The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1880-05-27

tnc COnventlOn.
D.A. WELLINGTON, Chairman.
Attest -. w. ADY, Secretary.
-
THE BOND QUESTION.
Our PEOPLE DESIRE no DO WHAT Is
RIGHT.
The st. Louis e. San Francisco Rail-
way IL completed to Wichita, to aid in
the construction of which Sedgwick
county voted her credit. The bonds
have not been issued for the stock SUBJ
scribed.
The foregoing paragraph embodics
briefly and succinctly the subject matter
which has agitated the feelings of our
people for weeks past in manner that
calls for an explanation.
1t is unnecessary, at this time, to set
forth the arguments used, the represent
ations made or the motives assigned for
voting the bonds. Suffice it TO say our
people acted in all good faith.
During the railroad complications and
compromises of last winter, arising
partly out of the Rio Grande struggle
and before its determination and while
the A., L. l. S. f. Company were seek
ing direct outlet to and through st.
Louis, and the Jay Gould interest was
capturing the control Of many of the
trunk lines of the West, it was given
out that for self-protection against the
jobs of the latter the Atlantic & Pacific
Company had made a consolidation
with the Santa Fe Company and that by
the utilization Of the old franchise of
the former road, new Pacific line was
to be conformity constructed. To say
nothing of events since transpiring
tending TO confirm that declaration the
question was raised by many of. our peo-
pie as TO the loss of benefits which were |
TO accrue from a competition of indie
pendent lines. Following that were |
Others of redress, Of contract, of moral |
obligation, of law and Of equity. Would
the courts hold our people to the letter
of contract where the spirit had been
openly disregarded? Would the COM
pany, in view of the advantages gained
from the consolidation, ever ask for the
bonds or tender the stock? Would it be
manly, where we had thus been beaten,
TO take advantage of mistakes and over
sights in the contract and provisions of
law and save ourselves by refusing to
issue the bonds or accept the stock
Would the road ever be extended lp-
yond Wichita, and il so would there be
two lines, as contracted for, or only
one?
These and similar questions have been
discussed from almost every standpoint
since the first intimation of consolida-
ton. The EAGLE has only rctrained
from doing SO heretofore because we
did net want to say any thing that
might embarrass our commissioners in
the discharge of their sworn duty, or
that might tend to antagonize local con-
cerns, or jcopardize the interests Of the .
county and city. !,
Some three weeks since the legal rep :
resentatives of the company made for {
NAL demand that our bonds be placed in :
escrow, which not only gave fresh inn
petus 10 the existing agitation, but de-
veloped three distinct public conclusions I
by as many elements, name
~ : one demanding that the commission !
ers should place tho entire amount of
bonds in escrow supported by the dec |,
larstion that il we had made foolish !
bargain, no baby act should be pleaded
the second, demanding that the COM r
missiOners should issue the bonds i'm in !.
stallments pro rata with the number of
miles completed; the third holding that
the county had not got what she bar b
gained for, thatlinstcad of full grown I,
horse for which. We had agreed to give n
her note she was getting only a sucking L
colt, therefore the commissioners should o
ssuc ne bonds until the moral and $,
equitable phases of the whole matter a
Aad been determined by a compromise c
or until the highest courts
their issuance as legal obi
ysti0a. Upon the other hand the legal "
and officers Of the COM q
,any have continually declared and in o
listed that there was no consolidation IA
n any sense and that they intended to 81
AIRY out in spirit and letter their part y
# the compact %
Between these fires have our commits !"
toners been kept with no apparent pos
ibie chance Of pleasing more than one +,
interest or element. They have en- 4,
Favored to take every precautionary .,
tsp in protecting the people, in obcying n,
he law and IN doing the right thing. m
re verify believe. They have availed il
hemsslves Of the advice of the county
ttorney and other eminent loyal men.
hey have listened to all the arguments G'
I'd I'll the suggestions Of all sides, in Nj
uding those Of the superintendent and X.
Etorneys Of the road. Aftcr all and cal
it'll the written opinion of the county APP
tt0rney and Of his associate in the mat tic
e, h. G. Sluss, to the purport that the
pads cannot ut present be legally is
led, they decided at their meeting yes ~
rday Tuesday by n majority vote TO .
rect the county attorney in conjunc- y.
on with the railroads. attorney to sub "
it the whole question upon an agreed {
atcu,eat Of facts to the Supreme COT
Durt.s gr,
Az We stated before the EAoE8 has A
tempted 10 pressure or in1scnos inf ing