The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-06-26
NOT ALL SPONTANEOUS.
The Agitation for a Special
Session
Of Legislature Carried on From
Governors Office.
Populist County Organizations Fail in
With the Idea Cordially and
the Governor May Succeed
in His Determination.

Governor Leedy is quietly manipulate
ing the campaign for a special session
of the legislature. Ostensibly it is be-
ing conducted by the people but behind
the agitation stands the governor who
is directing, with master hand, every
movement in that direction.
The first open Acknowledgement of
the governors position in this matter
so far as the public is concerned, came
from Lyman Naugie, editor of the Wei
IlngtOn Voice who visited Topeka last
night, being on his way home from OF
taWa where he heard Mr.. Bryan speak
yesterday afternoon.
Discussing the special session Mr..
N9uele said: THE people are demand
ing a special session of the legislature
to secure legislation pertaining to ran
roads. We were promised 1t in the last
campaign but like many campaign ign
promises it went glimmering when the
ambitions of the candidates to be elect
ed had been realized.
The idea that a bill of that charac-
ter, should be prepared and submitted
to all the county conventions is a pOpu-
lar one in southern Kansas The pro
position to first prepare maximum
railroad bill and then have it endorsed
and the various candidates and mem
bers of the legislature instructed 10
stand by it is a good one our people
are in favor of it. Action along That
line viii furnish additional instructions
to members of the legislature and it
would be dangerous indeed for them to
go back on US the second time. In fact
it would secure legislation on the rail-
road question.
The idea to prepare and submit this
bill to the people at the various con-
ventiOnS through the state this fall
emanated from the office of Governor
Leedy. That is my understanding
"Wil the special session of the legis-
lature be held before winter"
''Well, cannot answer that question.
OF course if it is held soon the county
conventions will not have an oppOrtun-
ity to pass judgment on the bill. 1 be-
lieve there is no doubt about a special
session being held. It may be in
month or two and perhaps not until
during the winter"
Mr. Naugle says he has heard no
great amount of criticism against As
SOciate Justice Allen because of his de-
cisiOn in the bribery investigation COM
mittee case, but he says the people of
the southern part of the state are dis
appointed because the investiga ton was
stopped He said: I'VE were very
anxious to have the investigation pro-
coed. There are many things under the
surface which we believe should have
been brought out and the only way in
which it could be done was through this
investigation. 1t is my opinion that if
the mebers of our own party, or the
guilty of bribery OF bOOdlinS the proper
thing to do is to bring it before the
people and make an example of the
guilty parties before the whole state.
t'CrOOkedneSS in politics should not be
tolerated The time is coming when
these practices must end and I think
Kansas could not do better than to
contribute towards doing her part of
the work in exposing the rascaIs in
high places.