The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-03
County Candidates Already Are
Rustling in Rural Districts.
Coming Campaign Expected to
Be Hottest in History.
ANY WHO DO NOT WANT JOB?
Contest for at Least Six Offices
to Be Made.
independence of Voters Causes
Worry Among Politicians.

With the approach of spring, comes
indications of a large crop of local can
didates. Except for the judgeships and
the saving graces of a few first termers'
the contest for county offices this year
will be war to the finish.
In at least six of the offices the fight
for the nomination or election promises
to be unusually warm. One of the
things that is worrying local politicians
is the app. rent independence of the
voter. This independence in many
localities promises to border on open
revolt and most sincere dfsrespect
for established presidents and time
honored customs.
Conditions were not improved when
tax payers and property owners re-
Gently saw valuations and levies take
balloon ascension and pass former
records The public mind was neither
quoted nor comforted when the expla-
nations as to where the money went
were both vague and indefinite.
Then came other information that
ranked in the public mind and left a
bad taste in the voters mouth. First
there were records of excessive and ex-
orbitant fees in the sheriff's office.
charges of mileage that was not COW
cred and meals for prisoners who did
not eat in the county Jail
The Facts Are Suppressed.
This was followed by a tax levy that
left welts in the poclQet-book of the
property owner. Many newspaper re-
ports were given out from the offices
of the county commissioners and the
county clerk which said the extra
money was to be used for new roads
and bridges. But these officers know
/ ingly suppressed the real facts.
! On top of all this came proof Of the
/ capitalization of the prohibitory liquor
/ law and a food of perfectly legal fees
/ to the county attorneys office. Humid
reds of taxpayers are still waiting for
a plausible explanation Of the charges
that the county attorney employed G.
NJ. Bryan to ship liquor to Topeka to
procure evidence against violators of
the law
That was not all. From the commits
sioners came an order for an audit of
all county records by three imported
accountants whose contract calls for
$3.50 a day. Five months have been
spent on the job and not ona report has
| yet been filed
So these trivial affairs have grown
and multiplied That they have caused
unrest and loud nutterinEs. is attested
by even the most hopeful politician,
who hopes fer the best on election day.
As to the result, it is a matter on
which there is some division of senti-
ment.
Some Are Without Opposition.
Yet a half dozen officials have re-
fused to take issue in the growing
muddle or to be thrown into the fac
| ton row. Those men will prOba bly,
go to the polls without opposition. In
this crowd are Judges A. W. Dana and
/ George H WhitcOmb of the two di-
visions of the district court and Judge
Robert Carver of the court of Topeka.
1t seems reasonably certain that John
F. Eby, county superintendent, will
escape serious opposition. Recently a
| group of Shawnee county Democrat
are said to have virtually agreed that
Robert Tasker, register of deeds, and
| Matt Weightman, treasurer would not
| be opposed for reelection. Both are
serving their first terms and have
made records against which not the
least question has been raised. The
/ bell. He is a first termer and has
travelled less than the customary
amount of rough road. Assessor
Haynes may escape trouble, but no
| ironclad assurances have come his
That ends the list Except in the
| offices named the court house is filed
with strange noises from basement |
dome.
Richard l. Thomas, clerk of the
district court, today announced his
i candidacy for denomination. He is to
4 be opposed for the nomination by
/ Charles Bower, court reporter in
Judge Dana's division. In this ca
pacity Bower has made a good record
and has become widely known over