The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-12-08
was spared to make the grounds

pense was spared to make the grounds
beautiful
tiff walks were made in one place
people would cross tine grounds indis-
criminately A man happens to want
to so across in one direction and he
will 60 and others viii do the same.
Tt happens that this man wants TO
cross to the northwest corner, but some
one else viii want to go to some other
corner. lit III is allowed in one case it
must be allowed in all.
Now look here" and Mr.. Cole di-
rected the attention Of the reporter to
the window There you can see where
some one has taken a heavy roller
across the grounds this morning 1t
happened that he wanted to go that
way and he went without asking any
one. He destroyed the young grass, Of
course, but that did not matter with
him The stand taken by this man
Daley would lead to the encourage
ment of just that sort of thing.
81 believe that the best people Of
Topeka viii stand by US in this matter
I do not believe they want TO see the
state house grounds ruined"
Superintendent Stanley was consid-
erably worked up over the matter.
I'VE have fixed up these grounds for
Topeka said ne, and now if Topeka
wants to tear them up and destroy
them I suppose we viii have TO STAND
by and see it done We have done all
we could to beautify and protect the
grounds but it seems that some people
do not know when a thing is done lot
them.
TT has cost the state several thous-
ands of dollars to give these grounds to
Topeka in their present condition w e
wanted to leave them better than we
found them / believe that the mass OF
tbe Da9ple of Topeka appreciate our ef-
forts and Will respect our wishes con-
cerning the care Of the grounds
viii anything be done about arrest
ing people who walk outside OF the reg
ular pathS2''
Il DO not know anything about it. I
have not said that people would be ar
rested I suppose if this man Daley
wants to cross the grounds he viii DO
III think. however. that the people Of
TOpeka should stand with us w nat
has been done has been done for them
we give them a beautiful park and We
hope they viii not allow it to be de-
stroyed.
The executive council which viii con
slider AIr. DaIley'S case IS in session TINS
afternoon and Mr.. Daley Will not know
until tomorrow morning when he starts
his rebellion whether the power of the
state Will be used to crush the uprising
Mr.. Daley viii however, find many
who viii stand with him From time
fmmem0rial two diagonal paths have
been made across the state house
grounds by thousands of people who
with the provarbial haste Of the Amer
leans have made the short cut" These
paths were plOughed up by those haV-
ing in charge the state mouse improve
ments and since then several hundred
people who are employed at the Santa
Fe Offices and many thousands Of citl-
zens who reside i'm the southwestern
part of the city have had to make a de-
tour around the 20 acres of the state
house grounds which they were accus-
toned to going through At the time
the grounds were laid out it was sug-
gested that a path be made from each
corner OF the grounds TO the center
This would accommodate thousands Of
people going to and fro from business
and III was claimed would not injure
the appearance Of the grounds.
The executive council. however, would
not consent to this arrangement but
placed the paths in such a way that
very few now care to use them The
paths are there, but comparatively few
people walk on them as they do not
lead to any place that the majority of
pedestrians wish to 60
There isn't any doubt that after the
grass comes up in the state house
square many people viii walk where
the ancient paths were situated, and ar
rests viii be continuous. Even if guards
are placed on the grounds in the day
time many will walk across clandes-
timely at night AS anyone who has
endeavOred to keep up lawn well
knows. lit only takes a short time to
make visible path across blue grass
and the more visible it becomes the
more people viii follow it.
The question arises. isn't it better to
lay out a neat handsome path where
the people are bound to go rather than
have struggling dishguring walk-way
across the grass2 Nowhere else on the
state house grounds viii the grass be
trampled out except along these time
honOred routes from the southwest,
northwest and northeast corners
The grass viii certainly be spoiled if
the people are not arrested, and if the
people are arrested. there viii be per
petual row There ought to be some
sensible way out Of the dilemma