Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1912-02-24


but 1 couldn't interest 'em- And I'll
tell you frankly that the regular
sources in this state are dry. There
isn't the usual feeling. You're a good
politician Perhaps you know why it's
SOL
you haven't answered my question,
sir. 1 asked you what your state COM
mittee has done"
what is there we can do when
every interest in this state sits back
on its wallet like a hen squatting on
the roost, and won't stand up and let
go until some assurances are given
out? 1t isn't my fault / went to
youi laid the case downi- You didn't
give me anything to carry back to
EN-"
I'm here to talk business, MI
Chairman. You are too vague
well, I'll talk business too" Pres
son snapped out of his chair. He
stood up and wagged his finger. He
was too angry to choose words or
gloss brutal facts.
you want to be governor, don't you?
You're asking men to support you and
back you with money? That's what it
amounts to- Campaign funds don't
come down like manna-there's moth
ing heavenly about 'em-and you know
it as well as / do, general You've
scared Senator PownaPs crowd with
that anti-water power trust talk;
they've got money to put into the leg
islature, but not for you. The corpora
lions won't do anything; your tax COM
mission talk has given them cold feet
as fairs you're concerned. Even the
omceholders are sore; you've been talk
ing about abolishing fees, and if that's
the case they'd just as soon give up
the offices. And where's your party,
then? You say you're going to enforce
the prohibitory lawi I can get little
money out of the express companies,
the jobbers in gallon lots and the fell
| lows that get the promise of the state
liquor agency contracts, but the big
wholesalers, the liquor mems associa-
| tons, the retailers-the whole bunch
that's got the real money and is will
ing to spend it haven't cent for you
they'll even back the Democrat against
youi You wanted business talk There
it is. You've fixed it so that we can't
| get the money"
''Then the state committee would be
able to go ahead and do what it ought
to do if 1 should assure Senator Pow
nal that he and his crowd may help
themselves to the water powers of this
state, if 1 let the rumsellerS sell and
the officeholders fitch? It's on those
terms, is it, that I'm to get the help Of
the men the Republican party has Sc
lected as its executives?"
'"That isn't square way to put it,
objected Mr.. Presson, with heat. 'I
simply say it was all right to open this
campaign with prayer, as we did at
the state convention, but as to carry
| ing it through on the plane of a re-
! yival meeting, that's a different propo-
sition. In politics it's nothing for moth
ing Nand very little for a dollar! You
know it just as well as do. Now sup
pose we have some business talk from
your There was a sneer in the last
sentence.
General Weymouth swung one thin
leg over the knee of the other. He
leaned back in his chair. His elbow
rested on the chair arm, his fingers
were set, tips ON his chin, and over
them he surveyed his listeners with
calmness. He did not raise his voice
1t was his mild manner that made
what he said sound so balefully saw
age. Buster would have weakened it.
1.-The legitimate expenses Of cam
pdlSu are cOuSlueTdDI0, even when Tie
party organization, from you, Mr.. Pres
son, down to the humbleSt town com
mitteeman, does full duty in time and
effort But if one has to buy it all ii
needs a deep purse. From what you
say it is plain to me that I am now
left to run my own campaign. I tel
you very frankly, gentlemen, my means
are limited. / have not made money
out of politics. One course only is left
issue statement to the people of this
state. shall inform them that have
been abandoned by the state committee
and the party machine. I shall state
the reasons very plainly. 1 shall say
am left to defeat because 1 refused tc
betray the peoples interests. Then
shall appeal to the people as whole
to Republicans and Democrats alike
for support at the polls. If there are
enough honest men to elect me, very
well. If the majority wants to hand
the thing over to the Iooters and trick
sters after the fair warning 1 give
open, and I'll accept the result and
leave this state to ITSELF
you mean to say, General Way
mouth, that, being a Republican, 6
man who has had honors from oul
hands, you'll advertise your party man
agement as crooks simply because We
don't cut our own threats politically
and financiallyY'
at say 1 shall state the facts"
/ Of inf hof oyof {