The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-04-25
WHO is VIC FOR?
His Manager Working for Taft,
Bowman Says.
Insurgents Wondering Who to
Send to Chicago.

Who is Victcr Murdoch for for
president? Is he a Taft or Roosevelt
man? The insurgents are asking this
question among themselves. They say
that Murdoch. usually aggressive and
pronounced in his views has been as
tlmld this year as q man hiding in a
cyclone cellar from a funnel shaped
cloud. Two months ago people were
asking where Murdoch stood on Roose-
Welt Then the Eagle. the Murdoch
paper at Wichita, stated in a weak
WHISPER that it was for the colonel.
People quit asking the Roosevelt ques-
ton of the insurgent congressman
from the Eighth. even while they Won
oered at his weakness where he had
been strong before. Now comes the
word that the chairman of the Muir
dock congressional committee worked
Tor Taft in the primaries this week.
Like master, like man. If Branine
Is Tor Taft VINO is Murdoch for :?
Branine runs the Murdoch political
machine 1t is true that Branine got
swatted by the Henry Allen forces in
Sedgwfck county and the Eighth dis
trlct- But Branine worked for Taft
At least Harry Bowman, chairman of
the state board of control, who is Just
back from a trip TO Newton, says so.
Bowman tells another good story in
connection with his Newton trip. While
down there he heard Congressman
Charles Scott deliver the Taft speech
at the Taft rally last Monday. Scott
is spellbinder and he made a corking
good speech, according to Bowman,
who is good judge. But Scott
played the feature card of the cam
paign in this speech, says Bowman.
when he told the negroes in his au-
dience that Roosevelt'S recall would
put them all back in slavery. Yes
and Scott went further than that. He
declared it would put them in a worse
condition than they were in before the
Civil war.
.Bowmans story of the speech has
il that Scott declared that if Roose-
velt's recall doctrines had been in eff
feet at the time the old law passed
by the legislature of a southern state
a short time ago regarding the arrest
of negroes for vagrancy, that the
Judges who declared that law uncon-
stitutiOnal would have been recalled
and their decision revoked and the
law placed in full force and effect.
And that law provided that negroes
could be placed in a state peonage
worse than slavery They could be
worked without pay and when not
working they would have to provide
for themselves, while in slavery times
their masters fed and clothed and
housed them The negroes were
scared white at Scott's speech" de-
cIared Bowman.
There is much speculation among
the insurgents as to who will comprise
the Big -Four at Chicago in case they
win. That Henry Allen, manager of
the Roosevelt headquarters. will be one
of them, there is not much reason to
doubt. J. y. Dolley, state chairman,
Will also likely be elected to this hon
or C o. BOlinger of lola is a candi-
date for one of the four places. Will
liam Allen White is Big Four calibre.
Governor Stubs can go on the Big
Four route, but it is perStstently re-
ported that he will not be a candidate
for a place on the delegation.
The Roosevelt men are now figuring
on majority of 200 at the Indepen-
dence convention.