The Wichita tribune., 1898-10-08
The Warden's Report Is Constructed
to Mislead the Miners.
3. q. Pipp. OF Usage City. Throws Some
Light on the Subject-The Sale OF Pen-
itentiary Coal Has Increased Under
the Populist Administration.

bu6 UWO uSCdl years pTGCGu1HR.
Mr.. Lynch was the republican war
den under the Morrill, administration.
The fiscal year ends on June 80 of each
year.
E. G. Pipp; of Usage City, who is
| perhaps, the best informed man in the
state on coal statistics, takes up the
report and shows how Warden Lands
attempts to work ICON" game on the
coal miners Of Kansas. Mr.. Pipp says:
Taking the statements as put by Mr..
Landis it leaves the impression that
considerable less coal was sold under
his wardenship than under that of Mr.
Lynch's yet the reverse of that state
ment is true, and that is why papers
quoting the statements of Lands can
not be relied upon. He is shrewd; he
puts his comparisons in such way as
to take credit to himself that is due
others
The fiscal years included in Lynch's
repart covered from July l, 1894 to
July /, 1896; the years included in
Landis report covered from July 1,
1895 to July /, 1898. During that
whole time there were three wardens
In charge of the penitentiary; two OF
them were populists and one a repub-
lican. Let us see what the records of
the three are as shown by the auditors
books in Topeka.
Lynch, the republican warden, did
not go in until June 81, 1895; and so
his report included 10 months of the
wardenship of his populist predecessor,
Mr.. Chase, and 10 months of his own
wardenship. Mr.. Lands went in Feb
ruary 1, 1897. and his report included
seven months Of Mr.. Lynch's admins
tration and II months of his own.
The following are the sales by the
three wardens during their admins
tration within the four years referred
to in Mr.. Landis' statement:
Sold by Chase (populisD from July 1,
1894 to July 1, 1895. S35 5e8 So
Sold by Lynch (republican) from July
/, 1895, to July l. 1898. .......... 81, 72s 20
Total 80. eo', 5o| ~
The above sales, taken together, con-
stituted the biennial report made by
Warden Lynch.
Sold by Lynch (republican) from July
l. 1885, to February 1. 1897 ...........s 3, 66a 90
Sold by Lands (populist) from Feb
ruary l. 1897, to July 1, 1898. 26, 227 IL
Total ,ss2 IL
Monthly average for Lynch, S52223
Monthly average for Lands, st,542.77
Now this shows that, while taking
the last Two years and comparing with
the former two, there~has been re-
duction, but the low sales in each
/ period were under repu bliean rule; the
ss[gtI gq4 1T NJ. L.. .. with our miners tha
: did the popalists.
g, In the fi1sJ period of two fiscal yeal
ty the republicans cut down the MONTH
70 average by over $1,000 month.
no. the second period of two fiscal year
.,o Lands increased Lynch's averae
rs Lands makes his report to the GO
;al ernor land to the people in campaig
time) so that it appears as though
had made an actual reduction.
~ A proper comparison would be th
us part of the entire four years which WI
mt under populist wardens with that pa
I've of the four years which was under r
,;1l publican wardens.
UNDER PoPULIsT wARDENs.
Iey Amount Month
on sold. averas
-to Chase IL months ............ss5 59a52 1896
~ Lands, II months 26,227.l2 l,542
'n" Total 30 months 49,. 80. So, $685. SO, 1911
tn. UNDER REPUBLICAN WARDEN
;S Amount Month
.. sold. avera
mp Eynoh. 10 months s25, ,3s519 81, 1886
md The republican average was abo
the $500 below the populist average. Al
yet this is the exact period to whi
Warden Landis refers in his report,
which he makes it appear that it w
he who cut down the sales in the
gro terest of the miners.
ms Continuing, Mr.. Pipp makes the Fl
lowing charges, which are fully ST.
49, ported by the records:
~" That the present populist admin
IAN tration put convict coal on the marI
hat ut S1.08 or less.
nlv That their product has fallen in
tion the hands of the railroad compan1
4 ind other customers of free miners.
~ That the price under the new law
Cles 1T least 90 cents ton less than unc
IN the old law.
arm That the populist party ignored
, in platform pledge of 1896, promising
an free the miners from convict compe
ton. Worse, we charge it with givi
SUI q worse law than the old one.
lth- Under the old law the surplus 0
the put of the mines was sold to
h is highest bidder on contract. Acco
left ing to Warden Landis' report 1852,
-, bushels were sold in the two ye
from July /, 1894, to July 1, 1895. ]
Ihe state auditors books show that s
ield 1927. 70 in cash was turned in to pay
this that coal. That is nearly 513 cent
the bushel; to be exact, it was $1.36
-, But that was hurting the miners
1896 when they were having a h
anu time, Gov. Morrill, ordered the st
the cut down as much as they could
ere under the existing law and the rep
zed, lican party promised to repeal the
;t;cs and free the miners entirely from c
all vict competition. So did the popul
o-"i' promise to do 1t. The miners belle
+ III the populists, gave them their vol
the elected them.
and Then the populists enacted I
abli- law, not freeing the miners from c
o,,,,. vict competition, but putting the p'
tentiarv coal on the market with
reserve.
zen. Warden Landis' report (page
roof. shows that $50, 693 bushels were S
ousi- In the last two years and the ST
\ of auditors books show that t
brought $29, ,ss3. II or ~ cents bus
~" 81. 0s ton. It is putting the coal
1ac- the market at this price that
t sea played sad havoc with the mining b
here hess.