Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-01-02
TRUE INwARDNEss OF A KANSAS
LAW.


There Is one feature of the new railroad
law in Kansas which is puzzling the good
people OF that state. 1t is the section which
fixes three months hence as the date When
the law shall go into effect. the result of
this provision being that the incoming Re-
publican administration will control the
railroad court and all its machinery. 1t
is SO contrary to the history of the Popu-
list party that II should forego an oppor-
tunity to place its own politicians in Of
fee that an explanation would seem to be
demanded. though a close analysis of the
situation will show that it is a proceed
ing entirely in harmony with the low and
ignoble character of Populist principles
and politics.
The Populist party has for several years
been in the hands of men who are con-
sumed with a desire TO infiict unlawful in
juries on the railroad corporations. Not
satisfied with laws and regulations which
might be expected to enforce strict justice
between the people and the railroads..
these leaders have been twisting and turn
ing in a futile effort to find some means
by which the railroads might be denied
the protection Of the federal constitution
and the courts. and they have ransacked
the heavens above and the waters beneath
10 find something with which to bring ruin
alton upon the transportation interests.
With each year they have sprung IN their
state platform an entirely new scheme of
persecution. only to drop it for something
else when its impotency became too ap-
parent for further discussion, and at last
they seemed driven to the point where they
must confess their inability TO ineict in
juries in defiance OF the laws and consti-
tuition.
But this was not the end. Having dis
covered that means could not be found to
rob the corporations, it occurred to them
thai the opportunity still remained to
make some political capital, and it was
upon this theory that the new law was
made to contain the provision that Re-
publicans should be given charge of the
duty of its enforcement.
1t is generally believed among those who
are most familiar with the proceedings Of
the special session ut Topeka that the
men who engineered the new railroad law
are fully aware OF its unconstitutional
and nugatory character. Every Populist
member of the state senate who makes a
pretense of knowing anything about the
Kansas and the federal constitutions took
occasion to explain in casting his vote
for the measure that he did not believe
1t to be a law that would stand. but that
he was forced TO vote for II at the in
exorabie bidding of King Caucus. 1t is
freely talked among the Populists them
selves that several OF the lobby who con-
structed the bill nave confessed their
doubts of its constitutional character. 1t
is known that ex-Chief Justice David
Martin left the lobby meetings ard de-
clined to have anything further to DO with
the measure after one of its unccnstitu-
tional sections had been agreed upon. /.
is stated with what appears to be truth
that Senator Ryan had in his pocket at
the time the bill passed the senate a
communication in writing from Judge
Martin. in which he expressed the opinion
that the measure would not stand Tho
test of the courts. Associate Justice AL
len. Attorney General Boyle. David Over
myer, q. c. Clemens and others whose
names have been connected with the bill
are quoted in the Topeka papers as deny
ing the responsibility OF parentage. and
there seems TO be great mystery about
where the nondescript measure really
came from-a mystery which was not dis
sipated when member after member rose
in his place and declared that the hill was
NOT the product Of the Populist caucus or
OF either OF the railroad committees.
But the fact remained that the less of
good order and consti;uiionaIity there was
about the bin the better it might lie ex-
pected 10 serve the purposes of the Popu-
list politicians. BY devoivirg upon the
Republicans the duty OF enforcing an in
operative measures. it was thought TO make
the Republicans bear the stigma of de-
feating legislation devised seemingly I'm
the interests OF the people. We have
supplied the meats" said one of the Pom
uls.t politicians at Topeka yesterday. land
n the Republicans do not enforce tina,
law ~e shah appeal 10 the people on IL
an 1874" And In this brief sentence We
and exposed the whole Of the PopulIst