The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-09-21
He HAD No PASS.
Senator Harris Makes a State
ment Today.
Used No Transportation Since
Leaving the Senate.
MAKES NO COMPLAINT.
Satisfied With Way Campaign Is
Managed.
Finds Sentiment Developing
in Favor of His Ticket.

This story which has gained circula-
ton through some newspapers to the
effect that I entered the campaign in
Kansas with my pockets full of passes
and that stopped using them only a t
the solicitation of the Democratic state
central committee, is an utter false
hood said Col w. A. Harris, the Dem
ocratic gubernatorial nominee. who was
at the Throop hotel this morning. Mr..
Harris, stopped over in Topeka en- route
from Burlingame, where he spoke last
night, to Ellsworth. where he is to de-
liver an address tonight.
I have never had any passes in my
possession or used any since left the
United States senate. While l was in
that body / received passes from the
railroads as did the other mem bers.
These passes wAre good in Kansas and
l used them. But I have had no passes
since 1 left the senate. Since that time.
until entered the present campaign, /
nave been engaged in private business
and have not had any passes on the
| railroads. This talk going around that
I have been using a Pullman pass on
my campaign trips is absolutely untrue
The only time that ever had a Pullman
pass was when I was member of the
United States senate. Whether or not
the passes had in my possession at
that time affected my actions in
railroad matters. the people of this state
and the country are able to judge for
themselves by my stand on the railroad
questions, which is pretty generally
known.
LAS to the use of passes in the present
campaign" continued Mr.. Harris, st
is matter of fact that at the meeting
of the present Democratic state central
committee afer the state convention,
took the floor and told the committeA-
men and the candidates that it would be
utterly inconsistent for any of them to
accept and use passes in view of the
platform adopted by the convention and
they agreed with me in this.
My attitude on the pass question
ought to be we'll known. When / was
in the state senate I made every pos
sible effort to get antipass legislation
adopted. There were so many differ
ences of opinion as to the form taht
the measure should take that it finally
failed of passage, but the question be-
4 fore US now is really not what past
attitudes have been in regard to passes.
It is what the present attitudes are.
We Democrats are not using passes in
/ this campaign and are opposed to their
use by public officials and II we get
i into power we will use every effort, in
accordance with the promises of our
platform, to secure antipass legisla-
ton.
LAS to the gentlemen on the other
side, they are all using passes and
/ they want to continue to use them, and
this is the real question at issue now"
Colonel Harris during the course of
talk this morning nailed what he
] termed as another falseh God" which
! has found its way in print and that
was the statement that he was sorely
Vexed at the MANAGEMENT of the cam
paign by the Democratic state central
committee, particularly as he had to
pay his own expenses in the campaign
when he had been told that these ex-
penses would be met by the commit
a forgery
purported telegram which it was stated
he had received from Grant Harring
ton and others, before his nomination
was made in which it was stated that
the campaign would be made without
any expense to him. Il never received
such a telegram from those gentle
men" said Mr.. Harris 1T was a
forgery pure and simple.
ut was my understanding. however,
when l accepted the nomination that
the state committee was to pay my eX-
penses in the campaign. / was not in
a position to give up my business and
nav my own expenses for an extended !
campaign, and the state committee has
been paying all my expenses and will
continue to do So As to the state
ments of my being d1sgruntled over !
the management of the campaign by
the officials of the state committee, |
there is absolutely not a word of truth
in them. There is no Quarreling any
where in the Democratic party in this
state Everybody Is pulling together
and doing the very best they know how
and the prospects for success seem
bright.
the failure of Mr.. Overmyer and my
self" continued Mr. Harris ito keep
certain speaking dates, but as mat
I ter of fact these criticisms have been
made about dates of which we knew
nothing. Those in charge of farmers
| picnics and old settlers reunions have
on some occasions billed US to make
speeches without consulting US, and
/ only recently I have been accused of
/ existence of which I knew absolutely
4 nothing. No engagements which have
been made by Mr. Overmyer or my
self nave been broken but it can
hardly be expected of US to keep en-
gagements of which we know nothing
and which have been made without
consulting US
During this week Mr. Harris spent
two days at the Hutchinson fair and
he spoke last night TO crowd of fully
/ three thousand persons at Burling game.
Asked as to how he found the senti-
ment in the various parts of the state
he has visited, Mr.. Harris replied:
1T is really surprising the way
I sentiment is being developed for the
Dem ticket I have found
/ great many Republicans, interested in
the welfare of the state, who are de-
manding a change in the administra-
ton They are tired of bossism, and
the manipulation OF the bosses and are
also tired of railroad domination.
could name hundreds of Republicans
who have met recently who have ex-
pressed these views. There are many
I more who don't like to talk openly for
fear of being importuned to get back
in line There is great disgust among
| these men over the work Of the Re-
/ publican state convention. and they
are going to see to 1t that there is
! change in the administration of the at
fairs OF the state They are satisfied