race
he had already won so Jar as the
nomination is concerned Yesterday
the announcement was printed that
Hodges would not be present at the
Democratic love feast to be held at
Ga lima fOni0ht This ia Cf alone ShOnlQ
make the Hodges supporters sit up
and take notice of his actions as a
candidate for anything. The with
drawal of Hodges from the race may
be expected at any time in the near
future unless he experiences a change
of heart. 1t is said that the deflec
ton of the Democrats to Stubs cooled
the ardor of the Olathe senator. This
state of affairs in Kansas only bears
out the assertion of a national states
man made recently when he declared
that in spite of all the mistakes of the
Republican party and TIC fact that it
was now torn by internal faction. the
folly of the Democrats could be de-
pended upon. always to save the Re-
publicanS at the polls.
Governor Stubs may have to fight
for the nomination and he may lose
thousands of machine votes in No
vember. but his election. If nominated,
is assured by the usual 10000 to
10000 majority.
Henry Allen. the famous square deal
editor of Wichita. writes as follows
about Tom Wagstaff on the occasion
OF visit by the machine candidate for
governor to Aliens town:
Thomas A. Wagstaf. candidate for |
the Republican gubernatorial nominal |
ton, visited Wichita last evening.
He was introduced to many people |
by Henry A. Dockum who was a fell |
low student with Mr.. Wagstaff at the |
Kansas university.
Mr. Wagstaff IS the handsomest |
young man that ever ran for governor. |
He is bland, smiling and imperturbable. |
One has the feeling, when sizing him |
up, that he'll smile just that same way
winning or losing.
He didn't wish to talk much yes
terday. He Just wanted to shake hands |
and be friendly with everybody.
when asked if he really thought the |
tariff had been revised downward Mr.. |
Wagstaff gave a guilty start and then |
said that what he was most interested |
in is the revision of state taxes down |
ward.
Mr. Wagstaff declined to discuss the |
issue between insurgents and regulars,
didn't care to express himself on Roose- |
velt but finally declared openly that |