Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1894-09-26
THAT IRRIcATloN,,F

trlct, are trying TO make capital out OF
the fact that Kansas wasn't included
In the irrigation appropriation bill for
experimental purposes, by saying that
it was due to Jerry Simpsons exagger-
ating the states indebtedness. About
the first intimatlon that Jerry received
that this lie was going the rounds of
the state, was when he read the follow
ing editorial in the Anthony Journal of
September Z. He Immediately clipped
the squib and sent it to Congressman
Brett, the man to whom the Journal
alleges, Simpson misrepresented the
Indebtedness Of the state, and asked
him to make statement of the facts. We
publish Bretz's reply below, which is
a complete yindication for Congress
man Simpson. 1t is now in order for
the Journal to return unto it's VOmit
and eat what the buzzard despiseth.
The following is the Journals editorial,
after which is Congressman Bretz's let
ter which is self explanatory.
Chester l. Longs candidacy has re-
ceiyed another impetus. The western
counties are infiamed against Simpson
as they were never inflamed before.
The news has just reached them why
Kansas was not included in the apprO-
prlatlon of public lands by congress for
the purpose or testing the irrigation Of
arid lands. All the western states but
Kansas were included. The exception
OF Kansas was due to Simpsons calaml-
ty propensities. Kansas was left out
because Congressman Brett of Indiana,
when the matter was under debate,
made the statement that the state in.
debtednes5 of Kansas was 81 600 600.
more than twice that of Indiana. This
enormous Indebtedness knocked Kan
SaS out. After the bill had passed.
leaving Kansas out in the cold, Con-
gresham BretZ apolOgiZed. He came
out manly and said that he had looked
up the statistics and was surprised to
find that the debt of Kansas is actually
less than half that of his own state.
Mr.. BretZ explains that he got his fig.
ures OF the 81 900 900 of debt of Kansas
from Jerry Simpson, and supposed that
a representative from Kansas would
not give him statement five times
greater than the debt was. He revised
his speech in the Congressional Record
and regretted his mistake. But it was
too late, and western Kansas is knock
ed out by the traitorous utterances of
Jerry Simpson.
WASHINGTON, d. c. Sept. II, 1894.
HON. JERRY SIMPSON,
Medicine Lodge, Kans.
Ny DEAR SIR:-Yours of 18th inst.
calling my attention to an article pub
lished in the Anthony Journal OF the
7th inst, in which our names are used
in connection with recent legislation in
congress on the arid land question, is
before me. You ask me to state the
facts about the matter. | am obliged
to say the article states but one fact
correctly, and that is that revised my
remarks in the Record. AS you know
in the Sind congress, l opposed the bill
reported by the Committee on Irriga-
tion OF arid lands, ceding to the several
states and territories all the arid lands
within their borders, and as member
of that committee l made a minority
| report against the bill. In collecting
data upon which to base some remarks
in opposition to the bill, should it come
up, among other things | looked up the
Indebtedness OF each state and terri
tory having arid lands within its bord-
ers, thirteen states and three territor-
les, think. In the collection Of this
data you had nothing to do, made no
suggestions, neither was you asked any
questions. The bill never came up for
action.
In the closing days Of the second ses-
sion of the 53rd congress, an amend
Lent was Unexpectedly offered to an
appropriation bill, ceding to certain
states named in the amendment, ,00O,-
coo acres Of arid land etc. etc. 1t was
an amendment offered byMcRay Chair.
man of Public Lands committe. The
amendment did not mention all the
states possessing arid lands and was
passed, as now remember, just as it
was offered. l opposed the amend
ment and not having time then to re-
wise my data of state Indebtedness col
lected two years before, | used those
| figures and withheld my remarks to re-
wise and correct my figures. In a few
days after that l had my remarks print
ed in the Record in revised form. As
presented tor publication, the figures
are taken literally frOm the abstract Of
the census of 1890. My former figures
were taken from the Chicago Daily
News almanac of 1892. In my remarks
as originally made and as revised, l
did not confine them to any one state,
but to all the thirteen states and tie
three territories. What ! said about
the debt of Kansas had nothing what
ever to do with knocking Kansas out"
because she never was in the amend
ment and could not be knocked out"
and hence | made no apology" l
made no comparison of the debt of any
state with the debt of Kansas, but Mr..
Curtis did in his printed remarks pub
| lished few days later. / never stated
tG anybody that my information as to
the indebtedness OF EaDsas was OBJ
tanned from you. l don't remember
that | ever talked with you about the
debt of Kansas; am sure did not at
any time during the 53rd congress.
had not seen you for more than two
months before the matter in question
came up. You had not been in the
House for some months before, on &C.
count OF severe sickness. / am sure
nothing ever took place between you
and me that prevented Kansas from
getting part of the lands in question.
am pleased to learn your health is
much improved and hope it will soon
be fully restored. Yefv Truly,
JOHN G.. BRETT.
COL. BRECKENRIDGE has submitted
- the official figures of the democrat