The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-09-28

EQUITY because on the 23d of April l
naq informed the governor that the
action taken by the Prairie Company
VA, as lliegal and should be enjoined, and
mat mad an open injunction suit. At
That time, April %, the governor agreed
with me as to the illegality of the
the Injunction
The same day the governor left tla
state to go to Denver the Prairie COM
pany started it's trespass. This be-
ueNe. was prearranged between the
governor and the Prairie company. as
the Prairie company rushed the laying
OF Its pipe line during the absence Of
the governor from the state
I wired the governor on the first of
July, asking whether he had given the
Prairie Oil company permission to.
build their line. His reply eyaded- my
sole question and instead of answering
II ne said he was satisfied that the
Pralrle company would not violate the
law.
Between the 22d of April and the
"a or July Governor Haskell received
no advice from me, as his legal adj
wiser as to the matter. and if he had
received advice from his assistant at
torney general he did not do me the
nonor or submitting the same to me.
when he heard of the bringing OF
the SUIT he directed the acting COVER
nor TO order me to dismiss the suit and
INDUCED in insolent language 70 the
effect that he would not tolerate any
proceeding by me except at his direc-
ton. The use of this insulting lang
uage regarding me, together with his
sudden change of heart between April
ana July, evidences that some very
deep and controlling motive of per-
sonal nature was back of his action
The only person that the prohibi-
ton could help was the Standard Oil
company and that he hazards as much
as he did for them. as he did after
his sudden change of heart, supplies
the necessary factor for any intelli-
gent man to reckon whether the gov
ernor of Oklahoma has a leaning to-
ward the Standard Oil company; and
therefore the presidents statement
seems to me a very mild rebuke.
(Signed) CHARLES E. WEST,
- -s = Attorney General of Oklahoma.
Moral Obtuseness.
''The national government, obeying
both the law and the principles of
sound morality, Disseminated neither
for nor against the Standard Oil COM
pany or its rival. Gov. Haskell, against
the law and against every principle
of honesty and fair dealing, discrim-
mated in favor of the Standard Oil
corporation. Failure to see the dis
tinction between the two cases, indi-
Gates moral rather than mental obtuse-
ness
L DeleVe IN radical REFORMS ana
the movement for such reform can be
successful only if it frowns on the
dema gogue as it does on the cor
ruptionist; if it shows itself as far
removed from government by a mob
as from government by a plutocrat.
OF all corruption the most far reach
ing for evil Is that which hides itself
behind the mask of furious dema-
gogery. seeking to arouse and to pan
der to the basest passions of mankind.
No better exemplification of this type
of corruption could be found than in
the case of Mr.. Haskell
"You have uttered no word of con-
domination of Haskeliism as we thus
see it. That you consciously sought to
bring it about I do not believe. That
il was the natural result of the effort
to apply in practice your teachings 1
have no question. Yours truly,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
Hon. w. j. Bryan, Lincoln, Neb.'