The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-02-15
KANSAS LEGISLATURE.
The Fight to Keep Up the Sup
ply of Offices
In Western Kansas Counties of
Small Population
A Bitter One, and it Appears the ONCE
Seeking Crowd Has Won in Spite
of the Desires Of the Tax Rid
den People Who Live
There.

Tomorrow the house committee on
county seats and county lines will sub
nit a report recommending that the
proposed bill by Mr.. Try, consolidating
a number of western counties, be not
passed.
The committee has considered this
bill at a number of sessions, ell of
which were more or less stormy, the in
dfgnation Of the short grass members
being poured out upon Mr.. Try relent-
lessly.
Tapscott of Hamilton, the biggest
man in the house, was the maddest at
Mr.. Try. At the last hearing before the
committee. of which Mr.. Try himself
is a member, TapScOtt, bubbling over
with wrath, said:
Try. why do you eastern Kansas
fools stick your noses into our western
Kansas affairs?"
"A majority of your people want this
consolidation effected, but you fellows
who are holding Office, don't" retorted
Mr.. Tapscott got madden than ever
and walked the floor waving his hands,
saying:
Il will just say to you that we can
run our business without any assistance
from a crowd who don't know anything
about it,
Try pulled a package cnotaining
about 300 letters out of his pocket, and,
holding them before Mr.. Tapscott said
These letters are from people. not
only from all over western Kansas, but
from your own county. The writers ask
me to secure the passage of this bill.
They say that taxes are high; county
officers are always thick; but little
money is received, and nine cases out
of ten not enough to pay taxes on the
land they are attempting to reclaim.
Those people out there who are paying
the bills are the ones this bill will bene-
fit. They expect the OfficehOlders to
fight the bill, and for fear of being sub
1eCT66 n IA
future, have asked me not to reveal the
names of the authors
Let me see the letters" demanded
Tapscott.
mo, 1 won't let you see the letters,
either snapped Try
why don't those people write to
their representatives? exclaimed an
other short grass member of the COM
mittee
Because they know you fellows won't
help them any. They know that you
want to hold the offices you have Slip
ped into. and that you would be the last
men on earth to attempt to help them
said Mr.. Try.
Debates such as this characterized all
the meetings of the committee. The
''short grass" fellows were ready to
obliterate Mr.. Try from the map of
humanity because of his alleged effort
to destroy the interests of western Kan
sas''
In reply to this assertion. Mr.. Ury
would invariably say:
1T is not the principle of interference
In an effort to do good that you fellows
kick about. You realize that the idea
is an excellent one, and the
only reason on earth why you do not
support it, is because you fear that it
Will make a few less offices and have
tendency to keep you away from the
public crib"
When the bill comes before the house
Mr. Try will ask that it be placed on
the calendar for the purpose of putting
the western Kansas Representatives on
record in the journal of the house
through a roll call.