The Topeka state journal., 1911-09-22
POLITICAL GOSSIP
Who Will Succeed to Ed Madi-
sons Seat.
Question That Is Already Agitat-
ing Seventh District.
RUMOR OF MANY MEN.
Field is Likely to. Be Large
One.
Denton, Price, Martin and Hop
kins in List.

The death of E. H. Madison, con-
gressman from the Seventh Kansas
district makes a second vacancy in
| the Kansas congressional delegation.
Another special election to choose a
successor is necessary. There will
probably be no attempt in the Seventh
district to follow the machine methods
adopted in the Second, where the con-
gressionaI committee arbitraSily forced
the nomination of a man whom the
committee desired, irrespective of the
wishes of the voters. There will un-
doubtedly be real primary in the
Seventh.
However, the probability is that the
factional. lines which have divided
the Republicans throughout the state.
will not be forgotten and that there
will be the same old gossip in polfti-
cal circles concerning the regular and
square deal candidates. If indications
count for anything there will be no
dearth OF candidates from both fac
tions.
There is a persistent rumor that c.
Il. Denton of Harper county, former
secretary of state may be forced into
the race. Mr.. Denton was prominent
ly mentioned as a candidate for gov
ernOr after he had retired from office
but owing to the factional differences
declined to enter the contest. He is
wealthy and has his business in such
shape that it would not be a great
sacrifice for him to make the race
He is personally popular and would
make strong candidate, but has not
yet signified his intention of entering
the lists.
Another man who is prominently
mentioned is Judge Francis Price of
Ashland. Like Denton he is allied
with the SO called regular forces in
Kansas, and like Denton has a. strong
personal following in the district. He
has been a member of the Kansas
state senate and was one of the lead
ers in that body.
Ex-Mayor Frank Martin of Hutch
inson. is said to have am bition for a
congressional career He is pretty
well known and is considered a strong
man personally. There is also a ru-
NOR that W. z Morgan, editor of the
Hutchinson News, may get into the
race, but Mr.. Morgan is in Europe
and may not return in time. Another
Hutchinson man mentioned is A G.
Malloy, a brilliant young lawyer, who
is one of the most polished orators in
the state.
Another man who will have to be
reckoned with if he decides to enter
the race is Lieutenant Governor Rich
ard Hopkins of Garden City. Hopkins
is a young man who has made mark
for himself and who enjoys the dis
square dealer and a strong supporter
OF Governor Stubbs.
Judge c. E. LobdelI, formerly of
Leoti but now of Great Bend. is also
mentioned. Judge Lobdell recently
retired from the bench to enter the
banking business and he may not de-
sire to re-enter politics, but if he
should have an ambition to go to con-
gress he will make the rest of the
candidates sit up and take notice.
Then there are others-no one
knows how many, but they will be
heard from in the short time because
the interval until a special election
is held will necessarily be short.
The Kansas press does not encour-
age the entrance of Mayor J. 3. Bill
lard in the gubernatorial scrap, nor
does it welcome the privilege of fore
ing resubmission vote in the state.
In more than 100 editorial comments
from Kansas writers. perhaps rs per
cent take unkindly to the Topekan or
make sighting remarks about whiskers
in Kansas politics. The remaining 25
per cent either expresses admiration
of Billiards. frank stand or evades an
expression of opinion. In less than
half dozen Kansas publications is the