The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-08-03
Bill White and John Dawson
Go to the Mat.
All Because White Made That
Progressive Slate.
WHITE HIT DAWSOK'S RECORD
Now the Lawyer Replies to
EmpOria Editor.
Dear, Sweet Foolish, LOVabIe
Gentleman, He Says.

Just when it looked as though all the
trouble that could possibly find a place
in the primary election fight had been
spread before the voters, William Allen
White and Attorney General Dawson
added a new color to the general deco
rations and the fellowship and love OF
the lawyer for the editor seems to hang
by a thread. When White last night
stuck few pins in the attorney gener-
aPs official record. Dawson today hit
back with a sledge hammer
White, in explaining to W. p. Mont
gomery as to the reasons Dawson's
name was not on the list of sanctihed
candidates, hurled a few brickbats at
the Dawson record. 1t was explained
that Dawson was not offended by the
theft of the Chicago convention and -
not for Roosevelt" Then, White ex-
plains. there are other things about
Dawson that are not just right Fog
instance Dawson didn't obey Stubbs as
an obedient attorney general should
do: and White recites that Dawson is
friendly with Jim Orr. with Judge Sapp
and appointed S. NJ. Brewster as an as
sistant attorney general after the de-
feat of the initiative and referendum.
Again, Dawson said some unpleasant
things about reform measures, is per-
feet gentleman, but an Ineffective law
yer a poor judge of law and prince
of straddlers." Personally, Mr.. Daw-
son is an admirable man." continues
White, but during his two years in
office, Dawson has officially been Good
Lord to the progressives in public, and
Good Devil to the stand-patters in pri-
vate, and all in such a way as to make
Rim a prince of straddlers. Now, We
have scripture which says, Put not
ant sayeth not" And right there is
where Dawson rises to a question OF
personal privilege.
Dawson's Answer.
Il have steadfastly refused to take
any hand in the present factional row
which threatens to disrupt the Repuh-
lican party" said Dawson, but two OF
my special assistants for outside work
C. w. Trickett and w. p. Montgom-
ery-are radical Roosevelt men. The
regular Office force are, like myself
too busy to get into politics. With
Montgomerys controversy with Will
liam Allen White 1 have nothing TO do,
except as it may injure me as an in
nocent bystander.
Points to His Record.
But Mr.. White cannot outdo me in
courtesy and as he says / am an ad-
mirable man personally, 1 hasten to
say as much for Mr.. White. / have at
home a White scrap book containing
most of the clever things he has writ
ten beginning with his statement thar
President Mckinley never had an idea
in his-head down to his latest wherein
ne says L am an ineffective lawyer.
But don't forget that my Ineffective
ness as a lawyer is responsible for the
people of Kansas still enjoying two
cent railroad fares while the effective
lawyers for other states have got
knocked out of the box and their peo-
fxyn
three cents a mile. BY my efforts, as
sociated with Attorney General Nor
wood of Arkansas. and Attorney Gen
eral Bingham of Indiana, the people OF
Kansas and all the country round
about are enjoying reduced Pullman
rates and radical reductions in upper
berth rates. But pshaw! what's the
use in going into the work Of my de-
partment on the threshold of primary
election?
LAS to Mr.. Whites political charges,
let me ask what are the stalwart fol-
lowers of Robert NJ. LaFollette, like
myself, expected to do in this Taft
Roosevelt scrap? L think we should
wait. Maybe a little later, Senator La
Toilette. Governor Deneen. Senator
Borah, Senator Cummins and Governor
Hadley, consistent progressives, viii
outline a policy which will appeal to
men of my temperament and we vii!
follow it courageously and without
straddl1ng.
What Mr.. White says about my at
titude in 1910 is true. He was in
favor of the initiative and referendum
and the short ballot. One of the
things the short ballot means is that
the county commissioners shall ap-
point the county and township officers;
another is that che governor shall ap-
point the state officers. That was so
startling to me that l kicked up
fuss about all three of these PROPOSE
tions and then compromised with Mr.
White, whereby 1 agreed to submit to
the initiative and referendum, and he
agreed to lay down on the short bal
lot. But he has the short ballot in his
craw yet and he will spring it again
when the time seems favorable. Yoa
bet he WILL
About That 1. and II.
81 have not the slightest objection
to the referendum. 1 am always will
/ do look askance at the initiative.
True, some of the leaders are for it,
giving it lip service like so many par
rots but, so help me, the only plain
people in Kansas who are for it that
can find are those who wish to repeal
the prohibitory law.
'I'he rest of Mr.. Whites screed is
merely rehash of the Stubbs-House-
DAVIS on row and on that scrap / am
willing to rest on the laurels have
already won. The women folks at my
place would never forgive me II
should quarrel with William Allen
White, and 1 repeat at length that he
is a dear, sweet, foolish, well meaning,
Iowa BILE gentleman-a genius, in fact,
and who expects anything sensible or
fitted for the drudgery Of everyday