The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1894-07-13
A RIDICULOUS RESOLUTION.


For the first time in history the Peo-
pies party has made a specific, def
mite charge against the Republican
management of Allen county. And
what does the gentle reader think it
is? Read:
1--WE call attention to the fact that under Re-
publican rule and in spite of the warning sound
ed by the opposition. Allen county has been
plunged in debt by an issue of bonds for thou
corporation for 100 and are now a burden on
the impoverished tax payers of the county. and
the corporation that received the bonds not only
charges and collects exhorbitant rates from our
citizens but attempts to escape just taxation
and that the said taxes are collected In full only
by the tireless efforts of officials opposed to the
Republican party.
There is the charge in all its black
and damning hideousness And a
more ludicrous and preposterous
charge was never made.
The bonds alluded to are, of course,
the old l.. l.. & G. bonds. Now the
fact about their issue, as known to ev-
cry old settler, is that there was no
politics in it whatever. The election
was held in September, 1865, and no
party declared either for or against
the bonds. The sentiment in favor of
them was 80 nearly unanimous that
only forfy.fue votes were cast against
them in the entire county! How pre-
postereus then for the Populists to
come now, nearly thirty years after
wards, and call the Republican party
to account for that issue Of bonds 1t
reminds US of the COW boy who wan
dered into a church a year or so ago
and when he came out knocked into
the gutter the first Jew he met "be-
cause you fellows crucified Jesus
Christ" The Republican party has
had control of Allen county for 35
years, and this absurd, antiquated
and utterly unfounded charge is all
that its enemies can rake up against
it Surely no stronger certificate of
character could be given.
But what does the resolution mean
by saying that the taxes against the
company to which these bonds were
voted are collected in full "only by
the tireless efforts of officials opposed
to the Republican party?" 1t means,
of course, that had it not been for
County Attorney Campbell (the only
official in the county opposed to the
Republican partly the taxes against
the Santa Fe would not have been
paid in full. That is utterly false.
The right to compromise for less than
the full tax rested with the Republic
can board of county commissioners
alone. and they were never in any
danger of making such compromise.
Doubtless Mr.. Campbell advised
against it, but it was the Board that
decided. And it may not be out of
place to say here that the REGISTER
also advised very strongly against
any compromise, while the organs of
the Reformers who are always so
anxious to benefit the Impoverished
taxpayers" were utterly silent, doubt
less hoping that the Commissioners
would make the mistake of compro.
mise so they could attack them for it
that the county might lose
a thousand dollars if thereby they
might make political capital against
the Republican party!
One the whole, if there is one fea-
ture of this Populistic assault upon
the Republican management of Allen
county which is more striking than
its amusing absurdity, it is it's utter
falsity.