The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-04-18
THE sTATE cONvENTToN.

The Republican state convention
that will meet two weeks hence will
undoubtedly be one of the most inter-
esting ever held in the history of the
state It will be no cut-and-dried af-
fair. There will be an opportunity for
some man to assert himself in it as d
leader. There will be a chance for old
fashioned oratory and argument to
come to the front.
It is to be hoped that sober sense
and the welfare of the state viii pre-
vail in that convention instead of grand
stand plays insincerity, and personal
politics. A sensible outline of what IS
before the Republican state convention
is contained in the following from the
Olathe Mirror:
Much depends upon the platform
and the men put forth by that conven-
ton for the SURFACES of the people. The
platform should express Itself in no
ambiguous terms as to the domination
Of legislation by railroad influences and
should advocate an equitable control
of the railroads by state and national
authority. The people of this state are
not willing to stand for a repetition Of
the farce of two years ago when under
the guise of boss buster movement
ed over to railroads; a commission was
placed in nomination that was and has
been during the past two years the
creature of the railroad power in all
essentials. None of their rulings have
beeh of a nature to seriously impede
the railroads from doing as they always
have done-charge all that the people
will stand The people. too, have not
cf
matter what the Second district is sup
posed to have done, that the man who
delivered the convention was Roscoe
Stubs, and so far as the Second dis
trict is concerned, the nomination OF
Scott was not an endorsement of Mr..
Stubs. but a personal tribute to Mr.
Scott. as shown by Allen county's con-
vention at lola. which sent an anti
Stubs delegation to the state conven-
ton.
What the people want in the way
of platform this year is a demand
for the abolition of the pass to public
officials, a two cent mile fare, a rail-
road law that will really regulate and
a railroad board that will really en-
force it, the nomination of United
states senator by the direct primary
method, the nomination to be binding
on the legislature. and the strengthen
ing of the liquor laws of the state 50
that witnesses may be compelled TO
testify and thus break up the farce that
holds the stage in some of the coun-
ties. There are other reforms that
need the attention of the convention
and one of them is the demanding of
A better system of handling the state
funds and providing for a different
composition of the state board of edu-
cation and the text book commission
so that the schools shall be brought
nearer. especially as to the choosing Of
the text books. to the people who have
to use them in teaching.
IF a strong platform is adopted
without demagoguery or rant and
clean. strong ticket put up the party
will win, but the people will not stand
for shilly-shally this year. There is no
national election with a strong popu-
lar personality at the head to pull
through the ticket
There will be some difference of
opinion. of course. as to what should go
into the platform. There may be other
things besides what the Mirror sug-
gests. and some of its suggestions might
possibly be eliminated. but in the main
its idea is correct.