The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-04-21
CRY is WAGSTAFF
First Big Conference of Anti
Stubbs Forces.
Sixty Counties Represented Ear
Iy in the Day.
ARE In DEAD EARNEST
Supporters of Third District
Cyclone Full of Enthusiasm.
Many Farmers to Be Found
Among the Visitors.
TRAINLOAD OF MEN,
Enthusiastic Delegation Arrives
This Afternoon From South.
Senator Curtis Telegraphs His
Endorsement Of Movement.

/ 1t looked like old times at the Ma
tlonal hotel today. with some two
hundred of the faithful from all quar-
ters OF the state holding forth in the
midst of the cigar smoke and the
storm of conversation. The special
train from southeast Kansas, which
arrived at o'clock, brought two hum
area more delegates and when the
conference was called to order at the
Masonic banquet hall on jackson
street at o'clock four hundred out
OF town Wagstaff rooters and over one
hundred from Topeka composed the
enthusiastic audience.
Tom Wagstaff of Montgomery coun-
ty was the center of attraction, and
although small in stature, Mr.. Wag-
stan made this up in the cordiality of
his greetings. He is some campaigh-
er. this Montgomery county lawyer.
he is postmaster in the art of meet
ing people. He is a mixer worthy of
Stubbs in the governors greatest mo-
ments. The Wagstaff smile is not so
loud as the Stubbs laugh, but it gets
there just the same.
The regulars were feeling iubiIant
this evening after the conference, and
they had cause. The attendance was
not only large, but it was representa-
tive. Every section of the state was
represented. The little Kansas cities
Wichita, Atchison. Abilene. EN-
poria. Junction City, Belleville, each
sent it's quota of fighting men to
strike blow at the Wagstaff muster
They came from the Walnut Valley
where the late Benton Murdock used
to catch catfish in the autumn DAYS of
his life. Men were here today who
yesterday had dwelt beside the head
waters of the Solomon. The Arkansas
sandhills mixed with the Wagstaff
kinfolks from the Verdigris. BOYS
under thirty talked with gray-beard-
ed men who had voted for Lincoln.
ElNn
much in earnest.
The meeting was called primarily
for the purpose of getting direct word
of the sentiment of the people from
the Wagstaf boom for governor. The
leaders wanted to know, and they
called in the rank and file to tell the
story.
1t has been a favorite pastime of the
Stubbs forces to call every machine
gathering an aSSennblage Of railroad
attorneys and corporation hirelings.
They cannot call this crowd of today
by any such titles. Farmers and small
business men and professional men
from the small towns made up the bulk
of the attendance. The old timers are
here, all the eX-leaders who have been
beaten by Stubs at recent elections,
but they have a lot of representatives
of the people with them. They are fight
ing a new fight and using new methods
for the first time They no longer have
sny machinery in their shop. no not
even a shop for the machinery They
are on the outside looking in. But they
have a strong following at their backs
and believe they have a good chance
to batter down the breastworks raised
by the square deal forces
Senator Curtis. for Wagstaff.
Senator Charles Curtis today sent the
following wire to A. c. Stitch, manager
of the Wagstaff campaign:
"I am unequivocally in favor Of the