The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-25
Governors Stand for Central
Branch Improvements.
He Mixed 1t Up i'm an Aggressive
Fight From Start.
AT THAT CONFERENCE.
Case of Standing to Guns Under
Fire and Knowing the Game.
Waggener's Story About Central
Branch Passenger.

AT the conference Wednesday be-
tween the state officials and Vice Presi-
dent Clark and other officials of the
Missouri Pacific railway many inter-
esting features were brought out be-
sides those published at the time in
connection with the news end of the
story. For many years the Central
Branch, the bone of the contention be-
tween the conferees, has been in dis
graceful condition as regards service
for the public. Late trains, rougn
journeys, open air depots and dozen
other like burdens were borne with by
the long suffering public.
Complaints have been filed by the
hundred with state officials for years.
The railway board have labored with
the Missouri Pacific officials during al
this time, only to be put off indefinitely
by promises.
brought about by Governor Stubbs'
threat of immediate and drastic action
If the road did not get busy at once or
show convincing proof of their inten-
tions for 1910. At the very beginning or
the conference Vice President Clark
started in to take the upper hand bv
attempting to make the governor back
up on an interview in which he was
quoted by the papers as stating that
the company had diverted Central
bEdIlCH 6dTHlIlSS 10 Through llIlcS- LII
stead of backing up and playing the
polite act to the guests in his office the
governor repeated his assertions ever
more enphatically than he had been
quoted in the public prints. He carried
the war to the railroad officials and the
strain became pretty tense in the room
for a while.
The Turning Point.
This situation marked the turning
point in the old and easy game. Here
was a representativ of the people who
was impolite enough to ruin a pleasant
little meeting rather than to yield a
point Assertions from high officials
were disputed by him. He took no
stock in promises. Only something
that was definite and binding would go
with this red-headed, determined ex-
railroad builder.
Stubbs Could Not Be BIufed. .
He was not to be bluffed by techni-
calities nor intimidated by bold and
emphatic statements. Clark is the big
man of the Gould system in the west
and he was depended upon to avert the
storm, even as smaller storms had been
run onto the ground wire in the past
But this man StubbS was not to be
bluffed or cajoled.
He knew what it cost to build a rait-
road and to maintain one. He was
armed with the same weapons that had
won all previous battles for the road in
the past. And the result was that the
Central Branch, this corpse among
modern railroads, will cast off it's grave
clothes next year and arise and have
it's being.
Those who witnessed the conference
of Wednesday, whether they be friends
or foes of the square deal governor will
cheerfully give him his merited meas
ure of praise for the able and de-
termined manner in which he stood for
his constituents against the brass col
lars of the Gould system. The governor
did not mince his words or choose his
phrases. 1t was a fight for results and
he hit from the shoulder and was not
to be deferred from his object for a
minute.
''The time for dilly dallying has come
to an end" he told Mr.. Clark, 'and we