The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-05-12
The RAG.
A. w. Smith Still Fills the Air
With Cuss Words
About Cy Leland, But He Won't
Sue for Libel.
MR.. SMITH is TOO OLD
He Says to Bring Libel Suits
for Such Things.
Says He is Neither for Nor
Against Morrill,.

Unless Mr.. Leland enIghtenS tuS
people of Kansas upon the personal
controversy between himself and
Farmer" A. w. Smith within short
time, there viii probably @e mole fun
in Kansas politics than the state has
seen in long time.
Farmer Smith is in Topeka today
and is keeping rather quiet but eVl-
IDENTIFY has something on his mind
which viii bring things to a. showdown
between himself and the DOniphan
boss sooner or later. When a State
Journal reporter met him this morn
ing and asked him if he had anything
more to say relating to the cOntrOVer-
sy, Farmer Smith said:
IF do it will be on the principle of
a certain boy, about whom I once heard
a story, and which is forcibly recalled
to my mind in connection with this
matter.
The boy was caught kicking a dead
dog with a peculiar sort of viciousness.
The father of the boy asked him why
he insisted on kicking the dog after
it was dead. The boy then replied that
this dos was a very mean dog in life.
and that he wanted to teach him that
there was a punishment after death.
How about the application" was
asked.
Il think said the far-famed agri-
culturist from Mcpherson county, that
the application is altogether too patent
to necessitate an explanation.
II reiterate with emphasis" said the
II armer," a few minutes later, that
Mr.. Leland lied and he knows he lied
when he made that statement about a
zeal lmp1catlng me reserve the
right, however, to my own opinion as
to whether Cy Leland would be able
/ to recognize the distinction between
truth and falsehOOd if he should meet
them upon highway
THE entire statement made by Lee
/ land is false, malicious, made with
malice afOrethOught and absolutely,
I unQuahhedly and unreservedly a It's
sue of lies"
Is there any truth in the rumor that
] Leland"
II consider that when remember 1
/ am hfty-twO years of age and have
never been obliged to resort to The
/ strong right arm of law to defend nv
! self always being competent to take
care of number one that I will not seek
/ vindication at this late day through
/ legal proceedings No there viii be no
I libel suit; and the manufactured state
] ment that there viii be was made of
whole cloth and no foundation for it
! Il shall secure my vindicatiOn, If I
/ need any, by and through other chan
/ nels than the courts
| The impression has prevailed since
! Mr.. Smith gave out the interview in the
/ which excited Cy Leland to such
/ pitch that he directed his maledictiOn
] toward the QOuSnly NC RneTSOn1an. that
/ the letter meant to say that he was
| supporting Governor Morrill, in the 6ght
/ for governor this year In accusing Mr..
/ Leland of treachery. the general Opfn-
/ ion has prevailed that Smith was for
/ Morrill, for renOminatIOn. In reference
to this and in reply to questions asked
him. Farmer Smith said:
II regret that such an opinion or i'm
| preston prevailed. certainly did not
mean to convey such an impression.
| and am glad now of the opportunity of
] disa busing the minds of any who re-
I garded my interview in such a light as
an endorsement of Governor Morrill, in
his fight for denomination.
My sole idea was to accuse Cy Le-
/ land of treachery, for if there is any
| thing in politics for which I have an
/ abhOrance, it is political treachery
/ have seen examples of it personally.
and L am qualified to speak of it as
/ did. on the gubernatOrial situation
| am nOn-cOmmittal, and meant to ex-
press myself as being SO. I did not in
/ tend to put myself in the light of oppos-
/ ing Governor MOrrill's denomination.
but far from it. I did not mean to en-
dOrse him nor to aid him in the fight
! repeat it. I am absolutely On-cOmnit-
tai on the gubernatoriaI fight"
In regard to the Higgins story as it
/ appeared in Kansas City paper a
week ago, Mr.. Smith said.
THAT story was practically correct,
| except in perhaps a few minor de-
1 tails Bill Higgins can remember the
matter and his interview at Kansas
/ City was but little, if at all, at variance
with the correctness of the matter"