The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-23
POLITICAL GOSSIP.
Vim. Allen White Discusses the
Speakership Contest.
Supports Candidacy OF Robert
Stone for the Place.
EDITOR is OUTSPOKEN.
Says That Topeka Man Is a Mil
liant Progressive.
Deserves Promotion ON Record
Deserves Promotion ON Record
He Has Made.


There has been a lull IN the discus
sion of the speakership fight to come
before the next Kansas house, but this
has been broken by William Allen
White, who devotes column editorial
in his Emporia Gazette to the advance
ment of Robert Stones claim to that
place of honor. Mr.. White came out
squarely for Stone for speaker last
summer, but had remained quiet on
that matter during the past few
months. Now he has spoken again in
stronger terms of endorsement than
ever for the Topeka man. Senator
Bristow is also for Stone. The only
objection that has been raised to the
Shawnee member is mis- connection
with the Odd Fellow estate case some
years ago. Stone is a progressive and
always has been, but Judge Buchanan
of Winfield and Cliff Matson of Wich-
tia have the support of some of the
more pronounced progreSsiveS for the
place. Stone has made an aggressive
fight for the place for four months
past and has strong following. Judge
Buchanan is a formidable candidate, in
spite of the fact that he is a recep
tive candidate only and will not make
a fight for the Office. But the Repub-
lican candidate for speaker will have
to be a man who is acceptable to both
factions of the Republican party.
There will have to be compromise
to win the place rather than a mere
majority. AS Henry Watterson says,
1.-The compromises of life are more i'm
portant to success than anything else
William Allen Whites expressed
opinions are as important and infiuen-
tial as those of any progressive in the
state, and here is what he has to say
about Robert Stone for speaker:
Last summer, before the party
council of the Republican party met,
the Gazette expressed preference for
Robert Stone of Topeka as a candi-
date for the speakership of the Kan
sas house of representatives, if the Re
publicans should win the legislature.
The Republicans have won the legis-
| lature. Mr.. Stone in the campaign did
| his part in securing the victory, and
his candidacy, publicly announced, was
one of the elements that entered into
| the victory
| "And now come certain enemies of
Mr.. Stone and enter charges against
him that he was one of the benefi-
Charles of the suit Brought by the De
Boissiere heirs in their action against
the Kansas Odd Fellows for an estate
| in Franklin county. At one time the
| estate was intended as an Odd Fellows
home for orphaned echfldren, and the
enemies of Mr.. Stone-eharged that in
/ buying the claims of the DeBoissiere
heirs he and his associates deprived
the orphans of the Odd Fellows of
their dues. Now, Mr.. Stone is either
guilty or not guilty of this charge. The
matter was tried thoroughly in the
state and federal courts. Thirteen
| judges have heard the cases, and the
/ best lawyers in Kansas have ques-
toned the legality of the acts of Mr..
stone and his associates. These law
yers were Judge Benson, now on the
supreme court; Judge Doster, formerly
on the supreme court. Bale Wag-
gener. and Judge C. A Smart, now
on the district bench in Kansas. These
| lawyers took nearly fourteen years to
go into this matter, and in the end
the case was decided in Mr.. Stones
| favor. So that the real merits of the
case have been heard, and so far as
court can get at the truth the courts
have got at the truth, and the truth
has INDICATED Mr.. Stones position.
! But so long as the courts. after a
fair hearing with every possible OPP
, portunity for the other side to be
heard, have decided in favor of Mr..
/ Stone, that issue should not come up
| in this fight. 1t is not a part of the
question now before the legislature
| and the people to decide. Granted
the courts have spoken plainly in that
regard the question at issue is whether
! or not he is qualified by his public
record to serve the Republicans of
{
the speakership is theirs by right of
| conquest.
| For five years in the legislature.
Robert Stone has stood as a militant
| progressive Republican He has stood
without f1inching for every reform
J the primaries, the antipass law, of
| which he was author, the maximum
freight law, the board of control and
| state printer laws and the two cent
| fare law-every law that has made
| Kansas one of the most progressive of
| American states. Time and again If
he had halted or faltered. the cause
| would have been lost He has had
| courage and wisdom with his courage
| in every great legislative contest that
| Kansas has seen in the five years now
passing.
Upon that record of faithful public
service he is asking the nomination
| as speaker. Moreover, he was mem
Der of the committee that drafted the
Republican state platform. He wrote
many of it's important provisions. He
| is in entire sympathy with the pro-
/ majority in the party in this state. He
/ is dependable and honest and wise
and brave. and he has done as much
as any other one man in Kansas to
| make Kansas what she has become
/ within the last half decade. Upon
his record he is asking for promotion.
| The fight made upon him he has met
| and settled in the courts, the only
| tribunal where such a contest may
| fairly be settled. And he believes and
| his friends believe and all fair men
| must agree with them, that such a