The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-01-10

only after full argumnt, however; while
through a local newspaper the captain
of the company to be disbanded mutt
nously declared his intention of resist
| ing at the point Of the bayonet the mus
| ter-out order of the commander-in-chie1
| These are but instances. On any oc-
casion inferior judges, diSregarding the
| courtesy due from each department OF
| government to the others, stood ready
| to isue restraining orders, ex parte, Oil
| rected to the executive or to Subordi-
| mates who were his instruments in car
rying out executive mandates. In TAX
| ing leave Of the Office the executive ex-
| presses the hope that his successor may
| find that thetpeople by whose votes the
| retiring chief magistrate was elected
know how to be citizens as well as par
| tisans, and are patriotic enough to be
/ loyal to any man chosen by the people
to be their governor no matter what
his or their political faith may be. In
stead Of having the support and assist
ance of county officers in the enforce
ment of the laws, the police of the prin-
cipal cities have had to contend with
their open hostility. Under such cir
cumstances it would be strange indeed
if the prohibitory law had been most
strictly enforced by the retiring ad-
ministration than by any of its pre6e-
ceSSorS; yet it has been denounced by
the very people who sought to thwart
its endeavors for not having done more
in this direction than previous admins
trations in supreme control of every de-
partment of the government and 10y
ally seconded by the people.
But the prohibitory amendment will
remain part of our constitution till SUI
perceded by naturalization of the liq-
uor traffic. The determination to con-
troll this business is stronger today
than ever before; and eventually the
traffic will be forced to submit to the
popular will Whose thinks otherwise
mistakes the sentiment of the people
The whiskey trust is but an intregal
part Of that yet more monstrouS trust
the organizat ton of centralized wealth
whose aim is to make artificial property
more sacred than life or liberty. The
people are awakening to the danger
that threatens them and will overcome
that monster, and, with it, will over
come the liquor traffic, too.
COMPLAINS OF STOCK YARDS.
When this long explana ton or prohi-
bition is finished Governor Lewelling
talks on stock yards as follows:
Great complaint is also made of the
conduct of stock yards. 1t is alleged
that a combination exists between
stock buyers and commission men so
that sellers are forced to employ the
commission men in order to effect sales
and must then virtually accept whatev-
er price the generous company sees fit
to permit them to take. Stock is fed
on hay at $40 per ton and corn at 81
per bushel-prices which some are dis
posed TO regard as eXorbitant when
compared with ruling prices outside the
StockyardS. A statement sent to this
Office shows the following stockyard
charges for yardage in 1898:
l ,948,373 hogs at cents. ..... 155, 81
Total receipts for yardage. .s63S, 1880
The commissions for selling cattle,
etc. about double the stockyard charg
es, which makes additional tax on stock
men about double the amount. Buyers
and commission men are in combination
so that one of the latter number must
be employed If sale is made The stock
men are, therefore, at the mercy of the
company and in substance have to take
what offered.
Apparently, the only way to secure
fair treatment for farmers and stock
raisers is to provide public elevators
and public stockyards, with all mod
ern facilities, and thus stablish a pub
lie market, under state control for the
principal products our people have to
sell. That we may have the unQues-
toned power to do such needful things
for ourselves and not have the hands
of the people tied on every occasion de-
such action is, perhaps, the
most urgent reason why we should
have a constitutional convention; for it
is doubtful whether anything of the kin
no matter how imperatively demanded
can be done under the present condi-
ton.
AND PERORATION.
OF the irrigation question the COVER.
nor says:
1.-THE importance of irrigation is too
generally conceded to require its dis
cussion here. The only debatable ques-
ton is what legislation should be en-
acted concerning this urgent necessity
Of western farmers. Control of the
husbandman'S water supply approach
eS in Importance, control of the air he
breathes and it would be scarcely less
cruel in the former case than inthe lat
ter to subject him to the almost GER
tain extortions and Determinations of
q private monopoly. Fortunately, this
has not become q theme for heated
partisan discussion so as to make
men obstinate adherents Of any partic-
ular plan; and noe but those selfishly
to make merchandise of the
very rains and dewS of heaven, will
approach the consideration of the sub
ject with biased minds. What you do
at this session in this enterprise, you
donot for a day, but for many years to
come. Should the control of husbandry
be given over to private corporations,
Dur hands will have become tied by the
federal constitution, and no matter
how badly the experiment may turn
put, nor how oppressive may be the
conduct of those who shall have been
made the masters OF agriculture, we
shall be utterly powerless for years to
the error to free the people |
from the grasp of the monster our own
Jolly will have evoked. Nor could we
avail ourselves of improved methods or
new and valuable discoveries or inven- |
tons, but must suffer inorder to aviod |
with vested rights. If any
elaborate scheme of irrigation is to be
at all, il is so imperatively |
necessary that the people themselves !
should undertake and conduct the en-
terpriSe, that the very thought is start |
ling that 1t might be given over to cor
nOrafe or private control. but the exec