The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-07-11
AN EXPLANATION.
Secretary Whisner Tries to Explain
the Kansas City Assessment
on Kansas Towns.

The State Journal a few days ago
published an article giving the Kansas
City scheme for raising funds from
Kansas towns to bring the Twentieth
Kansas regiment home from San Fran
cisco.
The plan was the outgrowth Of the
effort of Kansas City, Mo, to bring the
soldiers to that city and at the same
time to take the people of Kansas to
Missouri to welcome home their own
brave boys.
s. H. Whisner of Kansas City now
writes a letter in which he says the
idea was one of a wholly Kansas spirit
tives.
OF course this being the case Kansas
towns should fall into Kansas City's
scheme, look pleasant, proceed to pay
! the money and let Kansas City enjoy
the honor. Topeka was assessed 1000
and invited to put up to the Kansas
| City committee.
In reply to the State Journals publi-
cation of the Kansas City assessment
| list, Mr.. S. H. Whisner writes an in
| dignant letter in which he says Kansas
! City, Mo, had absolutely nothing to do
with it. The letter is given below
The Atchison Globe in asking the
| very natural question, who is Whis-
! ner?" says: "a man named S. H
| Whisner. Of Kansas CITY. Kan, is in
! forming every town of any size in
| Kansas what it must pay toward
I bringing
| by special train. AtchisOn has been in
| formed that its share is 81, 500 Who in
/ the name of goodness is this Whisner,
| anyway, and what put it into his nod
| Ole that he could assume such author
| jty? The people are very tired of hear
| ing from Whisner, and people like him.
| Atchison's share is not cent
| Mr.. Whisner automatically conceals
| the very important fact that at an al
| legged Joint" meeting of Kansas City,
! Mo, and Kansas City, Kan, Mr.. Whis-
| ner was appointed secretary of the
1 Joint committee of the two kan
| sas Citys to raise a fund for the enter
| tainment of the Twentieth Kansas.
| Following is Mr. Whisner's defense
| of the cheek and nerve of the Kansas
| City, Mo, scheme:
| To the Editor of the State Journal:
In your issue of the 7th inst, 1 notice
| an article in regard to my scheme to
! raise money for the purpose of bringing
| the members of the Twentieth Kansas
/ from San Francisco to their homes in
| Kansas, after their muster out upon
| their return from Manila, attributing
/ the scheme to Kansas City, Missouri
and asserting that Kansas Clty,kanSaS,
4 was being used as a catspaW for the
| city across the line. In answer to your
| assertions, beg leave to say, that
| Kansas City, Missouri, had absolutely
nothing to do with the matter. The plan
| was my own, actuated by patriotism
| and love for the brave men who have
] made the Twentieth famous, and whose
| acts of bravery and daring have elected
the admiration and commendation of
| the world.
In my letter said absolutely nothing
| about bringing the regiment to Kansas
| City to be entertained, and, in fact, such
| was not the intention My idea was
/ purely and simply to raise a sufficient
| amount to defray their expenses from
San Francisco to their homes, giving to
| each man the privilege of getting off
! of the train wherever he desired in or
| der to arrive at his home as quickly
| as possible, and paying his expenses to
| his home. In doing this, we would give
| to the men the advantage of the extra
| travel pay allowed them by the govern
| ment, which would probably be apprec-
| lated by them a great deal more than
! any reception that could be rendered
| them. It it should be desired to enter
! tain them after their return, and they
care to be entertained, let there be a
| reunion of the regiment at some central
| point in the state, where we can all go
| and see them, but if they desire it, let
| them be sent to their respective homes
! first.
I have already received letters from a
number of cities in the state, informing
me OF their willingness to raise the
| amount asked for, and have been guar
| anteed something over $1,000, and am
| receiving letters every day in regard to
| the matter and there is very little doubt
in my mind but that I will be able to
| raise the necessary amount.
It seems strange to me that men of as
| high character and standing as P l.
! see fit to try to discourage any sort of
| a plan that would be of any benefit to
| our boys. I, as Kansan, am proud of
| our soldiers, and no one would be more
| pleased than 1 to see a reception given
| to them that would show them in a fit
| ting manner, our appreciation of their
| valiant services. but I say first of all,
( let US consult the wishes of the bows
| and if they desire to go to their homes
| first, let US send them there and give
! them an opportunity to take a much
needed rest Later on, if they care to be
entertained, let US prepare an entertain
| ment for them and do them honor.
care not whether it be given at To-
| peka, or at any other point which
| would be easily accessible.
| I feel that Kansas should treat her
| soldiers as well as Pennsylvania and
Nebraska are treating theirs. We should
| not take into consideration the amount
| necessary to defray their expenses
| home, but should only consider their
| patriotism, their love for their country,
| their state, their flag, the services they
have rendered, their comfort and their
| welfare, and it seems to me that every
| fair minded loyal Kansan should cheer
| fully lend his aid and contribute his
| mite, thus showing them the apprecia-
| tion they so richly deserve.
1 am not in favor of the people of
| Kansas raising money for the purpose
| of bringing them to Kansas City. Mo.
| to be entertained. If the BOYS care to
be entertained at all, I, for one, say let
| them be entertained on Kansas soil .
they are Kansans, let Kansas do them
| honor
Hoping that you will kindly publish
this letter so that the matter NAV be
! fully understood, remain, very frulv
| yours, s. H. WHISNER
Kansas City, Kansas, July 8, 1899.