The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-03-18
POLITICAL GOSSIP
Senator Fitzpatrick Delivers
Speech in Sedan.
DeVOtes Considerable Time to
W. Il. Stubs.
THAT PRIMARY BILL.
Governor HOch Also Comes to
Its Defense.
Replies to Representative Stan
nard of EmpOria.

In a speech delivered to his consti-
| tuents at Sedan, Senator w. 3. flu
patrick of Chautauqua explained how
the senate lodge Of railroad and
political interests was organized for
the purpose of defeating some of the
50 called radical propositions for re-
form Senator Fitzpatrick said:
"I thought that, with the passage of
a reasonable antipass law, reason
able maximum freight rate on grain
and grain products, ana primary
election law in line with the dec1ara-
lions of the Republican state platform
that would protect party integrity ana
the direct representative system in the
nomination of party candidates, the
people of Kansas would be much
benefited and satisfied. I talked the
situation over with a large majority OF
my colleagues in the senate and found
a majority of them agreed with me
fully upon these provisions, but also
found that a majority of that senate
were further in favor of a reduction in
passenger fares. There were but few,
however, who believed or argued as
they sat in conference with me in
dividually, that a 2-cent law would be
upheld by the CO urts in this state.
Finding that a majority of the sem
ate were of one mind on these impor-
tant questions and were willing to
stand out for what they believed to be
right in the face of adverse and unjust
newspaper criticisms, L undertook the
plan Of organization which brought
about an understanding between a
majority in the senate and resulted in
the concentrated action on the things
in which we all believed
Senator Fitzpatrick spoke at eonsid-
cradle length on the work of the SEN
ate and house. and paid his respects in
vigorous terms to w. r. Stubs, who,
= n o,f11 tod Nv
ambition to become United States SEN
ator on any platform and by the votes
of any. .perty. Speaking of the pro-
posed compromisesbill on the primary
proposition, he said:
This compromise measure was
supported by twenty-seven senators
and about fifty-sfx members of the
house. This same compromise was
opposed by twelve senators and TWEEN
Square dealers III the house. The
fifty-six votes cast for the compromise
measur eyawere EACH and every one of
them cast by Republicans.
''The governor of Kansas 2delivered
a special messagesto the housexof rep
resentatives asllng-the. adoption of the
compromise aud every state officer and
the chairman 5atft4 secretary of fthe Re
publica STATE. central com mittee fav-
that law.
"And the only reason why the bill
was not accepted was that Mr.. Stubs
and his associates were either bound
by their caucus agreement with the
Dem cratic minority not to support it.
it was their desire to defeat any
kind of a primary election law which
did not destroy the organization of the
Republican party in order that Mr..
Stubbs might have personal issue
upon which to wage his candidacy for
the United States senate
Governor Hoch Helps
Governor E. W. Hoch. has also pre-
pared a public statement in which he
reaffirms his conviction that the Re-
publicans- of Kansas made great mis-
take in not accepting the compromise
primary bill. Incidentally, Governor
Hoch hands it back to Representative
c. A. Stannard of Lyon county for the
speech which Mr.. Stannard made few
days ago accusing Governor Hoch of
being insincere in his attitude on the
primary question: Governor Hoch s
statement shows clearly that he has
completely broken with the square
deaI'' crowd which nominated him for
governor. Not only does he attack
Stubbs and Stannard, but he also at
tacks RepFeSentatiV Robert Stone of
Shawnee county. This is part of the
governors statement:
Let it be thoroughly understood also
that this final contest in the house was
not only not contest between the
Fitzpatrick and Stubs bill, but that it
was not contest between the two
houses, either. (The Fitzpatrick bill
was a great Improvement over the
Stubs bill of two years ago, but neith-
er this bill nor the house bill 1t
this session are in legitimate contro-
versy here.) It was contest between
hfty-six Republicans in the house and
twenty-three Democrats in the house.
aided and abetted by twenty-one Re
publicans in the house. The conference
bill let me repeat, was supported by
fifty-six Republicans and opposed by
forty-four obstructionists, including
twenty-one Republicans and twenty
three Democrats. 1t had a clear ma
iority of twelve over all this mixed OPP
position and was defeated only because
the constitution requires that every bill
shall receive sfxty-three votes in the
house before it can become a law. By
all majority-rule principle it should
have prevailed, and if all members of
the house had been present it would
have prevailed anyhow. The Democrats
were playing politics, and they played
1t well.
: ..Mr. stannard in his reception
speech at En- poria seems to have. gone
out of his way oSnnake personal at
tack upon me. I have tried to keep
this matter and all political matters
above personality and in the realm of
legitimate controversy. but Mr.. Stan
nard attacked my sincerity He says
There was the same reason exa ctly
for asking the senate to reconsider as
there was for asking the house to re-
consider it's action Mr.. Stannard