The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-11-07

political matters than the average rail-
road president This led to the re-
mark that Mr.. Ripley of the Santa Fe
was doubtless a very able railroad
man, but that his judgment on KAN
sas politics would be no more valuable
than that of Nick Chiles.
''This remark seems to have stirred
up Billy Smith, the political adviser of
Mr.. Ripley for Kansas. Now, Mr..
Smith should not become SO excited,
because the very fact that Mr.. ripley
chose him as his political agent In
Kansas demonstrates the truth of my
statement. The Hon. Billy was not
placed at the head of the legal depart
ment of the Santa Fe because he was
a lawyer.
1.-The important legal business of
the road is attended to by other law
yers not by Smith. 1t was in the old
days when the Hon. Billy was given
his job as political and pass distributor
for Kansas and jollier for the Santa
Fe. 1t was then that he would bring
the bosses and bosslets from the vari-
Gus counties to Topeka, pat them on
the back, take them down to the To-
peka club, fill them up with red liquor
and imagine that he was rendering the
Santa Fe great service. The political
pass was made unlawful, and after
Governor Stubs had raided the To-
peka club and put Billy's supply of red
liquor out of business it appeared that
Fe were over and that his job might
be abolished.
'Then it was I suppose that his ac-
tive mind conceived the idea of organ
izing this harmony train to go about
the state and pretend to talk business,
but really to work politics"
From Mr.. Smith.
Mr. Smith absorbed all this punish
ment and came back strong with the
classic denunciation of the states
junior senator:
In his denial Sunday Mr.. Bristow
says, but what Mr.. Smith says 1 said
in his office is not true. That's all 1
have to say It will be noted that
there is no denial from Mr.. Bristow of
the fact that he visited my office in the
summer of 1905, as stated by me. What
was he there for? What did he talk
about? In his statement which ap-
peared in the Capital on Sunday, Mr..
Bristow asserts that I was not placed
at the head of the legal department Of
the Santa Fe road in Kansas because
was lawyer, but because I was a
good pass distributor and political
'jollier.' If this is true, Mr.. Bristow
knew it in 1905. Did he visit my office
to get a pass? Knowing. as he states,
that my sole mission with the railway
was political, he certainly did not come
to my office to discuss scientific or re-
ligiouS questions. Nor did he come as
sins of railway officials, and exhort
them to turn from their wickedness
and live He found nothing to criti-
else in railway conduct or manage
ment until long after.
Il am surprised that Mr.. Bristow did
not deny that he was in my office a
all in 1905. 1 am not surprised, how
ever, at his positive denial that he so
licited the aid of the railways to fur
Their his senatorial ambitions that year.
His failure to promptly brand as false
my statement of what he said in my
office at Topeka on the occasion mem
toned would stamp him as a con-
fessed hypocrite and arrant political
faker. To confess the truth would
cause Mr.. Bristow's insurgent breth-
rem to hiss him from the political stage
on which he straddles around, disguised
as statesman. Considering what he
is up against what else could he dor"