Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1899-05-04
A sELr-ooNFEssEp ourRAoE.

Last week tile GAZETTE printed
short editorial on the complications Of
the present State administration with
telegraph companies, telling Of the
circumstances, how II came TO take nc
ton, and stating It's belief that much
as II might dislike TO do 80 the State
administration was placed In such q
position that we would actually wit
ness the spectacle Of d republican ut
torney general prosecuting corpora
tlon. But II seems we misto0k and un-
der-estimated the fealty OF these re-
publican State officials TO the corpora
lions.
As was stated last week, the pay
ment Of nearly twice the lawful fees
for tslegraphIng by the State officials
for State work brought the matter so
close to home that they could not ig-
uore 1t, and the auditor refused to
approve the telegraph company o
voucher. The governor WAS called in
and together they agreed that the State
should pay only the lawful fees. The
companies sent word that they would
thereafter demand cash in advance for
the State work, but before the officers
had time to get their backs up they
took II all back and immediately began
to cultivate the officers intruSted with
the enforcement Of the law, with the
result that compromise was effected
by which, as stated by the press re-
ports, the State business WAS to be
taken at the lawful rates, while the
State was not to prosecute on other
suits. So as II stands now, anyone de-
string an enforcement Of these laws
against the telegraph companies must
go into 1t on his own footing
Under this new law the whole mat
ter Of rates and management etc, IS
placed under the court of visitation
the same rs the railroads, and II fur
ther says, with regard TO the matter Of
procedure:
1t is hereby made the duty Of the
State solicitor to appear and prosecute
for and ON behalf of the State, subject
to the same regulations as 10 prescribed
by said solicitor In the act creating the
court Of visitation.
Regarding the procedure In the court
Of visitation, the law establishing that
court says:
SECTION IA. Whenever o complaint
on oath shall he presented othe State
solicitor, charging that any railroad
company demands or collects unreasOn-
able charges, discrimlnates for or
against any shipper, violates any pro-
vision Of law, or fails or refuses to per-
form any duty or stating any valid
ground Of complaint for any other
cause over which the court has
Jurisdiction, 1t shall be the duty Of
said solicitor to forthwith file an iDfOr-
nation In the name Of the State charg-
Ing the matters set forth In the com
plant.
Under the law 1t was the duty of
anyone sworn TO enforce the lawsof the
State to take this violation into the
court Of visitation, 1t was the duty
of the governor and the solicitor of the
court Of visitation to prosecute these
cases to the end, In refusing to pay
more than the lawful rates for State
business the administration has &C.
knowledged that the law Is all right,
anG good thing for the State as it
affects its business. If it is a good
thing for the State as II affects its bus
mess, 1t is good thing. for the people,
as 1t effects theirs
In accepting such compromise the
State officers have violated their oaths
and demonstrated beyond the question
of any doubling Thomas, chat they
will not prosecute corporation except
under such circumstances that there is
absolutely no escape. They are funk
les and political hypocrltes who have
laid themselves palpably open to
charges Of venality and corruption.