The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-02-25
THEY BEGIN EARLY
Candidates for County Offices
Are Working Hard Now.
Tax Question Is Main Issue in
Present Campaign.
THE OUTCOME is UNCERTAIN
Hard Surfaced Roads Is Much
Discussed Subject.
Low Prices for Farm Products
Discourage Farmers.
THE OUTCOME is UNCERTAIN

Somewhere along in 1885 several
candidates for the office of commits
sioner from the First district of Shaw
nee county are going to call their
grandsons to the1rsknees and tell them
about the terrible campaign of 1929.
at was a famous victory, my
dears," they will say, but of course
there will be no other explanation.
Z. G. GriswoId, trustee of Rossville
township, says Rossville has not had
a representative on the board of coun-
ty commissioners since the court
house was built-in other words, since
Hector was a woody little pup. So
the citizens of Rossville township are
out with blood in their eyes cam
paigning for Griswo
Begin Early This Year.
In normal years the active cam
paigning in Shawnee county does not
begin until July. Then the candidates
visit remote sections of the county and
deliver speeches on the reduction of
taxes, the advancement of the farmer
and the blessings of education. They
burn up barrels of gasoline and wear
meeting to another. But this year it's
different. 1t is now only the last of
February and the campaigning in the
First district has already been under
way for some time.
John Ostrand, of Menoken town
ship and Eugene Hays, commission
man of North Topeka, are vying with
Griswold for the honor of unseating
Boyd Pollom, present commissioner,
who is asking third term. Every
one of these men is already putting
forth great effort to pave the way
ably never before has campaigning
started on such an extensive scale so
early in the season. And the outcome
is quite problematical.
Much Attention to Taxes.
The tax question being the main
subject in the minds of the common
citizen this year, it naturally will play
a considerable part in county politics.
Not that an unreasonably large part
of the tax dollar is consumed by the
county-but few people stop to con-
slider that. They part with the money
in one big wad-it is gone, and where
it goes the taxpayer cares very little.
So the tax question may be on i'm
portant campaign issue.
The building of hard surfaced
roads is another subject that is very
important to the rufalists Opinion
concerning the new permanent roads
appears to be very much divided
among the farmers. Whereas the
sentiment two years ago was entirely
pears to have swung in the opposite
direction to a considerable extent. The
lower prices of farm products have
discouraged the farmer when it comes
to planking down hard dollars to pay
for hard surfaced roads even where
he owns property in the benefit dis
trict.
Victory for Someone.
Anyway, this battle for the First
district commissioners chair is going
to result in a great victory-for
somebody.
AS for the other county offices, not
a. word is heard regarding them. So
far only a few of the candidates for
second terms have any opposition, and
there appears to be little interest. o.
B. Eddy, retired farmer, and Miss
Nanon Herren, publisher of the Legal
News, are contrasting with Miss Flora
Stratemeyer, now deputy, for the Of
flee of register of deeds. H. L. Rude,
North Topeka market gardener, is OPP
posing L. H. Neiswender, who is seek
ing his fifth term as representative in
the legislature from the Thirty-third
district of Shawnee county. Dave
Wallace, principal of Lyman school, is
running against Josiah Jordan. who
hopes to serve a third term as county
superintendent of schools. But other
wise no opposition has developed for
any of the other candidates for re-
election.
But there is plenty of time and no
one can tell how many aspirants will
be out seeking blood between now
and the day of the primary.