Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-12-22
THE EXTRA SESSION.

L
surprise, even TO popullsts who gener-
ally favored II, It is not necessary to
say that the opposition we're struck
with about equal parts Of amhZement
and indignation. Since the call was
Issued those Of them who profess to be
public spirited enough to take any In
terest In such transactions, have d.
vlded their time between declaring II
will be u 100000 comedy" of ten or
fifteen days duration and no results,
and that II will be session where lu'
natlcs hold hubub and enact every
sort Of wild and hairy legislation from
regulating OSCILLATION to the ten COM
mandments. 1t goes without saying,
that there was no other thing possible
to be done which would raise 80 much
vivid blue smoke from the corporations
and their consorts, the republican pol
iticians. Aside from the descriptions
OF the farce-comedy ETC., their editorials
and public utterances, are punctuated
with the declaration that 1t is the last
game of holdup to be played and the
populIsts could not afford to lose the
opportunity.
But aside from the politician class
and those with large corporate inter
ests there is u different feeling. AS
was evidenced In the vote Of the cities
and towns this year, where large pop
ullst gains we're generally made, the
business men have learned that pop
ulist legislation is not to be feared, and
many Of them realize fully the need Of
just such as Is proposed by this seS-
sion. Shortly after the call was issued
one Of the leading business men of the
city and q prominent republican also,
in speaking with the writer said:
"This will be termed a holdup session,
but l know the need of such legisla-
tion as is proposed, For example,
there are large number Of grain buy
ers In the smaller towns Of this county
who have local interests and some OF
them are heavy tax payers. Yet by
reason of discrimination in freight
rates in favor Of large eastern firms OF
shippers who pay not q cent OF taxes
in the State they are squeezed out and
compelled to quit business. While /
have no positive knowledge sufficient
to 20 into court, yet when receive no.
tice from so-and-so Of such q town that
he is not buying today, l know what
the matter Is. II I were framing q
railroad law, l would empower the
courts TO call for the books Of any cor
poratlon buying grain to be shown In
evidence. l am In position to know
what necessity Of legislation there is"
So spake one whose position In business
should give him knowledge in these
premises.
But railroad legislation is not the
only thing that should be touched, and
probably will be by this session. Next
and we would say first in Importance,
is Mr.. Credentials plan to secure the
deposltors of State banks. Aside from
this should come a law to tax corpora
tions and the repeal Of the metropoli-
tan police law. We are also in favor
of placing the State charities and Pc
nal institutions under civil service
rules, even II the law permits the re-
publicans to make the new appoint
ments or a part Of them at least before
taking effect. The State owes it to
the public that these appointments be
made for merit and special qualifca-
tion and adaptation, instead Of pollt
ical service. II rightly understood, the
spoils system but weakens party any
way,
New laws on assessment and taxa
ton should be enacted, but that can
probably not be reached in the short
life Of the special session.
II the above program should be car
ried out, 1t would TO the most valua-
BILE session Kansas has ever had and
we hope that at least most Of it will
come to fruition. Some pOpulists who
look az 1t from a partisan standpoint
only, say il such legislation is enacted
the republicans will 30 before the peo-
pie in two years and give Stanly the
credit. While we admit that some OF
these measures would tighten Stan
ley's load instead Of increasing it, as
he seems to think is the purpose of the
session, yet we have too much conf.
dence IN the intelligence Of the people
to think they can be fooled by such an
exhibition. of gall. At any rate, the
State and the people will have the
benefit Of the legislation which con-
sideration should be superior to all
else.