The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-30

minute he entered the big Auditorium
banquet hall, where the Kansas Day
club was holding its sixteenth annual
roundup.
First came William Newlin of Hutch
insOn, with a speech Which was almost
personal; it hit Governor Hoch and the
Republican legislature hard New
lin and Carr Taylor were the boss bus
ters'' who carried Reno county for
Hoch in the primaries two years ago,
and thereby broke the backbone of the
Hoch opposition. Low Koch has fired
Taylor from his official family, and
Newlin is making speeches warning the
Republican party of another landslide.
If Newlin was sensation No. 1, Jim"
Challis. the Atchison lawyer. was SEN
sation No. 2. Challis, according to his
advance notices was to spat upon the
prohibitory law. and he delivered tho
goods But the crowd was not with
Challis. Hardly had he dipped into the
pc 9pery part of his speech. and hardly
had his first Philippe against the pro-
hibitory law fallen from his lips when
scores of voices rose in protest, shout
ing No. no, nor And there were Misses,
mingled with only a few cheers and
still less hand clapping.
Challis was not breaking any ground,
however. He shook his fist at the howl
ing banqueters, and roared back at
them:
Il have the floor, and as have said
to you before. full and fair discussion
Of this subject is surrounded by almost
insurmountable difficulties. This is
not Republican convention; it is
Republican gathering for the purpose
Of crystallizing Republican sentiment
This isn't a part of my speech"
After the audience found that Challis
wasn't to be bluffed, they gave him re-
spectful though somewhat sullen at
tention- There was no interruption of
applause and when he was through
he received a very light hand The
Kansas Day club is evidently a prohibi-
ton organization.
As soon as Challis finished his speech
in which he criticised Governor Hoch's
message. and urged that the constitu-
ton of the state be amended to permit
counties, cities of the first and second
class and other municipal divisions. to
permit the operation of saloons under
an annual license of 81, 900 a year, there
were insistent cries for Governor Hoch.
President Fitzpatrick. however, man.
aged to quiet the cries, and finish the
rest of the programme.
Incidentally FitZpa trick took a shot at
Newlin, who is accused of sulking in
his tent after the recent primary. Fftz-
patrick said:
You are not obliged to believe all
that the speakers say here tonight.
However. want to say on behalf of this
young man. Mr.. Challis. who has just
addressed US. that he made his fight for
what he believed to be right before the
convention turned him down with a
sickening thud, he went home to Atchi-
son and supported the ticket Loyalty to
the day of election"
1t was about IL o'clock when the last
speech was finished. and Governor
Hoch was introduced in response to
calls from the audience Governor
Hoch said in part:
Governor Hoch's Defense.
This is a Republican club Il is a
loyal club to the party. When the pri-
mary, and convention have spoken, their
edict is the law of the party. The Re
club. is tolerant of liberty Of opinion,
place lock on no mans lips. II you
Will read the message of the governor
of this state with more care than evil
IDENTIFY it has been read by some, you
will find there this doctrine: that when
any question Is up for public discussion
It is the duty of every American eiti-
gen to participate in that discussion
freely. But when the question has been
discussed, and the American voter has
passed upon it. and 1t has been crys-
tallized into law. the doctrine has been
announced, and 1t has passed out of
public discussion except for amendment
or repeal. So long as it is the law,
II is the duty of officers to enforce the
law, and OF citizens to obey it. (Cheers).
Let people have their opinions. may
have quarrels with the opinion, but I
VIII not quarrel with the man. The