The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-10-27
CHARGES SENT ON
POstoffice Situation In Topeka
to Be Investigated.
Letter Finally Reaches Mr.. Bone
Who Forwards It.
AN OLD TIME QUARREL
Larimer- Rodgers theOutgrOwth
of Primary Fight.
Mr.. Rodgers Places Stumbling
AN OLD TIME QUARREL
Mr.. Rodgers Places Stumbling
Blocks In Larimer's Way.

The letter of complaint against the
delay of mail made by z. r. Ridgley,
chairman Of the Populist state commit
tee to I. E. Lambert. United States at
torney for Kansas. has been forwarded
by the assistant. H. J. Bone, to George
A Dice at St Louis. It reached Mr..
Bone yesterday afternoon.
Mr.. Bone asks that an inspector be
detailed to make an investigation upon
the report of which will depend the fu-
ture action of the prosecuting attorney.
If the charges made by ]. E. Lariner
against A K. Rodgers prove true, legal
proceedings VIII follow.
The general impression is that the
quarrel between Mr.. Lari1ner- and Mr.
Rodgers is due to the fact that J. R
Burton Is brought to Topeka to make a
political speech in opposition to the
wishes of the county central committee
As matter of fact, the quarrel is due
to the senatorial fight, but its origin
antedates the scheme to bring Burton
to Topeka. The trouble began in the
local primary fight last spring.
Larimer and Rodgers were to make
speeches at a meeting In Tennesseetown;
the former was supporting A. K. Will
son, the latter was for z. D. McKeeVer.
Larimer was proceeding on the theory
that Rodgers was his friend
LaI1n1er made his speech first, and
with his friends was greatly surprised
when Mr.. Rodgers who followed made
a very bitter personal attack on I4ari-
ner, among other things saying: ''Lari-
Iner is Baker henchman, and is not to
be trusted"
Larimer could not secure the oppor-
tunity to reply at this meeting, but the
two men appeared together in a meet
ing in South Topeka soon afterwards,
where there was a row over the organi-
cation Of the meeting but Iarfrner
finally obtained hearing, and he paid
his respects to Rodgers in a very bitter
speech So honors were even.
Then came the primary. in which
Larimer's friends lost. Mr.. Rodgers
boosted frequently Of his victory, and at
various times made uncomplimentary
remarks concerning Larimer.
The fight was renewed when the time
came to select chairman for the
county central committee. This time
Larirner won, and it was his time to
boast
Although Mr. Larimer was elected
chairman of the committee, Mr.. Rodgers
did not offer to the new chairman that
undivided. support which the head of
the official county organization had rea-
son to expect from prominent Republi-
can.
Mr. Rodgers Identified himself with
John Dudley, and together the two men
have been carrying on, so Larimer says,
a fight against the county chairman
and such Republicans as did not align
themselves with the Burton faction in
Shawnee county.
Mr.. Rodgers had only a few months
Baker, but he turned against Baker
with Curtis, because Baker supported
William ]. Bailey for congress in the
First district
Mr.. Rodgers at once assumed the re-
sponsibility of the anti-Baker fight in
Shawnee county, but the victory was
not SO complete as anticipated. Now,
the two men who were elected, presum-
ably as Burton supporters are on the
fence and claim they are for a new
man, believing that Burton and Baker
should both be defeated.
Following the representative fight and
the abuse which each of these men ut
tered against the other a controversy
arose over Governor Stanley'S meeting
in Topeka. Tt is generally well known
that the governor prefers to speak
alone: that he does not, as a rule, want
to divide the time, a fact which accounts
for the method by which he is billed out
by the state committee Except at the
close of the campaign, the governor viii
accept no assistance, but he has been
going at a great rate since August, and
the fatigue of the long rides, poor ac-
Communications and open-air speeches is
making inroads on the governors
strength.
But this was not the reason why Mr.
Rodgers and Mr. Dudley urged that
Curtis should speak in Topeka with
Stanley They announced that Curtis
that sit would be necessary to have
Curtis to draw a crowd, because the
governor couldn't do it in Topeka"
A conference with the state commit !
tee was held. That committee assured
the local workers that the governor |
would prefer to occupy the entire even |
ing, and after considerable squabbling |
Mr.. Curtis announced that he would be |
unable to be present. The Topeka con- |
gresham understood the governors at |
titude much better than did the man |
ayers of the congressional campaign.
This provoked additional backbiting, |
fAry7affa ting in street encounter 1
which Mr. Larimer and Mr.. Rodgers |
had a lively exchange of words. Imme- |
diately following this came the charges |
for Mr. Rodgers to face, and which he |
has not yet taken steps to defend |
against.