The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-06-11
HPOlitical Crime," Is Retort Of
william Allen White.
WOOD IN Topeka ON THE JOB
New Official Familiarixing Him.
self With New Duties.
He Looks Like q Man Who VIII
Make Good.

Willie OInO l.. w OOO Ol AlOGIal is Ia.
miliarizing himself with his new duties
as United States marshal for the dis
trtct OF Kansas, newspapers in this
state, are taking occasion to place a
few flowers on the grave" Of Jack
Harrison. the erstwhile marshal. With
no stains or specks, Harrison has been
retired to private life a full year be-
fore the end Of his ordinary four year
term of office. to the full enjoyment
of which he would have been left had
it not been for the exigencies of poll
tics at the national capital.
It's the old case Of the spoils belong
ing to the victor and nobody is doing
less kicking than the retired marshal.
In fact. he is cheerful about 1t. Pos
stbly he has some private assurance
from his political mentor Senator J.
L. Bristow, that that gentleman is
planning fllibustering expedition for
the sake of holding up the confirma-
ton of the new marshal. which would
only be good politics. But it is safe
to say that Harrison is not advising
such course. He is out and knows it.
By good political judgment his side
has enjoyed this piece of Democratic
patronage already six months after the
administration first wanted possession
of 1t. and the administration has been
forced to come out in the open and
claim its PATRONAGE thing which the
Wilson administration undoubtedly
finds distasteful.
The new marshal is at work on the
job. He will stay there, as an ap-
pointee of the district court. until he
or another is confirmed by the senate.
He has had a hard fight for what in
the political game. he is entitled to
as friend Of Senator w. H. Thomp-
son. and Kansas Democracy has one
more trophy to show for its victory at
the polls Also, Wood looks like a
man who would make good.
Newspapers Are Grieved.
Editorial writer's have their COM
ments to make about it. The Kansas
City Star said yesterday:
Jack Harrison, the most efficient
and best qualified United States mar
shai Kansas ever had. with a year Of
his term yet to serve. was removed
from office peremptorily this week to
make room for a Democrat. 1t is
hardly fair to blame the president for
this order-he has repeatedly shown
that he detests politics of this sort
Hut it happens that in these smaller
details of patronage the president is
more or less at the senator's mercy
especially, as in Washington at this
time, the president needs every senator
he can get.''
William Allen White of the Emporia
Gazette uses the incident to point a
moral to Progressive tale in the fol-
lowing manner:
It's too bad about Jack Harrison.
He has made the best United States
marshal Kansas has had for years.
His removal was a political crime
without extenuation or mitigation.
President Wilson's part in it is inex-
cusable from any viewpoint. A man
incapable of attending to such a de-
tail as that has c fatal flaw in his
makeup. And no one can blame Mr.
Harrison and Senator Bristow for US
ing what force and emphasis they can
command in seeking to defeat the
president and his friends and his
party for reelection
However, one cannot see what
great gain the senator and Mr.. Har-
rison expect from the party Of Taft
and Penrose and the reactionaries
who have won generally this spring
in the Republican primaries. For IT
all the long line Of decent men of the
Harrison stripe whom Senator Bris-
tow recommended, Harrison was the
only one that Taft appointed. The
Democrats are lad enough. The
Harrison removal was a shame; but
just where does Senator Bristow ex-
pect to get and what does he expect
to gain by substituting Republican
misgovernment for Democratic slotn
and negligence?
I'VE pause for reply"