Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1892-12-17

Tho aggregate OF claims pending aealnst
the government In the court Of claims -
enormous. CLAIMS 10 the amount OF nearly
50, loo, 600 for taking of property or injury
war are now before tho court fog examina-
ton. When to these arc added tho Indian dep
relation clains and the French spoliatioe
claims, an aggregate Is reached that 10 indeed
startling. In the defense of these claims toe
Government is at a great disadvantage. Tho
claimants lave preserved their evidence,
whereas tho government has to send agents
to rummaee the field for what they can End.
Thin difficulty Is peculiarly great whece the
fact to be established is tho disloyalty of the
claimant aurinR the war. If this Rrest threat
against car revenues is to have No other
check, certainly congress should supply tho
department of justice with appropriations
suficiently liberal to secure tho best legal
talent n the defense of these claims and to
pursue its vague search for evidence.
In renewing the recommendation which l
haya anade in three preceding annual mes
cages, that congress should legasiafe Tor the
protsction of rallHsad employees against the
dangers incident 30 the old ard inadequate
methods of breaking and coupling which are
stll in use upos freight business, do 90
with the hope that this congress may taHe
action on the srbject. Statistics furnisnea
Inv the interstate commerce coinmlsSto0
show that durlHg the year endin9 june %,
1890, there were forty-seven dlnerent ssyies
of car couplers reported to DO IN use, M 90
that during the same period there were A61O
smnloyes killed and %, 40 injured. Nearly
is per cent. If the deaths occurred N the
Coupling and uncoupling OF cas-, and over
3s mar cent. of the injuries had the same
of'> hoped that 1t was possible to secure
a non-partisan inquiry, by means of com
mission. into evils the existence OF which Is
known to all, and that out of this might
grow legislation from which all thought OF
nartisan advantages should be eliminated
and only the higher thought appear of main
tanning the freedom and purity OF the bal.
lot and the equality of the elector. without
the guaranty of which the government could
never have been formed, and without the
continuance of which it cannot continue to
exist in peace and prosperity. 1t Is time
that the mutual charges OF unfairness and
fraud between the great parties should cease,
and that the sincerity of those who profess g
desire for pure and honest elections should
be brought to the test of their Willingness to
free our legislation and our election methods
from everything that tends to impair the
public confidence in the announced result.
The necessity for an inquiry and for legs
latiou by congress upon this subject Is en-
phasized BY that fac that the tendency of
the legislation IN some states IN recent years
has in some important particulars been
away from and not toward free and far
elections and equal apportionments. Ii 1t
not time that we should come together upon
the high plane of patriotism while we devise
methods that shall secure the right OF any
man qualified by law to cast free ballot
and to give to every such ballot an equal
value in choosing our public officers and IN
directing the policy of the government!
it usurps the functions of the peace officer
and Of, the cOurts