The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-11-10
SNOW,S POSITION.
A Statement Regarding the State
Printer Case.

a Statement Regarding the State
Printer Case.
To the Editor of the State Journal:
I notice much discussion of the Snow
Hudson printer controversy, and all Of it
running wide of the facts in the case. The
essence of Shows contention is that he is
the state printer; that the supreme court
confirmed his title; that the supreme
court ennphaticalIy declared Hudson was
never elected but that same court in the
face of these facts refuses to protect
Snow in the enOluments and rights of an
Office to which it confirms his title
Under existing laws the legislature has
nothing to do in the matter of who shah
be printer for the balance of this term.
secretary of state one iota of authority
to do such a thing. Neither has the Sec
authority to set himself or themselves up
as a judicial tribunal to try printer con-
tests. That is solely function of the
courts alone.
1t is true. Secretary Edwards has done
this very thing; but he did II Simply pc
cause he knew that Snow could be dealt
with impunity, and that Snow would have
no more protection before Republican
tribunals than would a Jew IN RUSSIA or
an Armenian in Turkey All this talk
about Snow waiting for a POpulist legis-
lature or Populist printing board or a
POpulist secretary, is the veriest moon
shine. Snow is simply waiting FOR
court with sufficient integrity to protect
him in office to which even the pres
ent court affirmS his title. see that
Major Hudson is quoted as saying that
the court denied Shows title. Well the
language of the court ought to be the best
evidence as to what it did say as to
Shows title and HudsOn's title. The
case is set forth in the 56th Kansas SUI
prenae court report. On page $780, Shows
title is summed up as follows:
1T follows from these conclusions that,
in the opinion Of the majority Of the
court. Mr.. Snow was duly elected state
printer in 1891: that as no other person
was elected in 1898 as his successor, he
held over under the provisions of the con-
stitutiOn, and was the state printer de
jure at the time of his resignation on De-
cember u, 1894; that his resignation and
no less title to the office than he had be-
fore. and that he was entitled to hold the
office until successor was duly elected
On page ss1 Hudson's title is summed
UP as follows:
WAS Mr. Hudson elected then in 1852
was not elected because he failed to re-
ceive the votes of a majority of all the
mem ers elected to the senate as required
The view of Mr. Justice Johnston is
that he was elected; that the joint con-
vention was duly held; that he received a
majority of all the votes cast in that joint
convention, and that such vote was sufh-
cient-
THE view of the writer (Justice AIlen)
is that he was not elected because no
joint convention was held, no quorum OF
the senate having attended
Though a majority of the court are of
the opinion that Mr. Snow was elected, a
different majority are of the opinion that
Mr. Hudson was not elected
Therefore, if Hudson was not elected,
land the court says he was nOt, and if
Snow was entitled to hold until a success
sOr is elected land the court says ne IS so
entitled) most certainly the title vests in
Snow. and now all he wants is a court
with ordinary integrity to protect him in
that and its consequent rights, e,-r,,. -,
Topeka, Kan. Nov TO- 1896.