Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1912-09-13
To be continued.
RAMsLINes OF A CANDIDATE.

much interested in the ramblings Of
a candidate who Is hptfooting it |
around the state trying to corral
enough votes to land a state job, but !
as we meet many former Great Bend,
ers wherever we go, it might perhaps
occasionally strike someone's fancy.
The campaign cannot be said to
have started yet, although many
Of the candidates have been
making odd trips over the state at
tending committee meetings and pic
nes and so on. On Thursday of last
week the candidates on the state
ticket were called to Topeka for a
conference with the chairman and
secretary of the State Central COM
mittee. At this conference, the first
of the campaing, as may be supposed.
each one was called upon to say
what he intended to do in the way
Of campaigning, which was followed
by a few instructions by the state
chairman, telling us what We would
be expected to do, and incidentally,
how much money We were to put up
TO pay our part of the running ex-
penses of the scrap. The meeting
was a harmonious one, full Of gin
ger, ambition, enthusiasm and conf
+, dence, and when the "boys" left
headquarters and started for home
they were girted up for the battle
Of the ballots.
While in Topeka we had the pleas
Gre of renewing many old acquaint-
ances around the state, and of a
short visit with our old friend, AL
Whitcomb, who still holds the posi-
ton of guide. He is the same old
codger, an intense Republican, and
as always, scents victory in the air.
On Saturday Of last week we at
tended a big Democratic barbecue at
Turon, in southwest Reno county.
This was the opening gun Of the cam
paign for that county, Congressman
Neeley and Senator Hodges, our can
dida&e for governor, made the prin-
cipal speeches, short talks being
made by others. The folks at Turou
certainly did themselves proud on
this occasion. The business houses
closed in the afternoon. At the noon
hour the vast crowd that had gath
cred, led by the Pleasant Hill band,
which is good one, proceeded to
Hickman's grove Just at the edge Of
the city, where the ladies had prepar
ed an elegant picnic dinner. We all
Wed with one another in seeing who
could eat the msot chicken, deviled
eggs, cold meats Of various kinds, an(
everything you could desire in the
eating line. Say, how We did go
after that dinner was a caution. The
ladies of that locality certainly did
themselves proud on this date. After
dinner the assembly was called to or
der by Cal Ely, one Of the Democrat
ic wheel horses of Turon, who intro
duced Sam GraybiN Of Hutchinson
and he in turn introduced Mr.. Kick
man, whose father homesteaded the
farm on which we we've holding the
meeting. Mr.. Hickman presided dur
ing the afternoon, while John Collop!
the hustling committeeman from Mi
ami township, and other live wires o
the community made it a point to Sc
that everyone had all their wants at
tended to. The meeting was a sue
cess from every point Of view, an
no doubt resulted in much good 70
+. the Democratic candidates.
We made a number Of new &C
qualntances and had the pleasure Q
renewing old ones, among them bein
) ]. F. Fesler and wife. who formerl
lived on the south side here. Tn