The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-02-04
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Daily Ea9le
NJ. NJ MURDOCH, Editor
AMBITIOUS ATCHISON.

History if not always interesting
should at least be instructive. Inside
history" is most sure to prove enter
tanning. Atchison was once known "a
''hog town." the place having gained
that political appellation from the fact
that nearly all Of the best places were
held by citizens of that city. it having
bad United States senators, United
States Judges, United States NAL
agents, state supreme judges, governors
and what not.
We note in the Eagles Topeka dis
patches of yesterday proposition fren
Atchison to substitute, substantially
a scheme Of her own for state normal
school to take the place Of the offer OF
Garfield University, rendered by WITCH
ita.
After the lapse of years Stringfellow'
burg found itself reduced to the mini
mum of a senator and governo-; that al
though the northeast corner of the COM
monwealth held all of the state instItu-
tons that Atchison had been overlooked
in the division. So political job was
put up. We are not going into the de-
tails Of the deal at this time, but ii de-
veloped that in order for Atchison 10
secure something she must combine and
that the most fetching combination
would include Topeka and Wichita and
their respective pulls. Topeka already
being blest with the two biggest things
In the state, the capital and insane asy-
lum. while not averse to another crumb
was very Independent. Wichita, never
having had anything, fell an easy vic
tim. The project devised was for the
location or founding of three new state
institutions for boys, one TO be a SOL
iiers' orphans home to go TO Atchison,
another A home for incOrrigible boys, 10
go to Topeka, and boys penitentiary,
to go to Wichita. Because of possible
rival ambitions and envies the reform
school or boys penitentiary was to be
left, apparently, open as to location,
which was to be settled by commits
sion appointed by Atchison's governor.
Everything wenAas agreed upon except
Atchison and Topeka got their institu-
tons. while Wichita did not. To Wich
Itas failure hangs tail and tale. The
one we know, and the other we could
Tell. but we won't Suffice it to say that
Governor Martin, having appointed the
locating commission, wrote 10 the writer
Of this that he had discovered that one
member of the locating board whom he
bad named, while an honorable and up
right man, had not only not
been posted. but that he was
under certain adverse influences
to Wichita, and that in short he was
prospective citizen of Hutchinson. but
that, doubtless, the other two would be
all right and favorable to Wichita. But
one of the other two wasn't all right.
Without disclosing what we know of
the subsequent transactions to make
him right, the result is known to all.
The state reformatOry was duly located
on the banks of the Kansas Nile, but
not at Wichita.
No doubt there are those who will We
hemently and Indignantly deny what
we have above set out. That will make
no difference. They were simply not
on the inside, and therefore ignorant Of
what really happened or otherwise they
are interested parties. However, all
this does not palliate Atchison's present
cheek and gall. With all the considera-
tons and obligations of the old deal
which miscarried as to Wichita left out,
the fact remains that Wichita is not
only the best point in the state for the
proposed new Normal, and that she
proffers a magnificent institution al
ready erected, and at a minimum cost.
but what is a stronger reason, 4 very
large and populous section of the state
is not only willing but DESTROYS that
such institution be located ut this point
1t is all right for northwest Kansas TO
work for such institution: but it is not
fair, just or reasonable that Atchison,
with its Orphans Home. Kansas City.
with its State Blind Asylum. Leaven-
worth, with its State Penitentiary. Law
renee, with its State University and In
dian School, Olathe, with its Deaf and
Dumb Asylum, OSsawatomie. with It's
State Insane Asylum. Topeka. with its
State Capitol, State Insane Asylum and
State Reform School, Emporia. with its
State Normal. and Manhattan. with its
State Agricultural College. all located
within hundred miles square. should
either or any Of them, in any way en-
harrass a real demand by counter-prop-
ositions or other opposition because
Wichita has renewed her old-time re-
quest for State Normal for Southwest
Kansas.
4 WHISKY SWEAT.
The Populist leaders of the legisla-