White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1866-02-01
WHITE CLOUD, KANSAS:
thursday, :: February 1, 1866.
Edftorfaf COrrespondence...
the Capital.
Topeka. January 25, 1865.

Topeka. January IS. 1866.
The Legislative 6ght this week. has
been over the bill to donste the 800. O.00C
acres of State lands to aid 10 constructing
three railroads. Il passed the Senate by
vote of II to 2, and is now before the
House. The vote in that body will be
close, and the result is doubtful. The
persons who are now protesting most 10.
gubriously against the measure, as an at.
tempt to rob the school fund, are the self.
same men. who. three years ago, endeav.
orsd to 'gobble up" these very lsads ,tc
build q few local bridges. and who would
now favor the sale of the lands. if they
could have finger in disposing of the
proceeds.
Assome men are raising great dust over
this measure, and threaten to raise anoth.
er howl of "Frsud" throughout the State,
we shall briefly refa6ito the condition oI
the 100000 acres. and the provisions oil
the bill in question. By &C. of Congress,
1S41, each new State is entitled to 500.-
600 acres of public land. to aid in works
Of internal improvement. such as rail.
roads. canals. bridges. improvement o
wstsrcourses. draining Of swamp lands,
etc. The trainers of the State Copstitu.
tion provided that these lands should
forever remain as a school fund. Bnl
Congress. in admitting the State. refused
to assent to the propositions contained in
tie Ordinance attached to the Constitu.
tion, among which was the provision re-
lsting to lands. On the other hand, il
is claimed that the people. in adopting
the Constitution, voted to apply the
lands to the school fund. 1t is therefore
matter upon which men msy be per.
mitted to honestly differ.
Now. as to the bill, which, it is claim.
ed. will place the lands into the hands oi
bogns corporations. to be ."gobbled up"
by individuals. 1t is also charged that
members Of the Legislature have formed
themselves into Railroad Companies. in
order to get grab at the lands which
they have voted to the railroads. It is
true that members have formed compa.
nies. but is merely preliminary meas
ure, or basis of permanent Company.
in order that lands shall not be granted
to Companies that have no existence.
But the bill is SO carefully guarded that
there is no possibility of the money being
misapplied: for the proceeds of the lands
are to be placed in the State Treasury,
and not a cent paid to any road until ten
miles are completed and in running or
der. So there is not much chance to
"gobble up" the lands, without anything
to show for it. The following ere the
three roads proposed to BE- bene6tted-all
Of which are to share the bensfts equally:
A road from Elwood to Msrysville; q
road from the mouth Of Kansas River to
Fort Scott; and road from Fort Riley
down the Neosho Valley. These routes
have all been left out in the cold. in the
railroad grants by Congress. The bill
may fail; but in case it does not, we de.
sire that the public shall understand its
true merits.
The question Of Negro Suffrage has
made its appearance both in the Senate
and the House. in the shape OF Joint Res
olutious to amend the Suffrage Article of
the Constitution; and John NJ. Laugstou.
the colored lawyer. from Ohio, is here
advocating its passage. We doub,
whether the measure will pass the Lsgis-
lsture; but we still retain the opinion
heretofore expressed. that these advocates,
BY insisting upon the. submission of the
question now, are greatly dam aging the
cause; for the universal testimony from
all parts OF the State, of friends as well
as foes of negro suffrage. is that the prop
osition would be defeated by the pscp!e.
by q vote of three to one.
The usual amount of legislation is be-
ing ground through. such as amending
Civil and Criminal Codes. locating roads,
yacating streets. alleys. and town sites.
legalizing the illegal acts of public off,.
GERS. fixing the prices of certain branches
Of trade, while others are permitted to
charge what they please, etc.
We notice that bill has passed the
House. permitting II per cent. interest
to be charged, on contract. instead of 10,
as the law now stands.
We have about settled down in the
conclusion that the principal business Of
legislation is to spend the peoples money,
and to allow sharpers to secure the pas
sage Of laws enabling them to gougs the
uususpecting.
As q result of the efforts to appropri. |
ate the 100000 acres of land. we are
pleased to see that it has at least induced
members of the Legislature to use their
efforts to do justice to the neglected Sec