The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-09-25
WATCH, WAIT, WORRY


[Cor-T-ued from Page Ono.l
by the ears, give the electoral vote to
a Democrat and save the Kansas
Democratic delegation in washington;
Beyond that things are predlcated 80
per cent on 'if' and 2 per cent on
Khope" 1t isn't an easy rule of arith-
rnetic that will elect Democratic
state printer in a strong Repupncan
state, even though the state might
have an era of sentiment for a ma
tronaI policy That is the reason
nearly a dozen Democratic posslplll-
ties are trying to decide whether they
really want to run for governor
Even that isn't concession that
ranty deed to the Wilson policies. Far,
far from it. There are quite few
thousand Kansans who are willing 10
make loud speeches and WAGER cash
junction proceedings will not lie
against Democratic optimism.
Capper May Rise Up.
There is yet and still another peg
on which a Democrat may hang MS
hat. There is tire chance that Gov
ernor Capper may take his political
courage in one hand and his job in
another and follow along after Bris-
tow and White and Jackson and
Stubbs and stand right out in the
open and say a lot of things about
Republican presidential candidates
before the meeting adjourns: In
which event, Kansas may see the re-
turn of Haley's comet.
Some such performance as out
lined would be just the proper pro-
cedure to start a real campaign in
Kansas. 1t has been an open secret
in Kansas politics for two months
that if Governor Capper should as
sumo to speak too loudly for some
favorite progressive or against some
favorite conservative that things
would begin to shape themselves for
an era of trouble. Under no conditions
do the old line Republicans plan to
fight Governor Capper In the pr1-
maries. Nor do they propose to fol-
low just the course of the republican
league of 1912. Driven to fight for
their fires and affairs, the stand-pat
organization would pick from their
number a sturdy warrior, grid his
loins and go forth to battle. That was
the method used in the defeat of Gov
ernor Hodges in 1914. The old crowd
in the party wouldn't exactly expect
would expect to cause Governor Cap
per more trouble than a bear in bee
hive.
Democrats Want Trouble
Then there is something else. As
sumo the Republican national con-
vention dominates a candidate too
progressive for Kansas conservatives
gressiyes. Assuming further, suppose
the opposition speaks right out about
it. Puff! Lights out. Kansas would
proceed to enact a little political melo-
drama that would look we'll in a
movie show.
Democrats are looking. Morning,
noon and night they pray for trouble
i'm the other camp. 1t may happen.
1t may not.
Still, there are a few internal af-
fairs to which the Democrats must
in time turn their attention. There
are still sore spots where the Hodges
crowd recently kicked the Neeley-
Thompson brethren and the pilgrims
in the Hodges crusade have stood up
to eat since being kicked by the
friends of aggrieved Billiard. A Dem
ocrat is human. 1t requires just as
much arnica and sweet oil and just as
to heal his wound as though he were
a Republican, a Socialist or a Prohibit
zionist.
Yell for Police.
Thus it is that when a Kansas DEM
ocrat looks at his list of governorship
possibilities that he yells for the po-
lice with the reading of every second
name. The Neeley-Thompson crowd
recall that Hodges put across Hender-
son Martins election as state chair
man over their protest in 1912 and
that Penwell was a member of the
former governors official staff. The
Billiard contingent recall that Wagner
and Gray and Foley have decided
views regarding prohibition. Friends
of Hodges will never believe that Ross
did not betray administration secrets
and that Gray and Mcmillan and Davis
didn't get housemaid's knee or the hee
bee geebies when the Hodges pet bills
were before the senate. Everyone
suspected Murphy of working for the
other fellow during his Craftsmanship
of the state committee in 1914 and
Mayor Green has to date refused to
permit the use of his name as a can
didate.
Fred Robertson, United States dis
trict attorney, might get into the race,
except that separating himself from a
his name printed on the state ticket
does not carry a strong allurement for
the former Atwood man. Robertson
has received several hundred letters
urging him to run.
Hugh P. Farrelly of Chanute is an
other possibility. Even now, there is
in the memory of several Kansas poll
tcians-namely, George A. Medley and
associates-the sarcastic remarks of
Farrelly in the last campaign.
Ed T. Hackney of Wellington, chair
man of the board of administration
has also been mentioned. At last re-
ports, though, Hackney'S blood pres
sure was normal.
Now, with the real fight several
months away, there is much house
cleaning to be done by both parties
before a royal victory can be cefe-
brated.