The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-10-25
Says That He is Ready to Prove
His Statements.
He VIII Not Swear to Com
plant Now.
POPULIST COMPLAINTS
Chairman Ridgley Says Com
mittee Mail Was Delayed.
Ordered Plain Envelopes and
Was No More Trouble.

The decisive statement of Chairman
James E. Larimer that Assistant Post
master A X. Rodgers had tampered with
the u. s. mail, created a sensation.
People stood upon the street corners
discussing the charges and the question
uppermost everywhere was whether
they could be proved.
Radical parfsans censured Chairman
Larimer for giving public expression to
the outrage. while people who believe
in honest administration Of public af-
fairs in spite of politics commended
him.
There was a meeting of the Republi-
can Flambeau club last night and Capt.
A. NJ. Fuller made a fiery speech In
which he demanded that Chairman Lar
inner be removed from his position.
He said: I'VE had better devote our
attention to getting "A man at the head
of the county committee who has sense
enough to manage a campaign. and who
will not be a disgrace to- Shawnee coun-
ty and his party"
Secretary 0. X. Swayze said that he
agreed with Capt. Fuller. except that he
believed the matter should be kept quiet
for the sake Of harmony. He said:
I'VE should ignore the fellow entirely.
as he can do no more harm now. and
then go ahead and work Tor the ticket"
The matter was then dropped and no
official action was taken by the club.
Postmaster Guthrie was found ln bis
Office at the postohice. When asked what
action he intended to take concerning
the charges against Assistant Postmas-
ter Rodgers. he said: Il have taken no
official cogntzance Of the charges and do
not intend to do so. I do not believe
there Is any truth IN them"
Mr.. Rodgers said today: Il have not
yet decided what action I will take con-
cerning Mr.. Larimer's charges"
Chairman Larimer said today: Il
stand ready to prove my charges when
ever it is necessary to do so.
L shall not swear to a complaint un-
less requested to do so by the postal
authorities. I have had no conference
with any Of the authorities and have
not been requested to make an official
statement"
TROUBLE WITH POPULIsT MAIL.
The officers at the Populist headquar-
ters have maintained for some time that
their mail has been delayed and Ia some
cases failed to reach it's destination and
the expose Of j. f. Larimer leads them
TO believe that their fears that the mali
has been tampered with were well
founded.
Mr.. Ridgley. chairman OF the Topuiist
state committee, said this morning. Il
1t is an outrage. We have had trouble
with our mail time and again. and have
never been able to locate the blame.
This delaying Of the mail secured 80
frequently that we We're confident a. wnH
done Intentionally. so we began the use
of plain envelopes Since that time we
have been able to get very good service
so far as our letter mail was concerned.
Prior to the time that we began the use
of the plain envelopes we had great
trouble and inconvenience. Letters that
n frI a uf fl1 rfa II
the state would not reach them until
several days after they should have been
delay caused us serious trouble.
"Now that they have begun to fight
among themselves we seem to be learn
ing why our mail was delayed.
I'VE have had number Of complaints
that our circular mail has gone aHtray.
and the colored men have complained
because they have frequently been un.
able to get the mail we send them There
has been something wrong and it now
looks as though we would ind out what
1t is"
COLORED EDITOR COMPLAINS.
To the Editor OF the state Journal:
We read with special interest the ar
ticle in yesterdays State Journal under
the caption BLACK Charges
OF late we have been receiving COM
plants from all parts OF the state from
parties who have failed 10 receive the
ColOred Citizen, which is mailed regular
" to them every week from our office.
IN some instances UaELltH nave NNlNA-
planned that the paper has come TO them
with Republican campaign literature
carefully concealed within it's FOLDS.
having been placed there afterwe placed
the paper in the postofhcc. At Law
renee some Of our subscribers found
within the folds OF the paper a Republ-
can circular headed "The Colored Clt-
zen" When asked for an explanation.
the postal authorities here said that
these circulars were within tho folds ~
the paper when It reached that Office.
Perhaps the above mentioned article
explains this mystery. This thing has
gone so far that IL has been almost uu-
bearable.
=. C. THOMAS
FI4ANfBEAU CLUB TO TAKE PART.
The Republican Flambeau club has
decided TO take part in the dcmunstrQ-
tion attending the Burton meeting I'M
the Auditorium on October 81 The old
Soldiers Mckinley and Roosevelt club
has made the arrangements for Burton
to SPEAK and for the Flambeau club 20
give a fireworks display. The Flambeau
club wishes to secure the Auditorium
for election night receive returns ana
have an entertainment and charge 10
cents adnittance. The Republican
county central committe wishes to use
the Auditorium for the same purpose
without charging an admittance.