The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-03-14
Here Is Another Case of "Get
There, Eli.''
Payne, of EmpOria, Will Fight
for State Superintendent Job.
A LULL IN THE FIGHT
Been Very Calm and Peaceful
Since Kansas Day.
Republican Editors Sent Mes
sage of Cheer to Taft.

Eli Payne, who is q candidate for
state superintendent Of public instruc-
| ton. says:
81 want to beat Superintendent Fair
| child. 1t is a great honor to be given
a state office and the highest compli-
ment a state can bestow is to give the
good official d second term. Then
the public think that he has had
enough. He should step down and out
and let the Office be passed around.
| Il have nothing to say against Su-
! perintendent Fairchild. 1 do not in
tend to use the third term argument
as a cudgel against him beyond the
fact that 1 want all the voters to know
| If they want him for third time,
| knowing this fact why we'll and good.
| 1 will support him for election. My
first and only essay at politics was an
engagement with third termer for
the office of superintendent of Reno
county. I won that fight and served
two terms ana refused to run third
time. I have taught in district and
| city schools, served as county super
intendent, taught nineteen years in the
chair of mathematics at the Emporia
Normal and eeel therefore that l am
qualified by training and experience
for the place Of state superintendent.
/ have lectured in Kansas and other
states and have written several works
on mathematics I am graduate OF
the normal, the university and col
lege. I should like to be elected state
superintendent, and after serving in
that place would retire from school
work altogether. l am after the honor
and the chance to some good in that
place, and not after the salary. L am
going to do everything I can honorably
to get the nomination. and will be in
the race at the finish
There is a well defined sentiment
that the Office of state superintendent
is one that should not be made subject
to the usual political rules and 1t IS in
response of this sentiment that Mr..
Fairchild consented to be candidate.
Since the tempest in the Republican
teapot on Kansas Day there has been
lull in the storm. This calm has
been long sustained, lasting nearly two
about candidate against Governor
Stubs there has been nothing doing.
The machine men who came out from
cover on January % and made such
showing before the state at large are
now strangely silent. They appear to
have done their ~devoir and will now
wait for another da.. OF revolution. |
Instead of arousing more bitter fac
tfonal fight the Kansas Day riot seems |
to have had a quieting effect on the |
political situation. With the advent OF
the spellbinders sent here by the con- |
gressional committee tC preach the |
doctrine of Taft the fight may reopen |
with vigor. But it is very peaceful |
Just now ano has been for several |
weeks past The plan SENS to be to let !
Governor Stubs strictly alone. If he |
gets into the fight he will have to go |
out of his way to enter the fracas and /
then this fact will be thrown up to
him. The insurgent candidates for |
congress have been earnestly hoping /
that opposition would be brought out |
against the fighting governor so that
they might have his aid on the firing
line in their districts.
The Hutchinson News declares
that that was a cheering message sent
by the Republican editors at Wichita
last week to President Taft. Com
menting on the circumstances the
News says:
Following so closely an alleged
poll compiled by Chicago paper,
purporting to show the Kansas Re
publican editorial fraternity opposed Il
to the president, it must have been
doubly cheering. With thirty-two Re
publican editors present, many of
them representing papers of wide cir
in the state, and not dis
senting vote against the resolution en-
dorsinG the president and his course,
it is fair to assume that it is fairly
good representation OF the sentiment
of the Republican press of the state
.'It cannot be denied, of course,
that there are Republican papers in
president, but they are few in num-
Der, and Mr.. Taft was not the first
choice with them for the presidency
in the first place. They would have
been for LaFollette or some man of
similar stamp when Mr.. Taft was
had they not seen that
Taft's nomination was foregone con-
clusion. Now they are siding with his
enemies and are hoping for his dis
comfiture.
with these exceptions, Kansas ed
itors, as we'll as Kansas Republicans
generally, are with President Taft and
his administration. They understand
that the effort to discredit his work
Is due to a selfish desire of a hostile
group of would-be leaders to win con-
troll of the party for their own glori-
ication. All that they desire is that
President Taft and congress shall en-
act the measures for which the presi-
lent stands, regardless of how it shall {
affect the fortunes of particular poll
-icians. That this is being done as !
speedily as is humanity possible, they J
nave confidence II