The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1899-12-22
The Story of a Great Emergency.


emergency. A populist governor and
populist party had been hoisted into
power upon the pledge that they would
pass some railroad legislation. For
eight years this party had promised
this to the people. The form of the
maximum freight rate bill to be passed
had been drawn up and explained 10
the people time and again. 1t had
been introduced in former legisla-
ture and voted for by the man who
now sat as governor. The defeat OF
the measure was laid at the door OF
the republicans, who held a majority
in one of the houses. And the popu-
lists then said, "Give us that great re-
former, John w. Leedy, for governor,
and give us an unquestioned majority
in the legislature, and we will pass
this maximum freight rate bill" And
the people bit. They gave the popu-
lists legislature with big majority
| in both houses, and made Mr.. Leedy
governor. And Mr.. Leedy and his as
sociates said, "Now we have got to fix
this railroad issue" And the rail-
roads said, 1--WE have got to find way
to fix this administration" The old
maximum freight rate bill which the
populists stood pledged to enact into
law was then passed by both houses.
1t was announced to the people with
great glee, the populist legislature had
fulfilled its pledges to the people.
Then the bill was taken down to Mr..
Leedy, and he vetoed it. The railroads
had found the way.
And at that moment the great emer
gency was created. The people began
to express their outraged feelings.
They began to ask why John w. Leedy
had vetoed the only railroad bill ever
passed by populist legislature. They
began to inquire what had happened
to him to cause him to veto bill
which he as state senator had voted
for in the previous legislature. And
the emergency which confronted John
w. Leedy and his associates began to
grow. The people were arraigning
the great reformer for betraying his
pledge, and said: "This is an emer-
gency which requires the attention of
the legislature. / will call it together
in special session to pass some more
railroad legislation. And he did.
And again the railroads said: 1--WE
must find some way to fix this thing"
The court of visitation bill was framed
by Judge Allen. 1t was formidable
law. 1t threatened mischief to the
railroads. 1t seemed like strong and
valid bill. Then Bale Waggener, the
great railroad lobbyist, and Attorney
General L. G. Boyle provided some
amendments to the bill which flled it
as full of holes as dog is full of feas.
The railroads had found way. The
court which was created by this emer-
gency legislature began business early
this year, and to show how eager the
people were for the relief this bill was
supposed to provide, it is only neces-
sary to glance at the records OF the
court of visitation. 1t is found that
only four small cases have been filed
by the people. The most important of
these was the uprising of the people at
Corliss who wanted the Santa Fe depot
kept open during the potato season.
1t was decided against the railroads.
The other cases were of like import,
and were just such questions as came
before the old board of railroad COM
missioners.
Then some one questioned the validi-
ty of the court, and at any time for the
last four months you could have seen
the railroads and the telegraph COM
panies smiling through the beauti-
full lattice work of the law which had
cost the people $4,000 and the rail-
roads considerable.
Yesterday, Judge Hook of the United
States federal court said in legal way
what every man has known for year,
viz, that the law is not valid.
And this is the end of the story of a
great emergency. 1t is the end of the
only act of any pretensions ever framed
by the great party of reform in behalf
of the people. This party existed for
ten years on it's promises to give the
people railroad legislation, and in the
last desperate hour of its power, it
thought to "flimfiam" the people with
law which was so full of holes that
the great federal court was able to
drive clear through it without letting
down any bars.