The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-03-16
A VOICE FROM THE WEST.

The Wichita Eagle has set all Of
western Kansas agog by putting in
claim for tour of the seven congressman
at the approaching election. The pa
pers in the west are taking up the re-
frain, and it looks little like the west
"means business" Let justice be done
all sections. We copy the Eagles ar
ticle:
Under the new superintendent Kansas
will elect seven congressman next fall.
Three Of these will be elected by dis
tricts and four at large. The present
three congressman will live in the east
half of the settled portion of the state.
The west half of the population, or the
west three-to1rIhs of the state, Is without
congressional representation. Nay,
more. the west half OF the population of
the state is without senators, representa-
tlVes, national or state officers. The
east half-in fact q mere strip OF the
east border Of The ktate-hAs both sena-
tors, all three congressman, all the state
officers, the United STATES collector, the
United states judge, the United States
district attorney. all the judges OF the
supreme court, United States clerks of
courts. United States pension agent,
United States land commissioner, United
States minister 10 Brazil, United States
consul general To Bangkok, and every
other officer, state or national, worthy Of
the name. Congressman Haskell lives
within thirty miles of the Missouri nv
er. Congressman Ryan lives within for
ty-fige miles of the Missouri river, and
CongreesmAn Anderson with b one hum
dred miles of the same river. The re-
a1aOftnr, nf al faf fhaGn kNaPeI.
Is conceded. That all the state officers,
including the associate justices and
governor to be elected next fall, viii
come from this eastern half, Is NOS de-
MED. In truth, that this great state
with its population now Of over I. 1O0, eco,
has No voice in the state or natiOn west
of q line drawn through Junction City
and Emporia is as indisputable, as il Is
a humiliating fact If Gov. st. John
should call the legislature together now,
alter the recent discisiOn Of the sapreme
court. this great body of people would
for the next ten years be, in the particu-
lars mentioned, almost disfranchished.
Our hope apd only chance is that the
governor will not do Sd, and that the
next state convention will, in view OF
the undisputed facts stated, give TO
the western half of Kansas the four
extra congressman At large assigned
this state by the recent act of con-
gress. One of these four shoald come
from northwestern Kansas, two
from western Kansas, and one IRON this
section of the state. ALI the delegates
in convention from the west half Of this
state should, in view of the present dis
tribution of officers, demand four con-
gressmen, or otherwise go into cOmbI-
nations that would SECURE them, It's all
very we'll for the old towns and counties
of the state to say "Oh, well. we are all
Kansans and our present state and fed
eral officers are all that could be asked"
But that old excuse is worn thread-bAre.
The Eagle is no crank on this subject of
'pockeis'' and eastern border" but en-
tertains a wholesome desire to see lit
tie evening up, and rs first step 1t is as
little as we can ask, and modest re-
quest withal, that the western and un-
represented half Of the state shall havv
at least four congressman.