The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1880-10-29

took. Under all the circumstances, and
laying even political questions aside, we
do not consider him the man for us to
send TO the legislature, because his stand
| ing in the state is anything but favorable.
4. Even If the bond matter
was mismanaged what possible
effect could Eskridge's going to
the legislature have upon itS None
whatever We should suppose that
man who had been trying the case on
the stump for two years, before the court
and jury got a. it, would be the last man
to elect to Office on that issue. We might
engage in asking questions If there is
any proof that the astock and bond mat
ter" was mismanaged why not let the
public have it, SO that we might get after
those who did the mismanaging
Why seek to make political capital
out of the matter from year to
year, Why is it not agitated
during some other time than when we
are having political campaign! Does
DIR. ArInor not know that the case could
have been dismissed, and was not at the
request of the defendants Does he not
know that it is notorious fact that the
attorneys for the prosecution admit that
they have no evidence to go to trial on ?
THE News was not, and is not in sym
pathy with the board if they have done
wrong Who first published the testi-
mony? THE NEWS THE NEWS, as the
Doctor well knows, is not IN sympathy
with wrong doors. Neither is it in sym
patty with demogogery come from what
source it may.
9Th. If our foresight was as good as
our hind sight there are great many
things we have done which we would |
not do again. Eskridge got bill |
through the legislature authorizing the
city authorities to issue $4,000 to aid
the Normal school without vote of the
people. At an early day our school
board was authorized to issue 5000 in
bonds to build school house without
vote of the people, by act of the legisla-
ture secured through the influence of
Eskridge. OF course we all say now
that the railroad stock should not have
been sold without vote of the people.
Persons who care more to censure some
body or make political point, than they
do TO be fair, are constantly stating around
the county that the proposition TO
sell the stock was twice voted
down by the people What are the
factss Let us jog our memories. Under
the general law we voted at the general
election in 1875 to sell our stock. Our
commissioners had been offered forty
cents on the dollar in our bonds. 1t
was generally considered that would be
good bargain. because the stock had
generally been quoted at t21< cents on
the dollar. The vote stood for sale, 900;
against 286. The next vote was taken
in March 1876. Il stood for the sale of
the stock 90; against, 572. Not one
third of the vote of the county was cast
on the question, so little interest
did the people take in the mat
ter. Now this is just how
the people voted twice against selling
the stock. AT the session ofthe legislature
of 1877, the stock then being on the rise,
a bill was introduced in the legislature
authorizing Shawnee county to sell her
stock in the Santa Fe road. Messrs.
Gillett and Kellogg were urged by peo-
pie here to amend the bill so it would
also apply to Lyon county. After con-
sultatlon with everybody they had a
chance to consult, they did so. There
was no opposition to the proposition
here. There had been two precedents
on similar legislation, issuing bonds
without vote of the people, by Esk-
ridge. 1t is easy now for him to at
tempt to make capital on that matter
and to say he would not favor
such legislation after it is all over,
but we believe had he been there he
would have done just as our senator and
representative did in the matter. So
would DIR. Armor. Had the commits
sioners missed the opportunity to wipe
on: $151, 900 of our debt, and had the
! stock declined, there would have been
| o0CA q AOHA dS AcfcE was nedEu DclOIS,
They would have been denounced by
these same people as stupid idiots.
No one has talked more about poll.
ticians than DR.. Armor; has said more
in favor of electing men to represent
farming and other interests Now here
is chance. James Miles is an honest
; and intelligent man. The farming com
munity in Pike is entitled to some con
sideration-to some honors. We feel
perfectly sure that Messrs. Gillett and
Miles, the latter being in harmony with
a majority of the house, car
3 secure more favors than can b.
: done by the election of Eskridge. The
record shows that four new men have
been successful In obtaining local meas
ures. and that Eskridge, coming Just af
ter them, failed. He will fail again i
he goes there under the circumstances
under which he is running.