The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-10-23
SUFFER- A PROGRESSIVE.

1
Undeniable evidence, if any were
servation that politics makes strange
bedfeIows is to be found in the asso-
Citations now existing between William
SuIzer and the Progressive party, or
at least an integral part of it. The
proud boast of the Progressives has
always been that they stand for moth
/ ing but decency in politics. Their po-
liticaI morals in all things, so they
have insisted, are as pure as the
driven snow. Many of them blushed
more than once during the last cam
paign because of some of the scala
wags in politics who hitched their
wagons to the Progressive star But
this was unavoidable A political
party in this country cannot choose
it's followers, no matter how undesir-
able they may be. But a party can
select it's leaders and its candidates
for office, and their measure in
way is the measure of the party.
William Sulzer left Albany dis
graced above any man who has ever
held high public office in the EN-
pire state. He was convicted in
high court of impeachment of cor
rupt practices. He made his convic-
ton certain by failing to make any
sort of defense to the charges that
were made and proven against him.
The despicable motive behind these
charges has no bearing on the case.
Sulzer was removed from the New
York governorship not merely be-
cause Tammany SO moved and willed
in spirit of vengeance and spite,
but because of his own acts for
which he offered no defense, and
thereby practically acknowledged.
The testimony presented against him
shows him to be a man utterly devoid
of the moral fiber that the people
have a right to demand of the men
who would serve them in positions of
public trust.
He did not attach himself to the
Progressive party. He was welcomed
to it like a long lost brother. That
portion of the party in one of the
assembly districts in New York City
offered him it's nomination as a can
didate for the lower branch of the
New York legislature. The Progress
sives in the district are reported to be
wildly enthusiastic over him, and it
is said that his election is assured by
a big vote. Indeed, there is talk of
the Republican candidate withdraw
ing, which would be crafty politics,
for with Su1zer in the New York as
sembly there would be a thorn in
Tammany's side of huge proportions.
But regardless of the fact that the
in this district stand
good chance of being successful with
Su1zer running on a martyr platform,
their alliance with him even for the |
purpose of winning is not a very il !
page in the history of the
party. Nor is it likely to /
receive the hearty endorsement of
the prominent Progressive leaders |
the country.
Much stress has been laid by Sui |
ger and his friends on the letters of |
encoura cement that he received from |
Roosevelt. But in every one |
of these letters in which Colonel
Roosevelt so roundly and deservedly |
scored Tammany, there was the ur- |
gent suggestion to Sulzer that he |
leave no stone unturned to disprove /
the charges that had been made |
against him. And these letters seem |
to have been written by Colonel |
under the impression that
Sulzer could easily do this and would
do so. But that is just what Sulzer |
failed even to try to do. And when
Colonel Roosevelt learns of that fact, |
it isn't at all likely that he will give !
William Sulzer a clean bill of health.