Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1906-09-08
REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE MADE
AN UNUSUALLY FAIR OFFER.
The DEMOCRATS EVADED 1T
FULL TEXT OF THE REPUBLICAN
COMMITTEES LETTER.
Would Pit Each Republican Candidate
Against His Opponent.

porary advantage by proposing a Sc
ries of joint debates between David
Overmyer and Fred S. Jackson, the
Democratic and Republican candidates
for attorney general. In view of the
fact that Mr. Overmyer is the chief
spell binder of the Democratic cam
paign, Chairman Ryan thought he
would force the Republican committee
to decline to accept the challenge. Mr..
Ryan was disappointed. The Repub-
Hcan committee not only accepted the
challenge, but went the Democratic
chairman one better, and proposed a
series of debates between each Repub-
lican and his Democratic opponent.
This proposition naturally included a
challenge to Colonel w. A. Harris of
Chicago to meet Governor Hoch in
joint discussion of the issues of the
campaign. OF course, Chairman Ryan
and Colonel Harris have not accepted
the challenge They know positively
that Harris is not the equal of Cover
nor Hoch on the platform, and that he
has not the issues to talk on this year,
and if it can be avoided they will not
consent to series of joint debates be-
tween the two candidates. The letter
of the Republican committee to Chair
man Ryan, which was signed by Clyde
Miller, secretary, and John C. Brown,
chairman of the speakers bureau, is
as follows:
Hon. w. H. Ryan, Chairman Demo
cratic Central Committee, Topeka,
Kan.
Dear Sir: S. c. drummer, chairman
of the Republican state central COM
mittee, is out of the city and will not
return for several days. Your letter
directed to him and proposing a series
of sixteen public meetings to be ad-
dressed jointly by David Overmyer
and Fred S. Jackson, the nominees for
attc-ney general of the Democratic
and Republican parties, respectively.
therefore cannot receive his 1mmedi-
ate attention. However, in view of the
wide publicity given your proposal, we.
as members of the Republican. COM
mittee, deem it fitting that we address
you on this subject
The desire expressed by you that
the issues of the present campaign be
fully discussed by the candidates for
public Office in order that the voters
be fully informed is commendable and
is entirely in accord with the plans of
this committee. However, we do not
understand why you should single out
two candidates for subordinate place
and stop with suggesting a series of
meetings to be addressed by them
jointly 1t is the candidates for gov
ernor who are the most concerned
to which you have referred There is
no reason apparent why you should
seek to evade this fact. The issues
you suggest for discussion by Messrs
Overmyer and Jackson will be before
the governor of the state and the mem
bers of the legislature this winter as
problems for solution. The attorney
general will have little or nothing to
do officially with the proposed legisla-
ton.
The voters areS.herefore most in
terested in knowing positively the po
sitions of the respective candidates
for governor. Recognizing this fact |
this committee will be pleased to ar
range at the earliest possible time for
a series of joint debates between Gov
ernor E. w. Hoch of Kansas and |
Colonel W. A. Harris of Chicago, his |
opponent on the Democratic ticket. |
We are willing to go even farther. This
committee is ready and willing to pit
each and every candidate on the Re |
publican state ticket against his oppo-
nent on the Democratic ticket for dis |
cussion of matters affecting the adj
minstration of the various offices for
which they stand as candidates To
us this proposition seems eminently
fair. In any event. acceptance of the
proposal win make general joint dis
sion of campaign issues possible and
not leave it entirely to candidates for
subordinate positions. We-assume
that you entertain no hidden purpose
in suggesting the series of meetings
you have proposed and expect you to
accept our counter proposition. We
hope that in any event you will con-
sent to arrange series of joint dis
cussions between Governor Hoch and
Colonel Harris. Or you may accept
our proposition to pit each Republican
candidate against his Democratic OPP
ponent
This challenge has practically been
declined by the Democratic committee
and it is plainly apparent now that it
is not the intention of Col Harris to