The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-10-08
STiRS up THINGS.
Congressman Curtis Statement Creates
a Sensation.

q 0C4AGs-bAOAe
Congressman Charles Curtis return
ed to Topeka Saturday night. to find
that his remark about the senatorial
fight, made in his Parsons speech, had
stirred up a hornets nest.
Curtis charged that the Union Pa
cif1c railroad defeated him for the Of
fee OF United States senator in 1908,
intimating thereby that the railroad
influence was what elected Long.
Mr.. Curtis is not doing any more
talking, though he admits that the
statement was made by him that the
Union Pacific had beaten him for the
senate when he and Long and Stanley
were the candidates
It have nothing further to say" was
Curtis reply to requests for further
statements. II mentioned Senator
Long only in the most complimentary
terms in my Parsons speech. In con-
nection with my statement about the
Union Pacific in the senatorial fight, 7
did not mention Senator Long
Mr. Curtis was at Horton Saturday
and is quoted in an interview from
that town as follows:
''No one will deny that the Union
Pacific took an active part and was
instrum entail in my defeat for the
United States senate four years ago.
and, so far as [ am personally con
cerned, do not know what mart If
H
Certain newspapers in Kansas have
been charging me with being the rail-
road candidate for the United States
senate, when they should know from
my record that I am not ] am run
ming for the senate on my record. and
want the newspa pers and the people
to know that wherever I make a.
speech 7 propose to refer to my record
on this and other matters affecting the
state Of Kansas"
10
four years ago, isn't it the converse
that it elected Senator Long?" was
asked
Il have no fight on Senator Long
was the answer. II don't care to dis
euss the matter any further just now.
l would rather wait and hear what the
republican speakers and papers have
to say
A dispatch from Independence. where
senator Long made speech Saturday,
says: United States Senator Long ar
rived here from Ottawa this evening
The senator was asked If he had any
statement to make regarding the asser-
ton Of Representative Charles Curtis in
his Parsons speech that he. Curtis had
been defeated for United States senator
by the Union Pacific railroad at the
time Long was elected four years ago.
Mr. Longs reply was: None. what
N. H. LOOMS, the Union Pacific at
torney for Kansas, and political man
ager for that road IN this state, Is in
Washington with the Kansas attorneys
in the Colorado-Kansas lawsuit Mr.
LOOMS was asked for q statement
about Curtis charge that his road beat
Curtis for the senatorship. He said:
! Anything I might say with reference to
the senatorial situation in Kansas at
| this time probably would be mfscon-
strued. Therefore shall say nothing
at all in reply to Mr.. Curtis"
William Allen White, in the Emporia
Gazette discusses the sensation under
the head Curtis and the Railroads
and says:
In his speech at Parsons yesterday
I Charles Curtis says: The Union Pa
, cific defeated me for the senate This is
true, but it is only half the truth
The Missouri Pacific and the Rock
Island kept Curtis in the race, handled
his men and bossed his candidacy; gave
him blank pass books over their lines to
fill out for his strikers and held his
members of the legislature fast while
the Union Pacific was defeating him.
trick to defeat w z. Stanley. the one
man the railroads feared in that fight
And the Missouri Pacific and the Rock
Island. which have always owned Cur
It's body and soul and have used him
as their errand boy in congress, made
the miserable fellow stand by and see
the railroad elevate Long, Curtis worst
enemy. and kept Curtis from making
Stanley senator. Never was a clothing
store dummy hauled around on casters
the way Curtis was dragged about by
the railroads in that fight
And today he is getting his reward
for being good. Every railroad attorney
in Kansas Is for him. Every shell game
politician is for Curtis and every crook
ed force in Kansas that the railroads
can control is for Curtis. More than
that the Gazette has proof that railroad
men are writing to favored shippers
and asking them to support Curtis.
Curtis, in the election OF 1903. proved
himself a mere Eastwood jackass. Now
the railroads are trying to white on
the assss head and make a laon OF him
and send him to the senate. But he will
Still be Eastwood, he viii still be mount
ed on casters and pulled about by rail-
road attorneys"
The Kansas City star comments on
the situation as follows:
Never in all the veriegated history
of 'petards' in Kansas. has one been
hoist like that which Curtis sent aIoft
at Parsons yesterday What IS Long
going to do about it? What is the
Union Pacific going to do about it,
What are the Republicans of Kansas
going TO do about IT. 1t is little
early to inquire. People have to take
time to catch their breath after such
experiences
Nevertheless, what is Curtis game