The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-08-26
OUT ssINSPECTING.o
Why Do We Have a State Railroad
Board?
IT CAN'T Do An EARTHLY THING

To Compel the Railroad Companies Go
Obey Its Orders-It Draws $4,000
aYear for Doing Nothing.
The Populist party when in charge of
the state house did many foolish things
and upon numerous occasions made Kan
sas ridiculous and the laughing stock of
the country. The Populists did just what
the Republicans did before them, They
filed all the offices with reformers and
were sorry because the list of sinecures
was not larger.
AS foolish as were the Populists. they
we're too smart to allow the state board
of railroad commissioners to junket
around over the state in special trains.
| Lewelling and his fellows drew the line
on this kind of Stiffness,
The people of Kansas have recently
| been treated to an exhibition of junket-
| ing which ought to make even redeem
| ers'' weep The state board of railroad
| commissioners having nothing else to do,
! decided to make tour of the state and
inspect" the railroad property. The
law required this, they said, and what
the law Requires" of course, must be
done.
The junketing party got over most of
| the state, for the STATE JOURNAL hears
of it away down in Clark county, where
| two streaks of rust were inspected" and
found all right. The Ashland Journal
describes the special train, its luxury
and comfortable accommodations as fol-
lows:
THE state board of railroad commits
sioners in a special train of three fine
cars, passed through here last Friday,
"inspecting" this branch of the Santa
Fe. From appearances they were en-
joying all the luxury of a special train
with its accompaniment of eata bles,
drinkables and smokables, with elegant
sleeping accommodations and Pullman
cook. All this is furnished free by the
railroads, and it is little wonder that the
board of railroad commissioners is an
impotent body. Unless its power can be
enlarged and it be authorized to enforce
its orders the sooner this expensive body
is abolished the better it will be for the
people of Kansas"
In former article the STATE JOURNAL
discussed the board of railroad COM
missioners as a useless appendage to the
state government; its absolute failure to
enforce its own orders and the further
fact that it was created solely to provide
soft jobs for three statesmen who Are
supposed to have rendered efficient party
service.
1t is fact that the board could not
compel a railroad company to build a
switch if the railroad company did not
see fit to do so. 1t has no power, and the
principle service the board performs is
in drawing salaries to the amount of $10,-
900 per year.
Who pays for the "drinkables, eat
ables and smokables which the board
enjoyed on it's recent junket?
Somebody pays the freight 1t ism
the state, therefore the railroad compa
MES must ''set up these luxuries" to tbs
board as we'll as to provide them with
palace private cars, Pullman porters. etc
Let US suppose that the railroad com
panies pay for these good things. Now
let US grant for the sake of argument tina
the board could enforce any order i
might make against these roads (but O.
course it CAN'T isn't it barely possible
that the board would feel like being easy
on the railroads in view of the fact tina
they treated the board so nicely on the
junket?
What wise look must have sweep
over Jim Simpsons face when he sped
across the Kansas prairies at the rate o.
forty miles an hour 'inspecting" things
Naturally Jim would stroke his Pefferiar
chin whisksrs and puff away at the fin
Havanas supplied by the railroad com
panies and enjoy the thing hugely.