Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-01-27

looh lidtt ptloTe lie lull Soiuiilllttc VI III
teen on Thursday, the 18th. An attentive
hearing, two hours in length, was accord
ed us.
Il ascertained that there were thirty-six
bills pending before the committee. asking
either for an additional district, or an addi-
tional circuit or a district judge. Two of
the bills have been heard before. One
passed the house Saturday. authorizing the
president to appoint an additional judge
in the Western district of Texas. Judge
RECTOR having gone insane. The other
called for a division of West Virginia into
two districts.
Because of the many bills pending there
is grave doubt as to the passage of this
bill during this session of congress. \ ia
rorable report. which l think will be unan-
imous, will probably be made to-day. AS
soon as the report Is made to the house,
Senator Baker will take up the bill in the
senate and endeavor to secure its passage
in that body.
THE showing made before the committee
was a strong one. There are seventy dis
tricts in the forty-Iive states. There are
nineteen states that have more than one
district; four of the nineteen having three
each; these are: New York, Texas, Tennes-
see and Mississippi.
The amount of judgments obtained in
the circuit court of Kansas during the year
1897 was greater in dollars and cents than
any of the districts of the United States ex-
cept nine. The earnings of the clerk of
the circuit court in Kansas from individ-
uals for the fiscal year ending June so. 1897.
was exceeded only in five districts. The
surplus earnings of the marshal for the
same period was exceeded in only eight.
The aggregate amounts involved in cases
filed in the circuit court in Kansas during
1896 and 1887 was 500, 974,37
John Gilmore. in Wilson County Citizen:
Senator Baker has introduced a bill in the
senate to pension Colonel William F.
Cloud. of Wyandotte. The proposed amount
of the same per month is not stated in the
dispatch. Colonel Cloud, for whom Cloud
county was named. is verging On 20 years.
and is one of the few surviving Kansas
soldiers of his rank. He served in the
Mexican wal at IS. We recall with the
vivid memory of boyhood his inspiring ap-
pearance in his long raven locks and bright
sash, as marshal, on horseback. at the
Fourth of July celebration in Emporia in
1860. He had a tailor shop in that town,
and as the fourth one OF six brothers we
also recall that a pair of corduroy trousers
he made was worn in turn by each, as
growth in stature made the garment ap-
pear a tolerable fit. Colonel Cloud enlisted
in May, 1861. raising a company of Lyon
county young men under the first call for
troops. That was Company H.. of the Sec
ond Kansas infantry. Cloud became major
of the regiment; Colonel A. ]. Mitchell
now living at Chanute. then became cap
tain of the company. and the first lieu.
tenant was Charles s. Hills. afterward
lieutenant colonel of the Tenth, and now
residing, If alive, in St. Louis. Company
II, out of the thirty odd present in the
battle of Wilson creek. had fifteen killed
and wounded.
Why Cloud did not become a brigadier
general during the war. through which he
served to the close with distinguished sue
cess, was a mystery to many. Other Kan.
sans of lesser ability as soldiers, energy
as fighters and popularity as officers were
so promoted. Jim Lane probably saw it fit
to not so will in favor of the veteran OF
two wars"
But Colonel Cloud never became en-
Filtered nor sulked. nor did his fervor OF
activity as a soldier abate. There is not a
man in Kansas to-day who feels deeper
and moro genuine devotion to the country
or intenser patriotism. We hope Senator
Bakers bill will assure the white haired
hero the ample benefit he deserves.