The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-03-20


tee chairman-warm, earnest, intense
enemy of Senator William H. Thomp-
son-has sent letters to all members
of the state committee. In these let
tiers Lardner strongly urges the DEM
ocrats not to waive their constitutional
rights and to Immediately take ad-
vantage of the biennial privilege of
starting a row.
Lardner's love for Senator Thomp-
son is almost the deep, burning, pas
sionate feeling which Harry Lauder
expressed in telling a Topeka audi
ence his admiration of the kaiser. Of
course Senator Thompson may be re-
nominated. He may even win with
out a fight. But no one will ever
step to the platform and blame Mr..
Lardner. He is doing his bit with all
sincerity and the earnest endeavor of
| a. man who expects to accomplish
| things. He has been working at the
/ job more than a year. Now he has
{ appealed to the state committee to get
| behind some one who can defeat
Thompson in the August primaries.
Want Hodges to Run.
George H. Hodges of Olathe, for
mer governor, has been urged to
make the race against Senator Thomp-
son. Hodges is thinking it over. He
may get in. Four years have erased
| many of the scars and memories of
| the bruises which came when Hodges
] was his party's nominee for a second
term as governor. He came to To-
| peka for the party banquet in Feb
ruary. But the Thompson crowd was
so much stronger than the Lardner
following that there was but faint
| rumble for the sensitive anti-Thomp-
son ears. OF course a political ban
quet crowd is an uncertain barometer
of conditions at home. Sometimes
to Sc support that does not exist
Often a deputy revenue collector be-
comes enthusiastic and learns of sup
porters who really vote in Ohio or
Indiana.
Regardless of the issues and the
| merits in the row-the same old row
of the ms and the outs-there is an
excellent opportunity for someone to
start something. Lardner seems the
| logical man to start it. He is willing.
| He is chairman of the state commit
| tee and in touch with the organiza-
ton. His hatred for Thompson was
registered 1913 above when the wealth
er man was talking about cold waves
and 20 below.
The defeat of Hugh P. Farre1ly in
| 1914 is the source of Lardner's griev-
| ance, the letter states 1t asserts
| that Thompson's zeal to beat Farrelly
| resulted in the nomination of George
A Nceley, the Thompson candidate
That row, the letter states, gave
| Charles Curtis the election and the
| Democrats hold but one senatorship
| instead of a possible two Now the
plan is working which will enable the
| Democrats to dispense with the one
| remaining senator.
AS chairman of the state commit
tee in 1915, Lardner delivered the
state to President Wilson by $4,000
after it had given Governor Capper.
Republican, a plurality of more than
16400O and had elected the entire Re-
publican state ticket Lardner was
! ~,
how, tho, he didn't land. Lardner's
friends blamed Thompson.
| Last year Lardner came into the
open in a fight on the Bourbon sena-
tor He groomed w. F. Benson, for
mer state bank commissioner, for ma
tional committeeman to succeed the
late Col. w. F. Sapp. The Thompson
crowd supported Sam Amidon OF
Wichita. Benson was overwhelming
| ly beaten. Now the Thompson row is
to go to the party primaries the
Lardner plan is adopted-and Kansas
Republicans are praying for Bourbon
| uprisings in five Democrat congress
sional districts.
Lar1ner's Letter.
Every Democrat county chairman
in the state has received a copy of the
Lardner letter. Following is the
state chairman's appeal for fight or
the Thompson rule:
Four years ago Hugh Farrelly of Cha
mute was a canOlOaLe IOT the HOHludt.oA
for United States senator. George Neeley
was congressman at that time from the
Seventh Congressional district | under,
stand Senator Thompson at that time used
his influence to get George Medley in tht
race for United States senator in order tt
defeat Hugh Farrelly. Hugh Farrelly was
defeated for the nomination. and Mr.. NeeleH
was nominated. AT the election that fal
Charles Curtis was elected United States
senator. George Medley should have beer
elected but account of the fight over the
nomination and the feeling that was engen
dered many Democrats did not support MT
Neeley and the consequence was he wa!
| defeated.
! Senator Thompson defeated Mr.. Farrelll
for the nomination six years ago. and II th'
senator had not used his influence to ge
Mr. Neeley in the race for senator foul
| wears ago we would have today two Demo
lcratic United States senators from Kansas
but on account of the actions of Senator
Thompson in using his influence as abov'
set forth and causing the fight at the pri
mary we have but one Democratic senator
| He seems to think now we should have thu
| good of the party at heart and not hav'
any candidate against him at the primary
but the conditions were the same four year
ago and at that time he seemed to think !
was all right to have fight at the pr1
mary =,
1 am writing you this letter so you VII
understand must not listen so much u
, | persons who are holding office. and Wit
believe that instead of being our servants
are our bosses.
To MOVE III MMET TTNTT2