The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-06-30
SQUARING
HIMSELF.
s. r. Peters Trying to Over
come the General Censure
Of His Double Dealing With
Governor Morrill,.
ISSUES A STATEMENT
simultaneously at Newton and
Hutchinson Last Night,
Which Does Little to Clean His
Skirts.

Judge sam Peters has at last pro-
ken his sphinx-like silence and has Civ
en- out another statement" The state
ment appeared simultaneously in Hut
Crimson and Newton last night. and is
supposed to be given out for the pur-
pose of placing the Newton gubernatO-
rial aspirant in a better light.
Peters tries to exOnerate himself
from the charges of political treachery
i'm being a candidate himself after
promising Morrill, his support; tries to
square Justice Johnston at the same
time; expresses his surprise at Nor
rill's surprise and disappointment at
learning that he was a candidate, and
gives out the why's and WherefOres in
cident to- his coming into the field for
the Republican nomination for govern
or.
In his statement Peters gives two tel
egrams as follows
ITO $. r. Peters, Lakin, kan. Tt is
of the utmost Importance that you be
announced today as candidate for
governor. Your best friends advise
this. Don't fail to wire at once that
you are a candidate"
"LaAn, kan, June 25. l896.-lf 1T is
thought for the best interests of the
party 1 viii be a candidate"
The first was sent him at La6in and
he says of it:
1T was signed by three influential
Republicans who were representatives
of the element of the party which, UP
to that time. had been divided as to
choice of candidates"
The second is his answer to the men
who wired him from Topeka. and is
what prompted Andy Richards to make
the announcement of his candidacy at
the close of the committee meeting last
Thursday night in the senate chamber
at the state house.
OF course the politicians began to fig
ure Immediately after reading Peters
statement this morning as to who the
three men so prominent could be who
wired Mr. Peters. There is 81 cOncensus
liam
were: Editor BIZ Morgan of the Hut
Crimson News. Editor Andy Richards
Of the Wellington Mail, Mayor Frank
Vincent of Hutchinson.
Morgan has been flirting with Pet
eTs as q SubeEnarOrial candidate for
some time. Richards recently wrote
column editorial cxtolling the virtues
of Peters. and Frank Vincent is
friend of Cy Leland. There is. Of course
little doubt that Boss Leland either in
spired or dictated the telegram, pro-
badly both
The general impression is that Peters
would never have broken the silence
he has SO far maintained. had it not
been for the fact that he thought his
boom was not meeting the hearty APP
proval to which it was entitled and
that he must speak out ana explain his
reasons for coming into the field. In
the following language, Judge Peters,
completes his prOnunciamentO.
THE announcement of my candidacy
could have been no surprise to the gov
ernor. because no man in the state was
better informed of the possibility of
and the apparent necessity for it.
I'm view of these facts and circum-
stances, my support of the governor
after became satisfied his nomination
endangered the success of the state
legislative and congressional tickets,
could not be justified because of per
sonal friendship for him. I believed
and do stin believe that the interest of
the state. and of the party should be all
controlling
''The members of the party had the
right to demand that become a can
didate. and ] had the right and believe
it my duty to comply with this de-
mand i became a candidate only
when convinced that it was for the best
interest of the party. 1t is now for the
party to approve or disapprove of my
action"
A State Journal reporter saw Gov
ernor Morrill, this morning, and he said.
Judge Peters says 4 had no right to
be surprised at his coming out I think
that i did, especially after the very
plain statement he made 50 recently
in my Office
That was all the governor would say