The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1882-11-02
CLICK AND DOFFLEMYRE.

The Capital has been hunting up Mr..
Clicks legislative record on railroads. 1t
has taken up every bill introduced while he
railway attorney cuts sorry figure indeed.
The last bill taken up is the Dofiemyre bill,
of the history of which il says:
The demand came from every quarter OF
the state for some just and fair legislation to
protect the people from extensive freights
and fares and unjust determinations by
railroad corporations.
On the 18th day OF January, Mr.. Dof1e-
myre, of Sedgwick, introduced a bill pro-
viding for regulating fares and freights, and
prohibiting unjust determinations. Mr..
Dofiemyre's bill had been prepared with
great care and sought to fix a limit to
charges, beyond which the railroads should
not be permitted to go.
1t had been understood from the start
that this bill was being prepared, and that
it would be introduced to the House at an
early day, and how to defeat it was the ques-
ton that gave the friends of monopolies the
greatest concern. But MIR. Click, true to
torney, was equal to the emergency. 1t
was agreed that he should introduce a bill,
as compromise, which was to provide for
4 commission to investigate the whole rail-
road business, and report just and fair
rate for fares and freights and in the strug-
gle which it was anticipated would follow,
it was expected that both bills would be de-
feated
The provisions of the bill which was in
troduced by Mr.. Click were apparently just
and fair, and his action seemed to place him
in line with those who desired some just
and reasonable legislation on this subject.
But the colored individual was neatly stow
ed away in the wood-pile. The introduction
Of this bill was but trick to deceive those
who had been led to place confidence in Mr..
Click, and the result Will show how well he
and his friends had matured their plans.
As soon as the Click bill was introduced
the struggle began. Mr.. Click urged his
as the fairest and most equitable measure,
and contended it was not possible for the
legislature to fix rates that would be just
and fair; and though the friends of the
DOfflemyre bill worked zealously for the
passage OF that measure it was defeated,
with the expectation on the part Of many
who voted against it that MIR. Click and his
friends would aid and assist in passing the
Click bill.
Then ensued one of those anomalous pro-
cesses in legislation, an exhibition of grand
and lofty tumbling in parliamentary pro-
ceedings to which the average member is
stranger, and which are only resorted to by
the INSCRIPTIONS for the purpose Of defeat
ing some measure they profess to favor.
The Dofiiemyre bill once safely out Of the
way, Mr.. Click entered upon a systematic
warfare against his own bill, emasculating
it with amendments, resOrting to all sorts
of expedients to prevent its discussion on
its merits, and ut last, on the question Of
Its final passage, voting against il! House
journal, page S02)
Thus was railroad legislation defeated and
prevented at the last session OF the legisla-
ture. Mr.. George Washington Click, at
present seeking votes as an anti-mOnopolist
md farmer with heart bowed down over
The expressions Of the railroads, was the
person who manipulated the whole scheme,
~ the records show and his own votes tes-
.ify. Let the people look Mt the facts, and
not permit themselves to be led astray by
Empty and insincere chin-music. MIR. Click |
deceived them shamefully in his railroad |
natter only two years ago. Surely they |
nave had enough of his chicanery and
reachery to last a lifetime.