The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-18

Drother, gave him the bills, asking him
to be down at Fifth and Commercial
streets just before noon when there
was good crowd gathered around on
the street corner, and have the money
in his pocket
Mason drove up to the euro at lie
appointed hour and made the remark
that he would like to sell the rig. His
brother became interested, and finally.
after some dickering, Walt told him
| that he could have the whole outfit for
two hundred dollars, spot cash, and
not a cent less.
After some hesitation. the brother
| finally concluded he would take the
outfit, and then and there, before the
crowd, counted out the money, which
the seller thereupon put in TO his in
side pocket.
The purchaser then drove to his
own home.
Mason went over to the bank. re-
turned the two hundred dollars to Gov
ernor Bailey, went to his brothers barn,
got the family horse ana drove out of
Atchison on his way to Emporia via
the Topeka road
The editor Of this paper has re-
| ceived what purports to be a serious
letter from David D. Leahy, the COVER
nor's secretary, wherein Mr.. Leahy
takes exception to a. statement which
appeared in this column yesterday,
concerning the instructions of the
governor to the attorney geenral in
the matter of bringing the House case
before a justice of the peace. The let
ter, while serious, is really humorous.
1t is written by the fine Italian hand
of the Irish assistant to the governor.
Inasmuch as this writer and the COVER
nor's secretary are members of The
same club, the Saturday Night club.
and inasmuch as the secretary is
known in that organization as the
gentleman from Illinois, with a keen
sense Of humor, this member Of the
club does not take either the gentle
man from Illinois, or the secretary to
the governor, with equal seriousness
under all circumstances.
The governors secretary in his let
ter printed below attempts to put the
writer in the light of failing to practice
his own precepts in the matter of re-
porters' accuracy.
1t must be admitted, however. that |
he can see little or no difference be- |
tween the statement made in Wednes-
days chapter and the statement which |
the governors secretary would like to
have had made. 1t looks like a us
tinotion without difference But here |
is the letter just as it came:
STATE OF KANSAS
w. r STUBBS, GOVERNOR
TOPEKA.
January Is. 1917
70 the Editor of the State journal:
MY Dear Sir--Your sermon on the re-
llgion Of newspaper accuracy, which was
printed in the place of the "reminiscences
IN the State Journal of last evening was
naturally so alfr,
veteran of that creed that L could not
stop until | got clear down to the bottom
Of the column, or near to it.
There noticed that the preacher began
70 backslide and the religion or accuracy
began to skid
In the flush and flower of that virtuous
elation that so naturally grew upon YOU
while discussing a great subject like this
you asserted with all the confidence of
creating. that Governor Stubs had
dered and directed Attorney General
Dawson to bring Mr.. House before a jus
ice OF the peace friendly to the pro-
hlbitory law. And from this you ably
argued that if that famous oc6opus-ti1e
Santa Fe road-had ordered its cases
brought before friendly judge, Gov
ernor Stubs would be the first man to |
paw the air bit and howl.
] congratulate you upon Your very keen
perception of the character of the real
Mr. Stubs. You bet he would howl and
ought to howl, as You would howl AMI
ought to howl, as an honest and fair
minded citizen, if Governor Stubbs had
ordered General Dawson to bring a state
case before friendly justice of the
peace But the trouble with the whole
position you have taken is this that the
governor gave no such direction and no.
ooey said he did except the attorney gen
sral.
What the governor directed our dear
friend General Dawson to do as you can
see by reading his letter. was not to |
bring the case before a justice of the
'eace friendly to the prohibitory law, !
out before one not ''unfriendly'' to it.
Lawyers of the minutest brain caliber, | ,
and any layman with a pennyweight OF
common sense could see the judicial dis |
inction between these two statements;
and the Santa Fe manager who would !
lot counsel and direct his attorneys to
10 what the governor did in this instance
to be sure not to bring the cases before | !
Infriendly judges-would be- and ought to t
De, fired bodily just as quickly as the {
BOARD of directors could be brought to- I
sether. !
/ hope and trust that you can see by
what 7 have said that no real friend OF .
he veTities will say that newspaper ac-
,uracy is really accurate unless the fact
tated is q fact and the statement made
5 a truth.
All men who have genius equal to the ]
luthOr of the "reminiscences are prone to {
o take it from me that if you will keep 3
Is close tab on what the governor says, ,
Is you do on what the present attorney :
yeneral says that the governor says, you ;
will be able to get larger dividends upon :
he virtuous business of ser1nonizing on
he great subject of newspaper accuracy. $
Sincerely,
DAVID D. LEAHY /