The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-11-19
SHIFTING OF N. P.
New Scenic Effects on the Kan
sas Political Horizon.
Tom McNeaI Seems To Be
FaYOrite of Farmer League.
LAMBERTSON-D DOCKING AFFAIR
Some One Must Do Flowing
While Pee-puI Are Served.
Hand Is Quicker Than the Eye
in Kansas Politics.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. AFFAIR
BY A. L. sHuLTZ.

audience to some removed object that
he lifts a basket Of eggs from the gem
tleman's pistol pocket or pulls a hun
dred feet Of rope from the rather fool
ish looking little boys throat. BY
the same system of sleight of hand and
fast talking a lot of things happen in
politics that look awfully real and
genuine.
For several months the landscape
has been cluttered up with hand
picked and self selected gubernatorial
possibilities. 1t has been a beautiful
picture and almost everyone with
enough influence to drive a gasoline
hack on election day has been able
to receive favorable mention from
some source or quarter. But just
when the admiring and trusting voter
was busy adding up the totals and
listening to the conversation of the
trained performer a whole bunch of
things seem to have happened.
one of the things which seems to
nave been happening most effectively
has been the shifting of this Nonparti-
san league support burden to I'M
friendly shoulders. Remember the old
hair raising melOdrama when the big
town sHcker slipped the stolen watch
into the pocket of rural hick while
the police searched the crowd? 1t
seems to be all worked out again in
the handling of this Nonpartisan
league thing.
Lambertson Too Strong.
About a year ago when w. P Lam
Dertson encouraged the gubernatorial
bee to buzz around his Brown county
farm, a bunch of the powers nor too
far removed from the state house
If at all-decided that this farmer
CHAP was starting too strong from
taw. So the word went around Up and
down the state that Lambertson might
be first class chap at heart, but the
voter should keep his hand on his
pOcketboOk and not display his gold
teeth when Lambertson came to call.
1t was whispered that Lambertson was
picked by the Nonpartisan league for
governor. So for long DAYS and
tedious weeks everywhere Lambertson
went-and he junketed a good deal
for sod busting farmer-the story
went that respectable folks ought to
keep a safe distance and that Lam
pocket.
Maybe it was true. Maybe it wasn't.
Maybe Lambertson would make a first
class. nickel plated, twelve cylinder,
self starting governor. Maybe he
That is neither hither nor Won.
while the league story was soaking
in on Lambertson's reputation and
standing in the community the same
sources of supply were suspected of
causing Senator Docking to believe
that the state needed a tip top. natty
and modern Cincinattus who was will
ing to let someone else pIOw while he
served the Pee-puL This call in tn
night is still percolating thru Senator
Bookings brain and he may take the
cork under. In which event he is
doped to divide a lot of farmer votes
with Lambertson.
Now Comes Tom McNeaI.
The Magician thing was going so
good and the public was enjoying the
show so well that on morning in
@ Har a hill
state. Tom McNeaI let it be known
that he had . lot of new ideas about
liking up broken down system of
state government and was willing to
serve his home state people because
OF sheer love and glory and $1,000 a
year, free rent, lawn moving bills and
use of fairly good contingent fund
McNeal is an appOintee of Governor
Allen. He is also an employee of Sen
ator Capper.
dental. But when the audience looked
carefully at the new trick there was
somehow a faint suspicion that per
maps some of McNeaIs official and
business connections NAV have
Matched up TO the Nonpartisan league
story and aroused Senator Docking
as 10 his need in public service. Yet
me suspicion wasn't great and the
show went merrily on.
Then last week a new and discon
cert1ng bit of gossip filtered into To-
peka. 1t didn't seem to fit into the
general scheme of things at all. Rut
delegates to the farmers convention
seemed to back up the runner and re-
cent editorial columns of the Non
partisan league paper indicate that
there may have been bit of snare
and delusion in placing this league
support responsibility.
New Fighting Issue.
1t seems that by bit of magic the
Ihey were led to scent a new fighting
issue in the state next year. Bur the
same magician played both sides and
Gourted league friendship and support
fof II appears that only a few days
ago McNeal himself had gone 70 81
lina-home and Headquarters Of tbe
Nonpartisan leaguers in Kansas-aDd
mad exhibited his wares to an audience
which by local standards had been
acceptea as possessed of league lean
tngs and tendencies. Thus the eIa-
ments generally suspected of brineino
both McNeal and Docking into tbs
picture, seemingly shifted the scenes
and stirred the natives to Opposition
asai iIl1. an issue which they sought to
capitalize for their own profit.
The last bit of fine acting reeI1,-
wash on the program. 1t seems that
george q Snow, who polled AZ 0oO
votes against Governor Allen last wear
decided to run again. Snow v-ait -
Saiina and sought league support
Inere is report out of SaIina to tbe
erect that Snow was told to step aside
McNeal 81 10
1t is truly a pretty little show. There
are lot or clever tricks on the Dro-
gram and the fellow who doesn't on
JOY state political activities during the
next Few months isn't a true Kansan.
During the last year. the Japanese gov
FEumeuC mas loaned SO 000 0O0 at low