The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-09-18
STUBS IN REPLY
Governor Answers Senator
Curtis Charges.
Gives Facts About Senatorial
Primary Law.
PRIMARY ELECTION RETURNS
Five Counties Gave Curtis Big
Vote on Liquor Question.
Those Matters of Taxes and
Curtis Support of Thompson.

Under date of September IA, Chair
man Dolley wrote to Governor Stubps
and asked him to explain certain
charges made against him by Senator
Curtis, regarding the primary law re-
Iating to the election of United states
senators by senatorial and representa-
tive districts, as we'll as his Douglas
county taxes for the year 1908, etc.
Chairman Dolley says that Senator
Curtis, in his published statement OF
September IA, admits that he is bolt
ing more than half of the regularly
nominated Republicans on the state and
congressional tickets and is trying to
elect Democrats in their places. These
Republicans were regularly and law
fully nominated at the August primary
by Republican votes and are support
ing the entire Republican ticket as
nominated in this state, including pres
idential electors. Every presidential
elector on the Republican ticket was
nominated strictly in accordance with
the laws of that state.
The senator proclaims bitterly the
fact that Governor Stubbs is q wealthy
man. Chairman Dolley makes this
statement that Senator Charles Curtis
is as rich a man in this worlds goods
as Governor Stubbs. It sounds strange,
nevertheless it is true.
The reply of Governor Stubbs fol-
lows:
About That Primary Law.
Dear Mr.. Dolley:-Your inquiry in
regard to the provision in the primary
law relating to the election of United
States senators by senatorial and rep
resentative districts, as well as in re-
gard to my Douglas county taxes for
the year 1908 and concerning other mis-
representations injected into the cam
paign by Senator Curtis, are at hand
and in reply thereto permit me to say
that [ introduced the primary election
bill in the legislature of 1908 with a
positive provision for the nomination
of United States senators by popular
vote. This bill which was known as
the Stubbs' bill. passed the house of
representatives and was transmitted to
the senate containing the popular vote
provision. The senate lodge" COM
posed of % members, fatty refused to
permit the Stubbs' primary bill to be-
come a law with provision nominat-
ing United States senators by popular
vote, and amended the bill providing
that senators should be nominated by
legislative districts. This amendment
was forced into the bill by the SEN
ate, which was absolutely dominated
by political friends of Senator Curtis
and political enemies of Stubbs. Prac-
ticany every Republican member of
that senate lodge favored the election
or senator GURUS TO the United states
senate in the 1907 session of the legis-
lature and practically every Republi
can member of that same senate
lodge also worked faithfully for the
denomination of Curtis during the re-
cent senatorial campaign. In view of
the above facts Senator Curtis state
ment that 1 am not entitled to the Re
publican nomination is too ridiculous
and absurd to even be discussed. Under
the laws of Kansas there is no other
possible way for any person to be nom
mated for the United States senate ex-
cept by the legislative district plan and
Senator Curtis was never known to
utter one word against this provision
in the primary election law until after
he was defeated.
Part Played by Liquor Question.
I received a popular majority vote
in 76 counties out of a total of 1O5
and popular majority in 100 legisla-
tive districts out of a total number of
165. 1 also received a popular ma
jority of more than four thousand
votes in 100 counties of the state out
side of Crawford, Cherokee, Leaven-
worth, Atchison and Shawnee coun-