The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-07-19

politicians and newspapers with rail-
road tendencies are making tre-
mendOus howl against the primary cleo
ton and anti-pass law questions. They
are printing columns of stuff about the
selfish purposes and evil designs OF
those Republicans who demand that
candidates for public Office declare
openly and specifically on the impor-
tant issues involved in the campaign
NO one can deny that these ques-
tons are serious enough to the poll
dcians. and no one can be surprised
that these political mechanics are em-
plOying all their skill and using every
maneuVer known to the profession TO
fool the public into believing this is
senatorial fight instead of a movement
which demands that the people by
direct vote, unprejudiced by railroad
passes, or any other corrupt influence,
nominate every public officer in our
state, thus giving every man an equal
chance to secure public Office and caus-
ing him to appeal to the people rather
than to the politicians and corpora
tons for favor 1t is a movement
which also demands that the railroads
Of this state now and forever cease
from charging the rank and file of our
citizens higher passenger rates than
would be necessary if the favored class
OF politicians, their families and
friends were not carried on free passes
Tor political purposes; a movement
winch also demands that the railroads
pc assessed by the same agency and on
the same basis s other property in our
state. But You might as well exoecs
The commanding officer of a battlesnip
70 give up his thiTtC eH-inch guns and
latest improved arms as to ask the pro-
Iesslonal politicians TO give up the use
OF railroad passes. money and the
caucus and convention system.
me men engaged in political work
VINO 90 not enjoy the special favors OF
the corporations have about the same
odds against them in a contest with
pontc1ans who are armed with un-
limited railroad passes, railroad favors
for preferred shippers and railroad
money to distribute throughout the
state as an army of men with pitch
forks would have when pitted against
an equal number of men armed with
rifles.
Does anyone believe the profession
al politicians will yield without a des-
perate struggle the instruments of po-
ntical warfare that have enabled them
with aid of the public service corpora
tons to practically dominate the public
affairs of states and nations furnishing
untold millions of spoils for distribu-
ton among themselves, and at the
same time giving their allies the cor
porations, friendly state officials,
friendly state legislatures. friendly con-
gressmen, friendly senators and
through the influence of the United
States senate a friendly federal judi
ciary.
THE charge that this is a senatorial
fight. or in the interest of any sena-
torial candidate is so ridiculous. so alb
surd and so unwarranted by the facts
that as one Of our big daily news
papers states it, nobody is being fooled
except the politicians themselves.
This is a battle where the path of duty
IS 50 plainly marked out that it is no
particular credit for any man to walk
therein, just as it is not particularly
creditable to a man to support his
the man who opposes the enactment
Of these laws in rigid effectual form
arralgns himself with the special in
terests and stands for special favors
for the few at the expense of the
masses The enactment of these laws
is of so much more importance to the
people of Kansas than the election of
any United States senator that there
should not be any consideration what
ever given the latter question in con-
nection with the former.
Let the Republican party in Kan
sas stand alongside and fully abreast
the party in Iowa, in Wisconsin, in
Minnesota. in South Dakota, in Ne
braska and other progressive Repub-
lican states; let US stand fairly and
squarely for equal rights on the same
basis of every kind and class of prop
erty. for equal opportunity, equal
rights and equal rates for every citi-
zen Of our state"
This statement was adopted by the
organization as its platform. Mr.
Stubbs insisted that this movement
was a purely Republican action for
the good of the party and its candi-
dates.