The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1873-04-17
TOM. OSBORN.

Pending the canvass OF last fall, We
predicted that lion. Thos. A. Osborn
would make the most successful, eff
cieni and popular executive office,
ever elected 10 the yubcrnatorial c',ai,
in the state. We based our prophecy
upon our pcrsona. knowledge Of the
man, and his characteristics, aud upon
the knowledge Of his familiarity with
the affairs Of tho state sinre its carlics,
territorial days. AS legislator, lieu.
tenant governor and United States
marshal, he had not only become thor.
oughly acquainted with the character
of our people and their institutions,
but Of the particular wants and pecu.
liarities Of every section, county aud
town in Kansas. We became more
thoroughly convinced in the correct.
hess Of our estimation late last fall,
when ia a conversation with him he
informed US that nc had been visiting
all the charitable, reformatory and
educational, institutions supported by
the state, inQuiring into their general
conduct examining their expendi-
tnrcs, into the capacity and honesty
uf officials, and of the BENEFICIARY re-
suits generally of such institutions.
1t is an easy matter to act as governor
of the state of Kansas. That three
fourths of our grandmothers could fill
the position with ordinary honor to
themselves aud to the entire satisfac-
ton Of their numerous offspring, has
been sufficiently demonstrated hereto
fore. But to be an active, aggressive
executive officer, with some defined
policy, which, when carried out, would
leave traces in our history and devel-
upmcnt as a state, is quite another
thing.
Governor Osborn, as the chief eXccu-
tive Of this young and growing COM
monwcalth, is making his marks
carrying out a policy that will give
definite character to his administration.
His very first act was an aggressive
one, in demanding of the chief of the
general government the removal of
armed soldiery from a section of the
state whose inhabitants were contin-
uallv menaced with their presence, in
which he was successful. His next
step, worthy of particular note. was
,he recommendation in his inaugural
TO the legislature, asking the enact
ment of new and uniform law under
which all the state institutions might
be thoroughly rcorganizcd and made
more effective; that rcputcd rings
might he broken mp and less money
expended in their maintenance. The
law was made, and within three weeks
the directory and regency of every
state charitable, educational and re-
formatory institution was partially or
wholly reorganized. For years this
reformation has been demanded, yet
Osborn was the first governor to put
his shoulder square against the wheel,
regardless of and in defiance of the
threats of old political hacks.
We come now to another very inn
portant move of Osborn's. which, if he
should prove successful in, will add
still more character and greater bright
ness to hi, administration. Under the
"act of admission" the state Of Kansas
is entitled to five per centum of the
proceeds Of all public lands sold with
in the borders of the state, which ac
cruing proceeds are TO be appropriated
10 the state for public purposes. The
claim covers all sales of Indian lands
made after cxtinguishmcnt of the right
of occupancy by treaty, the proceeds Of
which were paid to the Indians per
cnpita, and which lands are now set
tied upon or owned by actual purchas-
crs. No demand has ever been made
of the government for this money until
n few weeks since. when Governor
Osborn repaired 10 Washington and
made a formal demand for il of the
"powcrs that be-" lie received strong
encouragement from the departments.
il having been decided over aud over
again that the Indians have no other
title TO land han that of the mere right
of. occupancy. The Topeka Common
scealth saws that the whole question
has substantially been covered by de-
rartment decisions heretofore, and
cites instances in southern states.
We submit then. in view of former
executive dcreliction, that our grand
mother" proposition is not an absurd
one. The aggregate amount Of this
five per ccntum on said sales will reach
nearly ono million IF dollars, or more
than enough to wipe out our state
debt, or enough TO finish up all our
state institutions. outside of the state
capitol--that we expect to move fur
thcr south.
In view Of these facts, then. we think
that Governor Osborn, so far, has not
ONLY earned the thanks of the people of
the state. but is eniitling himself to the
honor of being the best executive the
state has ever had. And. in closing.
we arc not sorry that Wichita gave
him handsome complimentary major
inv over the rest Of the republican
ticket.
THE SHAME OF LAWRENCE.
For right down moral aud physical