The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-04-11
Charges Lardner's Thompson
Letter Club for Republicans.
Asserts State Committeeman Is
Supply Station for Brickbats.
ANTI-THOMPSON DRIVE IS ON
That Is the Way 1t Looks to
Wichita Leader.
Republican Papers Were Given
Copy of Lardner Attack.

Now it is Sam Amidon of Wichita,
Democrat national committeeman,
who is camping on the trail of HUI
bert Lardner of Fort Scott, chairman
of the Democrat state committee.
Amidon has sent a statement to every
Democrat county chairman in Kan
saS replying to the Lardner letter,
which urged the defeat of Senator
William H. Thompson in the August
primaries.
Amidon doesn't diminish the WISH
BILE supply of brotherly love and
Christian charity in speaking of Mr..
LardnerS ambition to retire Senator
Thompson to private life. He merely
states that Lardner is the supply sta
ton for the brickbatS and clubs which
are used in an attempt to start an
anu-Thompson movement. Nor has
Amldon been accused of possessing a
burning love for Senator Thompson.
But Amidon as national committee
man doesn't propose that Lardner as
state chairman shall start party row
before the primaries and register
credit in the box scores.
In his letter to county chairmen,
Amidop charges that Lardner sent
his Thompson attack to many Repub-
ican papeGs which aided and abetted
in stirring up trouble in the Bourbon
camp. OF course no one has entered
the race against Thompson. Nor is
there a strong chance that anyone
will qualify for human sacrifice.
Nonethe1ess Amidon's letter loses none
of It's sting.
Club for Republicans.
The scorching epistle which the
Wichita lawyer sent to Democrat
county chairmen was in part as fol-
lows:
Certain letters have come before me in
such manner that as Democratic National
| committeeman from the state of Kansas l
deem it my duty to call your attention to
himself our state chairman has unfor
tunately sought to bring discord in our
party. For some reason Mr. Lardner took
it upon himself to reorganize or change
the manner of control of the Democratic
national committee and attempted to
change the established custom of the Demo-
cratic party for many years This | under
stand he did without the consultation of the
Democratic party in the state of Kansas.
1t could have but one effect, that of dis
cord and want of harmony. Later he has
written to the chairman of the county com
federal officer ana candidate for reelection.
and has been so anxious for its publicity
that he has sent it to the Republican papers
who are constantly opposing the Democratic
party. thereby attempting to give them a
club to injure the Democ~atie party of the
state of Kansas
1T is my contention that Mr. Lardner,
as the head of the state central committee
Of the state sta Of Kansas, had right to in, in
he should not use that office for his
personal interests or spite. I am not writ
Thompson any other individual or office
holder but in the interest of the Demo
cratic party and harmony in this state. |
happen 70 know, however. that it was not
Senator Thompson that secured the NOM
nation of Mr. NeeIey and the charge
against the senator in that respect is I'M
just and untrue.
For some reason. it seems to be Mr..
Lardner's desire to stir up discord rather
than harmony in the Democratic party.
Il dislike very much to be compelled to
write this letter but at this time when poll
tics should be discarded and the Demo-
cratic party should receive the support of
every Democrat, and when representa-
tives at congress are doing the best they
| can. it appears to TO be had judgment
to attack them. All of our representatives
| in Washington are supporting the admins
| tration to the best of their ability. No
Kansan has hlushed by reason of any
| statements or votes any of them have made
| during these crucial times. and it ill-be-
comes any of us at home. whose duty it is
| to support and upbuild the Democratic
| party to attack them