The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-08-02
Hopkins Prepared Endorsement
From Shawnee CO-ops.
Secretary Renbarger Tells of
Misuse of personal Letter.
ORGANIZATION NOT BEHIND IT
President Hughes Says Unions
Never Approved the Action.
Attorney General Refuses to
Show Copy of the Letter.

! Richard ]. Hopkins, attorney gem
! eral, wrote the endorsement" of his
candidacy which was purported to be
| signed officially by the Shawnee Coun-
/ ty Cooperative association. Thousands
/ of copies of the purported volunteer
/ letter have been sent broadcast into
the state to win votes for Hopkins in
/ Tuesdays primaries The letter was
i not acted upon by either the associa-
and was Secretary Renbarger's per-
| sonal endorsement-in the attorney
| generals own language.
| Renbarger today exploded the whole
i endorsement scheme. He said he
/ signed the letter at Hopkins's per-
sOnal request. that the letter was pre-
pared by Hopkins and sent to him to
| be signed by an employe in the attor-
ney generals office. The cooperative
association was neither consulted nor
| advised as to the letter. In fact, Rem
/ barger had no knowledge his letter
was to be used for political purposes.
Hopkins Solicited Letter.
zone of our directors told me Hop
! kins wanted a letter from me and
would prepare it if I would sign it,
seemed to be fair and I wanted to
help him. I had no idea he would
| do such a thing as circulate the letter
or particularly misrepresent our asso-
citation.
at was my own personal letter
written by Mr. Hopkins and sent to
me by him to be signed. I don't un-
derstand such politics. I have intend
| ed all along to support him for re-
nomination But 1 must vote against
/ any man who abuses personal letters
and takes advantage of a person in
| such a matter. That letter was not
from the association and Mr.. Hopkins
/ had no reason to assume that it was
from our organization"
Hughes Denied It.
President George Hughes of the Co.
! operative association has also stated
! that the Hopkins endorsement" was
never considered by either the board
or the membership Of the Co-ops. The
! largely among shop employees and
} workers in. Oakland and farmers in
t Shawnee county.
1t was President Hughes who first
kicked a hole in the Hopkins plan to
| grab farmer and labor union votes
thru his circulation of the Renbarger
letter. Hughes then issued a formal
and official statement that both the
, public and cooperative members thru
| out the state might know the facts.
In his statement Hughes said in part:
"On behalf of this association I
desire to have the public know that d
! this matter was never brought to
. the attention of the 1,075 share
| holders of the the board of direct
/ ors. that the statements made on
4 this card in circulation were pre-
pared by the attorney general or
I someone acting in his interests; and
our secretary was requested to affix
+ his signature, which he did as per
sonal matter and with no intention
of speaking for the association
"I am making this statement
solely for the purpose of giving the
public the facts and regret that this
card was circulated in way that
| was misleading to those who re-
ceived it. This association does not
purpose to take a position for or
against anyone's candidacy for at
torney general or any other politi-
cal office-its functions are that of
RgFsly Eng, cooperative merchandise
Too Late To Deny.
Explosion of the Hopkins scheme
to capitalize the Renbarger letter came
too late to issue an explanation to
thousands of voters who have received
copies of the endorsement" from the
attorney generals campaign organiZa-
: ton. The widest possible publicity was
given Hopkins endorsement of himself
over Renbarger's name.
| The attorney general was asked con-
cerning the statement of President
, Hughes to the effect that the associa-
ton had not authorized a statement
which was circulated broadcast in
HOpklnSS 8 DenaI as endorsement OF
his candidacy. Hopkins replied that
the letter indicated it was approved
: by the official board and was not Rem
barger's personal expression.
Maybe the letter would speak for
, itself Would you mind showing it ?"
was asked.
: Wouldn't Show Letter.
'I will not show it to you OF make
any statement" was Hopkinss reply.
AT least I won't make a statement
before the primaries"
It was explained that The State
Journal published an abstract of the
Renbarger letter and that since an is
sue has been raised this paper was en-
titled to see a copy of the original.
: Hopkins again refused to produce the
: letter. He also refused to show it to
, other news representatives in the state
house.
'Did you write the letter." was
= Il think the letter was written by
persons Interested or by friendly
Advised that The State Journal
( printed the Cooperative endorsement
in good faith, Hopkins retorted:
: IF the Journal printed anything
e untruthful heading"
Mr.. Hopkins. you will note by the
: paragraph above. referred to the item
concerning his endorsement as under
: dirty. untruthfuI heading"
i The State Journal hereby reproduces
the heading that appeared at the top
of page 6 issue of July so:
E RI. HOPKINS IS ENDORSED.