The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-05-13
OUT IN The OPEN
Frank j. Ryan Is in Race for
Governor.
He's the First to Make a Posi-
tive Announcement.
GIVES HIS PLATFORM
Neither an Insurgent Nor
Regular, He Says.
Talks About Riding on the
COWcatcher.

ernor has come out of the woods and
announced his determination to make
the race. Frank Ryan of Leaven-
worth. railroad commissioner, serving
his third term, is the man. Mr.. Ryan
says he was not brought out by his
friends, and that is a refreshing fact
in connection with his candidacy. He is
a progressive and a standpatter, he
says, and does not need any harmony
medicine to condition him for the
campaign.
With all the half dozen or more Re
publican candidates for governor hid
ing in the woods and trying to test the
public pulse it is a pleasure to find a
candidate who is not afraid to make a
definite announcement.
The other candidates will not allow
themselves to be quoted. They will
run If so and so gets out of the way.
They will run if the wind blows from
the right direction, If it rains or does
not rain, if a certain newspaper or set
of leaders will back them. They are
scared bunch, and that is a fact.
They are all rabbits. They can laugh
at Frank Ryan and his candidacy but
Frank is not a rabbit He has that
edge on the statesmen and patriots
and harmony candidates and white and
gray cotton-tatl brands that are wait
ing for something to happen.
D. o. McCray, the newspaper cor
respondent, has the following article
about Ryan and his candidacy:
. In view of all that has happened in
Kansas politics, isn't the man who
rides the cow-catcher on an engine to
inspect railroad property fully as com
petent to be governor as the fellow
who travels in a private car On the
rear end of the train listening to the
soft, sweet voice of the railway off
cials.?'
''The asking of this Question by
Frank ]. Ryan, now serving his third
term as railroad commissioner, launch
ed new Republican boom for governor,
for Ryan says he is in the fight to
the finish. I note he said, that there
is widespread talk about harmony in
the Republican ranks. Harmony is a
good thing. and I believe in it and
have always practiced it. Harmony
has been my war-cry in every cam
paign I have made. 1t has been my
experience in Kansas politics that the
best brand of harmony to have is that
which man has to fight for. When 1
rode the cOw-catcher on the Central
Branch engine inspecting George
Gould's property, 1 enjoyed all kinds of
harmony, for there 1 was all alone.
The thought of Washouts or burned
bridges ahead did not disturb me. The
time schedule was not so swift but
myself and thus put into practice the
brand of harmony that has followed me
through life
"The entry of Frank Ryan into the
race for governor will put into Kansas
| politics a force that will be hard to
reckon with by the old-time politicians.
He has not been brought out by lit
| tie cabal of leaders, L am not the
victim of a conference he said today.
| L simply am a Republican who believes
in voting his ticket from president
down A Republican who does that
| doesn't need to be 'harmonized.' 1 am
| a progressive because the Republican
party has been party of progress Since
| its organization. I am a standpatter
because it becomes a Republican to
| stand pat for the great principles and
policies that have made this country
| the greatest nation of the world. That's
| my kind of Republicanism. A 'har-
mony' movement isn't necessary for
| that kind of a candidate"
''Third-term candidates. have not
been popular in Kansas. but Ryan S
election last year to his third term as
railroad commissioner proved that this
opposition does not apply to officials
who attend their duties strictly. The
first month Ryan was in office he tried
| to push through bill requiring all
railroads to post bulletin at stations
giving the time of arrival and depar-
ture of trains. The legislature refused
to pass the law, but Ryan contended
that the board had power to make
ton of his two associates he kept up
the fight until the railroad companies
complied with his demand. In each
of the three campaigns Ryan has led
his ticket and increased his majority.
Last year he was elected by about
5000 majority, which was approxi-
mately $4,000 majority more than
Governor Stubs received.
"It was in a Jest that Ryan sug-
gested the inspection Of railroad
tracks on cow-catcher. The late j.
E. Hurley of the Santa Fe told him
one day that the chairman of the
board has asked for a special train
for an inspection of the main line
from the Missouri river to Colorado,
and that it would be impractical be-
cause Of the heavy traffic on the line.
Then Ryan suggested joktngly that an
order be made for the board to ride
the cow-catchers on regular trains.
The order was made, but the other
commissioners refused to comply with
| it. But Ryan proposed 70 demonstrate
that it was feasible, and he did so on
a Central Branch engine for a distance
| of 200 miles. The trip created a SEN
sation, and kodaks caught a picture of
the commissioner perched on the cow
catcher at a dozen different towns
along the line"