The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-11-13
HENRY ALIENS "RENIARKs. ,,

Those who are conversant with the
history of the last Republican state
convention will recall that the man
who made the hardest effort to Dust
the slate" was H. J. Allen, then editor
of the Ottawa Herald, now of the
Wichita Beacon. Mr.. Allen even of
fered to lay aside his animosity for his
old-time enemy. w. R. Stubs, if
thereby 1.-The slate" which had been
framed up by 1.-The machine" could be
broken. In view of this fact there
will be no disposition to dispute Mr..
Aliens license to make these remarks
in the Wichita Beacon:
1.-THE Atchison Champion jumps
with both its large, ungainly feet upon
the Beacon because we have spoken a
few gentle words about the dangers of
holding a primary election without a
law 1t holds up D. r. Anthony as
the correct type of reformer, and
compares the editor of the Beacon to
Mort Albaugh, whom it then proceeds
to excoriate. All this is painful to us.
We believe a man can get a reputation
for great political virtue more quickly
and more cheaply in Kansas than
anywhere else. Take this cruel jab of
the Champion. for instance. In the
last state convention among the men
most active were Morton Albaugh,
whom the Champion abuses, and D. R.
Anthony, upon whose dark, handsome
brow the Champion puts a beautiful
laurel wreath. Mr.. Albaugh had
candidate for secretary of state; Mr..
Anthony had candidate for secretary
of state. Mr.. Albaugh's candidate had
the most votes, as Mr.. Albaugh's can
dates generally have, but Mr.. An
thony is always a figure to be taken
into account. So when Mr.. Anthony,
realizing that his man couldn't win
the secretary of state job, demanded
that he be nominated for railroad
commissioner, Mr.. Albaugh consented
Then Mr.. Albaugh and Mr.. Anthony
went to work and in spite of the
screams and sobs of the other candi-
dates for railroad commissioner took
Mr.. Ryan out of the race for secretary
of state and made him railroad COM
missioner 1t was as rank a piece of
political manipulation as we have ever
seen; rank because it was machine
politics, and ranker because Mr.. Ryan
hasn't any more fitness for the Office
of railroad commissioner than he had
for the office of secretary of state. Mr..
Albaugh had the grace to be ashamed
of it. Mr.. Anthony said it was great
stuff. The editor of the Beacon was
in the convention and opposed the
manipulations of these gentlemen. He
got up and shrfeked that the rights of
the people were being over-ridden. He
cavorted against the deal for an hour,
emitting during all this time a con-
That was only little over a year ago.
Now Mr. Anthony is a political saint
pointing the finger of virtuous scorn
at his old pal Albaugh. and the editor
Of the Beacon. who hasn't raised his
voice since that unsuccessful effort to
head off the deal in a state convention,
is held up TO public scorn. because he
has dared smile behind his hand at
Mr.. Anthony's new incarnation. The
Beacon admires both Mr.. Anthony
and Mr.. Albaugh. They are effective
men. Thev possess qualities of lead
ership. Neither is evil simply because
one dares for this moment to be a
demagogue and the other doesn't hap
pen to have any call to become a re
former Both have rendered good
service to the Republican party in the
past and both of them are practical
lads who generally get their way in a
state convention because they are
smarter than the other delegates.
Their present attitude is merely a re-
hection of the Stiffness of Kansas
politics. In Kansas we always accuse