The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1874-03-05
For the EAGLE.
From Topeka.
ToPEkA. February 29t!l.

IL was amusing to see the railroad law
ycrs fire up quite equal to some prai-
RE fires, with arguments that farmers
did not know what they wanted for
icnorantly or wickedly asking for what
they should not have. 4 good num-
Der of men elected as refarmers, par
ticularly no party men, have been
found voting as railroads would wish,
too many weak knees, very weak,
Welding to the boistcrous arguments
of few oil stagers aud railroad law
wears.
We have to many members even
from the Southwest who are willing q
go on as formerly in railroal interests.
as they have found their interest here
ioforc in that connection and whose
hope Of gain from railroad influence
viii help them in the future
Reform requires iron clad men as
history shows, men who are not afraid
of popularity, nor can be swayed by
every promise pay or prospect eff per-
sonal gain which offers in various
ways. Tin foil covered reformcrs are
too thin to resist any wear or friction.
Such as they receive as members of
nearly all the legislatures of the vari- |
Gus states from railroad influences, |
particularly this state, and when the |
time TO act comes they are found |
wanting. particularly a to taxation. |
fires or any duty that citizens have 10 |
perform or damages 10 pay. Tie in |
crease of salaries is much in favor by |
members who never knew what it is |
TO earn one q" two dollars per day by |
hard work, who holds five hundred |
dollars here and there as piiiablc sums.
The same influence cXcrtcd to increase |
offices and now sorry to say an increase
of from eleven hundred dollars to
twenty-five hundred dollars for re-
porter tor supreme court was passed
bv the house this week after deter
mined opposition, the tin foil men
helping the lawyers who are deeply |
interested, The same bill authorizing
the printing of thousands of copies of
supreme cOuri reports that viii cost
the state six OF seven dollars for each
volume and authorizing the sale of
them at four dollars per volume. Say
eighteen thousand dollars aud may be
thirty thousand dollars all in HE
hands of the supreme court reporter
and public printers.
An emigration scheme for the gov
cruor 10 appoint an agent at twenty
five hundred dollar, salary and ali APP
preparation of twenty-five thousand
dollars to spend had not friends
enough tocarry it through, 50 they made
the salary two thousand dollars and ten
thousand dollars to squander was beg
gcd for. there was strength enough to
Kill il and is about the hardest stroke
the ring received this winter, much
cha2rin aud disappointment was felt at
the loss of so much money.
The apportiomment bill as passed on
Saturday is rs near right As is possible
TO make one. very different from the
first one passed 10y the house, that was
unjust 10 the Southwest, this il as fair
a. we can ask. To The untiring and
pcrseycring efforts of your senator,
NJ. NJ. Murdoch, the Southwest is
mainly indebted for having any voice
IN who shah represent their interests.
Now we hope TO send a man to Wash /
in"ton who can represent the new see
ton of Kansas, one who knows what |
the settlers " lao live in dug-ouis and |
cabins require as we'll as those who !
live in towns and cities. The friends |
of the Southwest feel they succeeded |
in having their rights represented and |
So Tar gained victory.
The appropriation bills were put !
through without much ceremony. /
Amounts in nearly all bills voted for |
all asked and il would be an exception
for officers handling and expanding
public moneys not 10 ask for more than
should he granted. Any person who
asked to have appropriations reduced
in amounts was looked on as guilty of
misdcmcanor ia office, if not mcaner
than Jake Jones dog aud was voted
down promptly on the ground that
committees had examined and report
cd. The fact being that the old stag
crs who know how TO do these things .
get hold of these committees and they
do not report until the legal five days !
before adjournment. so there is no
time To examine the reports. amounts.
or make amendments, for the bill will .
not get into the senate in time for the .
members TO 90 home. This is one of
ways legislation is clogged and forcs
tailed, being the usual way of doing /
business is thought to be the right /
plan. If bills were reported the first
twenty DAYS there would be time to
examine them carefully and pass them
early in the session. The Office hold
ers manage this. enough of the old
lcayen as elected year after year TO
spoil the whole batch. The rcformcrs
came up here. each haying one 10 three
ideas, (mostly local) and these were
paramount TO general laws. The cleo
ton of speaker seemed To bc the only
great thing TO do and all else would
follow. Kind of half sold in that cleo
ton but getting themselves on COM
mittees when they rested from their
labors III the reform way and have not
got over their hard labor yet. Very
much like the old Scottish armies, as
soon rs they got the spoils they broke
up became disorganized. The election
of Harvey as L. :. senator was no great
victory, nor was il any party victory,
he was the weakest candidate taken
as final resort because all were tired
out and some few expected fayers.
McEckron received his land office
quickly. There is some good men
here as Legislators. hope they may be
sent back next year when they will be
able to do more good. even if the old
managers are elected.
The moral tone of the house is good,
haven't heard an oath this winter or
seen any conduct that could disgrace
mamie i'm ouy yay rhrnp sessions