The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-09-09

Concordia last winter. The Journal an
nounced at the time that it would not
support Lulng If he should be nominal
ted, and it is making good its threat. 1t
says: while you are talking about
Kelly don't forget that there is a man
running for insurance commissioner
whose election would be more of a dis
grace to Kansas than would Kelly's.
The Republican party cannot afford to
put a drunkard in the state house. The
party is, now strong in Kansas but it
won't be long unless such ill-smelling
timber is carefully and conseientiously
culled OUT
The Garnett Eagle is one of the lead
ing Republican papers of Mr. Kelly's
congressional district. 1t has had little
to say about him heretofore. but in its
last issued it says: s..The explanation
candidate for state treasurer is far
from satisfactory even to his friends.
The Eagle confesSeS that it has never
been a partisan of Kelly's, and yet this
paper has tried to be fair with him.
When Kelly was nominated We believed
then that a serious mistake had been
made because of the charges which up
to that time had not been answered al
though a statement had been made.
At that time a complete refutation of
the charges was promised by Kelly and
his friends. We have waited for it. We
do not know if Mr.. Ke1ly's last state
ment is a final one or not. If it is 1t
lacks much of being what was promis
ed.
.'Mr. Kelly starts his statement by ap-
pea1ing at once to the factional spirit,
and declaring that he is the victim of
a political faction. Does Mr.. Kelly think
then that political faction can black
en- a mans character, destroy his good
name, and the victim have no redress?
why didn't the character assassins'
go after Geo. Cole last spring when he
ytxxr
didn't they attack James A. Troutman
or w. J. Bailey? Were there not peo-
pie In Kansas who were as anxious to
kill these people off as Tom Kefly's en-
emies were to kill him off? We think
there is a good. deal of rot in this talk
about Kelly being victim, and 1T
don't set we'll with us. This is not an
age when men can be made victims
without redress.
Kelly makes another point which
seems to us to be weak. He says the
books were in the possession. of his
enemies. and some of them are still
missing. Does not Kelly know that 1T
is a crime to alter records and that it
is the easiest crime detected on earth?
Why don't he Rave the men arrested
who had the records and changed them?
'Over against Kelly'S statement about
the books and vouchers being missing.
there is the sworn statement of the
county commissioners that the books
and accounts upon which they find
and that they never have been altered
or changed, but that they are all in
Kelly's handwriting.
The only strong. point we can see in
Kelly's statement is the fact that he
went before the commissioners and put
up $1,000 to cover any shortage they
might find in his accounts. We do not
credit the statement that Kelly invited
an investigation, for we understand that
he did all he could to prevent one. If
Kelly was in good faith when he made
his 81 900 offer it is a strong point in
| his favor. But if Kelly thought he had
two friends on the board who would
cover up the shortage df one were
| found) and make q majority report
whiteSvashfng hira: If Iseaay had any
such thought as this ins Offering his ST.
huge political bluff which would have
| given him a great boom had the two
commissioners found fer him. But they
| di6n'ti
! I'VE insist that Kelly has not treated
! the Republicans of Kansas fairly in this
matter. His course has not been thai
| of q man who wanted the truth dis
! closed. If he had desired it he. could
have been vindicated or not some time
| ago.. Why didn't Kelly sue the Miami
Republican some time ago-as soon as
| the charges were made? Why doesn'i
he do it yet? His statement makes-ol
| attempts to make-a great show that hi
! wants to get the case into court. Tha1
kind Of talk is rot. : If Kelly wanted the
| case in court he could get it there IL
| fifteen minutes. If A. L. Thomas ani
! Editor Greason are the bad men Kelly
| accuses them Of being, it would be ar
easy matter to convict them. If Kelly i;
| a victim he owes it to his friends ant
| to the party to at least attempt to vim
dicate himself through the courts.
'If Kelly will submit his case to thu
| state central committee; if he will sub
nit his case to a committee; if he vii
| submit 1t to any fair committee, the Re
publicans of Kansas will take thef
word for it and abide by their decision
Let committee of Republicans. be ap
pointed and let them go to Paola ant
carefully investigate and let that com
mittee report to the state committee.
against Kelly, let him withdraw. If TO
Kelly, let every Republican newspape
in Kansas whoop it up for him. Some
| thing must be done. Kelly is in a po
sition where he cannot hope to be elect
ed, and the uncertainty is injuring tn,
whole ticket
1.-The position is an unfortunate one
Kelly may be entirely innocent, and
great wrong may be done him. Their
seems to be nobody to blame for ii
however, but Kelly and his advisors. I
he will take prompt, decisive action, h
will win himself thousands of friends