The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-05-23
TRULY TERRIBLE.

We have been expecting IL every
day-it broke this morning. The edi-
tor of the State Journal had a pre-
monition that some of the esteemed
opponents of the paper would get
after him, for its criticisms of Presi-
dent Wilson's lack of preparedness
and surfeit of ultimatums.
Here is the charge; here is the hor-
rible tale in all its scandalous detail
the story which Democratic newspa-
pers are today planning to spring in
day or two:
The charge is that Frank p. Mac
Lehman, editor and proprietor of this
paper, during his recent visit to New
York the last week in April to at
tend the annual meetings of the AS
ISOLATED Press and the American
Newspaper Publishers Association did
this terrible thing.
Now. in the first place, Mr.. Mac
Lehman was in New York just one
week-four days of that time he was
in attendance at the meetings above
named. The meetings closed Friday
afternoon and Mr.. MacLennan left for
home on the Sunday following.
Here is the political crime that the
editor of this paper is charged with
committing. and which the Democratic
papers are now preparing for their
linotypes:
'Mr. MacLennan is known to have
seen George W. Perkins in New York
few days ago and held a confer
ence with him.
This is one of those statements that
is important if true.
The facts of the case are that Mr..
MacLennan not only did not see Mr..
Perkins in New York and did not have
conference with him, but to the best
Of his knowledge and belief he never
saw Mr.. Perkins at any time or at any
place. He would not know Mr.. Per-
kins if he met him on Kansas avenue
or Wall street. And, by the way, Mr..
MacLennan did not go near Wall
street. or any of it's devotees on his
recent short visit to New York last
month. He has not been in New York
but one time, namely, the last week in
April of this year, since the time of
these same meetings in April, 1915.
OF course 1 may have met some Wall
street people without knowing it
around at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel
where the newspaper meetings were
held. The hotel was very much
crowded. 1 have never seen it more
so. Rooms are very hard to get in
any of the big hotels in New York,
and the corridors were lively with peo-
pie, mostly strangers to me, except the
| newspaper men. 1 was told that in
the throngs around the WaIdorf-As-
toria lobby were many Wall street
brokers. 1 only know this by hearsay.
A very prominent Progressive was
very anxious for me to meet Mr.. Per-
kins, 1 will say that. But 1 said no.
1 am a standpatter Republican; that
had no desire or ambition to meet
Mr.. Perkins. Mr.. Perkins is said to
have a great deal of money, but he
is also known to the masses of the
people, and 1 hope l am one of that
number, to be closely allied with what
are known as the Interests" Now a
lot of very good men are allied with
the Interests and Industries So far
as 1 know Mr.. Perkins is a mighty
good man.
If this does not puncture this Mac
LennanPerkins conference story, the
State Journal is prepared to file a few
affidavits. Meanwhile the editor of
this paper gives to it's readers his word
of honor that he does not know Mr..
Perkins; never saw him to the best of
his knowledge, and certainly never
held a conference with him; never had
a letter from him, never wrote to him;
and yet Mr.. Perkins is a man that it
would probably be worth while to
know because he is one of the big
men of this country. But if I am to
become acquainted with Mr.. Perkins,
1 would rather be introduced to him
after the campaign and election are
over.