The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-18
If They Will Take Of Coats He
May Run Again.
Flattering Petition Presented
to Mayor This Afternoon.
lHO WILL RUN THIS TOWN?
Question of fBrOwn-Stevic. .Trapp
Control, House Says.
"Bully Boys" Are Now Only
Running in a Circle.


behind candidate for mayor came
in the form today of a mammoth petit
ton with 700 signatures presented to
Mayor J. E. House asking him to be
a candidate for a third term as the
city's executive officer.
The petition signed literally and
without hesitation thruout the down.
town districts of the city was a flat
tering compliment to the satisfaction
that House has given as mayor.
Following the presentation of the
petition Mayor House gave out a state
ment to the effect that he was still
undecided as to what course he would
take but that if his friends cared to
shed their coats and go to the mat
for him he would be tempted to enter
another political fight He brought
out the fact, also, in his statement,
that it was a fight as to whether the
Brown-St organization was
to run the town in the future. He
said this was the big question that the
voters had to settle.
From the sentiment expressed by
the presentation committee after the
mayors answer it was evident that
there will be no lack of activity on
the part of the House supporters in
case he makes a flat-footed announce
ment of his candidacy.
The Mayors Statement.
The mayor IN commenting on the
petition said:
There is on my desk at the mayor S
office a petition signed by more than
700 of my fellow townsmen asking
me to run for mayor for a third term.
This petition. as 1 understand it, was
circulated only on Kansas avenue and
the abutting side streets. No attempt
was made to circulate it generally. 1
have examined it with some interest
and curiosity. I find upon it the
names of many of the best citizens
of this town. From three-fourths to
four-fifths of the business institutions
along Kansas avenue are represented
on it. Professional men of all classes
signed it in about the same proper
ton. 1t is a tremendous compliment
to me and merits the courtesy of a
frank reply. I have chosen to make
this reply in the columns of the news
papers, so that every man, woman and
child in Topeka may know exactly
where 1 stand.
Il am frank to say that l have not,
at any time in the past two years.
seriously entertained the idea of again
running for mayor. Such tentative
plans as 1 had made for the future
were formulated along entirely differ
enI lines II COulQ nave InS mayor
atty without opposition, either at the
primary or the polls, I am not sure
it would be the part of wisdom for me
to take it. At the end of two years,
except that l would be two years old
er, L should find myself in exactly the
same position L am today. So much
of my destiny as remained to me
would still have to be carved out.
But being human. 1 am pleased and
man tho he may be and generally is,
is dead at the end of his first
term and is buried without benefit of
clergy at the end of his second. The
fact that my friends still are able to
detect signs of life in the cadaver is
a tremendous compliment to me and
[ want them to know that 1 appre-
ciate it.
Won't Make a Fight.
Il have made two hard fought and
bitter campaigns for mayor of Topeka.
I wasn't invited in, and 1 wasn't
pushed in. 1 got in. Now, no man
ever had more devoted or loyal friends
than 1 have had in my two cam
paigns. They helped me financially
and in every other possible way. They
took off their coats and went to the
mat for me. They made me mayor.
But, after all, 1 had to take the brunt
b1 Int 1lSlll lie ItSpOIiSlb4A4NS VI
and organizing my cam
paigns was on my shoulders. 1 think
it is proper that it should have been.
But if 1 am facing another such fight,
wild horses could not drag me into it.
I mean exactly that if I again become
a candidate for mayor of Topeka
must have help, financially and other
wise The heavy burden if the cam
paign must be taken off my shoulders.
If my friends feel / am asking too
much-if the conditions 1 would inn
pose are unreasonabIe-we'H drop it
all and say no more about it. I shall
still be profoundly grateful to them
and to the people of Topeka, who have
always treated me with great consid-
Grafton and kindness.
lone thing my friends must under
stand is that there will be fight. I
never lit in z soft spot in my life, nor
looked for one I am the type of
man who makes warm friends and
arouses bitter antagonism. If I had
been Robinson Crusoeing on a desert
island for twenty years and should
announce my candidacy for mayor OF
that island. 2 shipwrecked sailor would
land some time during the night and
would be,in the field gainst me the
next day When 7 say there will he
l fight, mean. in the event I should
become 2 candidate for mayor, that
svery friend I have in this town must
take off his coat and work for me
during the campaign That's the way
campaiens are won. It's the only way
The House Opposition.
And. gentlemen. there is no hurry.
The bully boys who have publicly an
noUnced their intention of redeeming
greed, avarice, dishonesty and in