The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-04-22
Plans to Open Speechmaking
Tour at Kansas City.
Where He Will Deliver the
Memorial Day Address.
WILL FOLLOW WILSON TRAIL
Land in Chicago on Eve of Ma
tiOnal Convention.
The Trip May Extend as Far
as Denver.

According to announcements today
from Oyster Bay, it is probable that
Colonel Roosevelt will invade the mid
die west in late May and early June.
He has tentatively accepted an invita-
ton to deliver a Memorial day address
in Kansas City May 80. In connection
with his western trip it is possible the
colonel may come to Topeka for
speech. The itinerary will probably
include Denver. Des Moines, Omaha
and other western cities.
In the whirlwind swing of Colonel
Roosevelt through the middle west,
politicians see a ninth inning rally of
the colonel's supporters. 1t is in the
middle west, politicians contend that
the Roosevelt sentiment is less pro-
nounced. None the less his strength
in the Mississippi valley states has
grown rapidly during the last few
weeks. For that reason the coming of
Roosevelt is recognized as the big
spotlight feature of the pre-convention
campaign.
1T is probable that Colonel Roose-
welt will conclude his western trip by
arriving in Chicago the morning of
June the day of the opening of the
Republican and Progressive national
conventions. The conjunction of the
Memorial day speech in Kansas City
and the trip through western states is
expected to fire the mine that will set
the middle west ablaze with Roosevelt
enthusiasm. The effect of this trim is
expected to reach the delegates to the
Chicago convention.
Roosevelt Special.
Plans will doubtless be worked out
for the running of a Roosevelt special
through Missouri, Kansas CoIorad do
Nebraska and Iowa, with a spectacuIar
conclusion when the train arrives in.
Chicago few hours in advance of the
big convention. Politicians regard the
proposed trip as vitally significant.
ADDED Importance is attached to the
trip in view of the fact that it will
cover virtually the same territory as
that travelled by President Wilson in
his western trip of last February. The
plan to trail the president virtually in
sures Iopeka Roosevelt speech and
VIII mean a monster Roosevelt demon
strauon in Kansas but a few davs in
advance of the national convention
considered solely on the political
slde, the Roosevelt advisers frankly
declare their belief that with Ihe fire
that the colonel will be able to p11t
into his message to the people of the
middle west and the Mississippi val
ley. the demand for his nomination
VIII spread to such proportions that
the delegates to the convention will
perforce gather in that heroic mood"
which the colonel himself has said will
be necessary in order to insure his
nomination.
Things Will Move Rapidly.
From now until the meeting of the
convention things will move rapidly
Next Thursday night Colonel Roose-
VeIt will deliver an address on peace
at a banquet in New York, given in
honor of delegates to the forthcoming
Methodist conference at Saratoga.
The next day he will leave for Chi
cago, where he will address on the en-
suing Saturday night the banquet of
the Illinois state bar association on
preparedness. Both of these addresses,
it is understood, will hit out from the
shoulder on the issues uppermost in
the public mind.
Following the Chicago address. as
the coloneIs movements are now plan
ned, he will return to Oyster Bay
This, however, is subject to change
Assuming that the Kansas City invi-
tat1on is accepted, he will leave Oyster
Bay again on May 81 for the west In
Kansas City a monster celebration of
Civil war veterans of both the north
and the south. veterans of the Spanish
war and civic organizations The in
vitation to the colonel is signed bv a
committee of so representative citi-
zens of Missouri. The opportunity
will enable him to cover practically
the same ground as that which Presi-
dent Wilson travelled over on his re-
cent preparedness camDaiQn