The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-05-10
Boston Assailant of "The Sys-
tenn Here July Z.
Governor HOch Receives a 547
Word Announcement.
HIS MAIDEN SPEECH.
Says He Has Never Appeared in
Public.
Fears That the People VIII Be
Disappointed.

Ihonas +. Lawson, in a SAT word
| telegram from Boston to Governor Hocb
this morning, accepts the invitation
which has been rendered him to deliver
an address at the Ottawa Chautauoua
and agrees to speak on July or 8 as
the people at this end of the line NAV
elect --'A1 iii''S
Governor Hoch has not replied tn the
telegram, as he found by communicate
ing with Ottawa by long distance teie-
| phone that the same message had been
received by the officers of the Chautau-
4 am delighted that Mr.. Lawson is
coming to Kansas" said the governor
this morning. L don't know that I am
expected to respond to his message. l
suppose that will be the duty of the
! people OF Ottawa whose guest he will
be-
From the wordibg of Nj. Lawson's
| telegram 1t seems that he will be able
to prolong his stay in Kansas if it is
deemed advisable. and it is probable
Lhat ne can be persuaded to speak al
Topeka after filling the engagement at
Ottawa
The telegram from Mr. Lawson is de-
cldedIy Lawsonesque. and concludes
with the statement that the celebrated
trust buster" would rather furnish
tree copies of the June issue of Every
body's Magazine to all the people of
Kansas than make a speech. The tele-
gram in full follows:
Text of the Telegram
Il ask your pardon for my seeming
neglect in getting to you a definite
answer to your kind and fattering re-
! quest to address the citizens of Kan
sas in July next. Let me assure you
! that this neglect has been more ap-
parent than real. No citizen of Kan
sas desires to hear me as much as I
| banker to have him listen to the
! things I have to say.
The reason have delayed sending
you word until this time was that 1
might overcome insurmountable OBJ
| stacles, and I have only done so to
this extent: I can leave Boston on
| July and deliver my talk immediate
/ ~ upon my arrival; that is the 7th or
! Sth following. Owing to conditions
over which I have no control, it is i'm
! possible for me to be with your peO-
/ pie on July 4, although I would have
/ preferred that fitting date to say the
| things I will have to say. 1 trust that
! the date mentioned or any one later
4 than the 18th or 8th will be as accept
able to you and your people.
Il can not tell you, my dear. governor,
! under what peculiar and uncontrOlla Die
/ difficulties I labor, but you may have a
! faint idea when I tell you I have not
/ been away from home over night in
! years. In announcing me to your peo-
| pie, viii you not fOrestau their disap-
pointment, for I am no public speaker,
/ and doubtless they expect to hear a
! great orator L have never delivered a
! public address il my life, and nothing
could induce me to place myself in the
/ position / here agree to but my sense
/ Of duty to my country and to a section
/ Of its people who have had the honesty
and desperate courage to throw their
/ fortunes and their lives in the pathway
/ of the most brutally ruthless band of
| brigands that ever plundered or desola-
| ted the homes of free people.
He viii Show the Way.
In my humble way I will when
with you people try to point out a
way to strike off the letters which are
all but permanently riveted to their
and all American necl1s. and on doing
So pray God to give me strength and
/ voice; 1 have the will and courage to
make them hear and understand my
! message.
There will be nothing further I
will ask of you and your people but
some one to show me the way to their
midst after 1 put foot in Kansas lib
erty breeding soil. Until then, and
after, it will be only a question of our
Makers will, though sir, 1 realize my
! deficiencies as an orator. I truly think
I could accomplish more by supply
/ ing your different July meetings with
say 100000 or 100000 of the June
number of Everybody's Magazine,
which contains my chapter showing
/ the great crime of the System This
would do free if thereby I might be
! allowed to continue my work in Bos-
| ton and so secure relief from an I'M
/ dertaking that may prove beyond my
physical powers to do justice to. Be
lieve me.
yours gratefully and most truly,
THOMAS T. LAWSON