The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-12-12

JACKSON is RILED
Attorney General Replies to
His Critics.
Tells Why He Has Prosecuted
the Trusts.
WAY OPEN TO JAILS.
County Attorneys Can Proceed
if They Wish.
Also Has Word to Say About
Standard Oil.
WAY OPEN TO JAILS.

Attorney General F. S. Jackson, who
is a patient and long suffering man.
and does not pay much attention to
newspaper criticism, took a broadside
shot at some of his newspaper critics
this morning, and replied to attacks
directed at him by the LeavenwoFth
Times and Kansas City Journal
The Times attacked Mr.. Jackson edi-
torially because he convicted the har-
vester trust, and made it subject to a
heavy fine, instead of sending it to
jail
The Kansas City Journal printed a
commendatory interview with r. S.
Litchfield, an alleged independent" oil
was prosecuting the Standard Oil COM
pany was to start boom for himself
for governor.
Concerning the Leavenworth Times
attack, Mr.. Jackson said:
notice in an evening paper re-
print of an editorial written by some
man who was left in authority to write
things for Dan Anthony,s paper dur
Ing Mr.. Anthony's absence, to the eff
feet that there Is general dissatisfac-
ton with the way the harvester case
has been conducted and that the har-
vester trust should be put in jail
who does this editorial writer mean
by his conveniently indefinite reference
to the harvester trust?' Who does he
expect to land in Jail? Does he mean
the travelling men who have held their
positions by their eyebrows, while their
brother travelling men were discharged
by the scores on the organization OF
the trust? Does he mean the retail
dealers who have been forced to sign
contracts with the trust? Does he
mean farmers who have been forced to
use the trust goods2 Here is a splend-
Id opportunity for this Leavenworth
Sherlock Holmes to wade into the
carnage neck deep.
1.-THE suit in Shawnee county has not
barred a single county attorney In the
state from bringing prosecution. 1t
has only pointed the way by establish
ing the fact that there is trust. Let
the clarion voiced editorial writer of
the Leavenworth paper arouse the
county attorney of LeavenwOrth coun-
ty to action. After placing the block
men of the trust who reside in that
county, the retail implement dealers
of the county, and the farmers who
bought the machinery all in Jail, the
knight of the quill will be satisfied, and
the operation of the trust will go bland
~ on Thus will law enforcement be
indicated to the satisfaction of the
Times.
1.-The editorial writer has overlooked
the important fact that an custer suit
is pending against the harvester trust
in the supreme court ana also the fact
that the trust is subject to penalty
of 500 for each day it continues to do
ton.
Incidentally, I might suggest that
the Times editorial writer use a little
of his surplus energy in assisting to
close the Joints and other unlawful
dives in Leavenworth.
Concerning the Standard Oil Case.
"I also observed that man named
Litchfeld, banker at Independence, !
is very conspicuously interviewed in |
the Kansas City Journal, concerning |
my motives for trying to compel the |
Standard Oil company to obey the law. |
I will say at the outset that the custer |
suit against the Standard, and it's |
allied companies, was commenced by |
C. c. Coleman. my predecessor in office. |
That is not saying, however, that 1 /
would not have started similar actions
myself
:aThe statutes of the state say that
trusts are Illegal and require the attor-
ney general, on penalty of forfeiture of
office, to prosecute them The Repub-
Hcan state platform declared for the |
of the laws against trusts.
So did the Democratic platform. The |
last legislature enacted additional anti
trust laws. which have been invoked
against the Standard The same legis-s
lature voted $4,000 to this department
as special fund for the prosecution OF
trusts, and every member of the Mont
geometry county delegation, which repre-
scented Mr.. Litchfeld and other indie
pendent producers of oil, voted for that
bill. The state senator from Chautau-
qua county. who Is now attorney for
the Standard Oil company, also voted
for that $4,000 appropriation Further
more, I am bound by my oath of office
to enforce the laws of the state.
Mr.. Litchf1eld assumes that I re-
fused to consider the requests of the
oil producers. I wish to
say that the matter was very thor
oughly discussed at our conference last
Tuesday, and carefully refrained from
informing those gentlemen or anyone
else, what would do in the matter. !
will let my actions speak for them
selves"
I'M THE PERKINS STOMACH