The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-16
Interesting Political Tales in
His 80 Years of Activity.
He Was Always in Thick of
Party History in Kansas.
NEVER DESERTED HIS FRIENDS
Went to Last Ditch in Many
Losing Campaigns.
In Every Fight Albaugh Made
Study of Men.

Kansas politicians have this week
recounteG a hundred rich stories of
the late Morton Albaugh, who for
thirty years was an important factor
in the affairs of this state Possessing
an unerring judgment of men and
conditions, an organization ability I'M
surpassed by any KanSan, and the
heart of a lion. Albaugh was in every
big political fight in the state in a
generation. 1t was only natural that
he was associated with the making of
the political history of his day.
Wien the war came, Albaugh went
INTO its activities with all the energy
he had displayed in the old days in
the political game. He organized the
Red Cross work in Shawnee county
and was in the war work day and
night. His last political fight was the
organization of the state for Henry ].
Allen. He wanted Kansas to have a
war governor that would stand flat
footed and square on every issue. That
fight was closer to his heart than any
battle the warrior had waged in a
number of years. He left the final
finish to his friends.
Albaugh never left his friends to
hunt the band wagon. There was no
better evidence of his steadfastness
last ditch in the Bailey gubernatorial
scrap, Kingman, Albaugh's home
county, was among the last to hold
their convention to select delegates to
the state convention. When the day
of the county convention came, AL
baugh knew Bailey was beaten and
that the governor would withdraw
from the race for denomination. But
Albaugh went into his home county
convention and secured a strong dele
cation that was instructed to vote for
Bailey in the famous Wichita 'conyen-
xubi 2 Of
Marion after Bailey had announced
his withdrawal.
There was never u fight in which
Albaugh did not study his men. When
Judge POLLOCK succeeded Judge Hook
as judge of the Kansas federal dis
trict. Albaugh's understanding of
President Roosevelts temperament
doubtless played a most important
part. Albaugh knew Roosevelt played
to the organization and courted en-
dorsements. The late Cy Leland was
managing the Pollock fight in Wash
ington. Albaugh was running the
home organization.
Official Washington was told that
Judge Pollock was unpopular at
home. So Albaugh spent day and
a night on the long distance tele-
phone. He called every man he might
reach and influence. He urged tele-
grams to President Roosevelt He
uTSeQ Ills IIleHOS 10 prevail on CnelT
friends to send kilograms. The next
day the, president was buried under
flood of kilograms from Kansas
Pollock was appointed and N. H.
Loomis, Charles Blood Smith. Justice
Johnston and other men in the race
lost-lost because Albaugh understood
the playing of the right card and
played it.
One man in Kansas politics fooled"
Albaugh. That was Tom Bigger of
Wyandotte county. Bigger was listed
as right by the Albaugh- Mulvane
crowd in the national committeeman
fight of two years ago. After the
Wyandotte delegation to the Ottawa
convention was selected Bigger an
nounced his opposition to Mulvane.
1t was one Of the biggest surprises of
Albaugh's life. And the surprise
nearly caused a lot of trouble in the
selection of the delegation to Chicago
and the election of a national COM
mitteeman.
In 1903 Albaugh fell in the state
house and broke a leg. 1t was during
the legislative session Immediately
| following the defeat of Hoch for state
! printer by the Allen-Clark combina-