The Topeka state journal., 1908-07-18
LETTER TO SHELDON.
Smith Center Lawyers Come to Cy
Leland's Defense.

Mahin & Mahin. a Smith Center
law firm to which was sent one of
Charles M Sheldon's anti-Leland let
ters. has sent Mr.. Sheldon a letter in
reply, and made public a copy of the
same. 1t is as follows:
Smith Center. July 16.
"Charles NJ. Sheldon. Topeka, Kan:
Dear Sir-We received your letter
in regard to the candidacy of Mr..
Stubbs for governor of this state and
note that you are urging all the tenn
perance people to support him. Just
why a Republican should support him
in preference to Mr.. Leland is beyond
our comprehension. We enclose you
herewith a clipping from the Norton
News which has been copied In diner
ent papers throughout the state and
which is as follows:
1--WE see where a club room Of
which the Honorable Stubbs is presi-
dent. was raided last week for selling
booze at Lawrence. Kansas. We
hardly know whether this will conflict
with his prohibition plank or not; 1t
will certainly make it squeak If moth
ing else
any club that is selling iiquor in Law
renee or elsewhere, there is no reason
why any temperance voter should sup
port him.
you state in effect in your letter
that Mr. Leland is allied with the
them support and encouragement.
From our acquaintance with Mr.. Le-
land it would take something more
than a mere naked statement of this
kind to convince us THAI such is the
case Mr.. Stubbs made a speech at
Smith Center about two weeks ago in
which he said that for nearly thirty
wears. he took no interest whatever in
politics and never attended conven-
ton or caucus and serdom, II ever,
voted In his speech which was de-
livered the week following the national
Republican convention he made no
mention whatever of the national
platform or the national ticket and did
not mention single good act or the
Republican party during the last
twenty-five years. He did, however
mention many laws passed by a Re-
publican congress and approved by
Republican president and passed by
Republican legislature and approved
by Republican governors OF Kansas
that he called bad. About all the ap-
plause he elected during his speech
was from Democrats and enemies of
the Republican party.
"If we believe that the Republican
party is as rotten as Mr.. Stubbs'
speech indicates he does. we would
leave and would not ask for the nomi-
IOI oil. OiliCc at It's ool
perhaps, Mr.. Stubs is not depending
on Republicans to nominate him as
nowhere have we seen has he an
nounced himself as Republican can
didate for governor.
His bills here simply announce him
as w. r. Stubbs. candidate for gov
ernor' Perhaps Mr.. StubbS Is honest
in his declaration for reform but the
fact that as soon as he began to take
an interest in politics. he began to as
pire to the highest office in the state.
as we'll as to be senator, leads us to
believe that he is perhaps not alto
gether unselfish in his reform beliefs.
1t seems that Mr.. Stubbs has during
his legislative career made 1t a point
to dodge all questions that called for
his vote in the legislature where he
thought it might antagonize any con-
siderable element of the people Of the
state On the other hand, Mr.. Leland
has taken a stand on all questions that
came before the legislature while he
was a member and we have never
known of him being absent and not
voting on any of the important meas
ures for the purpose of shirking re-
sponsibility.
while we believe in the enforce
ment of the prohibitory liquor law, we
have no reason to doubt that Mr.. Le-
land will enforce 1t and all other laws
better than Mr.. Stubbs.
yours truly,
"MAHIN AND MAHIN."