The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-03-25
Local Organization to Fight
Ring Rule Completed.
Captain Clad Hamilton Is the
Permanent Chairman.
ANDERSON'.S SPEECH.
The Gallant Major Announces
His Emancipation.
Lengthy Platform Is Adopted
by the Meeting.

The Republican square dealers cam
paign for the control of the next Re-
publican state convention commenced
Saturday afternoon with a meeting at
tended by about 100 Shawnee county
Republicans. at which permanent or
ganization was made for the avowed
purpose of sending a solid square deal
delegation to the next state convention
ana deposfng Dave Mulvane as boss of
the Republican party in this county.
Capt. Clad Hamilton, formerly Of the
twentieth Kansas, and now a lawyer of
Topeka, presided over the meeting, and
was later elected as president of the
permanent organiza ton. Edwin O'Neill,
clerk of the city court of Topeka was
chosen for secretary
Speeches were made by large num-
Der of the leading Republicans of the
county. Reese Van SAINT, chairman of
the Republican county committee and
generally recognized as one of the Null
None crowd, was present and was called
on for a speech. He said: II am not
much on speechmaking, but 1 am in
favor of the square deal measures"
A committee on permanent organiza-
ton composed of H. G. Larimer, E. L.
O'Neill, w. 8. Bergundthal, James A.
Troutman and A. z. Jones was appoint
ed to prepare a plan of organization
and resolutions setting forth the pur-
poses of the movement. This commit
tee made a very lengthy report COM
prising seven typewriter pages.
T. ]. Anderson, secretary of the To-
peka Commercial club. and former gen.
Cral passenger agent of the Rock Island
railway, opposed the resolutions be-
cause Of their length. Il don't believe
1t necessary to expound the whole deca-
logue in these resolutions" he said II
would like to see less resolutions and
more business. 1 could draw up resolu-
tions ten lines in length covering the
ground We should make our fight for
direct primary, and full valuation of all
property. We have too much stuff in
these proposed resolutions. They are
too broad.
Il am for a square deal in politics.
I don't know whether 1 can endorse
everything in the square deal move
ment. I am not railroad batter, but
know something about the injustices
of railroads. 1 know something about
the water in railroad stocks and the
cost of railroads. But know we need
the railroads, and 1 know how hard
We worked to get them. 1t is of great
importance to the city of Topeka to be
on friendly terms with the railroads.
believe in government supervision; 1
believe the railroads should be allowed
to pool their interests under govern
ment supervision. L have made up my
mind that I will vote fer nc man who
isn't in favor Of primary election
and I don't propose to be read out of
the Republican party either. 1 am
tired of machine made politics. 1 am
tired of having a pill made up and
to me and say, Darn you. take it; it's
good Republican medicine. 1 will
vote for whom 1 please. and believe
if we get together we will get a legis-
lature which will give us real pri-
mary law, and do away with political
machinery.
Harold T. Chase said: These is
sues are elemental. They go down to
come to unite in the demand that peo-
pie have a right to vote as they |
please"
Inri Zumwalt endorsed the legisla-
tive work of Robert Stone.
Luther Bailey then spoke briefly !
and B. F. Pankey declined an invita- !
ton to make speech. Homer c. Bow |
man was called for. He talked about |
he opposed to having anybody in |
the city council who receives a salary |
from any railroad or other corpora
ton.
Judge Rightmire was called for. He
said: Il have been voting the Repub- |
lican party ticket straight since 1898, |
but sometimes it has been bitter |
dose. But there are enough here to |
primary law, which is the old populist |
idea OF initiative and referendum"
The Platform Adopted.
Robert Stone, member of the leg
1slature from Shawnee county, recon- |
mended that one portion of the reso- |
buttons pledging the organization to a |
scheme for the appointment of a spe- |
cial commission to make a valuation |
of the railroad property in the state |
be stricken out He said that the |
board of railroad commissioners and |
tax commission were already interested |
with that work.
Mr.. Troutman was opposed to strik-
ing this out He said it was doubt |
full just how much these two boards !
could accomplish. and that the pro
vision was mere surplusage at worst |
and could do no harm. 1t was left in |
Some of the sections from the plat
form adopted are as follows:
Il. We demand such amendments to !
the antipass law that will prevent the
railway corporations from establish
Ing numerous political agencies in |
each county of the state under the
guise of attorneys. physicians. sheriffs !
and police captains. and other prfvi- |
legged classes. To that end we ask for
the passage of the Stone antipass bill |
as it was adopted at the last session by |
the house of representatives.
80. We demand that an equitable !
adjustment and wherever possible a