The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-03

petition to the blue sky board, asking |
that permission be given to another |
company for the sale of hotel stock.
He signed this petition originally. but
said his signature had been obtained
thru a misunderstanding. He had his
name taken off quickly when he dis
covered the truth. The State Journal
in this instance has declined to confuse
or mfslead its readers, even thru ad-
vertisements.
Isn't It strange to what end lawyers
will go when they are paid for it? If
a newspaper did the things certain
lawyers in this town ar, doing it
would not deserve the respect of the
community and most certainly would
not have it. Think of a newspaper
being hired to oppose the erection of a
ten-story hotel here into which a
large amount of money has, already
been put by prominent Topekans.
100000, by hiring the Taper to I'M
dertake to support a counter PROPOSE
ton to- secure a permit to sell stock
in another ten-story hotel Yet this is
what Robert Stone and Judge
Slonecker are doing. They claim it is
legitimate; it would not be legitimate
for a newspaper to do it and yet in the
absence of Governor Capper mislead-
ing advertising concerning a second
ten-story hotel is printed in his paper,
today, yesterday and before that.
In what sort of respect would a
newspaper of Topeka be held il it were
hired to defend the condition of the
Grand opera house in this city three
years ago when it's owners, the Craw-
fords. attempted to put on a moving
picture show and use a wooden booth
around the film machine, at the same
time having defective exits. wooden
stairways and a weak balcony from
the exit upstairs and electric wiring
not wired according to the best stand
ard codes? And yet a reputable law
yer in this city, J. 3. Larimer, is paid
for this sort of thing, and the news
paper which published the condemna-
lions was sued for $4,000 because it
had the assurance to expose the con-
dition of the opera house, the condi-
ton being backed up by official au-
thority This case was suspended few
days ago. owing to the death of the
brother of the judge trying the case.
and is set again for Tuesday of next
week
Meanwhile Topeka theatrical low
ers. including our visitors. the legis-
our many. many conventions see our
old and only opera house dark-be-
cause forsooth the Crawfords, its
owners, can not agree to pay what
the stage operators ask. Topekans
and those our guests now go to Kan
sas City week ends and week mid
dies to hear musical comedies-not
| one here this season-and other good
attractions. How long, oh how long
will Topeka suffering public stand
for our inferior hotels and inferior
dark opera house? Suppose the State
| Journal did not like the wages asked
for by its employees. are we to sus-
pend this semi-public necessity. the
newspaper, as the Crawfords make
dark their semi-public opera house?
In what sort of respect would the
| newspapers of Topeka be held in this
community If one or both of them
were paid to prosecute a newspaper
which was asked by committee of
fourth liberty loan workers to expose
what they termed slackers, and with
no knowledge of who the slaclsers
were personally. did do so, and forth
with a libel suit alleging $4,000 DAM
ages is brought. A man named Adj
dington is a lawyer in the case.
! The official organ of the labor
unions in this city appealed to all the
! unions here, urging a holiday on the
day of the trial. which is next Tues
day, and contributions for a fund to
prosecute this case against this paper.
The natural presumption is that the
money raised by assessment from the
labor unions of Topeka, if any such
money were raised. would go to help
pay Addipgton and his associate law
yers.
Meanwhile, if we lose this case we
will have the satisfaction of having
the written concentrations of w. G
McAdoo, at that time secretary of the
II easury, and Fred w. Freeman, dis
trict chairman, and ]. r. Eurrow
county chairman, all of whom and
many others congratulated, in writing
the efforts of the State journal In
helping to put over the fourth liberty
loan last fall. These commentator.
WEI e received by wire and letter after
the suit was brought apparently al
the instigation of the labor unions Of
Topeka, or by the men who claim to
represent them and who print theil
so-ealled official organ
! The North American hotel peopl,
are ready to resume construction THU
month on their hotel. A long distanc,
telephone from Omaha today says
man named Trap. director of Cham
Der of Commerce, is sending clip
pings from his paper, and otherwis,