The Leavenworth weekly times., 1879-03-06
Topeka TOPICS.

Sf ~ sAft sOl lSSs
Correspondence TINES.
ToPEKA, March 4-Our County Com
missiorers, NeEsrs Richards. SqUirss and
Pickens, and the City Council and Mayor
Ummeihun, appeared before his Honor,
Judge Foster of the United States Circuit
Court yestetdsy afternoon in the celebrated
msndamus case. The County Commission
ers of Douglas county were also present.
The Commissioners of both counties were
represented by Joe Taylor, County Attor-
ney of Leavenworth county. The bond
holding creditors of Leavenworth City and
County were represented by l. b. Wheat,
and those of Douglas county by S. o. Tha-
cher.
The course of Mr.. Thacher on this oc-
casion was in happy contrast with that
OF Wheat. Mr.. Thacher, while not un-
mindful of the interests of his clients. was
willing TO leave the way open to compro-
mise ard leniency in the enforcement Of
their claims. He recognized the fact that
the people Of Douglas are ground
down with taxation; shinksge Of all val
ues has left them with greatly diminished
resources to meet the ordinary expenses Of
government; the p ople of the county were
grossly cheated in the equivalent for which
the bonds were Issued; all these facts were
recognize d a. having bearing upon the
cases. and as demanding t the court tine
utmost leniency consistent with the exact
ness of the Law. In word, Mr.. ThachFr,
in his argument, eviBced some regard for
the claims of those TO whom he is related
az fellow citizan and as a neIghbor. Not
so with Mr.. Wheat, His plea, which he
mad cooily prem ditated and committed 10
Wi ing, was that of Shylock. He urged
and insisted that the utmost rigors Of the
law 81 olld be inflicted upon the Commits
sioners and the Council. He demanded
that they be fi1ed to the full extent OF the
judgments rendered against the city and
county, and that they be imprisoned until
the last dollar OF the fine should be paid.
There WAS not suggestion Of compromise
or accommodation in all that be said.
His attitude was that remOrseless pro-
ecutor. a merciless Thug, without particle
of humaIe consideration for the dearest
and most y,tal interests of the community
of which he himself is a member.
His course was denounced by every ybody
present, even by those who had no interest
as tax payers or officials, in the case.
Mr.. Taylor, / need hardly say, cham
pioued the cause Of the people and Of their
representatives with conspicuous zeal and
ability.
The hearing was continued over by his
Honor until to-day. This morning at 10
o'clock, the case was taken up sgain. Sam.
Riggs, OF Lawrence, in behalf OF the Com
missiOners, of Douglass, laid before the
court a statement OF their case, setting forth
the efforts they have been making to bring
about a compromise, and what they hoped
to accomplish by enabling acts Just passed
by the Legislature.
The court theTeup0n decided that the
Commissioners aud the Council have iGT
ther time until the regular term ia June
next to comply with the Law and purge
themselves OF the contempt They were
required, however, to give new bonds, and
given until Thursday OF this ~. X to haye
them executed.
II seems to me il il due TO our County
Board and City Fathers that every eff rt be
now made by the people Of the city and the
county, particularly by our business men
aud largest property holders, u put the f.
nancial affairs uf the county CD better
footing. The time for fooling q d divided
councils has gone by. We must meet the
difficulty in strictly busiuesslike man
ner.
We have secured the passage Of a bill
which provides for the Issuance Of kind
OF compromise bonds as we'll calculated to
meet the exicencies Of the case as We could
have devised.
We are also endeavcring 10 pass bill
for the issuance Of bonds not 10 exceed
S2OO, 900, which may he purchased by the
people oil the county and the cash proceeds
applied to the purchase Of our outstanding
bonds at the current market rates | re-
gard this as bill of CREST Importance.
The bonds provided Tor in this bill are Of
small denominations at D per cent interest,
pavable semi-annually. the interest so fixed
that it can be applied to the payment of
taxes. By the terms Of the act the coliec-
tibiiity CT both principal and interest ia
placed beyond a peradSenture. Should
We succeed in getting this bill on
the statute books, can see no good reaRon
why the people of the county and city by
availing themselves of its provisions may
not within the next three or four months
take up large portion OF our outstanding
bondeded indebtedness with compare
lively small outlay Of money.
This ia the bill, Mr. Editor, in which ac-
cording to the kansas City .Iourr0l Mr..
Legate saw the possibly of a 100000 steal,
and which sccording 10 the same authority
he successfully opposed sgainst the united
opposition Of sll the Other Leavenworth
members and many Of the ablest on the
floor Of the House. | am surprised that
this correspondence should have been qno-
ted in The TINES as if entitled to evidence
That there il il 100000 steal in the
bill. and that Mr.. Legate's opposition was
so formidable, IL call in your eye" The
bill passed. he Lower House and went to
the Senate. 1t was recall ly Mr.. Le-
gate TO enable him TO get in what he seemed
TO consider some important amendments
The amendments which he wanted were
considered BY Messrs. S4uires aLd PicE en-,
the County Board, snd by them cons n e Of
to as not materially impairing the ms
chinery Of the bill. The other Leaven-
worth member not objsc., aud the act
as amended again went 10 the Senate,
where it Is likely TO be pssssd before the
session adiourns. The action of Mr.. Legate
did, however, serve TO delay sction upon
the bill, aud should it not get to fusl
passage, the fault must lie at his door.
The Commissioners and CJuncilmen re-
turned to LeavenvoItl this afternoon.
The Legislature will probably adjourn
sine die Friday or Saturday. Both House.
are hard at work on appropriation bills
and great many measures Of general i'm
portance are being rushed through now in
the closing days Of the session.