The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-10-25

and the convention had adjourned, the
county commissioners of Miami county
two of them Republicans and one
Democrat, and all reputable men-swore
to an itemized statement wherein the
specific items were given, charging
Kelly with having robbed Miami county
of thirteen hundred odd dollars by
system of increasing the amounts of
certain county warrants and by dupli-
eating certain other warrants. Kelly
entered general denial of the crime,
but did not show wherein a single spe-
cifc item in the list was otherwise than
represented. or how it come to show an
amount to his gain. He offered to and
did pay back to the county the amount
alleged that he had previously taken
some 81, ,300-but to most people this
was merely an acknowledgment of guilt.
He accused his accusers of prosecuting
him for political reasons. but he did not
accept the offer of the accusers that If
he would have an impartial committee
of representative men come and ex-
anime the records, and that if said COM
mittee should exonorate him, they, the
accusers, would forfeit 81 900 to charity
And what was more damaging than
all other facts was that the people of
his own county lost faith in him, as
was shown when the question of in
dorsing him came up al the last Re
publican convention of Miami county
where he received but nineteen out of
more than 200 votes.
Inc ItGDuDllCdu state central COM
mittee has taken no hand in the matter
because it had no power to act. The
law provides for no way whereby a can
didate once nominated can be forced off
the ticket against his will. Mr.. Kelly
has been asked to get off the ticket. He
knows he is a load to carry, but he re-
fuses to get out of the way. The mat
ter is up to the people to decide. We do
not consider it a test of party fealty to
always vote a straight ticket When the
ReDuDl1Can party puts a who is
not clean it cannot expect to receive the
votes OF clean men. We believe the Re
publican party is the best, the cleanest,
the puFeSt party that exists or ever eX-
isted But we believe it sometimes
makes mistakes. We believe the nomi-
nation of Mr.. Kelly was one of those
mistakes which it becomes the duty of
every sincere Republican to do his ut
most to rectify. We believe in party or
ganization, and do not believe in
scratching tickets for personal reasons,
but when candidate is clearly shown
to be dishonest to support him is a crime
against good government. Integrity is
demanded in the state treasury above
all things.
We shall have nothing more to say
On this painful subject in this campaign
unless Mr.. Kelly makes some move that
will place himself in better light so
that we can say something good for
him. We have been hoping against hope
that he would be able to prove himself
innocent
Failing in that, we shall not be able
to give him our vote when within the
sacred precincts of the election BOOTH
where every man becomes a sovereign
in his own right, and every sin he COM
mits against good government counts
against himself"
Every candidate knows that the aver
age candidates card is generally thrown
down with scarcely a thought 1t is a
good deal like an advertising doGger.
John Viets, Republican candidate for
reelection as county clerk of Crawford
county, has struck scheme which
leads people to keep his cards. On one
side he prints His picture and the an
nouncement of his candidacy. On the
reverse side he prints the population of
each township and town in Crawford
county according to this years enumer-
alton. It is something that the average
voter will save for reference.
Charles NJ. Sheldon-not the minister,
but the polftician-will again be can
didate for his old position as secretary
of the senate during the coming session
of the legislature. Next to the clerkship
of the lower house it is the best job in
the legislature. Tom Cordry, of the
Hutchinson News. has been laying his
plans to capture the place but Sheldon
says Cordry has promised to keep out
of it If he wants if again