The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-14
LEWELLING SHOULD GO
Says I. P. Campbell, Leading
Fusion Politician of Wichita,
IF He Is Guilty of ANY Of the
Things
Which He is Accused of by Senators
Young, Titus, Jumper and
Warden Lands.

Tuesdays Wichita Eagle contains the
following interview with Mr.. I. P.
Campbell, a leading fusion lawyer and
politician Of that city. The reporter
asked:
Have you read what Senator Level
ling said concerning you in Sundays
paper?"
Yes, sir, have, and am very much
surprised at Mr. LewelIing for making
such statements. I am surprised that
he would go out of his way to attack
man who has tried hard TO befriend
him at all times I see that Mr.. Lew
cling states that my friends have told
him that I inspired the movement
against him in Harper county. Until
Mr.. LeWelling will publish the name or
8 single friend of mine who has ever
told him any such thing I snail not be-
1ieve that he was ever told it. The facts
about it are these, and are the very OPP
pOSfte of what Mr.. LeWelllng accuses
me of. Among my mail this morning
found a letter from Mr.. Coleman, the
chairman of the board of county COM
anissiCners of Harper county, in which
he said We are circulating a petition
in this county to Governor Leedy ask
ing for the removal of Mr. Lewelling
from the railroad commission, and we
would like TO circulate a like petition
in your county I Immediately replied
TO Mr.. Coleman that I would not do
so, that it would not be in good taste
for me to do anything of the kind, and
pugned If I did. That was the first
1ntimation I had that any such petit
ton was being circulated, and he is the
only person from Harper county Who
ever wrote me or spoke to me about it.
] never have attempted in any way, at
any time, to build myself up by pull
ing other people down. When in To-
pelxa during the last session of the leg
islature L found at the hotels, on the
streets and in the senate chamber
great deal of unkind and unsavory
oh
priSed me very much, and am now
surprised l cannot understand, on
the other hand, how so much can be
said by so many different persons. many
of them holding prominent positions,
about Mr.. dwellings integrity and
honesty, without there being some
foundation for it. On the other hand,
I had never been willing to believe, and
do not yet believe, that Mr.. Lewelling
IS corrupt or that he has been corruptly
influenced from any source So am
very much mystified as to what I do
Just think of Mr.. Lewelling at the pres
ent time. During Mr.. dwellings term
as governor I befriended him on all
occasions, against the numerous accu-
sations that were made against him. 1
continued to do so afterwards. did
not think it good politics to renomtn-
ate Mr.. Lewelling for governor, but
was satisfied that SedgWick county was
in favor of him, and being a citizen of
Sedgwick county I did not oppose his
nomination. But on the other hand,
4 DeleN0Q IndJ q 0el6SdlG AIOI1 00u6-
wick county could represent SedgW1ck
county best by not supporting Mr.. Lew
cling. From that time on Mr.. Level
ling has seemed to think that I was his
enemy"
what do you think of Mr.. Level
1ing's action in the senate on the freight
rate question:
Il do not think Mr. Lewelling repre-
scented his constituency in that regard.
He could not but know that at least 80
per cent of the Populists OF Sedgwick
county We're demanding of the leg1sla-
1ure the passage of a maximum freight
rate law Why he did not support
such a bill remains for him to explain.
The POpuliStS of this county are very
generally dissatisfied with his action in
that particular. You ask me ABOUT
MIR. Leweuing and the railroad commits
sion. Mr., Lewelling never got on the
railroad commission by any support
from Sedgwick county. He stated to
me, and to his intimate friends who re-
ported it to me, that he was not can
didate for railroad commissioner, and
that he would take the position of
railroad commissioner only under one
condition, namely: That it was ten
dered him by the executive council
without his asking for it. A few days
before his appointment a number OF
persons in Wichita who were urging
my appointment, asked me if Mr.. Lew
cling was not a candidate Taking
him at his word, I told them all that he
was not. Nevertheless, had become
satisfied at that time that he was a
very active candidate. Two or three
days before the appointment spent in
Topeka. which was all the time 1 did
spend in connection with the office of
railroad commissioner. During that
time personally knew that Mr.. Lew
cling was not only a candidate for the
place, but that he made a very earnest |
and humiliating scramble for it, and |
admitted to me a day before the ap-
Y5ointment that he was going to get it |
If he could. If he had appealed to the |
PODuliSfg of Sed9Wlck county for In 1
dorsement for the place of railroad |
commissioner he could not have got /
ten 10 per cent of them. He knew this, |
and therefore pursued a different |
course. The POpulists of Sedgwick |
county, having elected him to the Of |
flee of state senator, expected him to !
I'LL that Office, and fill it faithfully and |
TO the best of his ability. and did not |
expect him to use it merely as a step |
ping stone to get another and better |
Office And had he gone before the |
people of Sedgwick county and asked |
their Endorsement for railroad commits |
sia he m 10