The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-04-22
WAS A BIG SHOW.
Wagsta1f Meeting Satisfied His
Supporters.
Good Reports Brought From
Every Section of State.
REAL LIVE SPEECHE S.
EX-GOyernOrS Bailey and Stan
ley Make Hits.
Reference to Taft Greeted With
Wild Cheering.

The crowd in attendance at the
Wagstaff conference Thursday linger-
ed after the show was over. The spec
ial train from southeast Kansas did
not leave the city until IL o'clock at
night, and the National hotel was
crowded with visitors all evening who
discussed the events of the day with
feverish interest.
The question asked on every hand
was, 1T was a fine meeting, Ell? And
as this question was always asked by
one Wagstaff man of his brother in
the cause, the answer was invaria bly,
OF favorable nature.
To sum up the meeting from it's
most important angle, which is to say
its influence on the coming primary
campaign, it must be admitted that it
was a success from the viewpoint of
the regulars. No one expected to see
Joe DOlley and Dave Leahy go up
to the mourner's bench and confess
their square deal sins. What was
hoped for was a large crowd and lots
OF enthusiasm and good reports con-
corning Wagstaff sentiment in the out
lying districts OF the state. These
things all came true. Discount the
reports brought in by the faithful yes
terday two-thirds and still Wagstaff
appears to advantage in the coming
contest. The crowd made the walls
shake when il cheered the speakers.
But on the other hand it will be ar
gued by the opposition that the old
timers made up the larger per cent of
the crowd in attendance 1t will be
argued that all the pOStmaSterS were
here, all the Hoch and Bailey office
holders, all the men who are sore on
Stubhs for personal reasons. That, in
fact. it was a disgruntled crowd, a set
of disappointed ones. ex-officehOlders
on the outside looking in. These
terms may apply to many of those
who came here yesterday, but not to
all of them. a large number of the
men who cheered the speakers yester-
day afternoon were not office seekers
nor ever had been. They were hon
estly opposed to the Stubs policies
and claimed that their counties were
in the same frame of mind.
The meeting showed conclusively
that the opposition to Stubs as cen
tered on Tom Wagstaff is not a joke.
The governor will have a more for
midable candidate next August than
he had in August. 1908. The governor
has not. during his one year of pow
er, sought peace, so naturally the
continuation of the war is a matter
of course. He is doubtless prepared
for it,
Eighty-fve counties were represent
ed at the meeting. This is more sig
nificant than the size of the crowd
and its enthusiasm This was the
most hopeful thing in connection with
the meeting
The anti-Stubbs demonstration of
Yesterday was not to be COMPOUNDED
with the Kansas day affair any more
than the marshalling of an army is to
be compared with the attack of mob.
There was nothing coarse about the
work of the conference. Gov. Stanley
and Gov. Bailey are two of the most
polished and brilliant orators in the
west The Stanley speech was ter
rible arraignment of the administra-
ton. With all the craft and subtlety
of past master, the Wichita states
man, laid bare every fault of the red
headed governor during the past year
and a half. Every man has his weak
ness. and Stanley with unerring mind
He had the figures to prove his
charges of increased expenditures and
his words had a deep effect on his
hearers.
AS for Governor Bailey he is an
orator and he made an old. time Re |
wooden man sit up and cheer. His |
brilliant flights Of imagery. his logic |
and his lofty eloquence proved an In |
spiration. If Bailey and Stanley take |
the stump for Wagstaff and make the |
same speeches they made yesterday |
against the best of the square deal |
orators Yes it must be admitted that |
the regulars had class to their confer |
ence of Thursday.
IT was their time at bat and they will |
STAY at the bat until after the big rally |
early in next month Then Governor |
Stubbs will take up the club and have |
HIS inning. Then we shall see The |
governor is a campaigner from the |
of the four rivers that feed |
the political sea. He has made politi- |
cal mistakes, but he has also perform |
ed political wonders. Anyway, it will |
be race and not a procession.
Manager Stitch of the Wagstaff cam
pafgn was very much pleased with the