The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-05-12
A LETTER.
T. E. Stephens Writes One Which
Does Not Help Him Out.

To the Editor of the State Journal:
1 regret the somewhat sensational mead
lines which appeared in your paper sat
urday evening over the report OF my re-
anythinE in that address. aside from my
brief reference to the mayor, with which
you would not heartily agree, and par
ticularly so if you had made the inYeStl-
cations referred to therein. Your language
would probably have been even stronger
Law is the expressed will of the people,
and laws are made not 70 pc broken ana
spected and obeyed. Laws which are con-
tinually broken result, to greater or less
degree, in disorder and anarchy
The vast majority of the American peo-
pie are loyal. patriotic and aW-abidlng
Willful laW-6reakers, but shouio nor theSse
few be dealt with accordingly? Should
they not be made to respect and obey the
In license communities there Is. in al
most every respect, far more laWlessness
than IN no license communltles' . ana II
many instances this lawlessness Is with
the consent, tacit or other wise, or with
many such officials who thus perjure
themselves, Are these officials any less
culpable than the criminals whom they
protect2 Is it treason to condemn an ofIl-
cial who is openly and persistently dere-
lict in the performance of duty? If so.
then every law-abiding citizen In Topeka,
incIuding the State Journal has been
guilty Of treason again and again.
So far as Mayor Parker Is concerned,
have nothing whatever of a personal char
he became mayor was his friend and did
all / could to encourage and support him
friend still, MY "attack' upon him was
not vicious" nor was it in the slightest
sense malicious. I have made it habit
to stand by any public OFFICIAL regardless
of his party affillation. who tries to DO
his duty as an officer Of the law,
And on the other hand, I believe when
an offlelal falfs 70 90 hls Gr 5Ssi, s
dealt with accordingly. but without malice
not only in the case of MaySS Parker,
but in every other case, RMS Is not urea
son. If ii be treason, am Wiling 20 take
the consequences
I do not believe in lawlessness, nor IN
meeting lawlessness with lawlessness. I do
not believe in the horsewhipping of Off
Gals There is a way OF deaing legally
with all law-breakers and any other way
of dealing breeds anarchy. Reforms are to
be wrought through education followed by
right voting, just legislation, and an hon
est execution OF the law ,rpDr5r,D-e
Topeka. May p
This paper prints the above letter
from Mr.. Stephens in order to give his
side and to prevent him from saying
that he has not been permitted to re-
! ply to some statements made in this
paper Saturday
The reader win note that Mr.. Steph-
ems begs the whole question. He would
give the people of Topeka to under
] SlduQ bustl HAdyOA 4 a. HASA - NH9~-77---H7
J fines against the jointists Mr.. Parker
is doing nothing of the kind. Mr.
Stephens should at least give him that
much credit.
If the man who writes the above let
ter did not abuse Mr.. Parker, those who
write for this paper do not understand
the English language. When anybody
calls as nice a man as Albert Parker
as bad a criminal as any confined in
the jails and prisons" and declares
that he should be placed behind tbs
bars with them. we do not know of any
worse abuse that can be heaped upor
him. We should call it abuse, with q
capital A.