The Topeka state journal., 1916-12-01
TOpeka's Mayor Looms Up as a
Candidate for Governor.
Talk Is Widespread and Appar-
emily Spontaneous.
HIS RECORD FOR REGULARITY
Promises to Make Him a Strong
Contender in 1918.
Standpatters Are Inclined to
Give Him His Reward.

In the muddle and uncertainty sur
rounding party leaders for 1918, con-
siderable of a Republican governor
ship boomlet is being pointed in the
direction of Tcpeka's own Mayor j. e
House OF course, House himself VIII
probably have something to say con-
cerning the extent of the boom. But
just now it is coming from a rather
positive and certain direction. 1t took
root and developed among that class
of Republicans who yelled and voted
for Capper as matter of party reg
ularity, but suffered apoplexy when
Kansas gave Capper 10000 and reg
istered $1,000 for Wilson.
OF course. there is a purpose and
motive behind the House boom, just as
there is a motive behind every politi-'
cal boom. For in Kansas the teach
ings Of Capper are not the political
principles of House. When the gov
ernor and his publications wabbled on
the third party matter, House preach
cd a Republicanism that helped the
standpatters to forget .he third party
the editorial columns of Capper'S pa
pers. Now because House stood
straight and fought from the shoulders
he is being listed as one of the Re-
years hence.
Use of the Topeka mayors name in
connection with the governorship is a
matter of considerable political sig
nificance in Kansas just now. The
movement may develop and mean
much. Just now, it carries the posi-
tive assurance that a quite definite
anti-Capper fight is to be waged in
Kansas two years hence. For the en-
trance of House into state politics is
not regarded as an asset to the Cap
per strength in Kansas, even tho
Houses sayings are printed in the
Capper papers alongside editorial and
other more or less pure reading mat
ter.
First Evidence of a Fight.
Coming just at this time the rather
liberal and unrestrained use of
Houses name in certain localities is
regarded as the first evidence of q
fight that may face the governor all
the way thru his second term. In
politics the House boom is regarded
as an evidence that the anti Capper
crowd-Smarting under the loss of the
state to Wilson-may organize to
block some of the Capper program in
the legislature. Assuming also that
the governor will be a senatorial can
didate two years hence, the StrategiStS
can see possibilities in a definite
alignment with Scott in the senatorial
race against Capper, and House in
the governorship fight against a Cap
per favorite.
Two years ago House won the
mayoralty fight against the organized
efforts of the ministerial union and
the open opposition of the governors
own paper. In the campaign of 1912,
House fought IN the trenches with the
Republican league and supported Taft
when Capper and a majority of the
state candidates went to Roosevelt.
Taft polled $4,000 male votes after
many standpatters had voted for Will
son as a safety first precaution, against
a Kansas electoral vote to Roosevelt
In the recent unpleasantness, the Kan
sas Progressivcs were charged with de-
serting the ship in their vote for pres
ident Now House stands out with
clean record for regularity in both
fights and q possible chance to be a
right lively contender in a field that
premises such favorites as Sessions
Brewster Botkin, Morgan, Allen,
Graybill and probably a few others.
Just now House is busy with a sec
ond mayoralty campaign. So also is
Governor Capper busy with the COM
ing session of the legislature. But
when the lists are made up, House will
at least have a real definite starting
point-if he wants to get in the race.