The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-08-11
Charges Hughes Is Trusts and
Wall Street Candidate.
Answers Charges Made in
Hughes Recent Speeches.
CITES RECORD AS GOVERNOR
Alleges He Catered to Plutocrat
and "PIunder-hund."
Defends Handling of "Plums"
to Democrat Workers.

Jennings Bryan. former secretary of
state. in a written statement given out
here today replying to attacks made
upon him and the Democratic party
by Charles e. Hughes charged the
Republican presidential nominee with
being supported by trust magnates,
Wall street and the railroads" who
are seeking to put him in position
to safeguard plutocracy from further
attacks Mr.. Bryan's arraignment
came as an answer to Mr.. Hughess
recent speeches concerning the ex-
secretary's attitude toward the civil
service.
He said he had enforced the civil
service law to the letter" Mr.. Bryan
challenged the Republican nominee to
state whether he had given appoint
ments to deserving Republicans
while governor of New York.
The statement was made in answer
to recent speeches of Mr. Hughes
which quoted letter Bryan had writ
ten to Receiver of Customs Wick In
Santo Domingo inquiring as to what
positions could be obtained to reward
deserving Democrats" Mr.. Bryan ad-'
mitted the letter as 1t had been quoted
Not Ashamed of Record.
am not ashamed OF the STATE
ment read. THE letter was written to
an appointive officer, whose office was
not under the civil service and the in
Quiry was made in regard to offices
which were not under the civil services
There was nothing to the letter to-
indicate a desire or intention to select.
men who are Incompetent. On the
contrary inquiry is made as to what
is requisite"
The statement after declaring Mr..
Hughes to have shown himself quite
prompt in discharging obligations
declares:
"As an official, I enforced the civil
service law to the letter and upon my
resignation received from the en-
ployes in the state department more
than 90 per cent of whom were under
the civil service, a watch which L
prize as a priceless treasure. But
while observed the civil service law.
wherever it was in force, felt myself
free to aid in rewarding deserving
Democrats whereve 1t could be done
without detriment to the service. My
regret is that 1 was able to reward
so few of the multitude who are de-
serving, measured by their political
service, by their capacity and by their
fitness for the work to be done.
As Good as Deserving Republican.
1.-The deserving Democrat is not to
be despised-he is as much entitled to
recognition as a deserving Republi-
can
When he was a candidate for gov
ernor, Mr.. Hughes received the sup
port of the railroads of New York and
he generously repaid the debt by veto
ing the two-cent passenger rate bill
He did not describe that as shameful.
When a candidate for governor he re-
ceived the support of the New York
tax dodgers, the owners of swollen
fortunes and he paid his debt by
sending a message to the legislature
protesting against the income tax
amendment to the federal constitution
He does not describe that as shane
full.
He is now being supported by the
railroads of the United States and he
expects to pay them back by aiding
them to escape state legislation and
find a haven of security in exclusive
federal control over the railroads. He
is being supported by the shipping
trust and expects to pay them back
by helping them to prevent govern
ment competition. He is supported by
the trust magnates and expects to pay
them back by shielding them from
punishment for the extortion which
which they desire to practice; he Is
supported by Wall street and expects
to pay them back by spending Ameri-
can blood and squandering money
raised by taxation in order to guaran-
tee profits on speculative investments
And yet, with the record which he has
made in paying his political obliga-
tions at the expense of the public and
with -he pledges his speeches contain
to those who are now aiding his am
bitions, he has the impudence to hold
up for criticism legitimate effort to
reward competent men for the service
which they have rendered to the cause
of reform.
A Twenty Year Struggle.
For twenty years the people have
been engaged in a life and death
struggle to save the nation from the
big exploiters. the big grafters and the
big pork hunters-from the plunder-
bund to which Mr Hughes is indebted
for all the political honors he has en-
joyed and which is now seeking to put
him in a position to safeguard pultoc-
racy from further attacks. Mr.. Hughes
is perfectly familiar with the contest
because he has been conspicuous
among the champions of the plunder-
bund.
"In the campaign of 1908 he was
put forth as the chief representative
of the trusts and his eloquent advocacy
of their cause won him a place on the
supreme bench where he had been
quick to show his bias in their favor
But while he has been winning
valuable rewards as Republican who
is deserving from the standpoint of
the predatory interests the plain com
mon people have been waging brave
and continuous struggle for the rescue
OF their government from the hands
of Mr. Hughes's political friends and
supporters They have won battle
after battle.
They have secured, without Mr..
/ Hughes's aid the election of senators