The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-07-15
NO BIG BILLS.
But a Lot of Little PickpOckets
Selling Honor.

The editor of the E.mporia Gazette
who spent several weeks, about the ms
and outs of the last regular session OF
the legislature, has much to say just
now about what he calls a lot of little
piekpockets selling their honor for
anything from a cigar to $780,
Reference is made to aninterview from
Kelley the baking powder agent who
was mixed up in Missouri's affairs aud
Is now In Canada. This interview has
not yet been printed apparently in Kan
sas and its source is not clear. 1t was
stated in a dispatch Tuesday that KEEL
ley was mot talking now"
White said in the Gazette of Tuesday
and previous issue:
If the direct charge of boodling mace
by Kelley the Missouri corruptionist Is
not investigated by the Republicans this
year, and proved false or true, ana II
true the scoundrels punished. the people
will take the matter uD next year a.
the polls. There is nothing so import
ant in politics as cleanliness 1t IS not
only next to godliness, but in politics, II
IL goodness itself. The Populists We're
turned out because they were hlthy III
the conduct of public affairs. the Ike
publieans, if they let the charge Oh cor
ruptfon 20 with a smirk are not worth
Ter than the Populists who covered the
charges up and tried to shield the bood-
lers 1t would not hurt the Republican
party in Kansas n bit to have II proved
that five leaders in each house were cor
rupt, if the Republicans proved II ana
punished the offenders: but you pet
your bottom dollar it would break the
back of the Republican party IN Kan
sas if the Populists or Democrats prov
ed this. Kelley's charges improved make
good medicine for Populists. And 1t Is
aF 1fxr he
party to say so and keep saying so!
kelley. the corrupt agent of the bak-
ing powder trusts, says that he once
bought the Kansas legislature his re-
mark will cause a laugh to spread over
the state. That kind of a sheer should
call for the sternest investigation. Po-
litical bribery and corruption are no
giggling matters. There is talk under
the bushes of little deals and rake OIL
in the last legislature. There is reason
TO believe that money was used there
and that certain leaders, men of both
sides took money There was too much
slot machine talk, too much monkey
business with the committees on feVl-
sion of the calendar in both houses.
IF Governor Bailey or Attorney Gen.
eral Coleman cared to go to the bottom
of the talk that Is circulating in gossip
among politicians in this state there is
purged better than by any other move
in local politics. If for instance the
boss busters were sincere in their de-
sire to clean up the politics in Kansas,
and get new deal all around they
would look at the bills introduced for
Matchmaking purposes in the last legis-
lature and smothered. That will re-
move some of the shining lights of boss
ism and of busterisn from Kansas poll
tics and would form a faction founded
on real honesty and not on windy pro-
testation of holier-
what this state needs so bad it is Just
naturally hurting for it is for some mar
to come along who is not afraid TO raise
hell. Hell is under cover here, il is in
both camps-the Leland camp and the
Burton camp. A governor attorney
general who would start an inquiry into
boodling and shield neither Leland Tor
Burton, nor DumOnt Smith nor Pringle,