The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-10-24

Shawnee county Republican committee
today.
Chairman Larimer refuses to enter in
to details further than to say that AS
sistant Postmaster Rodgers took a sack
of mail supposed to be sent out by the
Populist committee to the Office of Frank
L Brown in the federal building while
that official was absent and in the pres
ence of Mr.. Larimer locked the door Of
the room and then opened the sack and
took the letters out. remar1zing as he did
so;
Il do not know what a postmaster is
for but I do know what an assistant
postmaster is for"
Mr. Larimer says that Rodgers opened
one of the letters and found that the
mail had been sent out by the Republi-
cans instead of Populists.
Chairman Larimer also said that he is
ready to swear to a complaint against
Rodgers.
The announcement that J. r. Burton
is to be brought to Topeka over the pro-
tests of the officers of the local organiz-
alton is responsible for the open rupture
which led TO the sensational statement
by Chairman Larimer.
Chairman Larimer also said:
Il have simply this to say, that Mr.
Burton should wait until he is invited
by the Republican central committee be
fore taking part in the Shawnee county
campaign He is not wanted in the
county. The committee does not want
either Burton or Baker here. There
seems to be disposition on the part Of
Mr.. Rodgers and Mr. Dudley to cause
discord and confusion among the the
Republicans of the county. Neither of
those gentlemen have been working in
conjunction with the Republican county
central committee. A man who has
done what Mr.. Rodgers has done is not
worthy of consideration by the county
committee or anyone when he asks to
be recognized. AIr Rodgers knows what
I refer to involves the opening of the U.
S mail
Rodgers is not a member of the cOun-
ty committee and Dudley has not been
since he was defeated at the last pri-
mary. No one but Dudley and Rodgers
have ever asked me to have Burton
speak in Shawnee county. 1t seems to
be a paramount issue in Shawnee cOun-
ty whether Burton shall speak here or
not instead Of the success of the Repuo-
Gcau ticket.
7 am for the ticket from top to bot
tom and 1 can not say that for the Bur
ton supporters or the Burton organs.
The county committee has attempted to
cover the entire county with meetings at
every school house and has been sue
cessful IN doing so at every place ex-
cept one when a prearranged plan of
Rodgers thWarted the committees plans
Congressman Charles Curtis was to
speak at Forbes school house in Memo
ken township. He was regularly assign
ed there two weeks before the meeting
A day before the meeting Rodgers ask
ed that the date be cancelled to allow
Curtis to speak at Denison in Jackson
county. It was explained to Rodgers
that such an arrangement was impossf-
bic as Curtis had been billed for Forbes
school house and that the Populists and
Democrats there were saying that it was
a trick to draw a crowd z=1d that Curtis
would not be there Rodgers was 10
bring Curtis to the meeting. Rodgers
came to the meeting and announced that
Curtis had missed the train Curtis
spoke that night at Denison- That does
not look as If he was working in con-
junction with the county committee
The AIenOken people know about it
Rodgers has attempted to hold meetings
outside the county organization. It is
apparent that the money for these meet
tnga and for John Dudley's outside work