The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-25
Arthur Capper Makes Formal
Announcement.
But He Offers No Platform or
Declaration of Principles.
THEY WILL COME LATER
With Offense Toward None and
Charity Towards All
The Announcement Comes to a
Conclusion.

Arthur Capper of Topeka today an
nounced his candidacy for the Repub-
lican nomination for governor.
The Capper announcement Is the
conclusion of months of delay after
numerous conferences with progress
sive Republicans, Bull Moose and
regular Republican leaders. 1t Is a
soft answer tended to turn away
wrath. 1t points to glorious achieve
ments of a glorious state, to the laud-
able ambition of a native son to serve
his people and hopes for a bumper
corn crop. None of the % individual
Capper platform planks Of 1912 are
in the announcement. The galley OF
solid reading matter is chock full OF
hope and cheer. Members Of the
Hodges administration-rate as rath-
er certain Capper opponents In the
electiOn-are referred to as naughty,
mean and selfish individuals in Cap
per's brave and fearless flight OF ltno-
typed oratory.
live issues before the political Organi-
cations of the state and takes a firm
and comprehensive stand on pub
lie questions. 1t denies In broad ana
elastic terms the existence of a Bris-
tow-Capper deal. 1t promises an In
dividual Capper platform-some time.
Smashing the enemy right on the
nose, Capper sets at rest all uncertain
ty as to his stand on tentative state
platform, the initiative and referen-
dunn and recall of the judiciary by re-
fusing in a most dignified and gentle
manly manner to mention any OF
them.
"Reyision of taxes downward"-
platform of 1912-is this year substt-
tuted by the more recent comprehen-
sive declaration that Il shall make no
wild promises of great reduction IN
taxes Or reforms in state government"
With offense to none and charity to
all, the announcement says the Pro-
gressive party is a mistake and prom
ises parlor bedrooms. shower baths 40
three meals a day to Bull Moosers who
follow the Fred jackson trail back TO
the party before election day.
And while the past is still fresh In
mind two paragraphs are devote1 to
the unfortunate affair OF two years ago
when a thoughtless Republican su-
and election boards gave Demo RAJ
the certificate as governor and robbed
the people of their rights" But the
past is buried and forgotten.
With characteristic courage the issues
of the coming fight are met with Goa.
fidence and assurance and copies of
the announcement were fearlessly
handed newspaper reporters for after
noon paper release.
will you make your personal plat
form public?" asked one reporter.
Not right now" was the soothing re-
ply that contrasted the firm and de-
fiant stand for principles in the an
nouncement. mot right now. None
of the other candidates have announced
their platforms yet"
In the Life Story Of Arthur Cap
p,r." published for free distribution or
sent postpaid on application during the
1912 campaign, Capper who had pre-
viously helped write the Republican
state platform. championed ~ measures
in the way of needed or suggested re-
form. None Of these personal planks
are incorporated In his formal an
nOuncement for governor.
The announcement follows in full:
Is Ambitious to Servo.
"An ambition to serve my native
state as I believe the men and women
who live in it would have it served.
prompts this announcement of my can
didacy for the Republican nomination
for governor.
"As 1 see it. somewhat herculean
task awaits the next governor of Kan
sas if he lives up to his oath Of office.
one that is vital to the best interests
Of the people of Kansas and the pol't-
ical progress of the state. matter In
which all true Kansans are now inter-
ested as never before.
sense to our public service. The sp"i
system has always made two men
necessary to do one mans work.
Wherever 4 exists 1t Is steadily pilins
up the public debt as II there were no
such thing as a reckoning day. IKE
cost of government goes far beyond
its benefits and is steadily increasing,
and while under our system of taxa
ton the burden Is heaviest on the man
least able to bear 1t, a real merit sys-
TEN. q clean, sensible business system,
will do more to curtail the long list OF
expenditures which make higher and
higher taxes, will do more to bring
efficiency out Of misrule in Kansas
and will do more to give the people a
dollar-fo dollar value for their tax
money than all the political wind-jam-
ming we have ever had in the state.
Abolish Political Jobs.
II believe the great issue in Kansas
this year is the removal of the evils
Of the vicious spoils system from tle
CONTINUED on Page Two.)