The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-08-30
OF Commercial In
terests Issue Statement.
How They Secured Nominations
of Railroad Commissioners.
TRY TO ELECT THEM.
Best Interests of the State Re-
quire 1t.
Movement Is Purely a Nom Par
tisan One.

tfsan One.
The Kansas Federation of CONNER
cial interests has issued a statement TO
the voters of the state on railroad leg
islation and the election of a board of
railroad commissioners. The federation
is supporting for railroad commission
ers ]. w. Robson, Republican; w. NJ.
Ferguson, Democrat; F. S. Chase, Pop
ulist.
That the members of the federation
are looking to the commercial interests
of the state in the election of railroad
commissioners and not to the political
phase of the contest is SHOWN by the
fact that the president and secretary
of the federation are Democrats and
members of the committees are prom
inent Republicans. The president is
Senator Harry Mcmillan and the secre-
tary H. L. Resing, both Democrats.
On the executive committee is George
Plumb, of Emporia, Republican candi-
date for representative in Lyon county.
On the committee on state legislation is
J. 7. White, of Ada, a Republican can
didate for the legislature, and J. n.
Dolly of Maple Hill, Republican candi
date for state senator and one of the
for governor.
The appeal of the federation to the
voters of Kansas says in part:
1.-The federation met in convention
prior to the meeting of the Republican
state convention and recommended for
it's consideration the nomination of six
men suitable in their judgment for
the position of railroad commissioners
that any three of said number would
be satisfactory to the shipping interests
as represented by the federation.
The federation also presentedres
tfonS faEOring further amendment of
the interstate commerce law, and also
further state legislation. The conven-
ton in it's wisdom nominated J. w.
Robson of Ell Dorado one of it's
candidates for railroad commissioner
but failed to endorse either of the 9TH
ers which were recommended by the
federation but instead nominated one
of the commissioners who was active
in the effort to defeat the will of the
instead of appeintfve.
1.-The federation held a meeting later
on and endorsed the following gentle
men, any two of whom would be salts
factory, w. M. Ferguson, F. S. Chase,
Lot Rayencraft, Fl. Mcmillan, David
Overrnyer, A. C. Cooper. The fedora
ton then asked of the Democratic con-
vention to only nominate two candi-
Ferguson, Democrat. of Wellington,
and F. S. Chase, Populist, of Hoyt;
therefore the federation succeeded by
working through both parties in getting
as candidates before the people at this
falls election three gentlemen who are
eminentiy qualified for the position and
we believe free from influences detri-
mental to the shipping interests of
Kansas.
Having gone this far in the matter
it is the purpose of the federation to
use it's best efforts in every legitimate
way to elect ]. w. Robson of Ell Dora
Wy NJ of OFT
F. s. Case of Hoyt as members of the
board of railroad commissioners for
Kansas.
TT is further the object of the fedora
ton to support actively only those
nominees of the different parties for the
legislature as are known to be, and
openly express themselves, in favor of
the enactment of railroad law giving
the commissioners more power, and
such other and further measures that
have proven beneficial in Texas, Illf- |
nois Iowa and other states. Therefore
we appeal to the farmers, millers, grain
dealers and other producers or shippers
of Kansas to help further this non-par-
tisan movement to the end that such
legislation be enacted as will be bench |
cial to our interests. And also we ap-
peal to these interests to vote and work
for the election of the three gentlemen
named for the position of railroad COM |
In this effort we discla1m |
any intention of wrong1ng the railroads
remedial legislation as has been found |
by experience to be equitable and just
The first consignment of campaign
literature has been received at the
state headquarters and
of nearly half carload OF
containing the speeches OF
Hon Elihu Root and Col w. j. Bryan
The literature is furnished to the state
committee by the Republican national
1t is not often that the Democrats
furnish campaign literature for the |
but Chairman Cortelyou
seems to think that Bryan and Root
are equally good at composing cam
paign literature
one of the pamphlets is headed
sBryan's Opinion of Judge Parker.
Judge Parker is not fit man to be
nominated by the Democratic party or
any other party" Then follows Bry-
ans Chicago speech of April %. Fur
her the pamphlet shows that Bryan's
opinion of Parker was published in
he Congressional Record. as the open
ng paragraph is as follows:
"TFrom speech of Mr.. Olmstead.
Printed in Daily Congressional Rec
1rd June 20, 1904.] Mr.. Oln1stead:
Quite frequently within the past few
lays gentlemen upon the other side
IF the floor have been sounding the
praises of one Judge Parker, of New
York who, it is said, is to be the
Democratic presidential nominee. So
title is known of him here that one
gentleman upon this floor, most earn
est in his behalf, was unable, in re-
;ponSe to interrOgatOrieS by the gen
leman from Indiana (Mr. Landis), to
rive either the first name or the post
,ffice address of his candidate. His
,hief political manager is ex-senator
David B. Hill, of New York, and un-
Ter his manipulation and control the
'ecent Democratic convention in that
tate indorsed Judge Parker for the
presidency and adopted a platform
which is understood to be to his lik-
ng and upon which he is willing to
tand. The suggestions in that plat