The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1873-07-24
WHAT CAN THE CHANGERS OF
KANSAS DO?
A Talk to Our Farmer Readers.


In our daily intercourse with men
we often hear the question propunded,
"Wbat can the grangers accomplish p
The usual answer is either nothing"
or an adroitly evolved prophesy Of
dissolution at the hands of scheming
politicians. or from oyerweening am
bition and personal jealousy of indi-
vidual members of the order. With
out attempting rcfutation, at this
time. of these wiseacrcs, we propose.
in a few words, TO tell the grangers of
Sedgwich county and of the Southwest
what can be done most effectually in
one direction. The channel may be
termed political one, yet ii is, never
theless, legal and eminently prac-
teal one. To reap the reward and to
fully realize the beneficial results of
the proposed plan in less burthcn-
some taxation, all that is necessary
upon the part of the farmers of the
state is the maintenance OF the unity
heretofore shown 10y the order.
What can the Changers do! They
can elect from among their members a
number of Representatives sufficient
to constitute a working majority of
the legislature of the state of Kansas.
That accomplished they can elect a L.
S. senator, which, after all, is only a
minor consideration: they can cut
down the annual legislative appropri-
ations from five and six hundred thou
sand dollars TO two hundred thousand
dollars, without cripling the state or
its charitable and educational institu
tious. They can reduce the state tax
at least one-half by cutting down the
exhorbitant prices paid the judiciary
of this state; by cutting off the extra
clerk hire and incidentals Of fat, sleek |
state officers, and by consolidating |
certain state institutions that are only |
state institutions in name. Is that all!
asks some politician or Office holder.
No. Through the same channel new |
and more equitable law for the assess
meut and collection Of taxes can be en-
acted: and the fee bill Of county and
district Offices can be reduced one-half |
and still have honest and capable men |
10 fill them. thereby saving hundreds
of thousands of dollars in the way of
county taxes annually. And is that
all No. They can provide for con-
stitu!ional convention which will, in
the first place, give us fundamental
law under which statutes can be enact
ed that shall control all corporations
within the state; a constitution that
will abolish the highly ornamental and
expensive Office of state printer, which
is costing the people twenty thousand
dollars more than the work can be
done under contract; constitution
that will give the rural districts and
interior of the state fuller represen-
taiion in the halls of the legislature,
and that will co"ro';h--- al tho state
charitable institutions ut one point.
Besides these, we might mention many
minor abuses that call for correction,
and smaller Lurthcns that should be
bghtened.
ANY expressions Of incrcdulity or
contempt for the above propositions
by those whom such a reform might
unfavorably effect we care not whit,
for we know what we are writing
about. and we only dot them down rs
food for reflection by those who earn
cstly feel the necessity for political re-
form and lighter taxes in Kansas.
In the event of denial of any of the
above propositions by such as are earn
est in the faith, we might elucidate more
fully hereafter, and give something of
the observations and experiences of
several years as a legislator, but we
know that it will take no great amount
of examination or research 10 convince
any fair minded man of the soundness
of our position. Now, what greater
things can the graugcrs do than that
which we say they can do? They may
lack the power this year, but not the
next. To succeed they must send to
the legislature men of the solidest
judgment. who are, politically. IRON
clad and bullet proof men who, when
il comes TO the cutting down of fee
bills, salaries and appropriations, can
Withstand the Establishments, special
plcadings and pressurcs brought not
only by thousands of state and county ,
Office holders. but who can Withstand, ,
if not answer. the rcasonings Of the .
ablcst lawyers i'm the employ of corpora ,
tons, in addition to the appeals made ,
by the brightest men from every local
ity where pet public institution may
be located. Ii is an easy matter for
aspirants. during the heat of a political
to declare, promise and aver, I
but the soldier who has felt fire knows C
what the horrors of war mean.
In conclusion. since the admission of C
KANSAS as a state her legislature has q
been almos. exclusively in the interest
Of cities, towns. monied citizens and :
Special legislation is a h
curse a large majority of the law h
makers have been residents of cities .
md towns.-so with other officers
:hosea for some local interest or job:
md in view of a new constitution and
/ new order of things we think the
armers' movement most suspicious,
md that the hope for better things, Ia
lot only in this state and the west. but
hrough0ut our broad country. is
growing brighter. In eur estimation o.
were for better that every prominent i.
iatcsman, every successful politician
nd Office holder of to-day were forever
Unsigned To private life than that this
rcat national movement for lighter "A
axes, for better paid labor and cheap nc
r transportation should fall to the pl
.-o,iHd CT
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