The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-02
Granting Of Light Franchise
Causes Excitement.
Republican Paper Is to
Be Started.
[R. WILLIAMS IN IT.
Governors Private Secretary
Represents Light People.
New Organ Is Expected to
Punish Del Valentine.

There is to be established in Clay
Center a third newspaper. and there
are indications of a coming newspaper
war of a bitterness which will go
down in the annals of Kansas news
paperdom.
F. L. Williams, the governors pri-
vate secretary, is attorney for F. L.
Williamson, owner Of the electric light
plant, and Williamson is after a new
franchise. Both the Clay Center
Times, owned by Del Valentine, and
the Dispatch. owned by Charles A.
Southwick, are fighting WilIiamson's
franchise. Williamson has come back
at them with the announcement that
he is going to put in an opposition
paper which viii take care of his in
terests.
Mr.. Williams denies that he has
anything to do with the new paper,
but the newspaper men at Clay Cen
ter think that he is the one who is
stirring up the whole thing. They say
he is the brains of the opposition, and
that if the new paper is started he
will be to blame. Consequently Mr..
williams is likely to become involved
in a lot of personal grief with the ed
no doubt extend into political mat
ters.
Mr.. williams said this morning.
when asked about the proposed new
paper:
II have nothing to do with this I
am an attorney, not a newspaper man.
I happen to have certain clients who
are talking of establishing this new
paper. Mr.. Williamson and his friends
are the ones who are interested, but
fhPV re sim Interested fO
tent of seeing that the paper has suffi-
cient backing. They will have moth
ing to do with its mana cement. This
fight about the franchise is merely the
occasion for the establishment of the
paper not the cause There is room
for another paper there. I presume
that If new paper is put in it viii be
! Republican in politics, and will en-
dorse Mr.. WiIiiamson's side in this
franchise matter = Negotiations are
pending with certain parties relative
to the establishment of this paper, and
if it is esta ablished it will have ample
financial backing"
Del Valentine, owner and editor of
the Clay Center Times, and also clerk
| of the state supreme court, is in To-
/ peka today. and when questioned about
! the new paper, said:
L have just received word from
| Clay Center that there is talk of such a
/ paper being established. Mr. Will
4 liams, the attorney for Williamson, is
/ a stubborn sort of a man, and can't
/ stand opposition. We have been Op-
/ posing the granting of a new electric
I light franchise to his client, and I sup
! pose that is what has started this new
! paper agitation.
Williamson is the owner of a big
| mill, and wants to control the public
! utilities. The paper which I own is op-
| posed to giving him franchise on the
| terms proposed
1t seems that the fight between the
| Valentine and SouthWick papers, and
/ the hanson crowd COM
menced as far back as the spring cleo
ton of 1905. Both of these newspa-
/ pers favored the election of the inde-
/ pendent city ticket headed by George
/ Hanna, a brother of Dave Hanna,
/ lieutenant governor. George Hanna is
an old time Populist. The Independent
! ticket was supposed to represent the
municipal ownership idea. Mr. Will
liams and Mr.. Williamson stood for the
I straight Republican nominees, but Mr..
| Hanna was elected by a big majority.
The trouble died down somewhat after
the election but the first still smouldered
| and when it became known that a ma
jority of the members of the city coun-
| Gil were planning to support a new fran
! chise for WilliamsOn's plant, Valentine
and Southwick again came out strongly
in favor of a square DEAF or municipal
| ownership. This renewed opposition
threatened to make trouble for the Will
! hanson people. They had made their
plans to introduce their new franchise
at the council meeting to be held to-
night at Clay Center and then, when the
franchise had been vetoed by Mayor
Hanna, to pass it over Hanna's veto.
There is one vote lacking to pass the
ordinance over the veto. but Williamson
expected to pick up this vote at the cru
/ cial time.
This trouble is almost certain to
bring on a fight between Del Valentine
and F. L. Williams for the control of
Clay county and the fight viii proba-
bly, center in the election of representa-
tive and in delegates to the state con-
I ventiOn.
It is said that Williams and Valentine
have already clashed sharply about the
affair and Williams has accused Valen-
tine of trying to ruin the Republican
party in Clay county by supporting inde-
! pendent nominees It is presumably on
this ground that the new Republican
paper win make its debut It will be
a strict party organ and viii not go off
the reservation hunting for independent
/ candidates.
WORK TIED UP.