The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-11-13
SPEAKER FIGHT ON
Speakership Contest Promises
To Be Interesting.
May Force Direct State Admin
iStratiOn Issue.
HALF DOZEN ENTER CONTEST
Battle VIII Be Directed Against
w. w. Harvey.
First Gun Has Been Fired by
Fred Trigg.
HALF DOZEN ENTER CONTEST
BY A. L. sHULTZ.

Altho Republicans will be strongly
in control of both branches of the state
legislature, this winter, mere MAORI
ties do not drive away the storm
clouds. Just now a speakership con-
test is brewing which may prove the
opening wedge for the location OF an
all winter trouble district. And the
speakership contest is being developed
in a manner that promises to force
direct state administration issue.
1t seems at this time that w. w:
Harvey of Clark county-brother OIL
Maj. A. NJ. II y or Tope~a--ls 10
draw the fire of administration forces
Harvey has some friends who have
been aligned with the regular FORCES
in the Republican party There is also
a suspicion that he himself supported
Taft in 1912. So the fight will be
made on Harvey under the argument
that Kansas ought to noisily assert her
progressive tendencies and drop Har-
vey at some convenient way station
Half Dozen in Race.
There will seemingly be half
dozen men in the speakershtp fight
all good men and true-and the battle
ought to ue worth watching. The fight
on Harvey started Immediately after
election when Fred Trigg prepared an
editorial for the Kansas City Star ad-
vising Kansas that while harvey was
perhaps a good citizen, he wasn't just
the man to trust in councils Where
ideals of pure government were under
consideration. In consequence Ifle6
called on the legislature to give Har-
vey a good seat on the floor, but to
keep the gavel out of his hands.
The fact that Trigg's editorial came
after a conference with Governor Al
len Is accepted as an ultimatum that
the war is on. Administration FORCES
will probably support Charles H. Mann
81 Nv
most popular members of the house
and made an excellent record.
To Support Charles ii. Mann.
One reason for the support of
Mann is that he comes from the short
grass country and is expected to draw
from forces which ordinarily would be
favorable to Harvey. If Mann fails to
show sufficient strength, support
would then be directed to Tom Harley
of Douglas county. Both Harley and
Mann served their first terms in the
legislature in 1919. Harley was given
for the Industrial court act and the
farm tenantry amendment.
Ben F. Endres of Leavenworth--
member in 1915-17-19-20--is also a
possible contender for the speaker
ship Job. X. M. Geddes of Eldorado
has also threatened to become can
didate. Geddes served in the 1917
1920 sessions. Arthur J. Stanley of
Wyandotte has been mentioned. Fut
Stanley is new and hardly in line for
the place. J. NJ. Gilman of Leaven-
worth is a probable contender-partic-
ularly in view of a threatened caucus
deadlock.
1t Promises Trouble.
Just at this time, tho, the fight on
Harvey is the most prom sing bit of
trouble on the horizon. 1t threatens
to involve administration measures in
the house this winter whether the
speakership fight by the governor 8
forces results in a win, lose or draw.
Two years ago much of Governor
Aliens trouble resulted from efforts
of his friends to control legislative or
gan.zation and committee assignments.