The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-01-10

the caucus and that he was certain of
success.
Brown Is Sure.
Il have heard it said a good many
times and in a few cases found 1t
true that men disregard pledges to
candidates and find excuse to change
their fealty,'' said Brown. But L
want to say that when l came TO To-
peka | had more than enough votes
pledged to secure the speakership;
and while not all the members have ar
rived, every man who gave a promise
is not only staying by it, but is en-
Enthusiastically supporting me. l am
satisfied with the existing conditions,
and have no fear of the result. The
only regret that L have is that L shall
be under so many personal obligations
to members of the legislature and
friends on the outside, that 1 will have
to live beyond the allotted time OF man
to repay and cancel them.
Most of the Democratic members
who have arrived in Topeka are re
luctant to discuss the speakershlp
fight. They realize that the fight is
close and bitter. They admit that
it is conceded by all leaders the
changing of a very few votes might
determine the speakership and there
is a logged determination not to aban-
don the fight until the battle is de-
cided.
W. H. L. Pepperill. of Concordia, sec
rotary of the Democratic state commit
tee is working in the Hobbies and will
spend the winter in Topeka. Pepperin
is a candidate for internal revenue col
lector to succeed Fremont Leidy and
from the endorsements which the
Cloud county man has received, there
is a strong indication that he will
land.
Il don't think there is any question
about it, said Pepperill, who has
given 20 years service in guiding the
affairs of Kansas Democracy. IF
really strong endorsements count for
anything at ALL it ought to be easy
and I am perfectly certain that I have
the inside track"
Plans to reduce the number of sem
ate committees from 40 to 26 are not
meeting with general favor. Even a
few of the Democratic members prefer
the old system. AS for the RepubE-
cans this year in the minority, they
admit that they are not the least bit
satisfied. They declare that they will
attempt to overthrow the new plan
when it is submitted to the entire SEN
ate body and to re-establish the old
rule of one Craftsmanship for each
member.
TIL original Democratic plan called
for a reduction of the committees to
q Then It was decided to recognize
a few of the old time regular Repub-
licans with chairmanships. But even
that policy isn't entirely satisfactory
and today's political rumors indicate
trouble in settling the matter.
Harry Mcmillan, the new senator from.
the OttawaSaline county district. seems
sat d for the craftsmanship of the raII
roads and utilities committee McMiIld I
is a Democratic member to be recxOnel
with in the coming session. He is a pow
er in Fifth district politics. Several years
legislature and his work at that time n
dictated that he was worthy of mention.
At Thursdays Democratic caucus McMil-
Ian presided chairman of the meeting.
while William NJ. Price of Greenwood
county was elected secretary.
Henderson S. Martin, chairman of the
Democratic state committee. is here. lie
is the newly appointed member of the |
state utilities commission and will rerlai., |
in Topeka this winter.
Senator E F, Porter of Pittsburg cama |
to Topeka today. He will probably re- |
main in Topeka until his contest for the |
seat of Fred w. Stanton the Socialist |
member from Crawford county, is finally |
settled.
ed that Stanton defeated Porter by S64
votes. But irregularities and corruption |
were charged and Senator Porter filed |
notice of contest with the secretary of |
state. The contest will be heard by the |
new senate
Porter is greatly interested in the af-