The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-06-19
is GAINES A FIT MAN
To Superintend the Instruction OF
the Youth of KansasP
THE ASTOUNDING LANGUAGE USED

THE ASTOUNDING LAhGUAGE USED
BY the POpulfst state superintendent
OF Public Instruction In AN AIterca-
tIon with Editor Barber OF La Cy@ne
Ed T. Barber. editor Of the La Cygne
Journal, publishes in his paper full ac-
count of the attack made on him at the
Republican state convention by Superin-
tendent of Public Instruction H N.
Gaines. 1t appears that Mr.. Barber had
been bitterly criticising Superintendent
Gaines for his part in the purchase of the
$4,000 worth Of fraudulent school bonds.
The report OF the encounter in the La
Cygne Journal is as follows except that
blanks are used instead of the profane
words themselves as in the Journals re-
port:
About half past D. m, June 7, while
attending the Republican state conven-
ton at Topeka, we were standing In the
convention hall when we were accosted
BY man who introduced himself as Mr.
H. n. Gaines, state superintendent OF
public instruction, and the following
dialogue took place-
Gaines-s'I have something l want to
show to you"
He then produced from pocketbook
a clipping from the La Cygne Journal
which l recognized as my comment on
the Hamilton county bond deal. After
handing me the article Gaines said: did
you ever see that before?"
Reply: "You bet l have; L wrote it
myself"
Gaines: at is a -- dirty lie,
from beginning to end, and if catch
you on the street l will whip the -
stufing out of you"
Reply: Il believe the article to be
true. formed the opinion expressed in
it from your own letter, Mr.. Gaines, and
l believe il to be the only logical conclu-
sion by the facts from your own stand
point"
Gaines: swell, it is -
dirty lie, and you are no gentleman. and
l shall punish you the first time l meet
you on the street l am coming down
into your country soon and l will settle
with you then"
Reply: "Mr. Gaines, don't you try to
run a bluff on me, and there are a few
things l want you to understand thor
oughly. / can't be bluffed, l am not
afraid of you, and will not be provoked
by you into doing anything here in this
convention that will bring discredit upon
myself or this convention L desire to
have nothing further to do with you and
prefer you let me alone"
Gaines-"Well, / am going to whip
you, you -- liar, and if you ever
enter my Office will kick you out 1
four editor criticise my actions or call
me fool and knave."
Reply-'tI have said nothing Of you
do not believe to be true, and if I have
misrepresented you or injured YOU, I'M
Justly, am ready to retract and make
amends, but l shall tell what L believe to
be true, and I am not running a paper
especially to please you fellows of the
state house."
Gaines--"Don't you ever put my name
in your paper again or I will whip -
out of you"
Doodle scrapes Mr.. Gaines or your name
will surely get into the La Cygne Jour
nal"
Gaines-"You are -- lying
.-=, and l will defend my honor
at any time or place"
Reply@"I repeat, Mr.. Gaines, that you
cannot provoke me to a breach of
decorum in this convention hall during
the session Of the convention. As to de-
Tending your honor you have no over
whelming task; it is SO very small it
needs but little.'
At this point number of bystanders
interfered and pulled Superintendent
Gaines away.
MI Gaines ~Dr. JekyII."
Editor Barber then calls attention in
his paper to the address of Supt Gaines
before the Southeast Kansas Teachers
association at Emporia last Thanksgiving
in which he said:
''No one who is not christian in the
highest and truest sense of the word,
whose moral character is not above re-
proach nor who is not absolutely pure in
thought deed, speech, and actions should
aspire to a position of teacher, or to a
position on any county or state ticket, es-
pecially that of state or county superin-
tendent of neutrality-suspicious. involving
the character and morality of the chill
dren of our land"
On Saturday, June "a, 1898, the follow
Ing synopsis of an address Of Mr.. Gaines
to the Shawnee County Teachers asso-
citation appeared in Topeka paper "a
person who has not morals above re-
proach Is not lit to be an instructor for
our boys and girfs- There is far more to
be worked for in this world than money
and position Be an inspiration to your
pupils; lift them up, help them to be
better and better as time rolls on"
THAT IRRIGATION PLANK.