Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-12-30

and 20 see .has the law which prohibits the
companies from taking more taan the IessoH.
able rates determined by them IS enIorceo. snu
to this end the legislature Snouiu proseue =. -
torney for the board whose special DUTY IL SHELL
be to appear whenever necessary anu Proseos
the interests of the state in the eniofoen-eH'
of the law II the railroad COMPANIES per
sist in exactinc greater rates than those deter
mined by the board to be reasonable ali persons
INJURED should have the right TO recover me-
damages with reasonable attorneys - -
auy court of competent jurisdiction 10 DC
efacient the law must strengthen the nanus oA
the people interested so that they shall not De
wholly dependent on the action OF poohc au-
thorities for the enforcement OF the iaH.
A law should also be passed limiting the
amount of mortgage Indebtedness that may
be placed upon railroad AS the na.teE
stands now they are free 10 place moI esoso
bonds upon their property wltnous resoio W -
cost The only difference that see between
bond issue by the state and railroad oono Is
that the money to pay the interest," oi ssAso
bona is collected by taxation Wnlle sne money
to pay t. e interest on asrailroad bond Is ieVleo
by the company upon the productions OF the
country. The people must as surely pay one
as the other; therefore. they have right 10
protect themselves with a law that Will limit
such Indebtedness to the actual cost Oh lhe
road either by purchase or construction
Two wears ago bill was introduced IN the
legislature TO provide for the expense OF having
Kansas represented at the Omaha EXPOSITION
Owing to the fact that the holding OF TINS eA-
position was not yet assured. the legislature
did not make any provision for representation.
Afterwards when it became apparent that the
exposition would become great national AZ
fair, the state board of agriculture passed
unanimous resolutions asking that Kansas be
represented The mayors and councuS ana
commercial bodies OF many cities in the state
also asked that steps should be taken to the
end that Kansas might be properly repre-
scented.
As ready money was essential to the success
of the project. ASKED the railroad companies
OF the state to guarantee 49, 0o of such fund
Some of the roads did not respond. but the
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe gave S6Oi9. %;
the Missouri Pacific gave al s43 30; the Chicago
Rock Island & Pacific gave 5000; the St
Louis s. San Francisco gave 1850. making q
total of IA 542 90 contributed by the railroads
of Kansas A number of counties in the state
and good many citizens contributed
also making the total amount con-
tributed s2I 07390. OF this sum the
commission has on hand II, 438 81, out of which
expenses estimated at $1,000 must be paid
which would leave 4 balance on hand OF about
1000 As tbs exposition was of great benefit
to all the people of the state, and the rail-
roads not contributing were benefited as much
as those who did, deem it just that the legis-
lature should reimburse all corporations coun-
that the expense may fall equitably upon all
classes benefited. and L recommend that the
legislature reimburse to the parties contrib
uting all sums of money paid
JOHN w LEEDY. Governor.