The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-09-08
rHE OoNtANCHE CoUNTY DEAL.

Journal are QuarrennB over lnc dCtS "a
the school fund commissioners
Newspaper quarrels are proftless- II
doesn't make any difference who begun
it-but it will be to the credit OF liie
man who stops. What's the useE
Certainly the Capital is sincere from
its point of view, as a party paper IN
maintaining that such stories shoolo
not be stirred up just before eiecuoh,
unless those who are responsible TOT
starting the stories believe them true
etc.-Emporia Gazette.
So far as this paper is concerned
there can be no just diversion OF the
Comanche county disgraceful bond
transaction by any effort to make out
the affair as a newspaper quarrel rms
paper long ago decided that its readers
were not interested in personal diner
ences and therefore tries to keep out
of ouarrels, preferring rather to submit
to columns of abuse day after day ana
week after week from few misguided
but prejudiced and Jealous contempor-
aries.
Those of our own readers who nave
seen with any degree of regularity the
issues of some rivals, know that some
of the vilest abuse has been heapeo
upon the State Journal which has been
cited as in every way unworthy of De-
lief or patronage. These same readers
in scores and scores of instances
have never seen line in reply or coun-
ter attack-this paper preferring TO rest
it's reputation for truth and good mo-
tives on time and the fact that false
hood would not in the end reflect upon
anv one but the tale bearer AS long
as this paper is truthful, careful anu
sincere, we know our readers VIII stanu
by it and believe that what 1t prints Is
published with the desire and bellet
that It is true and warranted.
Since the exposure of the Comancne
county transaction the opposition" has
been engaged in a wordy newspaper
and personal attack in this directloh'
rather than any sane or sensible eftorr
to smooth over a bad piece OF poItlcal
pathway deliberately encountered ny
three or more state officers. Dozens OF
articles day by day have appeared IN
the Topeka Capital and one or two otn-
er dailies maligning the state journal
first. attempting to defend shameIul
n1b1ic transaction in office next. In
replv to all these malicious articles this
paper has made simply one statement
e1nlaininE to it's readers why evil ar
ticles might appear. This one article
followed Immediately after the LIBEL
suits were filed. The public and papers
will please understand clearly that we
are after derelict state officials
and not after any newspapers The
state Journal in it's field outdistances
all its rivals, in size of paper, standing
circulation, business and influence
these are plain facts. The State Jour
nal could not maintain this great rec
ord except by honest. straightforward
work and confidence in it's staff of news
and business forces and by the conf
dence of it's patrons for news and ad-
vertisements.
To the public: Don't be blinded. The
Comanche county charges were not
printed by the State Journal reckessly.
Thev were carefully weighed and the
charge fired promptly when everything
was ready
The state Journal has been watching
this Comanche county deal for weeks,
and it was exposed after our investiga-
tion and knowledge of its contamination
IT is not our fault that election is so
near the event The reader knows that
there was so much secrecy about the
transaction, so much of an effort to
keep it away from all the papers and
this paper in particular. so many OBJ
stacles thrown in the way of access to
public records. that it is really surpris-
ing that the paper knows as much
about the transaction as it does.
Notwithstanding that the State
Journal at once upon the filing of the
suit asserted its desire and readi-
ness for an early trial. efforts are daily
made upon the part of those who de-
fend the state officers to make the
public believe that the editor of this
paper does not desire a trial before
election.
The public should understand that
this paper is placing no obstacle in
the way of an early trial, although
the state officers knew they were filing
their case when it was too late to
have il tried before election, except
by extraordinary and probably unlike
~ circumstances.
The public will please bear care
fully in mind that this is not a news
paper controversy, except as the guilty
parties in the prosecution endeavor
through their own actions and the &C
tions of their political and personal
friends to make it one.
In the past the State journal has
been remarkably fortunate in proving
charges of corruption and proving
them to the extent that the guilty par
ties have been obliged to surrender
pOTlOn u lll-SOlltll GAINS " the
municipalities from which they were
taken.
Fortunately this paper is not tied
up to any political party. 1t believes
! that the good of the city and the good
of the state are above the welfare
of any political party and it expects
to continue to publish journal along
these lines-being a newspaper and
not an organ.
Gentle and patient reader. we have
charged:
That the state school fund commits