The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-08-23
POLITICAL GOSSIP
Another Paper Takes Down T.
T. kelly's Name.
Others Join in Demand That
He Withdraw.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
His Friends Said He Would
Clear Himself.
Washington P0st-Register Edi-
tor Will Vote For HI HefiebOwer.


One of the chief political topics dis
cussed in the Republican weeklies of
Kansas this week is the action of the
Miami county Republicans in repudi-
ating T. T. Kelly. Republican candidate
for state treasurer.
During the week a number of Re-
publican papers have been added to tbs
list of those which have taken Kelly $
name from tie Republican ticket, and
others ts-reaten to do so shortly The
which refuses to longer support Kelly.
After telling of the action of the Miami
county Republican convention last Sat
urday it says:
Since the state convention the New
Leaf has had nothing to say regarding
the charges of embezZlement made
against Tom Kelly. We knew that in
due time the Republicans of Miami
county would find out the truth in ref
erence to the charges made against him
and that their attitude on his candidacy
for state treasurer could be followed by
other Republicans over the state From
the above resolution it can be seen that
they believe him guilty and unworthy
the support of the party which, most
unfortunately, has placed him on the
ticket
Tom Kelly acknowledges his guilt by
refusing to deny it and by paying into
the treasury of Miami county nearly
81, 400, the amount of shortage found in
his accounts while clerk of that county
ress which will cause a blush of shame
to come to the faces of Republicans
who placed Tom Kelly on the state
ticket
1T is plainly the duty of the state
central committee to demand Tom Kelly
to get off the ticket While it may
make no difference to him the New Leaf
refuses to support his candidacy for
state treasurer and this week takes his
name down from the state ticket
The Mail and Breeze, which has here
tofore been standing up for Mr.. Kelly
against him. this week comes forward
and demands that Kelly make his lex
PLANTATION" quickly if he has one to
make. saying that it has been delayed
months too long already and might have
better been made long ago. This in view
of the fact that the Mail and Breeze
has been extremely friendly to Mr.. KEEL
ly, is quite significant Under the head,
Let Us Have the Explanation" it says:
1T has been announced that within a
few days Mr.. Kelly, candidate for state
treasurer, will make a full and salts
factory refutation of the charges made
against him in his own county. We
trust that this promise will be
ought to have been forthcoming
months ago. There is no explanation
that we can think of that can be made
now that could not have been made
than now. Why there has been all this
! wait and silence on the part of Mr.. Kel-
ly and his intimate friends we cannot
understand Republican paper after
paper has been taking down his name.
while no paper in the state has been
putting up any defense Many of them
would have been glad to do SO, but they
were waiting. for an explanation that
would be clear and satisfactory and no
such explanation was furnished. Here
fto find of ard of aecf Hon
ers that Mr.. Kelly is indebted to Miami
county more than 81 300 for moneys
wrongfully drawn out of the treasury
by him while he was county clerk #
that finding is true it is verv serious
matter. Unless the Republican voters
of Kansas are convinced that the find
ings of the commissioners of Miami
county are wrong thousands of them
will refuse to vote for Mr.. Kelly and
make his election to say the least,
doubtful But this is not all: If there is
a candidate on a ticket who is objection
able to any considerable number of yot-
ers of his own party his caIfdidacy nee
essarily weakens the entire ticket 1t
is therefore only fair to the other can
didates on the ticket as well as himself
that this explanation on the part of Mr..
Kelly should be made and made al once.
1t has been entirely too long delayed
alreadv.'
The Alma Enterprise, after publish
| ing the resolutions of the Miami County
Republicans repudiating Kelly, says:
When a mans own party in his own
county gives him such black eye as
| that isn't it enough to cause the voters
| of the state to stop and ponder on the
feasibility of electinG him to such an
| important office?
when our delegates returned from
| the state convention they said that Kelly
was all right and that he would soon
| clear up all the talk about and charges
| against him and would put a lot of fel-
lows in Jail for slander- Instead of do
f, ing so, he has paid the balance of the
1 shortage claimed and has never said a
word in self defense.
I'VE do not know whether Kelly is
| guilty or not, but we do know that he is
! who is innocent, and If he is guilty, he
should get off the ticket
| Here are few more comments made
| by prominent Republican papers in war;
| ious parts of the state along the same
! line:
| Washington Post-Register: 1t seems
| that Thomas T. Kelly. Republican nom-
snag that will certainly defeat him for
| the position. 1t seems that the Repub-
| licaps of Kelly's home county, Miami
| in convention assembled, by almost an
! unanimous vote, have repudiated him
| alleging that he is an embezzler and
should be defeated. We think just as
| do the Republicans of Miami county
Kelly has been found guilty of embez-
| zling over 81, 300 of the county funds OF
Miami county, while county clerk OF
| that county, and it is rumored that the
| amount is a great deal more than this
! sum, and that a further investigation
| of his accounts will be made by the
county commissioners. We do not be-
! lieve that any RepublicaH-in Kansas de-
/ sires that an embezzler of Kelly'e mag
nitude be elected to the Office of state
| treasurer. We know of none such. And
we now warn the Republican voters OF
| Washington county of the character OF