Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1896-07-01
SENATOR PEPPER EXPLAINS.

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The vote of the Populist senators IN
favor of the River and Harbor bill
seems to have created some dissatisfac-
ton within the ranks. Agreat many are
complaining simply because il is fash
ionable to do so, without having a
knowledge of the contents of the bill.
1t was with feeling of regret that we
noticed some Populist papers rushing
to the assistance of The republican pa
pers in censuring Senator PETER for
his vote on this bill before making an
investigation. We cannot see that he
has made great mistake; he would be
neglecting his duty if he did not exer-
else his power in the states behalf.
What would have been said of Senator
PETER if he had opposed the bill and
after such opposition 1t would have
been signed by the president and be-
come law, thus giving nearly every
state In the union the benefit of tile
appropriation except Kansas? Then
the people would have howled and con-
demned the Senator world without end.
Whenever Senator PETERS official
acts are received with dissatisfaction
he generally hears of it, and this in
stance is no exception. As soon as he
heard of the criticisms that were
going here and there. he wrote letter
to the Topeka Advocate explaining
why he voted as he did. The letter ap-
pears In the Advocates issue of the
18th ult., and ID here republished.
Read it carefully and exercise cool
judgment instead of prejudice:
EDITOR ADvOCATE:-Somed issatis-
faction has been expressed because
Popullst senators voted for the river
and harbor bill and also voted to pass
the bill over the presidents veto. am
asked to state the reasons for my vote
on the bill, which l now do through
your columns.
A river and harbor bill is made up of
great many separate items. Nearly
every state In the union is interested.
Wyoming only has no special interest
in this particular bill, but it is interest
ed in irrigation and Notifications which
are included in other bills. The Mis-
souri, river, a shifting and treacherous
stream, runs along the northeastern
boundary Of Kansas more than a hun
dred miles and often causes great loss
and damage to Kansas people by wash
ing away the banks. This has been
true particularly at the towns and cit
les. AtchisOn and Leavenworth have
suffered most from this erosion. Large
sums of money are required every year
to protect the banks and keep the river
channel from getting too close to the
Kansas side of the stream.
AS usual, Kansas senators asked for
and procured an appropriation this
year for that purpose. Having got
what we asked for in the bill, we could
not expect 1t to pass and become a law
if we voted against it. Hence we voted
| for IT..
had supposed that was sent here
| to look after the interests of Kansas,
and l have done so to the best of my
ability.
The bill is called "steal." If it is,
Kansas gets her share. But there is no
more steal in this particular bill than
there is in such bills usually. 1t is not
at all improbable that some of the ap-
preparations in this. as all similar bills,
are larger than is really necessary. But
who is to be the Judge, and how can it
be avoided when localities represented
by 446 senators and representatives are
interested? How can Kansas get what
her interests require, If her senators are
not willing to vote for what other SEN
ators say their states need?
This bill looks much more extrava-
CANT than it really is, because while it
carries so or 20 million dollars, only
about one -sixth part of the amount is
to be expended in one year. The rest
is scattered along from year to year to
be applied on continuing contracts.
Some years ago million dollars we ap-
propriated to deepen Galveston harbor,
but only one million was to be expended
in one year. That work is now nearly
completed and large ships are moving
across the bar. 1t has been found
economical to use appropriations In this
way. Continuing contracts can then
be made and the aggregate expense is
greatly lessened. Respectfully,
w. A. PETER.