The Topeka state journal., 1906-04-30
THAr DISTRESSING STORY.

THAT DISTRESSING STORY.
A frantic. effort has been made to dis
credit the story printed in the State
Journal Saturday about Governor Hoch-
About everything possible TO accom-
plish this end except that of a straight
denial was resorted to. The thing most
frequently on the ends of the tongues
Of the apologists for Governor Hoch
was that it was wrong to publish the
story only few days before the state
convention and that It was obviously
done as part of concerted political
plan to secure his defeat in the conven-
ton.
The State Journal printed the story
when it was able to verify It simply
because it believed that if the story was
true the people had a right to the IN
formation. When the report was frst
whispered the state Journal attempted
to ascertain whether it was true or
false. Not being able to trace 1t 10
more than idle gossip. this paper refus-
ed to believe it, and printed an editor
ial to that effect, framed so that II
would not spread the story to those
who had not heard it, but SO that the
thousands Of those who had heard II
would know that this paper had in
vestigated but disbelieved the story
Had the state Journal known from
positive evidence that the story was
true it would have been published at
that time, but being unable to satisfy
itself of the fact it was willing to
give Governor Hoch the benefit Of the
doubt and an attempt was made to
protect him from it.
After Mrs. Stanley's resignation was
made public the story again became
current and references to it were made
in several Kansas papers and one of
them gave the incident with the
names. Then it was decided to send a
representative of the State Journal to
Wichita and secure a veri1catiOn or a
denial. If it had been found that the
report was false the State Journal
would have resented the circulation of
the rumor. However. it was found
that the contrary was true and that
the rumors not only had foundation
but were in the main correct and that
Governor Hoch did IN fact what he
was accused of doing, forgetting his
position as a gentleman and as the
chief executive of Kansas and insult
ing a lady whose standing was un-
questioned and whose character was
irreproa chabl
No politician great or small had any
thing to do with the publication. It
was not a part of any plan to defeat
Governor Hoch because the publication
Of the article was discussed with no one
outside the State Journal Office.
The story was printed when II was
secured and it was the desire to publish
it before the state convention rather
than after because it could not then be
charged that it was done for the pur-
pose of defeating the Republican ticket.
The delegates to the Republican state
convention have a right to know the
ia cts about Governor Hoch and the peo-
pie of Kansas have a right to know
the facts. While the State Journal
would have preferred to have kept 81
lent. still knowing the truth as it did,
it did not feel that it could do anything
else than publish it. Its duty to the
public required it and its effect upon
the politics of Kansas or upon the poll
ticians was not considered.
The publication Of the story was one
Of those exceedingly distressing and un-
pleasant duties that often come to a
newspaper trying to be conscientious.
It Is easier to publish articles that are
not unkind and do not offend. but a
newspaper cannot always do the things
which are easiest and most pleasant
To do