The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-09-18
Been Decided Not to Bring
Suit Against Taft.
Presidents Name to Stay on
Republican Ticket.
And THAT SETTLES IT
For w. A. White Has DeIiv-
cred UItimatum.
L. r. Electors VIII Not Run
Under Taft'S Name.
Tried Hard.
COMMITTEE DESERTED HIN
Even His Fellow Electors
Would Not Stand.
And So Most Stubborn Legal
Battle Ended.

1t is now almost certain that the
Roosevelt electors will be taken rff
the Republican column of the ballot.
The state committee will not bring
suit against the secretary of state 10
keep him from placing Taft's name at
the head of the column. The Roosevelt
electors will not bring this suit. VII
liam Allen White has stated positively
that the Roosevelt electors will not be
allowed to stay on the Republican
ticket if Taft's name is placed at the
head. So it now appears certain that
within the next day or two, or few
hours, that the Roosevelt electors VIII
withdraw voluntarily from the Repub-
lican column and be placed by petition
on the independent column.
For two months past the factions OF
the party in Kansas have been fight
ing to get these electors out of the
Republican column and to keep them
there. The case has been tried in the
district court, The supreme court afd
in the federal courts and is now in
the United States supreme court. The
Roosevelt electors won in every case
except that of the United States su-
preme court and it has not been tried
there as yet.
waged bitter war on the placing of the
Roosevelt electors in the Republican
column, claiming that Taft is the reg
uIar nominee of the Republican party.
They have threatened to bolt if they
were disfranchised. The Roosevelt men
have claimed that their electors were
nominated by a majority of the Re
publican party voters at the last pri-
mary and were entitled to places at
the head of the party ticket. But in
me interest of harmony and the state
and congressional candidates there has
been talk for two weeks that the Roose-
Velt electors would be withdrawn The
action of Chairman DOlley, of the
state committee, today in declining to
file suit against the secretary of state
10 keep Taft's name off the Republi-
can ticket practically marks the end
of the fight.
The secretary of state and attorney
general take the ground that they have
no more authority to keep the names
of Taft and Sherman off the ticket
than they have to keep the names Of
the Roosevelt electors off the ballet.
These officials, as mem berS OF the
state contest board, recently decided
that they could not keep names of the
Roosevelt electors off the ballot; and
in harmony with that decision, VIII
hold that they cannot keep the names
of any one else off the ticket. Their
attitude is that everyone whose NOM
ination is not contested in some law
suit or similar proceeding, is entitled
to have his name go on the ballot and
if this leaves a resulting inconsistenc9'
1t is not their fault The supreme
court has held that the secretary OF
state is not the censor of political pai
ties nor the guardian of public morals
His duty is merely to certify out the
names of everybody nominated
PostIethwaite Undecided.
After changing his mind three times
today, Robt. Postlethwaite T. r. cleo
TOR, was undecided at $3.50 whether or
not to bring the suit against the sec
retary of state to try to compel him
to take Taft's name off the Republi-
can ticket. He claims now to have
the electors behind him, and it is up
to Postlethwaite- The elector stated
positively last night that he would
bring the suit. Today the state COM
mittee refused to bring it. and it was
reported some of the other electors
would not stand hitched.
William Allen White is in the city
and he has conferred with PostIe-
thwaite and Chairman DolIey. Con-
gresham Fred Jackson is out of
town. Final decision will not be
made until Jackson gets back tonight
But It is a two to one wager that the
suit is not brought and that the T r.
electors go over to the independent
column.