The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-12-03
NEW FEDERAL DISTRICTS
Which Would Give BiIlysterne a Us.
Marshalship.

Tt is the gossip in Republican circles
today that the scheme to divide Kansas
into federal districts viii come up again
as soon as the first session of the new
congress convenes-
This plan has been talked of before
and was put in the shape Of a biz that
was introduced in congress by Judge S.
r. Peters when he was a member. The
measure was not successful at that time
and has not been pushed to any great
extent since that time because the peO-
pie of Kansas who are most interested
in the measure and who expect to get
appointed to il the new offices that
would be created by such a measure
have not been of the same political
faith as the president. 1t is true that
there was some talk Tor a short time Of
such a measure being put through I'M
der the Cleveland administration and it
was the gossip that if such a thing
should happen that w. G. Perry of Fort
Scott would be appOintee of the presi-
dent for the position of judge.
If such a measure should pass con-
gress it would create another judgeship
and there would be two marshals and
district attorneys to appoint Ihe bill
which has been considered by congress
divides the state into north and
south divisions. The line that divides
the two divisions is the north line Of
the following counties: Linn, Ander-
son. COMey, Greenwood. Chase, Marion,
Mcpherson. Rice, Barton, Rush, Ness,
Lane. Wichita. and Greeley. If this
should be the division that should be
decided upon it would place L. C. Crum
the man who is supposed to nave a lead
pipe clnch ON the marshalship ia the
southern district and would leave the
another candidate for the Office of mar
shall 1t would not be surprising to see
w E. Sterne of this city get into the
race for the marshalship of the north
ern division if the state should be divid-
ed into northern and southern districts.
The division along the line given above
rr7a
in the northern district and it is proba-
bly, conceded that he would get the ap-
p0Intnent as district attorney in either
district that Lyon county would be
thrown in by a division. 1t is said
that Charley LObdeu of Lane county is
very anxious to see the division made
in such matter that he Will not be put
IN the same district with Lambert as he
wants to be the district attorney ia one
of the districts. The old division would
do this. The most important position
into Two districts would be thar Of dis
trict judge, which is a life position
Judge $. r. Peters. who Introduced
the bill in congress viii make a strong
canvass for the position, as it is said
that he had matters arranged before
to set the appointment in case the bill
had become law. OF course Judge
Foster would still be the judge in what
ever division Shawnee county fell when
the state was divided
Besides the manner that was pro
pOS6l IN the Dill t@ar was introduced
in congress. there is another division
that is talked Of at the present time
TT is to make the west line of the follow
ing counties the dividing line between
the two districts; Washington Clay
Dickinson, Marion, Butler and COwley
This division would leave both Crum
and Lambert in the eastern division
along with Judge Foster and would put
both Peters and Lobden in the new
western division. This would leave
Sterne out Of the race for the marshal
ship but the western part of the state
could perhaps find men who would ac-
cept the position Su Dixon who at
first started out to be a candidate for
the marshalship. but who changed the
name OF mis- boom to boom for the col
lectorship of internal revenue. could
turn around and go after the marshal
ship Of the new western district The
objection which viii probably arise
to an eastern and a western division of
the state viii be that lit viii leave only
one place for holding federal court in
the western division CWichita). while
there Will be three in the eastern di-
VisiOn-Leavenwor Topeka and Fort
Scott. If the state is divided into a
northern and a southern division there
Will ba two OF the present places for
holding court in each of the new divis-
ions Topeka and LeaVenWOrth in the
northern and Fort Scott and Wichita
in the southern.