The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-11-19
POLITICAL GOSSIP
TWO shawnee PrOgress1ves
Como Back to Fold.
Rankin and Drenning Join tho
Harmony Movement.
REGULAR LEADERS CHEERFUL
They Are Looking Forward to
Reunited Party.

Progressive Leaders Coming to
Town Tomorrow.
Two Of Shawnee county's most
staunch Progressives In the recent
campaign are wavering in the faith.
One Of them. e. w. Rankin. has almost
If not quite agreed with J. 8. Dean.
president Of the Republican League.
on a set Of principles for a harmony
platform in 1914. And another Pro-
gressive, r. q. Dreaming, has signed
Atchison next week.
It was somewhat due to the apparent
loss OF these two stalwarts that william
Allen White this week declared that
the Shawnee county Progressives need
ed an application of the hot water bot
tie. The loss of the Third party lead
felt by the Progressfves and William
Allen White frankly admitted that
Shawnee and Saline county were not
in the best of condition at this timc.
Last year Rankin was among the
most enthusiastic and energetic OF the
|
ty. He was for Roosevelt and the
Third party cause tooth and tue nail
and was never too busy to carry ut
tie extra trouble to the Republican
League If an opportunity presented 1T
self. Rankin Is not yet entirely recon-
ciled. It is claimed, but q series OF open
letters between himself and J. 8. Dean.
president Of the Republican League.
have indicated that Rankin was at
least wavering and had lost much OF
his old time Progressive party entnusi-
asm. His letters to the Topeka lawyer
have indicated that there il q common
ground on which the two men can
stand in the next campaign ana that
Rankin does not desire to be unrea-
sonable in his demands az to q har-
mony program.
The Case of Mr.. Dreaming.
1aen there q the case OF Frank @.
Drenning. The Topeka newspaper hles
are filled with Drenning's pathetic ap-
peals for fumes with which to buy the
Bull Moose hay and oats during the
.. recent campaign Drenning was sort
OF emergency and general utility man
for the Progressives III shawnee coun.
ty and when the Progressives held
their ffrst state banquet In Topeka IN
February, Dreaming was still so ardent
that the Progressive leaders as an evil
dence Of confidence and appreciation,
permitted him to sell most OF the tick
@A~OoS
full Of the Republicans marked Dren-
ning's name off the list of possible cen
verts to the harmony cause.
As late as last June when the state
wide harmony meeting was held In
Topeka. the ''get-together' cause was
an obnoxious odor in the nostrils OF the
Topeka lawyer and he declined to go
near the meeting. But a great deal o.
water flows under the bridge In the
course of q few months and tho case
of Mr.. Dreaming az q living example
is strictly in point
When Senator Troutmon and s'on-
gresham Anthony conferred about q
First district harmony meeting. Trout
man took over the burden of securing
signers to the call. And when that
call was published some OF the most
reliable and substantial Bull MoOsers
and Regulars Rasped for breath As they
saw Drenning's name signed to the
docuuent. Drenning will go to the
Atchfson meeting and the Republicans
win welcome his return to the party.
As Others See Third Party.
Sitting In the National hotel this
week it was perhaps only natural that
the officers Of the Kansas Day clun
should talk over the chances for Re
| publican harmony In Kansas next year
These men came to Topeka right from
their own people and talked sincerely
of conditions Just as they saw them.
These were a few Of the expressions
made by club officers during a lull In
the business proceedings:
Ninety per cent of the Progressive
vote in Kansas last year can be credl-
| ted to Roosevelt's personal following.
| In my county and the Sixth district.
| I think fully so per cent, maybe 60
per cent Of the Progressive vote was q
personal vote for Roosevelt The other
10 or so per cent is already back in the
| party" said Charles L. Kagey OF Be-
| lott, president Of the club.
"The only third party people I can
| nnd in my district-and talk to farm
ers, business men, laborers and an-ia
| the disappointed or dfsgruntled local
wanted something and didn't get It, -
said E. E. Kelley, editor Of the Toronto
Republican. About everyone else who
| voted for Roosevelt is q Republican
| and wants to fight when you suggest
that they left the party to vote for him
| last fall.''
"Our district is about as bad as any
| Of them" said Frank Travis of~1Uiz.
| ''but you don't hear Progressive talk
| In Allen county"
! DR.. n. W. Ewing, Of Larned, declared
that the Progressives were losing their
hold on the voters Of the Seventh and
]. E. Brewer OF Abilene, was confident
that the Bull Moose cause had slumped
| 60 to IS per cent in Dickinson county.
| In the Third district, AL Williams Of
Columbus. declared the Roosevelt per-
| sonality last fall was responsible for
| 30 per cent Of his votes and that most
| of the 80 per cent would be back in the
Republican ranks next year.
Stone Ie Conservative.
Don't make your figures too high
commented Robert Stone Of Shawnee
county. 'I know the Roosevelt per-
sonalfty county for q lot last year
/ but IL the ProRressives put a strone
ticket in the field next year, they viii
got a LOT of votes and donsf forznf ~ 81