The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-08-01

positions on public questions were in
dorsed and commended, especially. my
position on railroad rate legislation.
wish now to ask Mr.. Bristow whether
he was right at Wichita, or wrong in
his letter and editorials.
Fourth-Mr. Bristow stated in his
wichita speech that had In effect be-
trayed Mr.. Taft and President Roose-
welt In the Chicago convention by keep
ing out or the platform a provision
favoring the physical valuation OF rail-
roads. He did this when he knew that
Mr.. Taft had stated in his Columbus
speech in August, 1907, that he believ-
ed the interstate commerce commission
had the authority now. under the Hep
burn law, to make physical valuation
OF all the railroads in the United
States. statement that Mr.. Taft has
since reiterated in his speech Of ac-
ceptance. Mr.. Bristow. in the face of
this declaration of Mr.. Taft's, has made
the statement that Mr.. Taft Is IN favor
of the physical valuation OF railroads
after he has taken in his speech of ac-
ceptance the very position that I have
contended in this campaign. I believe
the commission has the authority, but
II not I certainly favor giving it.
Fifth-Mr Bristow, in his Wichita
speech, criticises the alleged activity
Of certain federal officeholders in KAN
sas in my support, stating that they
were paid to discharge public business
and had no right to assist me in this
he stated that he wanted a position on
the canal commission at a salary OF
$500 per annum, which would require
a visit to the isthmus once in three
months. and which he could hold and
live in Kansas. being here at least one
half his time. He wanted to hold this
position while he was a candidate for
the senate two years ago, and stated
he would hold it until the fight got
hot" and then he would resign.
Sixth-Mr. Bristow. in his Wichita
speech, said that I was not in SYM
pathy with President Roosevelt and his
policies, and gave the impression that
should be defeated for the senate and
a person elected who was personally
| in close accord and sympathy with
miration for him; and yet in his letter
| to me he stated that the only way to
get anything from President Roosevelt
| was ito keep at II doggedly and per-
sistently," and ito complain, caJole
and flatter." His true attitude towards
| President Roosevelt was shown In
| that part of the letter in which he sug-
gests that in case he entered the SEN
\ ate as my colleague he would help me
| with some of my troubles. and when
/ it was necessary ito raise the devil
| and a few other things at the White
/ JOO
| He also said he would like to &c
there occasionally with a big stick and
have it out"
| Seventh-Mr. Bristow Endorsed my
position on railroad rate legislation in
| editorials in his paper. the Salina Jour
nal. on December % and %. 1905. after
my speech before the Knife and Fori
club at Kansas City, and said that my
position would be satisfactory to tn:
people of Kansas. This speech was
! made in support of the Hepburn-Dolli.
yer bill, which had Just been introduced
and which I had helped to prepare
yet, after that bill had passed and be-
come a law, Mr.. Bristow has criticised
it ever since on the ground that 1t dit
not go far enough: and in his Wichits
speech he stated that 1t was only goot
for the big shipper. and was not goot
for the people generally.
The Hepburn Law.
Mr.. Bristow left the impression in hi
Wichita speech, by quoting from I
speech he had made at Caldwell Ii
1906 that the rates on grain to Calves
ton which he complained Of in 100
were still in force, while in fact thel
had been set aside by the interstat'
commerce commission. and the rates
on grain to Galveston and other Texa!
points in that part of Kansas are tn,
rates of the interstate commerce com
mission.
belittle the Hepburn law are in TIN
face of the fact that. according to tn
Wichita Beacon of July 25, edited b.
Henry j. Allen, Wichita has becom
the grain center of Kansas by reason
of the fact that equitable grain rate
to the Gulf have been secured after
determined fight before the interstat
commerce commission" This pape
also stated that ten new grain firms
with an aggregate capital Of nearly !
million dollars. have opened offices Il
Wichita during the last year; tina
memberships in the wichita board O
trade have doubled in value within tn
year; that nine firms now buy for ex
port. thus providing for a market RICH
at the edge of the wheat belt; that &C
cording to the estimate of the attorne
|. | who represented the shippers in tn
suit against the railroads, the savin
in freight by the decision amounts t
$24 per car; and that the moving t
the wheat growers of Kansas amount
to 2h million dollars annually, and t
the corn growers of Kansas Az millfO
dollars annually.
Mr.. Bristow makes the statemen
that the Hepburn law is of no benefl
in the face of the fact that, Will
, wheat from Salina to Galveston befor
this decision may have gone by wa
! of Kansas City, yet since this decisio
, it goes by way of Wichita, the rat
Kansas City being 301z cents, Will
the rate from Salina by way of WITCH
ita is Is cents per hundred. Now tn
? proportional Kansas City rate is 1S
cents to Galveston. while the proper
tional wichita rate is 16 cents to Gal
vestion
Eighth voted against the LaFol
lette amendments to the Hepburn bill
and because did so I am charge
l with having betrayed Presider
' Roosevelt and the administration, a.
though Mr.. Bristow has known all tn
time that these amendments did nc
,, represent President Roosevelt's view
and that it was the understandin
among senators in favor of the Her
burn bill that these amendment
Icho,Id he voted down tn which ur