The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-11-14
INTEREST is KEENER
Dormant Spirit of Wichita
Has Been Aroused.
EVERYBODY NOW AT WORK
Bond Proposition Suddenly
Becomes a Popular Theme,
EVERYBODY NOW AT WORK

A strong senarnent favoring tins aid
bonds for the Orient railroad was devel-
oped yesterday People began to awaken
to the Importance Of the coming special
election and wondered why they had been
Indifferent co a matter of such supreme
Importance to the interests Of Wichita
so long. Business men called on one an
other to tell about the matter and to ex-
change views with reference to what
should be done to get the voters out on
election day Farmers were hailed and
asked whether they had considered the
local interests involved. Laboring men
began to see where the success Of the
election touched them. By last night
notwithstanding the ratification, the
bond question was on eerybodys lips.
Charles G. Cohn, president Of the Com
mercial club. called a special meeting Of
the Commercial club for tonight to take
up the matter and make plans to have an
active campaign made. The county
clerks force was busy sending out the
ballots and tally sheets. IN word,
everybody became very busy all at once
as they began to realize that the special
election will be held within a week.
Ex-Secretary Of State W. E. Edwards.
who rendered valuable service to Mr.
Stillwell in building the Pittsburg and
Gulf road, an enterprise that astonished
all railroad men, came in night before
last expecting to find everything in shape
and was quite disappointed because the
people of Wichita were not more alive to
the Importance of the election. Mr., Ed
wards was the man who induced Mr.
Stillweli to consider Wichita as one Of the
important points in his enterprise and he
naturally felt, although he did not ex-
press it, that Wichita is no showing the
proper. appreciation of his friendship. He
found a different feeling existing last
night, and his spirits were quite buoy
ant
Another man who was surprised was
Hon. Robert Mccullough of Anthony,
who came up yesterday to attend the
ratification. 1--WE have voted the bonds
for the Orient road in Harper county al
ready" said he, "and we are glad Of 1t.
We can see the teams working on the
roadbed south Of US. and we know 1t IS
coming our way. It viii be a great road
for Wichita and the southwest 1t will
make Wichita the future great of all
this country and Harper county viii help
to do It. We all feel as IL Wichita is the
natural center Of the southwest and we
look to her for everything that is pro
gpessive. We want to be connected more
closely with It, and we look for the ORR
ent road to do TT
Last evening the Eagle received the
following communication, which gives adj
ditional reasons why Wishita should vote
for the Orient bonds. It came from a.
man who has been opposed to the propo-
sition but who now thinks it would be al
most criminal to overlook the opportunity
it gives Wichita to become a city without
possible rivals:
To the Editor Of the Eagle.
Your article in this mornings paper
converted me on the Orient railroad bond
question. was against them before
that because. like others, no doubt, had
not given the matter any consideration.
feel like thanking you for the way you
presented the matter, for had cast my
vote against the bonds and defeated the
proposition by that vote I should never
have forgiven myself. No matter about
the result OF the election last week, and
might say that I voted with the losing
side, the duty of Republicans, Democrats
and Populists alike now. is to vote for
the interest of Wichita We can all get
into the same hand wagon on the bond
question and ratify their election Jointly.
for. thank goodness. there is no partisan
ship in the election next Tuesday.
I was against the proposition to vote
aid to the Orient road for several rea-
sons, and I might as well state them, for
undoubtedly others who oppose them are
doing so for the same reasons.
First, I opposed them because in casu-
ally reading the proposition noticed
that II provides for leasing other lines
and I wanted main independent line Il
anything I learned this afternoon for
the first time that this provision was IN
sorted in the proposition at the request Of
the mayor and council of this city. 7 /
asked why and was told that the mayor
and council did not want any more of our
fine streets cut up by railroad and that
in order to come into Wichita the road
viii now have to buy OF lease or Jointly
own the old Midland rsod track through
the city. In order that the company
ffAtNtA ~ EitaDACA I'D Guy L4ltL Ifdu ana
save some good street from mutuation. 1t
was necessary that it should be so stated
in the proposition. This I hadn't known
before.
Second, I was against the bonds BE-
cause feared that If the county voted
the $4,000 In aid Of the road the COM
pany would not care anything about the
$50 60 to be received from the city and
abandon the proposition to build the
shops. have since been shown the orig
inai proposition as published and therein
it IS clearly specified that not a dollar
shall be paid either by the city OF the
county until the shops are built and
equipped.
Ny other objections were based princi- /
paily on the fact that 7 have educated
myself more or less against the principle
Of aiding corporations In any form or
manner financially. But here am con-
fronted BY the thought that II Wichita
doesn't secure the road Tor those reasons
some other community. Hutchinson. for
stance. may Be less scruDulous about this I
matter Of principle and take II away
from us. That would be a great rnlsfor- I
tune 10 Wichita. for the Orient rad
would undoubtedly buE5 Up q more FOR (
midable rival To Wichita with The result I
that neither city wouid make a center I
worthy 81 the resources Of the great +.
wheat and corn belt % central Kansas. f
There IS room for only one great city n /
the southwest. and wichita must BE that 4
city L has had good start ~ every 4
other point and must keep going On .
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