Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1897-05-08
NUMBER 10.
unchanged and properly credited:

I unchanged and properly credited:
Topeka. Kansas. April s6.-(SpeciaI) Abe
Frakes, register of the Wa-Keeney land office.
came in Tonight and employed Captain J. G.
waters on double election contest caSewhich
( is causing much excitement in POLITICAL cir
cles in Trego county. According to Frakes'
4 story. Joshua Musgrave. Populist. was elected
county commissioner over John Barclay Re
publican. last fall by two ma iority. 1. G. Bal
com. PopuliSt. was elected county Superiu-
tendent over Arthur Peacock, Republican,
by two votes The two Republicans fled :,
contest before the probate Judge who was Il
Republican. and four Populist votes were
thrown out as Illegal. This gave the Repub-
lfcan candidates two majority and the Re
publican Judge declared them elected An
appeal was taken by the Populists to the, dis
trlct court and a Republican judge there af-
hrmed the decision of the probate court.
Now frakeS says the PopulistS will appeal to
the supreme court. which is Populfst with
the expectation that it will reverse the deci-
Sions of the Republican courts and seat the
Populists. The two newspapers at Wa-Keeney
are standing the expense With Barclay
seated the World Il Republican paper. gets
the county printing If MuSgrav We gets the
place the independent. IA Populist paper
Will secure the printing. Barclay is now in
and the World has been given the contract
for year, but if Musgra We succeeds in GUST
ing him the contract will be abrogated and
four Populist votes thrown was that of
eN-Adjutant General ArJZ. who is out there
developing mine of some kind.-K. c. Jour
nal.
our readers will notice that Hon
Abe F'rakes employs the legal talent
which is to represent these cases in
the Supreme court. which, of course.
he might do disinterestedly. merely as
M dot 1,
it is also noticeable that his official
position is mentioned togive credence
ana authority TO the report which is
entirely accredited to him. which eX-
poses the main push" of the fight
Coming from the office, and especially
that part Of the Office, which has been
populiSt headquarters for several
months it shows how federal and local
politics are mixed despite the princi-
pies of civil service. Is it possible
That this is only preliminary to car
pet-bagger'S campaign for a county
office?
In my Judgment the most important
feature OF the report is the promi-
nence given to the political affilia-
tions of the different courts engaged
in the trial of the cases. 1t is virtu-
ally stated that the decisions given
were political decisions and the only
advantage to be gained by an appeal
is to gain another decision of equal
political bias. AS a citizen having
respect for law and the courts (al-
though of limited practice) | protest
against this discredIting Of om Su-
preme court in advance of it's action
by the very men who helped elect it,
L am not in full political accord with
any OF the courts named. but [ believe
none of them have been guilty of the
bias intimated or that they will be.
10 be of any material advantage to
the appellants these cases must be ad-
Vanced upon the Supreme court
docket. 1t is likely that the legal
business of the whole state is to be
held in abeyance for the benefit of
the Independent which is '.standing
the expense? l think not Does it
put up" for Mr.. Balcom who, [ am
creditably informed, says he will have
no more to do with the case? Well,
hardly. Then who does?
Let me protest against this prosti-
tuition OF federal position and dIsre-
gard of the dignity OF the law and the
courts although, like former protesta-
tlonS, IL may pass unheeded. -