The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-05-07
w. A. White Wins Rebuke
From st. Louis Newspaper.
His Political Editorials Brand
ed as Nonsense by Paper. a..
SPOKE BEFORE CITY CLUB
''BiII Is Not Really in Earnest"
Times Says.
"A Certain Rich Man" Is
Said To Be ''Puerile."

- william Alien Whites tendency to
scold the old political parties has won
sharp rebuke at the hands of the St
Louis Times which editorially refers
to the Kansas author as a bad boy
in. politics who enjoys being noticed.
He can write a marvellous biography"
says the Times in commenting on
Whites temperamental ways in public
affairs, but no treatise he ever wrote
on political or economic subject
arose above the level of nonsense"
Talks to City Club.
The other day white stopped in st.
Louis long enough to talk before the
City club. He assSiled the old parties
for the sugar coated, vote getting
platforms and policies. White de-
clared that he wanted to bolt the last
Republican convention in which he sat
as a delegate from the Fourth Kansas
district. And because of Whites ten
denotes as a disturber, the st. Louis
paper makes the following caustic and
biting editorial remarks:
Bill White, Bad Boy.
William Allen White of Kansas was
captured on the wing by the City club
the other day and he made a speech
in which he assailed the two parties
for the lack of difference between
them. He said that the platforms of
both were designed merely to catch
votes. He voted the last Republican
ticket. as usual, Of course, being
among the overwhelming majority of
voters, outside the section where is
sues are always -sidetracked by party
traditions. AS a vote-catcher, conse-
quently. the Republican convention,
which Bill says he wished to bolt was
something of success.
Bill did have somewhere else to go.
He could have Joined The Nation and
The New Republic in supporting Par
ley Christensen. He might even have
procured Parley's nomination for him
self. Or he could have paid a per-
sonal tribute to Eugene Debs, who
long ago declared there's no difference
between the two major parties.
But Bill is not really in earnest.
= When driven into a corner he admits
that from December to November ne
is off the reservation, but that in Mo-
Nember he votes the regular Republi-
can ticket. Bill White is merely a bad
boy in politics. He enjoys being no.
ticed. HIS first renowned essay at
politics was his Whats the Matter
With Kansas That editorial pic
turesquely described the old-fash-
Toned Populists and the Free Silver
Republicans and the Democrats who
thought all the woes of Kansas arose
from THE Seven Financial Conspir-
acies. In those days a framed letter
! from Mark Hanna was among Bills
( choicest treasures
His pen picture of Croker" for tho
old McClure's, and his description of
Bryan. including a significant list of
his library, attracted wide attention.
not because of their political bearing
so much as their interest as personal
1afacterizationS. This is Whites forte.
he can write a marvellous biogra ply,
but no treatise he ever wrote on a
political or economic subject arose
, above the level of nonsense. His So
luton of the problem of "A Certain
Rich Man" for example, was puerile.
He merely distributed his property
among his fellow-thieves Carnegie.
Rockefeller. Prick. and even Russell
Sage showed ten times Whites mag
ination in disposing of accumulated
riches for humanity's sake.
But to get back to Whites falling,
II was he who declared in 1899 that
William Mckinley could not have be-
! longed to debating society in a town
like Emporia. 1t was a bold thing to
. say about the president of the United
States, and naturally attracted atten-
tion. But it was nevertheless untrue
to the point of Stiffness. But Bill
White enjoyed the sensation. It was
merely a paper wad ne had blown
over the teachers head With his pretty
little popgun. He relished the ad-
miring CYCLES of fellow-pupils.