The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-06-01


WINGED in his own mind that often the
speaker was asking these questions
purely with a view to bring out the
newspaper side of the situation: this
writer is nevertheless fully and firmly
convinced that Uncle joe wanted that
bill before the house, but that several
very strong men in the house were
dead against" it and were trying to
convince Cannon against his own con-
victions that the bill ought not to be
We have and we do not think anything
can remove it. except the pointblank
word of the speaker that it is not a
true impression.
This, however, is not material. for
the Republicans who signed a writ
ten statement to support the Stevens
it up and pass it whether the speaker
was with them or not.
"Uncle Joe" is something Of
newspaper man himself. He is in that
business as side issue at Danville.
He has clear ideas about newspaper
affairs and discusses them after the
manner of a man who understands
main one OF which may be playing
be publishing a paper.
Another thing about this car BUSH
ness and one more powerful that we
read about. The careful reader of the
congressional proceedings covering
last week notices that "Uncle Joe"
had hard time lining up some of his
subjects. At Republican caucus ov-
err the anti-iniunction measure Uncle
Joe" worked mighty hard apparently
to line up his slaves because he was
interested in the bill. The president
wanted 1t passed and so did Cannon,
but both of them together were I'M
able to "play the car" with suffi-
Gent results to get through the meas
ure. That caucus turned few side
lights upon Uncle Joe,'' which this
writer did not witness during his brief
half hour.
The fact that "Uncle joe was adj
vocating legislation along the injunc-
ton line shows that he is no, such a
rabid reaetionary as he has been
painted. It also shows tina. the men,
bers are not so subservien. as we Of
the west have been given TO under
stand they were when "Uncie Joe"
cracked the whip.
Now, these things may not seem
sufficiently important to the reader to
warrant three articles and they did not
seem sufficiently important to the
writer until he got into the subject
and until he received lot or tere-
Ioff lie Ioif
ing them about the 'fUncle Joe'' arti-
Giles, but the fact of it is that if certain
writer's and certain newspapers are
misrepresenting important fac.s ABOUT
public men to the people of this coun-
try, it is time that a halt be called
and that the absolute truth be sub
mitted, even if it does not fit into the
preconceived notions of prepriety.
There are far more honest and honor
able statesmen than the other kind.
An opponent of the worst man in the
country cannot afford to misrepresent
| that worst man. He weakeas his own
cause. For nothing will stand in the
/ end unless it is true.
One lady writes: Il think more of
Uncle joe than I used to. I like your
articles. There are too many drones
| in congress-" Barring the bouquet,
that lady is nearer the truth than she
was and while she might not like
Uncle Joe'' If she knew everything
about him, it is not right that her
opinion of him should be formed, as it
had been beyond doubt, by things
which were not true, but which had
been currently reported about the ILL
noiS statesman.
That half hour with the Speaker dis
PEELED a few other illusions.
The writer expected to see streamlets
| of tobacco juice dropping from the cor
ners of Uncle Joe's'' mouth. He ex-
pected to find him with his feet On a
table and black cigar between his
| lips at an angle of seventy-five degrees.
In fact. the vision of Uncle Joe" was
like one of General Grant, as to smok-
| ing but with a different brand of cigar
| in the foreground.
| It was thought that perhaps Uncle
Joe" would have a dirty collar: and
clean shirt. that was beyond all i'm
pressions that had been conveyed
| Heretofore.
Now, here are the facts. Uncle
Joe" was neatly attired; he was not
| arrayed like the lilies of the field, but
he was dressed, as the society re-
porter says, "in conventional black
| he wore red carnation in his button
hole. He was not smoking during any
| of the time and there were no cigars
in evidence. Nobody seemed to think
of smoking. The writer regrets that
| he could not have sampled one of
| "Uncle Joe's' stogies.
| The speaker stood up about half the
time during the interview. as straight
| as a ramrod and deported himself like