The Wichita daily eagle., 1893-07-30
SOME RED HOT TALK.
70 me Editor of the Easle.

| 4 few days ago you published letter
from Judge Little on the railroad question
under the significant heading: when
| You See Il Head, Hit 1t. ;"
Judge Lutte was severe-and right. The
. railruads-especially in their treatment OF
! Wichita-have been high-handed, arbi-
trary aud partial. All reasonable AND
conciliatory measures having failed to
| move them, we are now forced to the an
cient rule Of an eye for ''an eye for an eye.
and tooth for TOOTH" and ought &c
apply il at every opportunity. Judge
Little having paved the way, by opening
| up the discussion on one subject. wish &c
call attention to another.
| A. I. Carpenter met me on the street
! this week and asked me If l would sign a
| petition to raise the salary of all city OIL
| GERS, teachers and employees. open up and
widen unused streets, and put IN new
| fire alarm system.
F.! He stated that be understood the salary
Of the superintendent of city schools had
| been raised without the solicitation Of the
superintendent. That the salary of sewer
inspector had been raised at the Inspector S
| solicitation, that the city clerk and fire
marshal were knocking at the doors Of the
city treasury for larger pull and that d
scheme was on foot to put in "A new fire
alarm system at a large expense.
a short time ago The city council order.
ed stone or cement pavement 12 feet wide
to be put down on the west side Of Main
street, from Douglas avenue away beyond
| the business portion of the city, stopping
some where this side the north pole.
Much of this territory had at the time a
good, substantial and sufficient board walk.
One whole block did not have, properly
speaking. a business house in it. but was
| used almost exclusively for residence, oc-
cupied and owned by people of moderate
| means, few of whom could afford the ex.
pense at this time, of putting down walk
of the character ordered.
The city council may have been acting
on the theory that to make times easy it
IS necessary to spend money. and they find
the easiest way to do this is to make i'm
provements and raise salaries.
Outside of the paving of Douglas ave-
nue. We doubt whether there has been a
single improvement of Importance neces-
sary under the new administration
or one that would meet with public ap-
prevail, with the salaries of city officials
and employees it is different
The raising of salaries would give salts
faction and be a good thing-to the
officers.
venture to say that every city officer
now il Office sought the office with due
knowledge OF the salary and was glad to
get the position, and that others could be
found who would willingly take the place
at old salaries, aud who would discharge
the duties in satisfactory way.
am not rejecting upon these salaried
officers. l believe they are without ex-
ception competent and obliging. and dis
charging the duties to the entire satisfact-
ion OF the public.
IL the people who are afflicted with
these-to them-unnecessary burdens OBJ
ject and criticise they are called kickers
and grumblers, aud some won't criticise
because of these unpopular epithets.
The thing to do now is to organize an
army OF kickers If any one will look into
county affairs for the last few years he will
find mares nest. The disclosure Of the
inner workings of that concern would be Il
surprise.
The police force, running a political
campaign, CIR exhibiting more zeal i'll get
ting free ticket to the worlds fair than
they ever evinced in patroling the city, af-
fords opportunity for kick.
An increase of salaries. Now and then.
the opening of a street here and there, the
building of :. few unnecessary sidewalks,
u few little leaks in the treasury don't
count for much it may be, but the princi-
l.. u E..sd
thing.
When the Kansas City narrow gauge
railway was being built from Lsaven-
worth, fellow living in Valley Falls took
a contract for grading = portion OF the
road along the grasshopper valley. The
section was very level prairie, easily work
ed ami the contractor made nice thing
out of his contract It was the first con-
tract he had ever taken and elated with
his success he purchased large quantity
OF the Sultana cigars for his own use and
the use of his friends, IL thing he had never
dreamed OF before his successful contract.
A quaint bright fellow, something like my
esteemed friend. Farmer Doolttle In COM
mentIng upon the fact said that -
was sure to bust as he smoked altogether
TOO many Sultaua cigars. When asked
how smoking Sultana cigars would bust
man, he replied that that alone wouldsnot
bust anybody but that the Sultana princi-
pies would bust anybody ali to -.
Baying ''crematory" for few thou
sand won't bust the city. A few thou
sand in useless salaries wont do it. 1t
can staud a few thousands in leaks" each
wear; but these are useless extravagaDces
and the extravagant principle will ruin
anything II runs.
The mayor is entitled to the thanks of
the community for interposing his veto IN
one matter. Ii the opportunity presents
itself he should not hesitate TO interpose it
again.
Some OF the members of the council
possibly the school board-seem to have
taken for the motto: When you have a
dollar (of other peoples money spenti it,
W. +. STANLEY.