The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-07-05
POLITICAL GOSSIP.

The state wide harmony movement
and the record of the Democratic con-
gress in Washington will cement the
factions in the Republican party in
Kansas, according to A NJ keene of
Bourbon county Keene is one of the
followers, but he wants harmony and
believes that the movement launched
in Kansas will bear much fruit
Last winter when Keene was one of
the minority floor leaders in the
Democratic house. he signed the origf-
nal call for the harmony meeting. He
boosted the cause and believed it was
a good thing. But Keene was not in
any manner a follower of the old
crowd in the Republican party. He was
full of progressive ideas and progress
sive measures that ought to have
place in the state books. Keene be-
lieved that the 1. and r. was a most
excellent thing. He favored the re-
call and long list of other new
things that called for radical changes
in the old system. Keene didn't come
to the harmony meeting, but is strong
in his belief that the movement
launched by Senator James A Trout
man will bear results
II am confident that the harm ony
meeting has already done a great deal
of good in Kansas" said Keene. who
was in Topeka this week There is
now a more noticeable desire on the
to iron out their old troubles than has
been evidenced since the election. 1
think that this condition will continue
to improve and with the record which
the Democratic congress will make,
there should not be much uncertainty
as to the ultimate results. We may
not be able to get back in fighting
shape next year, but the conditions
look right and I think the party will
be reunited.
Keene has been mentioned among
the possible congressional candidates
in the Second district and has also been
placed on the list of men suggested as
harmony candidates for governor in
1914. But the Fort Scott lawyer re-
fused to discuss any of these POSSIBLE
tiles at this time
There will always be enough can
didates,' said Keene. What we need
now is a united party"
The troubles of United States SEN
ator Joseph l. Bristow and the Typo
graphical union have again been men
toned. And that old trouble opens
for discussion the question as to the
things the labor unions may or may
not do in the next campaign.
Some two or three years ago, Bris-
tow's Salina paper cut away from the
unions, it is said, and has since been
recognized as an open" shop. Wages
paid are said to be below those of the
union scale and on several occasions
there have been disputes with the Ia
Dor heads Now it is rumored that an
effort is to be made by the Typogra PHI
ical union to swing the labor organiza-
tions against Bristow. All of which
will add to the ample stock of trouble
which Bristow must take note of in the
next cam paign-
BriStow may lose the support of the
Kansas City Star next year He will
go into the fight for reelection in
three cornered contest and without
either the solid backing of one of the
two predominant parties or the per-
sonal following which always added to
the Stubs strength in Kansas. AS
com pared with the fight which Stubs
made last year, political observers fail
to note wherein Bristow can show SUI
perior or even equal strength.
There is one hope for Bristow That
is trouble in the Democratic ranks If
the pending Democratic contest for
United States senator should continue
to promote factional feeling and strife,
then Bristow might ride back to Wash
ington on a wave o. factionaI dissen-
sion. But if the Democrats can hold
together under the Hodges reign and I
can come out of the 1914 primaries with
reasonable success. they will be hard
to sidetrack in the November election. |
1t is l3 months until the primaries .
But the political bake ovens have been
heated and there will be famine for
the men who crave an active, uncer-
tain campaign There will be at least
four tickets in the field-Repub lican. (
Democrat. Progressive SociaIist-and
added to it all is the fact that the
women will vote. Then there is the
factionaI troubles of the Republicans,
the rows of Democrats and a thousand
little local difficulties in both parties
that add to the sorrows Of the party in
the state In the last few months
there has been dissatisfaction in the
a appointment of postma sters. there has
been trouble regarding state appoint
meuts and most of this brand of grief
has fallen on the shoulders of i
the Democrats And while the
trouble was brewing. the new i
Kansas voters-the women-have sat /
serene and smiling and no one knows /
for whom or how they will vote.
On several occasions central Kansas
Republicans have suggested" DR. J. |
w. Graybiu of Newton as the harmony