The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-03-10
NEELEY WANTS
y To COME BACK
Former Congressman Would
Like to Go to st. Louis
As One of the "Big Four"
From Kansas.
ROUTE is FULL or OBSTACLES
Those Who We're Once His
Friends and Supporters
Now Meet His Aspirations With
a Marble Stare.
ROUTE IS FULL or OBSTACLES

George A NeeIey, former congress {
man and Eear-senator, will find many
stones and brambles in his path from
near political Obscurity Neelsy /
wants to 90 to the national convention (
as a delegate-at-large Just now some
Of the men who once boosted most
loudly for Medley and pushed the
former Seventh district congressman
into the senatorial race, are sitting up
nights thinking of the things that VIII 4
cause Medley the greatest trouble IN
the shortest time
When the Medley machine went to
the ditch in the campaign of 1914 no
one seemed 10 stop long enough 70
mark the spot where the driver fell
Political leaders merely mentioned
that it was the natural fate of wild
wide open, spectacular methods and
proceeded to forget all about It. When
NeeIey came to Topeka recently, the
state committee sat on his plans with
out the formality of a hearing and
political leaders indicated they had
forgotten the man who once repre-
scented the Seventh district in congress. |
Now Eeeley is seeking to negotiate
a come back. He has told his friends
that he wants to go the national con-
veEti0u IT St Louis as d member II
the Big Four" All of which has &C
casiouCd riotous slee in certain cir
Giles. Every man and woman who
thought Neeley was about to award
faithful service with a good job, now !
legation before the statute of Imita-
tions interfere. Disappointed post
office candidates seekers of federal
patronage and workers tho were for
gotten by the man with the Walter
Roscoe Stubbs campaign methods
will read returns frcm the Reno coun-
ty Democratic convention with more
than passing concern
Beck VIII Fight Him.
Coon" Beck, former sheriff, once
a
Ct NeeIey and the mar who booesei
most bOisterOusly for the man win
the grizzly bear hand shake. will maze
an open fight On NeeIey endorsements
1t is a long. long way from the friend
ship Beck once Showered on Neeiey TO
the animosity and hatred which now
fills his breast. Yet the things that
have happened to Beck in the last 7vVo
years are the things that make the
hearts of politicians turn to stone.
Now the man who led the hallelujah
choir viii direct the eNecuttpners--
Geek VIII stand righr up n open meet
ing and tell the world just what he
thinks Of Neeley.
IF Medley thinks he is going to the
national convention as delegate. he
wants to look for support in other
counties" declared Beck Reno
county Democrats won't support hin
and we will fight any effort to instruct
for him or to endorse his candidacy.
/ will certainly take hand in the
fight. too.
That is the irony of politics.
Organized NeeIey Boom
Just two years ago, Beck came to
Topeka with the big delegation from
Hutchinson and the Seventh district
Several hundred workers came from
the short grass territory to attend the
annual Democratic banquet and to
convince Medley that he was far. far
too big for "A seat in congress and
ought to go to the United States SEN
ate.
For two days the Seventh district
crowd made Neeley medicine. Neeley
merely sat in a room in the hotel and
permitted himself to become a popu-
lar hero. The afternoon Of the sec
oud day NeeIey consented TO attend a
meeting of his friends In that meet
ing Beck directed the campaign that
raised $1,000 to help pay Neeley's ex-
penses in the senatorial fight.
All the time Beck's eye was on the
Hutchinson postoffiCe. So, also. was
the eye Of sam Graybul. After Nee
ley won the senatorial nomination.
Graybju was appointed. Then Beck
turned with the crowd which did
many things to Medley in the fight
against Charles Curtis. When NeeIey
went down in the Curtis fight. political
leaders declared the former Demo-
cratic leader out for all time But
NeeIey is quite human. He recalls
the old days Of his power and glory.
He wants 10 come back And the well
come from Beck and the crowd which
fought Medley TO the last ditch Will be
in the words Of Neeley's regrets when
he told Beck he couldn't have the
Hutchinson rOzrnffire