The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-10-30
THE CHIEF JUsTICEsH IP.
For Whom Should Popu1ists Vote at the
Coming Election?


Brother Populists of kansas:
Having for the past three years taken
no part in the management of the affairs
of our party, because of the press OF
legal business, have waited TO see what
action our would e-leaders would take
in the matter of the chief justiceship, bat
as they all seem to have taken to the
woods. where their voices can not be
heard, as one of the men who helped TO
form our party, I would like to ask of the
Populists of Kansas what inducement is
there for a Populist to vote for Charles
Holiday for that office?
First-What work has he done for our
party?
Second-Has his long practice at the
bar of our courts especially fitted him
for the duties of the office?
In answering these questions, each one
of Is for himself, ask yourself what has
been his past record of friendship or
emnity TO our party?
When the state convention of the
Democratic party of Kansas in 1892
nominated the same ticket that
we had nominated at Wichita,
Charles Holiday was in control of
the Kansas Daily Democrat, and Col
onel Tomlinsou, who started the petition
on which Charles Holiday was nomins-
ted as Il candidate for chief justice, was
its chief editor. And it was all mat the
state central committee of the Democrat
ic party of Kansas could do to keep the
Daily Democrat in line in support of the
state ticket, headed by W. A. Harris
for congressman-at-larEe while. Colonel
Tominson, the man now so friendly to
Populists, to get their votes for his eau
didates for chief justice, would not sup
port the ticket, but left the Daily Demo
crat and started daily paper to induce
Democrats of Kansas to support the Re-
publican national and state ticket, and l
believe they both participated in that So
called straight out Democratic conven-
ton that met in Topeka and endorsed the
Republican state ticket
What self-respecting Populist Of Kan
sas can vote for the man whose paper so
enormously branded us as a gang of an
archists in 1891.
Do you find any evidence of repent
ance in his letter of acceptance?
Is it in line with the Omaha platform
in anything but the declaration for free
silver?
Why do SO many of our papers now
try to induce you to give him your sup
portf
What is the stock argument of the pa
pers supporting Charles Holiday, but
that David Martin was formerly rail-
road attorney, and was appointed to
office by a Republican governor?
Personally am very friendly to the
man Charles Holiday, but as a candi-
date for the office of chief justice of the
Supreme court of the state OF Kansas, l
cannot give him my support, for the
reason that his practice at the bar has
been so limited that he would know
nothing of the questions of practice that
would come before him for adjudication
ii he should be elected, and his legal
attachments in any line would not fit him
! for The office, while politically | am op-
posed to him. because he has always
been opposed to the reforms our party
has advocated. as we'll as an opponent of
organized labor il every struggle against
! plutocracy, and in all our meetings held
in Topeka. he has never made his pres
ence known until he became a candidate
for chief justice when he con
descended to- act as chairman at
the meeting addressed by Governor
Waite of Colorado, and for this one SER
vice and his friendship for free silver
our Populist papers are urging Populist
voters to give him their support.
David Martin, the other candidate, is
one of the ablest attorneys OF the state,
never a bitter partisan in politics, and as
l was informed by our members in Atch-
i ison the only Republican lawyer of The
/ Atchison b IT who could be seen at our
meetings in that CRY in the campaign of
! 1890, and as Il man above partisanship he
! sought my acquaintance after the meet
! ing addressed by me in hat city whom
was your candidate for chief justice five
years ago and there has been no more
Jealous friend of free silver in sKans IS
| than he always has been
While as q jurist the opinions prepared
by him since his appointment az chief
justice have been models of justice and
equity and his decisions have always
! been free from any faint of bias or par
tisanship, notably the ones settling the
right to the Office of bank commissioner
aud in the habsas corpus case DENYING
right of search to officers without war
rants, protecting every citizen in his
home from arbitrary searchings and ar
rests, from the malice or suspicion of po-
lice officers when there is no criminal
charge against him.
Calmly viewing the two candidates
from every standpoint. one an inexperi-
enced lawyer, lately admitted to the bar,
the other an able jurist of eminent legal
attainments; the one a bitter partisan
opposed to every reform we have advo-
Gated, the other a non partisan, friendly,
inquiring the objects sought to be OBJ
tanned by our party, and admitting that
the Populists OF Kansas had Just grounds
LOT COIN A4dlui, Dolu4E S.duuiug LOT inc
right"as he saw it, and severing all con
nection with corporation practice, be-
cause he would not lend his ability to an
act of persecution. l shall vote for
David Martin for chief justice of the
supreme court of the state Of Kansas, and
in all candor and honesty would recon-
mend every Populist voter of the state OF
Kansas to go to the polls and do like
wise. ". L. RIGHTMIRE.
Topeka, Kansas, October S9.h, 1895.