The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-15
DIDN'T DARE DO IT
White Says Senators Baked at
Important Questions.
Failed to Ask Leahy About
Pork Barrel.

William Allen White today gave out
an interview regarding the senate pork
barrel deal even more pointed than
his editorial on this subject. Mr..
White also endorses the Leahy charges
against the senate. Mr.. White today
said:
pave Leahy everlastingly made
good. Two things were brought out
clearly by the Leahy investigation:
First that an attempt was made to
tamper with waterworks bill in
which Senator Porter was anxious to
pass; and, second. that an attempt was
made on the same bill to get the read
ing clerk to humble the bill so that
the opponents of it would not under
stand its provisions. But this hap
pened in the house and not in the SEN
ate, and the cross examiners of the
one single question about the pork
barrel and when he began chal-
lenging them to ask him more ques-
tions-to go into those parts of his
interview in which he denounced the
trading upon the state appropriations,
Senator Reed and Senator Price both
rose and twice repeated hurried mo
tions to adjourn. The senate does not
dare to put its own members under
oath and let them be questioned about
the pork barrel. 1t can be proved by
the senators themselves and corrobor
ated by other perfectly reliable wit
ness that an 100000 asylum to be
paid out of the taxes of the Kansas
people was put up for votes to make a
majority and carry appropriations for
other unnecessary projects-Drojects
that would give their recipients a
chance to go home and face an out
ragged people with party pledges un-
redeemed.
1.-THE game was, before Leahy ex-
ploded it, to cut down the institutions
that exist-the agricultural college and
the university and the charitable in
stitutions, and put the par1ngs into
big pork barrel that would act as sop
to outraged communities who demand
ed that campaign pledges be redeem
ed. Leahy for the time has frustrated
this plan. The Hutchinson fair since
Leahy's charges were made has been
submitted to the people; the extra
state normals are getting Shaky and
Senator Porter's connection with the
waterworks bill makes it evident that
persons voting for his normal separa-
ton bill must do so with open eyes.
1.-THE standpat members of the SEN
ate may as well make up their minds
to this: that while members may be
bribed with state money to vote for
pork barrel projects, the people OF
their home counties can not be bribed
so easily.
''The Republican platform was sub
mitted to the party council under a
rule giving one-fifth of the members
of the council a right to roll call
upon any vote. The opposition to that
platform-including the standpat sem
ators-in the party council tried to
muster one-fifth of the membership OF
the council and failed. Those sena-
tors had their day in court A party
council fresh from the people over
whelmed them. AS members of the
Republican party council that passed
that platform, it is the duty of those
| standpat senators to obey the wishes
| of their party. Moreover, the initia-
tive and referendum are Republican
| party pledges in Illinois, in Colorado,
| in Wisconsin and in California. And,
more than that, the initiative and
| referendum with q 5 and per cent
clause has been put in the constitution
with Republican votes in Maine
good old Yankee Maine, in Oregon, in
| Missouri, in Colorado, in Arizona, in
| Utah and Montana. 1t is no new thing,
and the recall is a Republican party
pledge this year in five Republican
states. The corporations and railroads
/ that are trying to defeat that platform
| by a pork barrel might as well learn
from the indignant people themselves
that while appropriations buy votes in
the senate, the people who have to pay
| these appropriations in taxes can not
| be bought with their own money"