Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1890-03-15
AUTHORIZATION AGITATION IN
KANSAS.
Some Stern Facts and Figures Not Yet
Answered.
dence Of the Rntland, 81. HeraId.

HOW IIO SldLS IS CAUSING JIG pOiiOlStdh 81
much uneasiness as the state of Kansas.
| The situation here is anomalous. While
the electoral ticket was carried for Har-
rison by plurality OF $4,000, if surface
indications can be depended upon no
such result could be expected if the cleo
were to be held now. The opinion pre-
walls that this large Republican vote has
done little to commend the CLAIMS OF the
state TO the favorable consideration OF
the administration. The Republicans
are not, therefore, as proud OF this large
majority as they were. The fruits Of
the victory have been disappointing.
Heretofore Kansas has felt just pride
in her United States senators. Plumb, with
his hard sense, plain ways and the stand
ing he has won for himself by his solid
! qualities, has been favorlte with every
one. Then. who could so efectually tan
the hide of the rebel brigadier, Or so ar
tistically twist the tail of the British
hon as the gifted, the brilliant and YER
satile Ingalls,.
Kansas, however, has grown since
! Plumb and ingalls, went TO the senate.
| The state now has more miles OF railroad
| than any other state except Illinois.
! Out of i06 counties in the state, there
are but six without a railroad. Cities,
with their multiplied industries, have
| sprung up all over the state. a popula-
ton once devoted almost exclusively to
agriculture has now become some"Aat
cosmopolitan: and the business intares IS
of the state are becoming strong and IN
fluential. Since Plumb and ingalls,
went to the senate, new Kansas has
| been born. The attractions of Wash
| ington life have been so allur1ng that
our two senators practically 1--we there,
and, consequently know little OF Kansas
or the Kansas people of today. Recent
| events have cause q well-grounded sus-
picion that they not only know but little
of the wishes of their people, but that
/ they care lesa In word, the relations
! between the Kansas senators and the
Kansas people are apparently somewhat
I strained.
/ Another factor that contributes very
/ largely to the uncertainty of the political
situation in this state grows out OF pro-
| hibition, or, rather. the failure OF prohl-
bition. In 1880, the sentiment for prohI-
bition mad such apparent strength III the
state that the Republicans suffered 1t to
| be adopted as the policy OF the
state and incorporated 1t IN the constltu-
ton. Well the result has been
! lust what it has been IN every
state in which it has been tried. In other
words, it is failure, if not :. farce. In
addition to this, there are many ways IN
/ which it has operated against the state.
! While liquors are sold and consumed
! the same as before, no revenue Is derived
from the sale, nor can the traffic be reg
ulated,
The business men of the state are
moving for the resubmission OF the
question to vote of the people, with
| view to a repeal of the prohIbitory
amendment to the constitution. After
/ a fair trial, they consider it inimical to
! the best interests of the state. lmmigra-
! ton has been diverted from the state.
! Nebraska on the north. Texas on the
south, and Colorado and Utah on the
west, each takes from us the lmmIgra-
! ton. the capital and the various indus
| tries that are rightfully ours. While the
| population of each of these states are IN
! creasing rapidly, Kansas has lost heavily
! during the last two years. To people
| here the cause is apparent. Prohibition
! lists, of course, will not admit that pro-
]
! the very theory of prohibition so con-
/ trarv to reason and common sense that
man must be "a little Off before he can
| be a prohibitionist, so that we must
make allowance for them.
/ The Kansas senators and representa-
tives in congress, living luxuriously in
Washington, and seldom seeing their
Deople. were misled as to the strength
/ 81 Of "a for. %
| submission, and in order to squelch it
/ with one masterstroke did this. An in
/ terview with each one of the entire dele
cation was carefully prepared and pub
! Iished in the st. LOUIS Globe-Democrat,
the newspaper having larger circula-
! ton in Kansas than ,.Gy other paper.
/ The interviews were SO alike that the
! conclusion that they were the result of a
conference was irresistible. The sub
| stance of the interview in each case was
/ that prohibition is the fixed policy of the
/ state. and that the members of the dele
! CATION were opposed to resubmitting the
question to the people. This looked to
! the people very much as though their
| representatives had forgotten that their
mission was to represent the people who
elected them, and not to boss them.
/ When this was read in Kansas, the dele
/ CATION in congress began to hear some
! thing. Ingalls, got nervous, and came to
/ Kansas to see how much damage he had
done. Plumb, having only been re-
elected last winter and thus being secure
| from the wrath of his people, Keeps cool;
! but ingalls,, If he goes back, must be re-
/ elected again next winter. SO there
| have been anxious DAYS and sieepless
nights for ingalls, and his friends
since that unucky interview. As .
! United States senator, ingalls, IS well
! liked: but when he poses as a boss the
wrath Of the Kansas voter Is excited,
and al this date the sky OF his political
horizon is dark and threatening. Hon.
! s. r. Peters of this. the Seventh. con
/ gresSional district, after the interview
with himself appeared, published let
/ ter declining 70 oe a candidate on the
! ground that ne was too poor TO make the
! race. He has served his large district
/ faithfully: and, had he not got down on
/ the wrong side of the fence. he would
/ have had little troublein being reelected.
/ His district is so strongly IN favor of re-
/ submission. however. that his election
/ became impossible after that fatefui
/ interv lew.
Practically. all the Democrats are or
/ posed to prohibition. Careful estimates
made by the resubmissionists. based M
on the most reliable information now at
. hand. show strong majority Of the Re
/ publicans in favor OF resubmlsston. IN
deed, the proposition 70 resubmIt the
question to the peaple, so that they may
say whether, now that they have tried 1t
! for nine years. they still wan; prohibit
/ ton, Is 50 reasonable that no opposition
I TO the measure can stand. Anti