The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-09-04

at WI r. Stubs and the tsreformers."
Bale Waggener said in part:
want to know what the. issue is
IN this case. 4 want to know WhaI
emergency demands this hearing.
read here in this newspaper that the
governor sent letter to this board
winch was the equivalent of a COM
mand that this board do certain
tnlngs. You are commissioned by the
same authority that commissioned the
governor. Under what authority does
the governor seek to force you to do
certain things? In all the history of
the state there never has been such a
disgraceful official document as this
which the governor sent to this board.
suppose the governor had sent this to
the supreme court of. the state. Think
Of. it! He says to you that you must
do so and. so; that you must issue this
order or he will call a special session
of the legislature. That is what his
letter means.
ST want to say that I have the
greatest respect for Mr.. Grattan. both
as to his honesty. and his legal ability.
The appointment of Mr.. Grattan was
the one bright spot in the admins
tration of Governor Hoch. And yet
the newspapers say that in his very
first opinion, Mr. Grattan was in d.
rect conflict with Governor Hoch, who
appointed him. And then came the
governor, and accused this board, in
ferentially, of lodging on the impor-
tant issues presented to II.
'The great state of Kansas is being
injured by demagoguery. The people
want more railroads? Do you sup
pose more money, will be invested in
railroads under present conditions?
Not single railroad in the country
calls a halt we will return to those
days when Mary Ellen Lease con-
trolled the destinies of the state. But
We have demagogues now who are
worse than Mary Ellen Lease. Mary
Ellen Lease did at least have intelli-
gence and conservatism, and didn't
want an office. The demagogues who
are running things now want Offices"
LethrOp Raps the Governor.
Just previous to Mr.. Waggener's at
tack, Gardiner Lathrop, the head
council of the Santa Fe railway, had
concluded an hours speech, in which
he said:
81 don't believe that any threats of
persons of high or low degree can
cause this board to swerve a hairs
plaudits of the demagogues by doing
an illegal act. Give a ringing answer
to this challenge of the governor of
your state who says that the time for
action is here. Say to him that the
legislature has acted. and that this
board has no right to amend the laws
of the legislature. Say that condi-
lions DO not warrant any action.
Rally under the banner of Governor
Hughes of New York.
ITO this point 1 have argued with
you on the reasona bleness of such an
order as is asked for by the attorney
for the board. / have shown you that
conditions do not warrant such an or
der That such an order would be
confiscatory, and would injure child
of the state, and its heaviest taxpayer
Now, gentlemen. I want to challenge
your right to make any order of this
kind or character. You are asked to
insert the word two in the law in
stead of three where the maximum
fare on railways is fixed. Is it possible
that the creature is greater than the
creator? Can you change the law?
After the legislature has acted and
the governor has appended his sig
nature to the bill can this board step
in and overturn that work The law
fixes 8 cents as the maximum fare.
No administrative power can change
or amend that law. By what au-