The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-02-24
POLITICAL GOSSIP.
Democrats Not Very Enthusias-
tic for Hodges.
Did Not Even Call Him to Floor
at the Banquet.
RYAN VISITS STUBS.
Democratic Ex-Chairman Told
Governor He Was for Him.
John Dawson Turned Tables on
George Neeley.

While there was little or no opposi-
| ton to Senator Hodges for governor
among the Democrats assembled here
at the banquet this week, yet neither
was there any enthusiasm displayed
for the Olathe man. A. the close of
the banquet, ind it closed pretty early,
some of the newspaper boys started
call for Hodges to speak. A few of the
guests took IL the call il half hearted
fashion, but not strong enough to get
Senator Hodges on the floor. The as
sembly broke up without a word of
greeting from the next Democratic
nominee for governor.
The Democratic meeting here lack
ed the pepper. The delegates moved
about the city like chessmen on a
board. They held three meetings and
attended a banquet without getting up
a pound of steam. Instead of having
| to tie a monkey wrench on to the safe
| ty valve, it was necessary to look close
| ly at the steam gauge to see II there
was any steam, at all in the boiler.
The Ryan interview given out in
Kansas City in which a former chair
| man of a Democratic state committee
deserts to Stubs and the Republican
part will not be any surprise to the
governor. Ryan called on Governor
| Stubs early n the day of the twenty
| second to assure him of his support.
Judged from the afterbeat, the Demo-
cratic banquet was Stubs demon
stration. The Republican banquet
| last month was an anti-Stubbs demon
stration. Strange, isn't it?
The Republicans assemble together
and give the governor a black eye.
| Then along eome the Democrats and
their leaders swear that Stubs is a
| and mixed these days and the average
voter is apt to be bewildered in trying
| to follow the old lines. The governor
| had more frien6s in mis- ante-room on
| Washington'S birthday than he had
Kansas day. If all these Democrats
vote the Republican ticket at the Au-
gust primary they will just about over
| come the Republican OBJECTIONS. But
who will hold the sack? Why the
| deserters from both parties. All of
which goes to show that only one par
! tv should preach reform at time.
| The other party should saw wood
| Then the reformers can successfully
rebuke their own leaders. But with
| assertions coming with a rush from
both sides it is a grand mix up and
the reforms are apt to be lost in the
shuttle but the leaders after the power
never.
There are now four candidates for
| the Democratic nomination for con-
gress in the Fifth district as follows:
| G. D. Bowling of Belleville; w. D.
Vincent OF Clay CENTER; "A. Snedr6r OF
Frankfort; G. T. delivering of Beattie.
When Ca1derhead and Rees get
through with their fight there will still
be plenty of work for the war corre-
spondents in the Fifth district.
of Joseph N. Dolley, comes the hottest
Democratic sheet of the age, being the
Eskridge Democrat, none other. Copies
of this paper were handed out to the
4 j. h. no
other night Sixteen columns of it's
space were devoted to the lambasting
of Republican regulars and the promo
ton of the interests of Republican in
surgents and all Democrats in general.
The Wabaunsee production was nothing
less than well printed campaign docu-
ment and it's enterprising editor should
be given a fat job by the Hodges ad-
miniStration.
They are telling a good story on
George Neeley of Hutchinson, one of
the speakers at the Democratic banquet
and an announced candidate for con-
gress in the Seventh district. Medley is
brother-in-law of Governor Stubs
and an aVOWed enemy of John Dawson,
attorney for the railroad board. Neeley
called on the governor banquet day and
accused Dawson Of incompetence and
a lot of other things. He read some
correspondence that passed between
Theodore Eek of Mulvane and Alexan-
der & Boyd, lumber merchants at Fort
Smith, Ark, showing that the Arkansas
firm would not quote prices on lumber
at Mulvane for the reason that the
Santa Fe would not make joint rates
with the company's log road in Arkan-
sas. He also read a letter from Dawson
to Eek stating that the railroad board
could not furnish any relief. Then
Neeley proceeded to knock on the at
torney for the railroad board. He left
the impression that Dawson was either
incompetent to hold the job or was in
league with the railroads and the lum-
Der trust. The governor sent for Daw-
son at once and asked him about it,
Dawson explained to Medley that the
railroad board had nothing whatever to
do with the prosecution of trusts-the
| lumber trust or any other trust; and
| that he had no power to compel the
Santa Fe road to make Joint rate with
| a purely log road" for the reason that
| the log road is not considered a COM
| mon carrier. He cited the opinion of a
| Texas railroad commissioner to sustain
him.
| Then Dawson grew confidential He
| felt sure he could trust an administra-
ton secret with the brother-in-law of
| the governor.
t'While I wrote Mr. Eek that we
| could furnish rim no relief" said Daw-
son, "the very day 1 wrote him I also
wrote Attorney General Jackson a let
/ ter inclosing copies of the correspond
ence between Mr.. Eek and the Arkan-
sas lumber concern, and suggesting
that the letter from the lumber com
| pany could be used as evidence in a
| suit against the lumber trust
| Dawson was just in the act of re-
vealing what work was being done
along that line now by himself and
the attorney general, when Neeley re-
marked:
eyes, know the attorney general
started something against the lumber
J trust some time ago. 1 was attorney
/ for the lumber trust in that trouble
And so you are the attorney for the
/ lumber trust" gasped Dawson. well
| will say no more to you on that sub
| iect I might be accused of betrayin z