The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-28
MUST HAVE PEACE
Commander Rickel Runs Up
Flag of Truce.
Will Not Battle With Morgan
Over Annual Report.
LEAVE A GOOD RECORD
Future Generations Should Not
Know of Contentious.
Mr.. Rickel Would Set Good Ex-
ample to P0sterity.


A. r. is anxious to drop the controversy
which has developed recently through
his action in turning down a journal
report compiled by Past Commander w.
A. Morgan, because the report colt
tanned a slanderous letter against Cap
tain Coney of the Grand Army.
In answer to the angry letter written
by Mr.. Morgan and published in the
State Journal last evening, Comman-
der Ricke1 said:
Il do not care to make a newspaper
scrap out of this abuse heaped upon
me by Mr.. Morgan. The fact that l
turned down his journal compilation
was business matter altogether and
was not public issue. l have always
considered it a strictly business propo-
sition and have avoided personalities of
any Sort
what can Mr. Morgan gain by criti-
cising the department? was asked.
There is absolutely no sense in his
abuse of this kind answered the COM
mander. IF Mr. Morgan wants to set
tie this matter he can either take it to
the courts and sue the Kansas depart
ment or he can take it to the depart
ment encampment. Then there are a
number of other sources. But this de-
partment has acted and will do Moth
ing further"
"was Mr.. Morgan right in his
charges last night? ?'
Charges Illogical.
"I will say that all of his charges
were illogical and were not for the de-
partment to consider. This matter was
first suggested by me because conS1d-
cred 1t a break of Mr.. Morgan's prom
ises when he published that insulting
letter concerning Comrade Coney. I
took the matter up first with my legal
adviser and he said that 1 was right in
&I-s- ct1 fAn
withheld on that account. The matter
was finally brought before the council
of administration and they decided to
the man that the report should not be
accepted by the G. A. r. of Kansas.
Some of the men in this council are the
friends of Mr.. Morgan but they realized
his mistake and stood by my actions
in every manner. The rejection of the
Morgan report was the action of the
whole department of the G. A r. and
was not a personal matter with me or
anyone else. I have since receives let
ters from all over the state from COM
rades who have stated their approval
of the action.
Will Treat Morgan Well.
eff we took this matter up through
the newspapers the public would take
sides with first one man or the other
and it can readily be seen that divi-
sion in the department would result.
The Kansas G. A. r. wants all of its
to go peacefully down into his
tory and when future generations read
of the actions of this department we
want them to see nothing but what is
Just and reasonable. To have a regular
official report of the department go
down in history with a slanderous letter
al tached would stain the G. A. r. in
Kansas forever. Furthermore the state
printer would never publish a thing OF
this kind.
ssr o1x Nv MnrOan
in a most gent1emanly way and 1 shall
continue to do so. have read his abuse
of me, but do not propose to answer IL
in such manner. 1 think more OF the
G. A. r. and IT'S works and records and
have always attempted to bring the
POSTS together in a close working order.
The members of the G. A. r. are thin
ming out every year and 1t will not be
icng before We have nothing to show Tor
ourselves but our records. L do not
want them to show a spirit OF hard feel
ing and contention.
Commander Rickel read a, number of
copies of letters he had written to Mr.
Morgan. all of them stating in a busf-
nesslike manner the differences between
them and the only means of patching
W hich came indirectly from Mr.. Morgan
and in many instances they were badly
mixed and contained statements that
were denied and reactionary.
1t was stated by a prominent member
of the G. A. r. this morning that all
through the work of the department this
year Past Commander Morgan had
caused trouble.
I'VE had very little trouble until Mr..
entered the official ranks" he
said. Everything was running along
nicely and the work and the results of
the department were more than salts
factory to all the posts in the state. Mr..
Morgan has entered with his own ideas
and has made trouble ever since. But
we hope that things will quiet down
row and that the actions of the admin
istration council will settle the. mat
ter.