The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1880-11-25
statesu,aalike Views.

John e Rastail Of the Burlingame Chronicle,
has been elected to the Kansas Legislature. He
evidently has never hefor held an office, and
ssr;rs 10 imagine that the business of the whole
STATE rests upon his shoulders. forgetting that
there will he about 1870 members of TIE House
besides himself, aad an entire Senate. He was
recently in Topeka, and aired his views as TO the
policy Of the Legislature. The Co'-=onroalh
thus reports him:
Hon j. T. Ras:aIl Of Hurlingame was in the city
yesterday. He elected to the Legislature from
his District. and presume can he considered as
fair representative OF the amendmrn; element in the
Hoi-c- Tiai being the ease, give his yirws ON
the -ubiert. lie thinks that ili. adE!ent mem
bcr, should have meeting tur Ig:!faiion prior 10
the assembling of the ilcu-e I-a 'iIou;'i agree up
Oh whom they will supE"rt :cr SlC a;;-r, and every
other position in the gii OF the Leg stature. and or
sguize the House in their interest euiry. To get
rid Of prominent anti-ainrndnent members of the
House. every motion made by them should be oI,
posed, TO efiectualiy set down" on them and
defeat their attempts at diilatnry and obstructive
measures. Then he would have law providing
State Constabulary. with headquarters in Topeka
and deputy in every County. with power 10 conis-
cate and destroy all intoxicating liquors wherever
found.
His theory is to organize a force after the plan of
the L. = Marshall, and ii they destroy Illicit dis
tiilcries he thinks Kansas can destroy the liquor IL
self. Mr.. Rastal is in favor of having Republican
caucus also, and proposes TO carry out this plan by
Republicans.
Mr.. Rastall seems to think the Legislature
should be conducted like a political primary
scramble, in which the majority ignores the
rights of the minority, and votes down every
proposition il Offers, without respectful consider
alton. or decides all its motions out of order. A
number of the most populous Counties in the
in the State have elected men to the Legislature
to represent their interests, who happen I"
L. 81. sl.
hibitory amendment. Because they are 50 op-
posed Mr. Rastall proposes to ''sit down upon
them" to break down their influence, TO ILL
suit them, and crush out every proposition that
they advocate. Not only this, but he is in favor
of Republican caucus, and of cOnsigning to a
back seat every Republican member of the Leg
islature who does not believe as he does on the
temperance question. g.
Now, it j. just possible that when Nr. Rastall
gets into the Legislature, he will find that ma
jority Of the members are opposed TO this crush
ing out process, and in favor of giving every
member aud every measure a fair and respectful
hearing. The Senate is usually more eonserva-
tive and cool-headed than the House. Suppose
it should take different view of this bulldozing
business, and compel the House to lie decent he
fore allowing any of its measures to pass the
Senate. How wonld Mr.. RastaIl get through
his bill for force of COnstables or spies, at an
enormous expense 70 the State, 10 seize and de-
stroy all liquors that, according TO their indi-
vidnal notions, were not kept fer medicinal, me-
chanical or scientific purposesi There is not the
slightest doubt that Mr.. Rastall is brilliant
statesman, for the chance he has had; hut the
probabilities are, that when he settles down into
his seat in the HOUSE, he will discover that he is
a mere fiy-speck, as it were.