The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1873-06-12

Atchison and Railroads.
The Atehison Champion replies to our last
weeks railroad article and pleads the statute OF
Limitations on the Henderson Amendment oas'-
ness We. don't blame it for wanting that piece
Of swindling forgotten, but it will be long ''ih'
ere We forget il; and notwithstanding inc '"""
pion's dislike TO bearing of the Henderson Anenu-
rreut. we shall here refresh his memory upon II
again for we were witness to that p"ftiono "
the fpht which occurred in our state Les''i.'
,urs. while the editor Of the Champion wss away
In the beginning of the year ise2, when 1on-
gress Was granting subsidies To RAILROADS f.N
ming west from the Missouri River, ono % ~
cluded running west from point oppos"o os'
Joseph. It was thought, At that tune, tnAs 'n's
road would be one of the main i'nes' NOT tne
principal line, running through to inc fac'nc-
"a 40 :, vor,d have been, had il not been d.
-, ~, f,,ua Senator Pomcroy arose and Of
- ~ .,,.,dmeut that il run west from Sf.
Io..,,, ria Atehison Senators objected, that
,h;. ,vould take it away from its intended direc-
.iou: but Pep,eroy solemnly asserted that "
vould not-that Atchison was due ecsf from 81.
Joasph. and the course Of the road would not be
changed rarticle-that al the maps were incor-
rect in this particular, but he had correct map,
.hoxinc the true situation. He produced msp
,n.nuf.ctursd by Atchsou men for the occasion,
;r.vbch the course Of the Missouri River from
st. Joseph was altered, making Atchison lie que
west from St. Joseph Senator Lowe, as pre-a
ranged, arose and a. solemnly corrooersted
Pomeroy's statement. This Is matter OF roc-
ord. as will be found by referring to the Congre'
sional Globe Of that session. The ROAD was ac'u-
sly lied and stolen from the line designed for IL.
senator Henderson, Of Missouri, knew this was
a fraud, but he was powerless to prevent II. Inc
utmost he could accomplish, was to secure tne
passage of an amendment leaving it to the de-
cision of the Kansas Legislature whether the
road should make Atchison point or not; for II
wos mart of the fraud. that the road should
strike the Kansas River within one hunareo
miles west of the Missouri. ne ng"' e'"o up
in the Legislature, and was not one A.on'''"
secured the co-operation oil lopeka' anu All ""'
came under the infnence Oh tnc eaP'"', "' ."o
solemn promise that Topeka should be the point
atxb;cb the road shonld strike the Kansas XIV
erin fact that it was the only practicable point
at which the connection could be made within
the prescribed one hundred miles. Leavenworth,
great lummix, with twice the representative
strength of Atchison, was bamboozled, as usuai,
into supporting the scheme of Atchison. We be-
lieve the condition of the ale was, that Atchison
should then turn in aud help steal the 5OO,OOO
scrcs of State lands, to ai,l in building certain
lridpes for the b.neft of Leavenworth. Well.
the Henderson Amendment was scooped, and the
result is known. Topeka was swindled out OF
the railroad. Leavenworth failed ON her bridge
scheme, and instead of through line of railroad,
we have the abortion called the Central Branch.
We reply TO the Champion that do not de-
sire to see Afchison broken down, that Missouri
rival may be built up. This is the very hunbug
cry that Atchison always raises, to secure what
belongs to her ncighbors. We have no unfriend
ly feeling toward Atchison, IS long as she reach
es for what is justly hers. But Doniphan, Brown,
Nemaha, Marshall, and Washington, five of the
best Counties in the State, robbed of their
just rights, simply on the cry that st. Joseph
would be benefited, and not Atchison. A road
running east through Kansas, Is compelled to
strike the State of Missouri at some point. Then,
if the snti Nor hern Tier nd be ben fit Il by
the road, why not strike the river at St. Joseph
as well as at AM other ponii 1t may be claim
ed that the Central Branch touches most of the
Counties named; but it tonches them in a way
that would be of very little benefit, even were
the Central Branch good road.
We repeat we want to see Atchison get all
that justly belongs to her; but we are tired Of
the graspinS selishness that prompts her to take
what belongs to others. In her estimation,
everything is against the interests Of Kansas,
and tends to build mp Missouri, that does not 60
to benefit Atchison. She regards all railroads
that touch her as hers; and upon the completion
of ia
ether peoples money, her rejoicing is not that
her neighbors have secured railroad advantages,
but that another section of country has been rem
dered tributary to Atehisou.
As it is with railroads, 50 IL is in politics
Atchison grasps for all the offices; and knowing
abe cannot get them directly, she scatters her
hungry brood over the State. to put them in as
representatives Of other localities. OurSfate has
remained undistricted for Congressman for two
years, and as Q consequence, our present chain
lightning delegation were chuckalucked into
Congress, solely because Atchson could not force
through an apportionment cutting out every |
other town Of consequence from the Northern |
district, whereby she. being the commercial me |
..oPohs' might control the District, aud secure
'ne member every time; and for this purpose,
'! nave managed to keep "Our able and efa-
.'e"' s'a'e senator in the Charmauship of the
ApPofti"hment COMMITTEES for two years past,
"u ioi another year to cOme-a business for
M"'ea he is ao"nt as well fitted rs . tadpole is
for playing iewsharp.
We hope the Champion understands MS nov.
We rejoice in the prosperity of friend: but we
hate the blamedest to have him steal our hes,
hat and breeches to cut swell in, Will. we
stand shivering in our shirt-tail.
e The farmers have a chance to express
themselves on question that comes home to
hem, and which will test their spirit of Impair
iaiify. Within the past year or two, Q teat has