The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-02-24
Democratic Feast Passed on
a Smoothly.
Not a Hitch to Mar Occasion of
Rejoicing.
ATTENDANCE WAS LARGE,
A Little Talk of Candidates for
1914.
Gov. Hodges Message to Faith
full i'm Hour of Victory.

Providing for contingencies the DEM
ocratic state committee named vice
chairman as well as a chairman, elect
ing w. H. l.. Pepperell to the latter
post, as was predicted in the State
journal. and then selecting the man
who was being urged in opposition,
Thomas w. Morgan, of ottawa, as vice
chairman. Harrison Parkman, tenn
porary secretary, was made secretary
of the state committee was predict
ed
AT the banquet there wasn't ripple
IN mar the smoothness of it all. TO
he sure those who gathered were ex-
infant, and over and over again dur
ing the evening their exultation grew
into hiIarity. But there wasn't a dis
cordant note, and the party leaders be-
ueye it means a united front for the
campaign of 1914 toward which they
are already looking,
There was another boom or two
started at the banquet. 1t was au-
mitted that friends of w. l.. C'Iron
Jaw'') Brown, at present speaker OF
the house, are urging him to get into
the senatorial race two years hence.
II don't know" Brown told several
friends IF / get through with my
present job in good shape L shall Ieei
I have. done pretty well. am not look
ing for anything else just now"
But Browns friends say he may rum
J. W. Schlicher, representative for
several terms, of Hoxie, is being talk
ed of as a candidate for state auditor.
His effective work on the ways ana
means committee of the house has fit
ted him for the post. his friends say.
Democrats from the Sixth district
say there will be nobody for congress
from there except John r. Connolly,
congressman-elect. There will be
riot, they confidently assert, if any
body else even hints he would like to
make race for the Democrat nomina-
ton.
In the Third district it is regarded
likely that Ben Gateskill, of Girard, |
a well known Democrat of the section,
for him was started at the banquet, |
and his friends say he couldn't be
beaten.
In his address before the banquet
club Ex-Governor A NJ. Dockery, of |
Missouri, reviewed the victory of last |
fall, and then urged upon his hearers !
the Importance of making good He
declared that the country is crying fer /
reform but declared that such reforms |
must not be expected in a single con-
gress, or even a single administration.
He said he wanted to see them in OPP
should be pressed too fast.
Governor George H. Hodges talked
a bout the accomplishment of the pres
ent session of the legislature, and de-
clared it has kept more party pledges
than any body in recent years. He re-
viewed several of the reforms that have
been enacted into law, and declared the
present administration will save half
a million dollars to the people of the
state over the appropriation of two
years ago.
Governor Hodges Address.
He said in part:
we stand for the square deal. The
statutes of the past in
Kansas are the results of the COM
bined efforts of the Democrats and
Republicans who considered the well
fare of the people of Kansas. If the
new Progressive party is right now,
the Democratic party has been right
for twenty years. If the Progressives
had the courage the would join the
Democratic party where they belong.
The Democrats thank the Progress
sives for what they have done. They
belong to us and we will welcome
them.
A business basis does not mean
in the matter of appro-
it does not mean the Grip
ping of any institution or department
of the state by the exercise of any
false economy-but it does mean that
the people shall receive a full dollars
worth of service for every dollar of
money they pay in taxes.
] want to congratulate the people of
Kansas upon the splendid work that
the legislature of 1918 has already
done, and on the prospect that they
will add still more glory to their al
ready splendid record. l believe 1 am
justified from information already at
hand in making the statement that the
appropriations this year will be more
than one-half million dollars less than
they were two years ago, and this 1
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