The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-04-14
A oTrEsTTON-AND AN ANSWER.

OTrESTTON-AND AN ANSWER.
But why don't some of the genuine
statesmen and reformers In Kansas
who denounce Stubs as a demagogue
steal some of his thunder and take a
hand themselves In regulating the
corporations? Can Stubs help 1t be-
cause the people like him for taking
the position that the railroads ought
not to be permitted to run the govern
ment of Kansas Or has he any
monopoly on that propaganda?
If Stubbs' critics are sincere IN their
assumption that he is insincere why
don't they take up the agitation, in
earnest for the principles which they
allege he is exploiting for selfish rea-
I sons kansas City Star.
! There is so much adverse criticism
/ of Mr.. Stubs in the Kansas papers
these days that the state journal had
about determined, in its tender COM
passion, to refrain from pointing out
further any little eccentricities and In
consistencies that may be apparent in
his political claims; but since the Star
has asked this question the State
Journal will attempt to enlighten the
able journal from Missouri-with the
understanding that any reference to
Mr.. Stubs is not made in a critical
mood. but simply incidental to the
Stars query.
The Star asks its question because of
its mistaken theory which this paper
alluded to few days ago. The trouble
is that the esteemed Star has not been
keeping up on Kansas history. If it
had it would understand why its CUES
tons sound so peculiar and provoke SO
many smiles in Kansas.
If the Star had kept up on Kansas
history it would know that a gentle
man named J. T. Pringle@who. by
the way, was much maligned bv Mr..
Stubs two years ago-tried to get a
law through the last legislature
abolishing railroad passes and re-
ducing passenger fare to two cents a
mile. The Star would also know that
when the bill was about TO pass the
house, Mr.. Stubbs stepped in and. bv
his 'fuence as speaker of the house
aiding in effectually chloroformfng
/ the measure.
/ The State Journal believed it to be
in the interest of the people to continue
the anti-pass agitation. and it did so,
/ but was hooted at by numerous other
papers and politicians over the state.
4 The people, however, were for it, and
this was SO impressed on Mr.. Stubs in
/ the course of time tht he went down
I
advocating the abolition of the pass.
Being ignorant of these facts the
Star now wonders why Mr.. Pringle
and others do not "steal Mr.. Stubs
thunder
The Star also appears ignorant of
how Mr.. Stubs manipulated the last
Republican state convention so that the
railroads could nominate just the rail-
road board and other state officers that
/ they wished, while the Hutchinson
News. the Salina Journal, the Topeka
State Journal and other newspapers
were backing the shipping interests OF
the state in asking for a railroad board
that would not be dominated by the
| corporations. Later Mr.. Stubs dis
covered that the people are against the
| present state officers who are con-
trolled by. the railroads, and after the
legislature adjourned he became very
earnest in his efforts for railroad regu-
lation.' During recent months railroad
regulation has been a great part oil
Mr.. Stubs thunder" and now the
Star wonders why the State Journal
the Hutchinson News, the Salina Jour-
nal and these other papers do moi
steal" that thunder from Mr.. Stubs
and advocate it themselves
4 Some more of Mr. Stubs thunder
is the election of United States senators
by the people. Attention might be
called to the resolution Senator B. P
Waggener got through the last senate
on that subject. but which met an I'M
timely death in Mr.. Stubbs' house, but
that viii be allowed to pass. although