Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1906-04-12

to public office "rAlisOAu
datepn We ask this question 10 ~
seriousness. II has been quite 'ne
thing during the past few months iOr
certain self selected guardians Of the
public welfare to denOminats as
"railroad candidates" oil men asking
Tor public Office who have not O0'n
backed by W. R, stubbS and other
leaders Of the Civic League.
Among others so asssilsd 70 W. :.
Fitzgerald Of Dodge City. Fitzgerald
is announced candidate for tho Rspuo-
lIcan nomination for Lieutenant
governor. He has lived In Kansas
twenty-five years. What he owns
has been acquired 10 Kansas through
hard work 10 legitimate business
He has never been professional
politician or o chronic Office seeker
His extensive mercantile and i've
stock business has taken most Of his
time. He is perhaps the heaviest In
dividusl shipper in Western Kansas
He annually pays $1,000 in freight
charges to the railroads OF the state
HiS interests are identical with those
Of every other individual business
man in the state,
With the exception Of the four years
during which he served as member
Of the lower house Of the Kansas
!, legislature Fitzgerald has paid Dis
a fare at the rate OF three cents mile
wbeueter he has had occasion to ride
3 on q railroad.
How is 1t with Judge Clark the
: reform" candidate for the plac'
Fitzgerald seeksp When he retired
% from the bench after fourteen year
30 OF service he was at once appointed
q 81 ps an attorney for the Missouri P'cih
o railroad company and rode on pasSe
~ until notified that he must resign hi
T.. railroad employment or lose tn
v political support OF the Civic Leagu
IL with whom he had cast his lot
Clark was riding on passes Will
Fitzgerald was paying fare. Clark
a stock shipper on q small scale ou
Fitzgerald pays dollars in frsigf
charges to where Clark pays dimes
In view Of these facts, why ell th
orv Of "railroad candidateP" Fitzgel
NJ aid is not a public enemy simply b.
IL cause he was not discovered 3
all Stubbs. Neither Is he a"railroad cal
20 didate" simply because he did not COL
III suit Mr.. Stubs before he announce
q, en- his candidacy. Perhaps he refraine
re- from counseline with the rsd-haire
re- chairman because stubbS had pr
90 % vlously committed himself to Il
he support Of Clark.
~ So far a. the records Of the tV
! candidates are concerned We can q
. little warranting q charge tn
/. I either 10 not g good man sufficient
. honorable and capable to serve q
, people % lieutenant governor.
! any event Fltzgerald's record iS cle'
). Of faint. There 10 less reason for Sti
'i;SS .matizlug him as . "railroad cant
date" than so stIgmatising Jud
Clark.
= Truly, the ways Of "retorp" O
,reiormsrs" are past all finding OF
ldi- The assaults on Fitzgerald, unfair .
m unwarrauted as they are, impel us
the ask. why can not "reiorm" and Z
inc play work together In securing
each man the square deal" Of VIII
the Civic Leaguers pratsP Is 1t
cause the leaders Of the "refor
.o.s movements have plans for perso
political advancement demand
n siss, that all public Offices be hllsd "
] the men Of their own choosingP
!, :, The every day, plain citizen '
nd Is wants every interest Of Kansas b
IS I e. q up on fair basis is apt to won
,, ar, why the ''rsiormsrs" % are 50 stI
=