The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-24
He Recommended That Mr.. Taft
RenOminate Childs.
AN OLD STORY OUT
Refusal to Spend
Money Is Told.
Senate Confirms Appointments
of Other Postmasters.

/ titeLSlSI t1L NdIiSSlS lily hdu. ne Gull
frmation Of this nomination will UNI
| d,iubtedly have hard shedding In fact
there are some politicians here who as
sert that the senate will finally request
President Taft to withdraw Childs
name and submit another for the APP
| pointment
The Kansas City postmastership pays
$500 a year. Mr. Childs has served
| for several terms, being originally ap-
pointed through the influence of Con-
gresham Justin D. Bowersock. Sena-
tors Curtis and Bristow, who at the
request of the president and acting as
referees in all postmaster appointments
| in both the Second and Seventh Kan
sas congressional districts since these
districts are being represented in the
house by Democrats, have had the
Kansas CITY appointment under cOnsid-
Grafton for two months or more. Meth
| er of the seniors had endorsed Childs,
| or made any suggestion in the matter.
| they had, he Wever, requested the post
master general to submit to them a
statement Of Mr.. Childs official rec
! ord and copies of certain correspon-
| dence in which charges against the
Kansas City official had been filed.
Hitchcock Behind ChiIds.
While awaiting receipt of this de-
l-sired informal the Childs nomina-
ton for reappointment was sent to
the senate by the president upon rec
ommendaiGn of PoStnla Stcr General
! Hitchcock.
That all efforts by Senator Rristow
will be made to block confirmation of
the appointment is certain. Mr.. Bris-
/ toW's grievance is said 70 be Of
personal nature. If the Junior Kansas
senator bases his opposition on the
ground that the appointment is per-
sonally distasteful to him the senate
will undoubtedly live up to its old ira
| dition of satisfying senators in such
! cases. Just what stand Senator Cur
It's intends taking in the matter is not
known.
Childs has for many years past been
a big political power in Wyandotte
county. Because of this power he was
| retained in office by Congressman
Charles F. Scott, who succeeded Mr..
for congress, Alexander Mitchell, the
Republican II surgent, laid careful plans
, to have Childs removed from his job.
But Mr.. Mitchell died shortly after TAX
ing his sea- in the house.
Political Secret Is Out.
Back of the original appointment of
Wesley r. Shilds as postmaster at
= Kansas City lies an interesting politt-
cal secret, if all reports are true. For
| years a yarn has been quietly ped
died in Washington among Kansas pcli-
ticians that Childs has been the man
{ who handled big campaign funds to aid
in the electing of congressman from the
Second district.
| larly dispensed large purses for Mr..
Bowersock. The latter had. according
to reports. become tired of handing
over money to The politicians, ard dur
ing his last campaign for the hous
declined to spend a cent toward re-
imbursing campaign workers for their
services in either WydndCtte or any
other county III the district.
1t is claimed that Postmaster Childs
| urged the necessity of spending 50 wv
in Wyandotte county at that time, ar
guing that if this amount was not
. forthcoming the Lawrence millionaire
| would certainly meet with defeat in
that county. Bowersock was obdGrate.
Not dollar would he give up.
Il would rather b 2 defeated than
| hand out another dollar for this pur-
pose" Mr.. Rowersock is alleged to have
said.
Having his own personal interests at
stake as well, Postmaster Childs went
the limit in his efforts to land Bower
sock again in the house. He acted as
the good Samaritan. It is said that
when he found the Bowersock purse
absolutely impregnable, he went down
in his own jeans for the necessary
$4,000 to satisfy the political faithful
who demanded that the money must
come from some source or another.
BoWersOcl1 Fails to Repay Him.
It is claimed that Postmaster Childs
put up this money in Bowersock's in
terest with the confident belief that
the Lawrence millionaire would later
reimburse him. But, alasl Bowersock
would not come across after his cleo
ton and, moreover, it is stated, he
never has to this day REIN bursed his
postmaster friend and political work err
According TO the story as told. Mr.
Bowersock declared he had no honest
obligation to fulfill because he did not
auth OriZe the expenditure
The worst of it was. it is said, that
Postmaster Childs did not have the
ready cash himself to carry on this
campaign but went out and borrowed
If cfx7fn several 06rSOnal notes When
these notes became due it is stated he
asked Mr.. Bowersock to take them up
| Bowersock again declined. and Mr.
Childs had to meet these obligations tc
| the dollar.
Whether this story is true or not. il
has been the subject of gossip here II
| Washington for years
Concerning Kansas Democrats.
Under the caption of "Politica
Twi-- ships in Kansas" the washington
Post editorially discusses the recen1
, election of Democrat in the Seventh
Kansas district in a most interesting
fashion. The Post says:
| 1.-THE election of Neeley. Dem Ocrat
in the Seventh Kansas district. to sue
coed the late Representative Madison
an fnsurgent Republican, is herald &c
, as a signal victory for Democracy, tina
points to a landslide next fail; But
reallw what significance attaches Z
the defeat of a progressive Repub-
lican by a progressive Democrat
They are as alike as two peas. a.
Bryan ana 1ttC let uS Sc 49,
r candidates stood for the same rad1ea
program. and both could have Spoken
before the same crowd, strangers t
them without ANYBODY being able K
make out one from tother- 1t was n'
kind of a contest. in the true meaning
of the word, and the result hinged OF
the question of personal ropularity- A
that game Neeley proved to he the bet
ter mixer. and won b. 1900 on Ugh
vote
Martin CHANGED Front.
- ?