The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-09-03
SEES A GATHERING STORM.
State Journal Correspondent Takes
Gloomy View of Political Situation.

04oomy view OF EoA1t1cal situation.
To the Editor of the State Journal:
The political clouds are already gath
ering thick and black in Kansas All
around the horizon is murky atmos-
phere, surcharged with party corruption
and boodleism. The flashes and peals
of the press here and there is only the
rumbling OF the distant thunder that
heralds the coming storm. With an ear
close to the ground may be heard the
sharp quick commands of the bosses
and machine managers as they wheeI
their forces into line for the pending
struggle. Ammunition is being manu-
featured and stored for use. Each di-
vision is piling up "dirt-works'' and pre-
pairing to Guido the other in charges of
raScality and chicanery. The disclosures
in Missouri are having a good influence.
and men in high places are trembling
that it may start the mills of the gods
to grinding out exposures and sure ret
rihution in other states as we'll There
may be a Daniel come to Judgment or
Joe Folk lurking around somewhere
in the Sunt1ower commonwealth to emu
late the democratic Moses
The fragrant wholesale violation of the
state constitutional prohibitory law, the
reign of organized anarchy, treason ana
diSloyalty, beer and DOODLE cannot go
on in the Republican party forever.
Missouri has reached the crisis, and
Kansas will, when the cohorts of du-
plicity and dishonesty will be sifted by
the people as with the whirIwind of the
Almighty. The whole state is honey
combed with confederated disloyalty anu
treason. The aArions, Turner's, Eagles,
Elks and their fix, are the legitimate
outcroppings of the old Order of the
Mystic Brotherhood" that bobbed up in
the liquor trials at Lawrence under
* nights of the Golden Circle" and
"KuKlux- Klans' over again. They are
bold, defiant, boastful. They boast that
the governor himself is an Elk; that
Jre-Aw
of cities are Turner's.
The legislature that inaugurated the
present railroad liquor administration
ran riot in extravaganza and shady
politics. Tt is the fruits of years of SOW
ing The public is startled the anti
machine press is alarmed; the pulpit is
aroused; the air is charged like very
dynamo. Kansas is a seething volcano
Of pent up energies and deadly forces.
In every Republican camp the call of
the better element is ITO arms Is
our treasury being looted, our officials
suborned, our lawmakers corrupted,
our taxes increased, justice turned into
a roaring farce. and the dignity, honor
and loyalty of Kansas trampled in the
mud, by beer and Doodle? William
Allen White. the redoubtable Carry
Nation and Blanche Boies are the rip
pies on the surface. The splendid law
and order majority for mayor of To-
peka the loud protest from the secular
pointment of his ideal, Dick Hayden,
as probate judge of Shawnee county
and the activity of. the Women and
Home Defenders are unerring ifldicia
that the day of weakening draweth
nigh.
Organized anarchy is infinitely worse
and more dangerous to any community,
state or government than desultory an
archy The Molly Maguires' of Penn
sylvania, Bald Knobbers" of Missouri,
Esn1n nW-Ia INC
were not more thoroughly entrenched
or more to be dreaded than this orga-
nized and organizing liquor mob of
Kansas. 1t requires no prophet. sage or
seer to see serious trouble just ahead
of us This bourbon mobocraey that
has the Republican machine with the
strong grip of the Hons paw and the
state by the throat must be met by bal
| tet.r thai Siakt resdrt Of an outraged
populace NJ. n. BUTLER.