The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-14
He KICKS IT OVER
y President Taft RevOkes Appoint
ment of Robert Stone.
Resents Attempt to Use 1t for
Political Capital.
WRITES A LETTER.
Governor Stubbs Apprised by
President of His Action.
Explains That Congressional
Delegation Must Be Consulted.

Ieavenworth Times, Congressman An
thongs paper, has received the follow
ing special dispatch from its Washing
ton correspondent:
Washington, May 13.-The president
today revoked the appointment of Rob-
ert Stone of Topeka as an assistant at
torney in the department of justice.
when Topeka and Kansas City
newspapers of last Tuesday reached
Washington this morning containing
statements undoubtedly from Governor
Stubbs that Stones appointment was
secured by him personally and that the
delegation had been ignored and that
Stubs had used the Stone appointment
to embarrass Congressman Anthony In
the First district the Kansas delegation
was in a f1utter of excitement. 1t was
deemed impossible that President Taft
would allow such discourtesy to the
= nators and representatives.
4 Senator Curtis and other members
of the Kansas delegation called at the
White House and had an hours con-
versation with President Taft on the
matter. The president stated that Gov
ernor Stubbs had asked for a job for
friend in the department of justice
as a personal favor and that he had
extended this courtesy to Stubbs as
governor of the great state of Kansas,
assuming of course, that the governor
would be courteous enough to him to
consult the senators and congressman
OF the district But upon reaQ1nS the
Topeka newspaper article which plainly
showed Stubbs' effort to make political
capital out of the little $4,000 job of
assistant attorney in the department of
justice, President Taft Immediately
called in his stenographer and dictated
a letter to Governor Stubs and an or
der to Attorney General Wickersham,
of which the following are copies:
Taft to Stubbs.
The White House. Washington, D.
c., May 13, 1909.
My Dear Governor Stubbs:-Am in
receipt of your telegram thanking me
Tor the appointment of Robert Stone.
As l told you here, 1 was entirely will
ing to make an appointment from Kan
Bas of a irst-class lawyer. provided we
could get a good lawyer, and that 1
had told Wickersham the same thing
end to let you send in such names as
you thought fit for consideration
had expected, of course, to consult the
delegation from Kansas in the matter
as such an appointment should be con-
sidered as an appointment for the state
ITO my great surprise l am shown
now an article in The Topeka Daily
Capital in which Mr.. Stones appoint
ment is heralded a humiliation to
the members if the delegation and as a
joke on them; not only that, but also
as an instrument for the defeat of
one of the congressman, Mr.. Anthony
/ think you must yourself see Cover
nor, that I could not for a moment
place myself in an attitude of opposi-
tion to the delegation and particular
friends of mine like Mr.. Anthony and
Senator Curtis, by such an appoint
ment as this and the attitude of the
Topeka Capital in respect to this mat
ter is such as to make it necessar ry
for me to direct the Attorney General
to withdraw the appointment If
subsequently the delegation should
approve the appointment I shall be
glad to make it again, but I can't al
-aIf
me to be made the means of the pro-
motion of the political fortunes of
one faction or the other in a state as
important as Kansas. I wish to pro-
mote harmony in Kansas. Very sin
cerely yours, VIM. H. TAFT
Taft to Wickersham.
"'The White House, Washington, D.
c.. Nav g. 1909.
my Dear Wickersham: I inclose
herewith a letter which I have writ
ten Governor Stubbs, together with a
r copy of the Topeka Capital In
this matter I think that Governor
Stubbs has thoughtlessly placed us in
a position that is entirely indefensible
and that the expressions of this
paper, which is supposed to be al
together in line with Gov. Stubbs's
political views, are of such a charac-
ter as to leave no doubt of the truth
of what 1 say. Sincerely yours.
"'WM. H. TAFT
"sYou will advise Mr. stone that
for the time at least, his appointment
is revoked
1t will be apparent at once that
President Taft has fully determined
that no one shall use him or use fed
eral appointments in furtherance of
factional politics in Kansas.
Curtis Statement.
Both Senators Curtis and Bristow
expressed astonishment that an at
tempt should be made in Kansas to
secure federal patronage without con-
sulting them. and Senator Curtis says
that when Mr. Stone was in Wash
ington last week he (Stone) did not
mention to him the appointment in
the department of justice, but asked
for an appointment as district attor-
ney for Kansas. Harry Bones job, the
supposition being that if Curtis would
give him the place he (Stone) could
then turn down the Stubbs crowd It
is understood that Congressman Mil
Ter has protested against the appoint
mont Of Stone, stating that the Odd
Fellows of Kansas would object be-
cause of the Deboissiere affair in
which the society declares they were
bdefrauded by the law firm of which
: Stone is a member of one hundred
thousand dollars worth OF property.
and in which stones legal conduct
was severely censured by Judge Pol
lock in a dissenting opinion. Con-
gresham Anthony today made the
following statement:
Anthony on Stubbs.
1.-The Presidents action today
shows that Governor Stubbs's effort
to make political capital for himself
in his race for United States senator
out of this Stone appointment, has
proven boomerang and that, as a re-
zfTI& r@ h . nj 10 ar71 f1av-