The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-06-11

| " WHICH reIer is not the statement
| OF Mr.. White alone, but it also express
es the opinions of my opponent in this
| campaign. If it were Mr.. Whites opin-
ION only should pay no attention to 1t,
but coming as 1t does from Mr.. Bristow
ana representing his position. it is en-
titled to the consideration which Will
give it tonight.
The Topeka Capital, in a recent edi-
torial commenting on this article,
stated that it was worthy OF notice
ana consideration at my hands; that
| II L could satisfactorily explain the
thlrty-hve votes referred to in the ar
ticle, 1 was entitled to a reelection
at the hands of the people of Kansas;
but that if a satisfactory explanation
could not be made, that record would
be condemned at the hands of the Re-
publicans of this state I accept the
issue. I am willing that this contest
| shall proceed to the end with an ex-
| animation Of these thirty-f1ve votes,
| and that the question Of my return to
the senate shall be determined upon
the record therein made.
L nave been six years in the house
OF representatives from the Seventh
district of Kansas, and four years in
the senate. During that time have
voted upon SOS roll calls. My oppon-
| ents determined that the way to de-
reat me was to employ someone to
make full and complete investiga-
ton OF that record. The work was
done, document was prepared con-
sisting of 81 typewriter pages; here
1t is. 1t contains a discussion of the
| different votes that I cast which were
considered important, and to which
some objection could be made. This
document was made the basis of the
article printed in the Star. Sixty-six
roll calls were included and described
In this document. The person who
prepared it inspected all records, look
| ed up all the incidents connected with
the casting of the sos votes and then
selected from these the Sc that were
considered open to attack. OF this
have finally taken 35 as the basis Of
| this article.
The record of representative
should always be a proper subject Of
inspection and criticism. I have al
ways welcomed such inspection, and
welcome 1t now. but that inspection
and criticism should be honest and
fair. and it is a source of great regret
to me that those who are responsible
for the article to which I refer, have
gone at the work with malice afore-
thought and with a determination to
make that record appear bad, whether
it is so or not.
The substance of all the charges
made is that I do not represent the
people of Kansas; that my vote has
been cast in the interest of the people
of the east and against the people of
this state who elected me and whose
representative 1 am. This is an old
charge; 1t Is made with never falling
regularity against every public official
who has been for some time in the
public service, and 1t has been made
repeatedly against me. It was made
against me in the early days Of my po-
lftical career when I represented the
JCt WI
then as it is false and untrue now.
But a small part of the legislation
on which a senator or representative
in congress votes relates directly to
the state which he represents I have
endeavored at all times to be loyal to
the interests of this state and an in
spection of my votes and the bills that
I have had passed will show that I
have accomplished something for the
people of this state. The great inter-
ests Of Kansas are those which are in
common with other states, and on the
questions Of the tariff, money, foreign
policy, and on our relation to our de-
tendencies. the interests of Kansas
are the same as those of PENNSYLVANIA,
Massachusetts and New York
I am grateful to White and Bristow
for one thing. In these modern days
1t has become the fashion to attack
the honor and integrity Of every pub
lie official. An effort has been made
to show that all are corrupt and none
are above suspicion. Unfortunately.
there have been examples of public
officials who have been recreant to
their trust and have betrayed those
who reposed confidence in them.
These examples have led many people
to believe that all public officials are
dishonest and that none can be trust
ed. 1t is extremely gratifying. when
this impression is abroad to have Mr..
! White state in this article that he be-
lieves I am an honest man and that
the great obstacle in front of me to-
day is my temperament. He admits
my industry and unquestioned person.
al integrity, but states that I have
such a peculiar idea of my relation to
the public service that 1 can not be
longer trusted to represent the people
of this state in the senate. OF course
l admit that 1t is somewhat difficult
for me to understand how I can be
personally honest, how I can have
high character and integrity, and vet
| betray the interests of the people of
the great state that has trusted me-
| But such is the purport of the article
| and the burden of the charge Is that
! instead of representing Kansas I rem
resent Wall street.
| I thank Mr.. White for the defini-
| ton he has given of Wall street Many
people when they see this expression
think of New York City and the street
that is the center of the great finan-
cial interests OF this country; but Mr..
White does not use the term in that
sense. He says that Wall street is not
a place, that it is temperament.
that it is found in the east and the
west and refers to a state of mind. AS
| I understand Mr.. Whites definition.
it is applied to a public representative
who votes differently from what
White thinks his vote should be- If
his vote Is cast as Mr.. White thinks
it should be. then he represents the
people," but, If he votes in a way
and manner different from what
White thinks he should vote, then he
represents wall street,
1t is my purpose tonight to examine