The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-10-06
POLITICAL GOSSIP
Congressman Curtis Talks About
the Union Pacific.
Says Company Prevented His
Election as Senator.
HIS SPEECH ATPARSONS
Evidently 1t Didn't Please Re-
publicans There.
HIS SPEECH ATPARSONS
Writes Letter scOr-
ing Congressman CaIderhead.

Ing Congressman CaIderhead.
Parsons. Kan. Oct. 6.-"The Union
Pacific railroad defeated me for the
United States senate two years ago..
This statement was made by Con-
gresham Charles Curtis in a speech
to the people of Iabette county, and
has aroused great excitement among
the friends of Senator Long. who is
very strong in this county. The direct
Inference of Curtis statement was that
Long had been elected to the office Of
United States senator through railroad
influence.
Mr.. Curtis said that the reason the
Union Pacific had fought him was be-
cause he had opposed the refunding
bill of the Union Pacific railway. He
brought up the question in the course
of that portion of his speech in which
he defended himself from the charge
that he was the railroad candidate,
for the United States senate.
The Parsons sun, of which Tom
Cordry is editor, contains the following
bitter criticism of Mr.. Curtis speech:
There is no use Disgusting the fact
that the speech of Mr.. Curtis was
disappointment to the majority of his
audience. At no time did he allow the
audience to lose sight Of the fact that
he was a candidate for United states
senator and he nailed his candidacy on
the wall as the chief decoration with
which to adorn his speech Here and
there scattered through his speech We're
brief and feefing references to Repub-
ucau principles, but in no instance was
his audience allowed to forget that I'M
derlying these principles was Charles
Curtis. The record of congress was
used as peg upon which to hang tho
pennant of Charles Curtis and when
he had finished speaking he left feel
ing with his audience of dread and ter
ror as to what would happen to the
country should he go where all good
Indians 60.
The county candidates, who occu-
pied seats on the platform, were for
gotten; the state ticket received a slight
reference only, when he called attention
to the fact that the governor had been
criticised for saying nice things about
Charley Curtis, and. as much as his
egotism would allow, he attempted to
put in operation a small sample of re-
ciprocity. With his eye glued on his
candidacy for the United States senate,
Mr.. Curtis made an appeal for the cleo
ton of Captain Sourbeer to the legIs-
lature, but when he attempted to ad-
minister a similar dose to the candi-
date for the legislature in the southern
district, he had forgotten his name and
did not even give the customary title Of
Joe Doe or Richard Roe
THE speaker referred to his former
candidacy to the United States senate,
charging that the Union Pacific rail-
road was responsible for his defeat and
predicted that it would hit him again
in the coming contest. Entering his
forensic laboratory, the speaker pro-
eeeded to mix up a dose of aqua FORTS,
croton oil and other ingredients and ad-
minister them to William Allen White
and other Republicans who had dared
d. qfe
a half forgotten story which he raked
out of the attic of his memory with
which to sop 1t in. Then followed a de-
tailed account of his trip to the Orient
which had about the same relation to 4
political speech as mansard roof TO q
eowshed."
Mr.. b. L. Taft the Republican post
master of Parsons, Is a warm friend Of
Senator Long. He said
Il do not believe the Republican
state committee, which arranged the
Curtis meeting, knows anything about
the kind Of speeches Curtis IS making
This is a strong Long town; Henry Al
len also has friends here and so has
Win White Mr.. Curtis references to
Allen and White were out of place, /
do not know whether Senator Long
will think it necessary for him to reply
to the statements made in the speech
The meeting was a fiat failure from the
Republican standpoint. It was in
tended as a Republican rally, but Mr..
Curtis proceeded on the theory that he
was running before the voters of this
county for the Senate.
81 can't possibly understand it, -
added Mr.. Taft in conclusion Surely,
the Republican committee has not
heard the kind of speeches Curtis IS
making and think I shall make It my
business to tell them"
Bank Commissioner John Q. Royce
received letter yesterday which
gives up the Fatal Secret of the Demo-
cratic campaign. The letter is from
Edwin z. Wilson, a Missouri Demo-
Graf. who writes to thank Mr.. Royce
for a COPY of the bank commissioners
report and concludes his letter as fol-
lows:
.eWhile thanking you and hoping to
meet you personally some time, we
Missouri Democrats are praying for
the election of Harris, not perhaps be-
cause he is q better man than Hoch,
but because he is Democrat
Hugh Alexander of Belleville. the
Democratic candidate for congress in
the Fifth district against ". a Cal
/ derhead, has written letter OF ac-
ceptanee to the Democratie commit
tee in which he attacks Mr.. Calder
heads record, and promises. on his
part. to stand by President Roose-
welt. The letter follows:
Mr.. CaIderhead has declared re-
peatedly and always that the govern
ment has no more right to fix the max
/ inum and reasonable price for the
/ transportation OF passengers and
freight by the railroads than 1t has to
| fix the prices for cattle or corn. Think
of 1t. Railroads. mere creatures OF
/ law. having such powers as are given
/ them by their creator, having that
vast powers of eminent domain. to
take your property for right of way
against your will and without your
/ consent; railroads. which must. under