The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-02-28
THEY ALL Do IT
Even RefOrmers Occasionally
3 Indulge in Machine Politics.
A Case in Point Comes From
Russell County.

Purity in Kansas politics may in
the future be determined from a per-
sonnet of the men who engage in the
game and not from the methods
employed Out in Russell county the
other day the walking delegates for
pure politics, adopted a few of the
old tactics OF machine day manipu-
lations, railroaded their program
through the county central commit
tee and have now placed the burden
on the shoulders of the evil minded
standpatters.
Four years ago several county COM
mittees took over all local response
bilities and named the delegates to
the state and district conventions. 1t
was an occasion for loud protests and
bitter COMBINATIONS from the advo-
Gates of lily white politics. Sarcastic
references were made to the old days
when the machine politicians ran
things according to their own notion.
High minded newspapers in all sec
tions of the state carried editorials
on the subject The action of the
various county committees were con-
demned most bitterly and everyone
affiliated or associated with conserva-
tive political factions was advised that
the standpatters had committed An
objectionable Sin.
In the four years the reform wing of
the party never forgot the 1912 sins
of the conservatives. They talked
ABOUT the matter Wilen lu6 Sidlc GULL
mittee met in Topeka January % and
a good many members of the COM
mittee wanted to pass resolutions
about it. w. Y. Morgan and one or two
other members made speeches on the
subject.
The Pot and the Kettle.
Maybe it was just the thought of
the sins of others that led the real
true refOrmerS of Russell county to
sin Maybe, after all the human flesh
l. n
human desire to control the county
delegation. Maybe interference on the
part of the standpatterS might have
disturbed the plans of the advocates
of progressive principles. SO the
committee took the old time policy
and rammed it through whether
everyone liked it or not The COM
mittee met and selected the delegates,
issued Instructions, passed resolutions
and went home.
Then came a new word from the
! progressive workeEs.
All over the state the ai1gocates Of
reform have criticised the action OF
the Russell county Republican com
mittee. The burden was again pla ced
on 7the shoulders of the standpattc~s.
Old~time machine tactics were charg-
ed. The crowd which supported Null
vane and a conservative program were
ridiculed by the followers of White,
Allen and Murdoch. The story was
printed as a CfltlclS1n OF the HeInOOS
CT the Mulvane supporters.
And this is what actually happened:
The Russell county committee, COM
posed of anti Mulvane members, So
lected the delegates to both district
and state conventions and instructed
the delegates against Mulvane. 1t was
the first action of the kind in the
state. 1t was the act of a true reform
county committee. Now - with
out mentioning the action taken
/ by the committee-the third party pa
I triots of 1924 are using the case of
Russell county a horrible example
of machine tactics in Kansas politics
and the standpatters are flayed for the
acts of the purity politicians.