The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-02-20
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20. 1885.
TALK FROM TOPEKA.
TOPEKA. Feb, 18th, Is

TALK FROM TOPEKA.
TOPEKA, Feb. 18th, 1885.
Ed. Register For some years past
IL has been the habit of our free whis-
kew friends to charge upon the temper
perance people the blame OF retarding
or preventing much decided legislation
by always pushing to the front "some
prohibition hobby" Whatever the
facts may have been in the past. 80 far
AS this session of the legislature is con-
cerned the case is certainly the reverse
The apti-prohibition side introduced
resolutions early in the session provid-
ing for ssre-submission." This, OF IT.
self. could hardly be deemed wise or the
proper thing to do i'm view of the cleo
ton last fall. Every reader of the
REGISTER knows that in Allen county
re-submission, pure and simple, was
the question upon which the nght Ior
representative was made. NO other
question cut any considerable inquire.
1t is equally..well.. known, too, that the
same issue was made two years before
and a comparison of the vote OF the
two elections show that the sentiment
in favor of prohibition has materially
increased. In this Allen county is but
a fair comparison with other counties
in the state, and it was known before
the legislature convened that large
majority of the members were elected
pledged against re-suhmission. This
being known, it did seem worse than
folly to consume time with attempts
to pass such measures. Now, what
are the facts? These men not only
consume time in introducing their
measures but insist in taking up the
time of the House by making long
speeches, knowing when they do so
they will not effect anything. 1t was
very wearing on ones patience last
week when these re-submission res Jlu-
lions came up, to sit here for hours at
one sitting and listen to these ranting
"personal liberty" fellows. Then see
the contrast. After they had used all
that time member, speaking for the
temperance side, simply stated that
we were ready to vote and the vote
was at once taken, showing two-thirds
of the members against re-submission.
Important legislation is now being
pushed with all possible dispatch.
The school book question will be con-
sidered on Thursday of this week, and
some four different bills will be up for
consideration. I am confident now
there will not be a state adoption. l
have taken good deal of time to look
the matter up and I find that such
plan is opposed very generally by edu-
Gators and, it is claimed. does not
give very good satisfaction where
tried. 1 hope we may get a county
uniformity, also a law providing for
school districts to own the books.
This, in my judgment, if generally
adopted, would obviate the necessity
of state uniformity. If school books
were kept i'm the school as public prop
erty for use, the same as other school
furniture, parents would only have to
send their children to school and the
teacher could give them the books they
ought to have; and it would make no
difference in moving from one district
to another, they would not have to
buy new books. 1t has been demon
strated also that it costs much less to
furnish books on this plan for a given
number of years-Say five to ten, or
more-than where purchased by par
ents. This, too, relieves poor people
OF the burden Of buying books, and
puts the burden of educa ting the chill
dren upon the wealth of the commu-
nifty, where I think it rightfully be-
longs.
Last week bill, that / looked upon
as being very important, was taken up
in the House and defeated. 1t was
known as the sugar bill, and proposed
that the state should pay a bounty OF
II cents per pound ON all sorghum or
beet sugar made in the state for five
years. While I believe the bounty
should not be more than one cent per
years, did think it would be wise to
follow the example of France, in the
early history of beet sugar, and give
temporary encouragement until it
could be demonstrated that the bust
ness would or would not prove a sue
cess. looked upon the question as
one that most directly interested farm
ers, but many of my farmer associates
thought it unwise and unsafe to subsid-
ize corporations and voted against it.
For the information of some of your
readers will say there was manufac-
tured i'm this state last year 600, 600
pounds of sorghum sugar which sold
at wholesale at cents per pound.
sent you and some others a copy of
House bill 367 amending the present
temperance law. This bill, if it be-
comes law, in many respects may be
called iron clad in its provisions yet
no man, who does not desire TO vio-
late the prohibitory amendment to the
constitution, need have any fears of be-
ing troubled with it. This bill passed
the House to-day by a vote of 80 ayes
to 80 noes. Some few amendments
were made, one giving regularly Or
dained ministers the right to buy wine
for sacramental purposes, and some
other minor matters.
will try to report more fully next
week. s. J. STEWART.