The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-29
AS STITCH SEES 1T.
Wagstaff Has Taken Votes From
Stubs, He Says.
His Campaign Has Been a Re-
markable One.
GIVES SOME FIGURES.
Believes That His Candidate
Can Be Elected.
Bases Statement Upon Reported
Losses by Administration.

The following statement signed by
A. G. Stitch was given out at Wagstaff
headquarters today:
II anything more were needed to
assure the voters of Kansas that Thos.
e. Wagstaf practically has the NOM
nation for governor within his grasp,
the attitude of the administration Of
flee holders and the administration
newspapers would furnish it. The
bubble is busted said Governor
Stubs to a Topeka reporter when he
came in from one of his speaking tours
a week or two ago. "It will be a land
slide for me and I will be nominated
by more than twice the majority
had in 1909 THE Wagstaff cause is
lost" says the Emporia Gazette in
one of its clarion notes, and the claim
is promptly echoed by every Stubs
newspaper in the state.
Up to date the administration
forces have not submitted a single fig
ure in support of their claims. Their
campaign buster has all been based
on broad generalities. William Allen
White when he wrote the editorial in
which he described the WagStaff
cause as lost had been in New York
and Washington for three weeks and
could have had no accurate know
ledge of the situation in any COM
munity in Kansas. The fact is, the
Stubs managers have been reduced
shop-worn bluff of claiming every
thing in sight for the effect it might
have on faltering voters and in the
hope that they might thus bolster up
a situation which from their stand
point had grown desperate.
The bare facts concerning the cam
paign are these: Wagstaff has taken
votes from Stubs in every community
in Kansas from which reports have
been made to either side. The names
of many of these voters have been
given to the public and the statements
have gone unchallenged. On the 9TH
err hand the reports from no COM
munity in Kansas, no matter to which
side it has been made, show any ap-
probable gain for Stubs. The men
who were against him two years ago
are solidly against him today and
will reveal the truth of this state
ment. If the vote against Stubs two
years ago still is solidly against him,
and there is no doubt of that, what
basis is there for his claim that his
majority will be twice as large this
year as it was then? And this claim
being discrediteda on the face of 1t,
what reason is there to believe any
other claim madecby the administra-
ton supporters? 1eE
The fact is, the wagstaff campaign
has been one of the most remarkable
Roadway against the strongest COM
bination of forces ever set in motion
against a Kansas candidate He had
to cope with the full strength of the
administration machine which had
been in course of construction two
years. He had against him practical
ly the entire metropolitan press. All
of the newspaper DULLES are in a close
corporation formed for the purpose
of renominating Governor Stubs. OF
these the one circulating most widely
in Kansas has refused to print a line
about his candidacy. The others have
made every effort to minimize his
popularity. They have misrepresented
where they did not ignore his meet
ings. And they have persistently at
tackled Wagstaff and his followers
with the intent to prejudice the voters
against him.
Wagstaff has had the additional
handicap of being a poor man. 1t
costs money to conduct a campaign for
governor. The cost of perfecting an
organization and maintaining it runs
into the thousands of dollars. Wag-
Stairs opponent, being a millionaire
and having an official salary at his dis
pCsal as well, has had whatever money
he needed at his disposal The Wag-
staff management has been short of
funds from the beginning Under the
primary election law every candidate is
presumed to have an equal chance
But as matter of fact the rich man
has every advantage. And except In
the case of a popular uprising such as
greeted the announcement of Wag-
staff's candidacy a poor man has no
chance at all
Despite all this. Wagstaff's candi-
dacy has shown from the beginning
marvellous growth. 1t has met with
approval in practically every commun-
ity in the state. In the way of politi-
cal upheavals, Kansas has seen moth
ing like it since the Populist uprising
of the early COS. The metropolitan
newspapers have carefully kept this
condition of affairs from their readers.
Their whole intent has been to conceal
the truth. But the fact remains that
in nearly every voting precinct in the
state Stubs has lost votes to Wag-
staff and any voter can verify this
claim by noting the changes in his own
precinct. The administration workers
laughed at Wagstaff's candidacy when
it was announced. Later on, spurred
into action by the progress he was
making, they opened up a political bu-
reau in the state house. Finally,
thoroughly alarmed at the growth of
Wagstaff sentiment. they opened up
Stubs headquarters and put every
available man to work in an effort to
check it. 4
We confidently believe we can nomi-
nate our candidate We base our con-
fidence on the reports of our county
and precinct workers and these reports
show steady drift to Wagstaff. And
these are some of the figures we use:
Stubs carried the Seventh district by
majority of over 1000. Long lost 1t
to Bristow by 150. There was a Bit
ter feud between Long and Leland, and
Leland was cut by the Long followers
in the Seventh The Long strength is
solidly behind Wagstaff, and Wagstaff
has taken enough votes from Stubs in
Pratt and Stafford counties alone to-
swing the Seventh district away from
the governor.
In the Eighth district, the workers
report these changes: Their best judg-
ment is that Sedgwick, which gave Lee
land 6S will go for Wagstaff by not
In, L.