The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-04-07
CONE MANS wHIM.v


people in our own proud calling may
be sometimes. 1t is Incompetent
sible, for newspapers preach fairness
and justice, truth, right and right
eousness.
Many State Journal readers do not
see the morning paper and some see
ing do not have time to read it, for
it appears in the busy early morning
hours when most Topeka people are
at work or preparing or eating break
fast, getting the children ready for
school; the grown-ups preparing for
or repairing to the usual daily avoca-
tons.
In the leisure of this late afternoon
and during the long evening will our
readers take the occasion we give
them of reading and thinking over the
news-story and the editorial, both
herewith given as they appeared in the
Capital at sunrise today-or at least
it would have been sunrise, had the
fortunate clouds and weeping skies,
not made sunrise this morning alto
gether a matter Of faith.
This pertains 20 the sudden demand
of the Chamber of Commerce that an
irregular, special election be called
forthwith by the mayor and other
commissioners, without the safeguards
Of the usual petition for such merited
election for bonds to make a newer,
better fireproof auditorium, which is
indeed imperative for our city and
people and visitors.
First let US read together the edi-
torial, presumably by a usually fair
minded man named Harold Chase. 1t
reads as follows under the heading
The Reactionary Commission"
Topeka discovered yesterday that in
stead of having a progressive commission
Despite the fact that practically every
womans club, every civic organization of
ORGANIZATIONS and the business men, al
most to u man, desire an election to de-
termine whether or not bonds shall be
voted for a new auditorium, the city com
mssioners refused yesterday to call such
an election.
Merely because the petition was made
by voice instead of in written form. Mere
ly thru fear that one man who assumes to
criticise their action To crafty the whim
of this one man the commission refused
to 90 ITS plain GUY und dfd the law;
ciously say that if a body of business men
would leave their business and go out and
get 5000 persons to sign request to them
to do their duty, they would consider the
matter.
want the commissioners just elected to
office to take action looking to placing
this city alongside others in Kansas, If you
want your commissioners to take action
looking to the protection of your wives
and children from fire, just hustle out,
take your time from your business, get
5000 fellow citizens-and be sure you have
their addresses correct and that they voted
in the last election-and take some more
time off and go before the commission
with these names, bow low, speak softly
and deferentially. and maybe-as a gra-
their duty-your commissioners. whom
you have just elected to office, may con-
semitic do their sworn duty.
Comment on the above Capital edi-
torial: In the first place, it is peril
nent 10 say that it took the Topeka
Capital a long time to find out that
the present city commission, including
the mayor, is such an unworthy re-
dictionary commission as it calls it.
Just before the election, our neighbor
discovered that the five commissioners
were fine men and ought to be sup
ported for reelection upon their good
records You take our breath with
your rapid fire changes of heart.
Suddenly within three days of their
reelection, our neighbor classifies the
faithful, and for what? Simply be-.
cause the commissioners desired to do
their plain duty as they best under
stood it and to follow the customary
rule of acting on a petition of the
citizens in regard to special elections.
This is the whole point.
To charge the editor of the State
Journal that in the event of a fire or
disaster at the auditorium he would
be the one man responsible, is simply
scandalous and absurd.
If the auditorium was in such a
dangerous condition yesterday it was
in the same condition just prior to
election, and why were the people not
asked by the Chamber of Commerce
to decide on Tuesday last in the regu-
lar way upon rebuilding the auditor
ium? The Chamber of Commerce did
not request the commissioners to SUBJ
nit any such vote. Why they did not
do so is problematic; that would have
been the ideal time to get an express
sion from the people and to have
voted the necessary bonds.
Now forsooth, in order to save our
wives and children we must have an
election, without any petition and,
mind you, it has only been five days
since an election scheduled in advance
| for months was held.
The fact that women's clubs and
every civic organization in Topeka
desire, according to the editorial, an
election to determine whether bonds
shall be voted for a new auditorium
is all the more reason why the propo-
sition should have been voted upon
last Tuesday. and is a further rea-
son why, since the neglect of Tuesday,
the Chamber of Commerce should now
get busy and get these petitions
signed. and not peevishly hold back,
particularly if the lives of our people
and visitors are in such great danger