The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-03-24
Tom Wagstaff Official Candidate
of the Regulars.
Believed He Will Make Strong
Fight for Nomination.
E HAS RECORD.
But 1t Has Nothing to Do With
Old Order of Things.
Politics Getting Pretty Lively
in Clay County.

1t has been said that the announce
ment of the candidacy of Thomas
Wagstaff of Montgomery county for
governor did not make any splash
around the state house This may be
true: But the young man from
southern Kansas is going to make a
hard tight and he will poll MANY thou
sands of votes in every section of the
state All the anti-Stubbs forces will
rally to his support. He is recognized
as the OFFICIAL candidates of the regu-
lars and yet at the same time "Waps'
was never a cog in the old machine.
He should get a heavy independent
vote.
This young lawyer is an aggressive
ana active FELLOW with a pleasant per-
sonality and he don't put on frilIs
His campaign may fool some of the
wise ones He belongs to the younger
set of Republicans and has never
been mixed up in the old quarreIs and
factions 1t can be said that he is a
regular because he believes that way
and not because he belonged to the
old gang.
Some Jealous wagstaff supporter
come up from the big third district
one day this week and boosted that
Tom would poll every vote in the dis
trict at the primary This fellow had
let out his fourth speed and was talk
Ing to the stars above him, but new
ertheless 1t must be conceded that
Wagstam will run well in his district
The big third never did accept Stubs
and his schemes. Half the newspap-
ers in the state at least lean toward
the regulars in this state faction, so
the young regular will have an even
break in the publicity line with the
old square dealer. Of course Tom
is no such press agent as Mr.. Stubs
Tom never had chance to call out
the militia, but he closed the Mont
gomery county joints Just the same
Tom did not sever his connection with
the Topeka club with sound of drum
and trumpet, all for the benefit of the
guileless farmer in the ploughed field
but he started the present crusade
against the sale of liquor in Kansas:
started it when he knew beforehand
that the job would cost him his Of
flee of county attorney. Tom never
went to Washington to stir up the
animals with a sharp stick in the
matter of the enforcement of the
federal law against bootleggers and
ciic with hobnailed shoes and after
wards got real chummy with George
Gould. Tom, as he himself says, is
just plain, plug Republican" and
vertising his virtues and reforms to an
admiring public. Still he will make
good race, and in these unsettled
times when party lines are going to
the Democrats are swearing that
Stubs is a better Democrat than
Hodges. you never can tell what
Republican primary will bring forth.
Cato was beaten for the office of
Praetor, and surely Stubs. even if
he does look like John the Baptist,
is no greater than was cato.
A L. Gordon of Abilene, who was Of
fered the place of grain inspector I'M
der the Stubs regime In place of John
T. White. resigned, called on the gov
ernor and talked the matter over, but
has not yet decided to accept the place
Mr.. Gordon has taken the matter under
advisement. Mr.. White will hold his
office until his successor arrives on the
scene.
Teachers associations which have
held meetings over the state this year
have all declared in favor of the plan
to take the offices of county and state
superintendent out of politics. This
plan was discussed during the last ses-
sion of the Legislature but nothing
came of it. 1t is believed that the