The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-09-04
TICKET IN DANCER
Thousands Will Scratch Kelly's
Name in November.
Managers Fear That Invalid
Ballots Will Result.
KELLY is AN ISSUE.
Party Can Not Ignore 1t Says
w. A. White.
The Phillipsburg News Takes
Down Kelly's Name.

One of the things that bothers the
Republican managers with reference to
the Kelly matter is the danger that
many Republicans, in scratching their
ballots may make such a mistake as
will throw them out altogether.
The new ballot law provides circle
at the head of each ticket, so that by
marking cross within this circle the
entire ticket may be voted straight.
There are thousands of Republicans,
however, who will not vote for Kelly.
The danger is that they will mark the
circle and then go down the ballot,
scratch Keliy's name and make a cross
in the square next to Hefebower's
name
If they do this it will invalidate the
entire ballot The only way to do If
you wish to vote for Hehebower instead
of Kelly, is to keep out Of the circle
entirely and make a cross in the square
after each candidate on the Republican
ticket, the same you have always
done heretofore. When you get down to
state treasurer switch over into the
Democratic column and vote for Hef-
lebower. Then back to the Republican
column and mark the balance of the
ticket. Any other markings will cause
the ballot to be thrown out entirely.
Frisco on the county line between Mi
ami and Johnson counties. A letter
from Will F. Wilkerson, of Spring Hill,
to the State Journal, says:
I'VE have been making poll of this
township and up to this time we have
found $50 Republicans who will not
vote for Kelly, and we have 217 Re
publican votes in the township. There
are more than $50 anu-Kelly Republi-
cans, though, for we have not yet COM
pleted the poll
The Phillipsburg News is another Re-
publican paper which has taken down
Ke1ly's name from its ticket.
The Ottawa Herald. Henry Aliens
paper says: 1T is possible that the
fight on Tom Kelly may be due entirely
to factional disturbances in Miami
county, but it will not do to let the mat
ter rest on this explanation. The de-
fense of Mr.. Kelly by q return attack
on his opponents ~ moi. defense If
the charges against Kelly are true, he
is an embezzler. If the story Kelly tells
is true, there are men in Miami county
now enjoying high confidence in their
party who ought to be in the peniten-
tiary, and Kelly and his friends ought
to lose no time in sending them there.
for the sake of decency and respect of
law; for the protection of other men
who might be placed in Kelly's position
these stories with the other is to give
the public it's choice in deciding who has
lied The public has a right to some-
thing more specific and definite than
this If it is to concede Mr.. Kelly's fit
ness for Office, and the party is entitled
to 1t, if it is to have the responsibility
Of Mr.. Kelly's candidacy"
Garden City Imprint: The demand
on Thomas T. Kelly for an explanation
or refutation of the charges against him
has finally got him to speak out. To our
mind it amounts to only denial on his
part, his word, given with seeming re-
1uctance, against the sworn testimony
of the entire board of county commits
SiOnerS and the evidence of the local
bank. Briefly, it is the smooth talk of
an unScrupulOuS man, man OF culture.
The Imprint was among the first papers
outside of his own county to demand
that Mr.. Kelly show cause why he
should not get off the ticket. There is
absolutely nothing in Mr.. Kel1y'S state
ment that could not have been given
months ago. If the charges against Mr.
Kelly are true, it makes no difference
what was the cause that brought them
to light. We have neither time nor
space this week but later on will give
all the salient points of Mr.. Kelly's ex-
planation. If Thomas T. Kelly believes
the rank and. file of the Republican
party will endorse fraud let him keep
his name on the ticket for state treas
urer If the present encumbent, Frank
Grimes, thinks he is on a safe and sure
foundation let him continue Kelly as
assistant treasurer.
Clyde Republican: The Burton gang
nominated Tom Kelly for state treas
urer. He was at the time of his NOM
inatiOn under cloud. The commission
ers of his home county found him guilty
of forgery. The Republicans Of his home
county have repudiated his candidacy
for state treasurer. Good reliable papers
all over the state are demanding that he
get off the ticket. He does not disprove
the charges, only pleads for mercy. It's
up to the Republican state central COM
mittee to request him to get off the
ticket.
Hoxie Sentinel: The Republican party
has no excuse to offer for the nominal
ton of T. T. Kelly for state treasurer
further than that he is a very popular
fellow, a Shrewd politician, and the
promise he and his friends made the
convention that the charges against him
from Miami county would be cleared up
satisfactorily. The charges grow dark
er each day and nothing is being done.
and it may be left to the people of the
state on election day to retire the gen.
tleman to obscurity. The policy of nom-
mating such men is wrong and it is to
be regretted that Kelly landed, but now
that it has been done there is but one
course open if he absolutely refuses to
be taken off the ticket, and that is for
the honest voters of the state to get to-
gether, regardless of party, and see that
he is defeated.
been criticized for going into the Kelly
matter. The Gazette's position il this:
Kelly is an issue in this campaign. Re
publicans can't ignore this without los
| ing votes for the whole ticket: for in
every county in the state the local Dem
ocratic newspaper il making Kelly ar
issue. Every editor who keeps Kelly's
name I'D must defend it whether the
editor wants to or not The charges
| against Kelly are explicit and direct
| Kelly enters general denial. 1t does
not explain the specific charges Editors
! who keep Ke1ly's came mp must have
material for his ~efense- The leas'