The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-04-27
WANTS TO RUSH IT.
Voorhees, is in Favor of a
Speedy Vote,
And Wants the Wilson Bill
Pushed Through.
MUST MOVE QUICKLY.
Doesn't Believe Great Reforms
Take Lots of Time.
MOVE QUICKLY.

In spite OF losses and crosses, laps ana
slams, the friends of the Wilson bill are
once more full of hope that it will pass the
senate. and that at a tolerably early day.
The word early must be construed accord
ing to senatorial custom and may mean
any time in June or July. Senator Voor-
hees declines to make a guess at the day, but
talks with good deal of freedom about the
improved chances of the bill t'Thcre is,
said he, "a great deal of impatience among
the people. In fact, reforIners are always
an impatient set, especially young ones.
Here is a letter I just received from
young Democratic editor in our state-a
kindly letter, but showing great inpa-
thence 1t is specimen of many had
to write letter to some of those gentle
men not long ago in which pointed out
to them that the world was not made in a
day, although there was no lack of reli-
able majority 1t is a habit of reformers,
and especially American refOrmers, to want
everything done right away. They do not
stop to consider that if this congress so
much as makes q good start in tariff re-
form, no matter how small the reduction,
it will be wonderful gain on the situa-
ton a few years ago. when it was almost
treason to say that the tariff should be re-
formed at all except upward
Senator Voorhees, Upon Reforms.
tsYou remember all about that great
temperance excitement that swept over the
west in the early fifties, when they had
temperance camp meetings and gatherings
of I don't know how many thousands of
people in various towns, and you remem-
Der how the speakers nearly all predicted
that this movement would sweep all before
it and abolish the traffic. Plenty of sensi-
BILE men staked their reputation on predic-
tiOns that in 10 years there would not be
whisky shop in the state. Well four times
10 years have past, and it is a mat ter of
dispute whether there are not as many sa-
in nGia in inn to hn
pie as there were when the Sons of Tenn
perance and their allies were making such
a racket
sit has been the same way with every
form, but there is no need of our going SO
slow with this bill. Every0O see
that the Republicans are Just talking to
postpone action long possible, but
they may make a mistake about that. The
longer this bill is delayed, if it finally be-
comes law, tho moro sudden and Stupen-
dous will be the revival of business which
follows. Copsumptive demand will force
it, as the shelves of the merchants are
pretty near bare and it is to be hoped that
the farmers have about worn out their old
clothes. In fact, if we have good crops and
get any kind of prices for them, there will
be a great revival. Be that as it may how
ever, 1 am for bringing this debate to a
close when reasonable time has been given.
I would vote for stringent closure rule. -
A Complicated Problem.
The senate committee on PUBIC LANDS IS
struggling with a complicated problem,
which is a legacy of the old timber culturs
act and incidentally involves some toler-
ably prominent men, including such ex-
tremes in the political world Colonel
Phil Thompson and s'Forerunner'' Red
stone. 1t will be remembered that before
the limits of fertile and arid land were so
well defined as now congress passed a gen
eral act granting pretty large areas to all
who would plant part in timber and Guilt
waite for term of years. The act was so
loosely worCed that great abuses arose I'M
der it, as the methods of proof provided
for were very defective, and if construed
literally there was scarcely limit to the
amount one man could hold.
On the last day of the Fifty first ngress,
therefore, an act was rushed through re-
pealing the timber culture act, but it soon
appeared that this timber repeal bill was in
some respects as loosely wOrded the 9TH
er, it being defective in providing for dis
puted claims 1t soon appeared that an inn
mense number of contestants would appeal
to the land department., and that several
of these contests involved the titles to i'm
portant town sites, as a very large part of
the timber culture area was settled with
great rapidity. Secretary Noble decided
that the repeal of the law put an end to all
contests under it; that the contestants had
no standing and the men in possession
must hold. This gave occasion for flood
of relief bills, and at this session Senator
Blackburn introduced a bill to so far
amend the repeal act to give the contest
ants an inchoate right and a standing in
court.
lit Made Him Crank.
The Vigorous opposition which sprang
up and the way in which the bill was adj
vocated soon showed that there was some
kind of com bination in its favor. 1t is
alleged that Colonel Phil Thompson and a
certain Mr.. Butt, formerly congressman
from the south, have organized a lobby for
the bill, and the savage opponents of it do
not neglect to call attention to the fact
that whereas Mr.. Butt was carpetbag
congressman in the darkest days of recon
structiOn he is now frantic Democrat in
the northwest and is posing as such before
the committee - Colonel Redstone only
comes in incidentally, but having very lit
tie confidence in the Butz combine he has
had bill of his own introduced He was a
settler on the border of the Sequoia park in
California, and when the reservation was
made it took in his land. He claims that
the land was legally open to settlement
when he took it, that the troops drove him
off with circumstances of aggravation, and
that his implements of Improvements were
total loss
Since these facts have transpired some
people think that was the main cause of his
becoming a crank. 1t is chiefly of interest
now because everything relating to Coxey
and his lieutenants is eagerly read. The
committee is at present disposed to favor
the bill securing right of contest, but the
battle of the opposing interests continues
in the intervals of the tariff debate. SEN
ators Kyle and PettigFew have introduced
bills for sending out an agent or commits
sion to decide each case on its merits.
Another bill before this committee pro-