The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-24
GOSSIP
J. ". Orr May Enter Contest
for Governor.
Wise Ones Say Hodges Is
Lukewarm.
MAY GET OUT OF THE WAY
Friends of AtchisOn Democrat
Insist That He Try.
Saws He Has Not Made Up His
Mind.

There seems 10 exist a doubt in the
minds of q good many people that Sen
ator George Hodges of Olathe viii real
IL make the campaign for governor this
/ vaar Hodges has announced that he
would get into the game, it is true, but
H. besitated a long time before he did
so and then as soon as he had spoken
he wont down to Florida and lodged
the Wilson visit and the big Demo-
cratic banquet at Topeka. Hodges can
Withdraw as easily as he can announce
his candidacy.
! Democratic leaders all over the state
are stiU urging James w Orr of At
Gibson to make the race for governor
and Orr has about made up ms NINA 20
run. Orr rather expects Hodges or
Billiard to get out of the race II either
ore Of these two withdraw Orr viii
throw his hat in the ring. As far back
| as the Democratic committee meeting in
Topeka last month the leaders tried TO
get Orr in the race and Billiard to with
/ draw in his favor. Had this deal gone
through Hodges would never have an
nounced his candidacy.
Orr is a good politician and an elo-
quent spea ker. He has lots of friends
! in both parties. is liberal the pro-
hibition question without being a re-
/ submissionist and would get a ire
mendous vote at the primary and cleo
ton If he gets in the race there will
be q red hot campaign ahead for his
( Democratic opponent at the primary
and another for his Republican oppOn-
ent at the election. After he went home
to Atchison from the banquet Thursday
night Orr gave out the following inter-
view on the gubernatOrial situation:
I feel reasonably safe in saying that
fully so per cent of the Democrats at
Yesterdays meeting solicited me to get
in the race
4 have been shying away from it for
a good many weeks, Mr.. Orr con-
tinued. Honest and truly l do not
wants to be a candidate for governor, IS
it would mean an expense of at least
1000. and no end of hard work. But
l want to say to you that should | get
into the race it viii be no Looping affair
with me. It Will be hard fight to win
from the time I go under the Wire"
The Democratic State club at it's an
nual meeting ana banquet in Topeka
this week set an example for the Re-
latter would do well to follow in the
future. The Democrats in charge of
the clubs affairs refused to endorse
any candidate or promote any faction
or allow any test of strength of the
followers of any man or clique They
declared that the purpose of the club
was to promote the good of the party
at large and not TO make or unmake
The last two or three meetings of
the Kansas Day club have done the
Republican party more harm than good.
Two years ago the club turned down
resolutions endorsing it's own state ad-
ministration. This year the club rub
bed it in for the good Of the souls of
the opposing faction 1t must be admit
ted, however. that the square deal peo-
pie starred the trouble and forced the
issue for the control of the organiza-
ton.
The result of these widely different
courses of the two clubs is plain. This
years meeting of the Democratic club
was the biggest and best in the history
of the party. The banquet room was
filed and they turned them away This
years meeting of the Republican club
did not fill more than half of the ban
qEet room and not ten progressiVes at
tended the business meeting of the club
One faction alone of the party was rep
resented at party function. One fac
ton of the party cannot carry the
state and the Kansas Day club could
learn a lesson from the Democrats and
promote harmony