The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-08-21
IS AT NIAGARA FALLS.
The Governor Looking at tue
Great Cataract Today.
Says He Will Enforce the Ru1-
ing of r. IL. Commissioners
And Will Show the Railroads That
the Governor of Kansas is Some
thing Else Than a Superin-
tendent of Poor Houses


paper correspondent drove to the farm
of Governor John w. Leedy's cousin
yesterday afternoon to tell the COVER
nor of the recent developments in the
railroad and live stock situations in
Kansas. The old farm has been in the
Leedy family for several generations.
Tt was originally settled by the COVER
nor's grandfather in 1911, and, at the
old mans death, descended to one of
the children, whose son now owns it.
1t is the gathering place for all the
Leedy clan in this section of the coun-
try, and it's hospitable doors are always
open to visiting Leedys from Maryland
and the Virginias.
Governor Leedy was invited to stop
with his cousin, but he preferred to stay
in town, and he drives to the country
every morning, where his kinsmen
gather about him to hear his western
experiences. The house stands in the
midst of a grove of beech and chestnut
trees, and is surrounded almost entirely
by a broad veranda, where the family
and visitors have congregated daily
since the annual Leedy reunion began
last week.
The governor and his wife were sit
ting on the veranda with dozen or
more of their kindred when the CORE
Spondent drove up.
The governors greeting was cordial,
and he said: IT suppose you want an
other interview, but this is a poor place
to talk. You see how it is here. I
haven't been here since I was married,
and these people are taking all of my
time. But what do you want?''
Then the correspondent informed him
that the Atchison. Topeka & Santa Fe
had conceded everything in the Rice
county case and that the railroad COM
missioneCs had ordered the railroads to
restore the car load rates on live stock
IF the Santa F'e has conceded every
| thing in the Rice county case, it has
| conceded ten times what it ever expect
| ed 10. can tell a great deal more about
| what has been done than what will be
| done in the Santa Fe matter. The only
question has been and is, whether or
| not tie people have the power to get at
| tie facts in regard to the rapacity of
/ the corpora tons. The people have
right to know these things, as the mil
| lions in mortgages on railroad lines are
| mortgages on country tributary to these
| roads. L have nothing further to say
| about the Rice county case.
| In regard to the report that the rail-
roads in Kansas manifest signs of ig-
| noring the order of the railroad COM
| missioners restoring the old car load
! rates on live stock, will say that the
| whole power of the state government
| will be used to enforce compliance with
| the orders of the commissioners. There
! will be no backdown in this matter. I
| propose to find out whether the COVER
| nor of Kansas is governor, or only the
| superintendent of a lot of pOOrhOuSeS.
| Asked how long he would stay in
Ohio, and how far east he would go
| before he should return to Kansas, he
! said: Just tell the Kansas folks that
! I will stop on my way home and tell
them how far east I have been. I am
| here now where the old men and wo-
| men and my former companions call
! me john 1 want to have quiet time,
| but yesterday / was awakened at 2
| o'clock in the morning by serenade
| and at o'clock this morning we had a
| fire here that woke the whole town.
| Ship
/ While the governor is the only avow-
| ed Populist in the great throng of
| Leedys, who are here to enjoy the fam
| ily's annual festivities, he certainly is
| the central figure of the visitors and is
| made much of. He has been enter
| tanned at a dozen or more houses since
| his arrival here, and when not eating
| or sleeping he is talking and it is GER
| tain that he is having a good time.
| One old Democrat interrupted the
| conversation with the correspondent to-
| day, saying as the governor spat be-
| tween his teeth over the porch rail:
! John splits just like he used to, but
Lord, he's improved in his talk, though.
| John was always tonguey.''
| The governor and Mrs. Leedy, accom-
| panied by the latter's brother, Mr.. W.
| H. Boyd, and Mrs. Boyd, left today for
| Niagara Falls. After a brief stay at
| the falls the governor and Mrs. Leedy
| will go to New York, where they will
| remain a couple of days and then pro-
| coed to Washington, returning to Kan
| sas by way of Chicago about Septem-
| Der 1.