The Topeka state journal., 1901-10-19
POLITICAL GOSSIP
Kansas Politicians to Try Bank
ing in Colorado.
Attorney General GODDARD and
A. Id. Walker Promoters.
BIG FIGHT in BARBER.
Candidates For County Printer
Make Things Interesting.
Items of Interest About the
Wire Workers.

Attorney General A. A. GODDARD and a
number of other Kansas politician cap
italists about to start a national
bank in Colorado City. Colo. Attorney
General GODDARD has just returned from
Colorado and the scheme is well under
way. A. D. Walker, chairman of the
state board of railroad commissioners
and William Fisher. also of HoltOn, are
interested in the enterprise. Walker
financed GODDARD for a start in life and
the men are closely associated in busl-
ness intentions. Fisher fell in love with
Colorado City while summering there
and made investments at once.
If possible, the Kansas bankers pro-
pose to swallow up the state bank at
present doing a big business in that city
While these gentlemen are the promot-
ers, they do not represent all the capital
which will be put into the institution
A number of local business men VIII go
into it, and while the capitalization will
be held to a figure under 100000 to be-
gin, it will be increased as the business
of the city may require.
The project is, yet in embryo, as
Mr.. GODDARD stated this morning. I'VE
have plenty of money back OF us, and
we will undoubtedly accomplish our
purpose. We do not want to set up a
bank in opposition to the Citizens State
bank and will not do so if the two con-
! Germs can be absorbed and made into a
national institution. At present the field
| looks clear and l think there will be no
trouble in punching the two institutions
| into one large bank Colorado City is a
| about the success of a national bank
| from every standpoint If it is establish
! ed here
Who the others interested are could
| not be ascertained. 1t is thought that
Kansas capital will cut a large figure
and that unlimited backing can be Sc
| cured from this state when necessary.
If the State bank people will not con-
sent to the consolidation-and it is
learned from other sources that they
will likely not do So-then the Kansas
bank will locate in other quarters.
Perhaps the hottest fight in this de-
cidedly off-year election is out in Bar
Der county where they are battling to
publican. and Clayton Herr, Independ-
ent are the rival candidates. Herr
jumps into Lorton with the inside his
tory of the passage of the special bill
Lorton slaps back that Herr favored
Senator Titus general bill of a previous
session to elect county printers in every
county. Herr's relation Of the inside
history follows:
1.-THE law was written by Otis Lorton,
the present Republican candidate for
the Office, soon after the election last
publican candidate for commissioner
was defeated. When the legislature con-
vened the bill was given to w. @. Millar
with the request that it be introduced
in the house of representatives. This
was done and the bill was referred to
the judiciary committee. The commit
tee took it up, but reported it unfavor-
ably on account of the high rates, the
county purchasing agent clause and
other leaks. The author of the bill was
notified of the action of the judiciary
committee and he made a trip to Topeka
in the interest of the bill. When he ap-
peared before the committee he was
told that the bill was too rank, it
couldn't be debated and special bills
,,<.+ of hnC T11f fnn
mittee asked Mr.. Lorton to consent to
so per cent reduction of rates and they
would make another attempt to get it
through. These terms were refused and
Mr. Lorton left the committee room. The
majority of the judiciary committee
were Republicans. The bill was then
taken to Senator NOftzger with the
request that it be introduced in the SEN
ate What Mr.. Noftzger said at the
time is not a matter of publicity, but
are told that he advised secrecy on the
grounds that it could not be success
fully debated, but that it would be an
easy matter to bunch it at the last days
of the session with other local bills and
railroad it through without reading.
Whether that was Senator Noftzger's
advice or not, that is the way it was
done There were only few members
present when it went through. 1t wasn't
read and nobody knew that it was pass
ed until it appeared in the papers few
days before the legislature adjourned
When the bill was submitted to the gov
have the courage to veto it. He simply
permitted it to become law without his
signature. He stated. however, that he
did not endorse it at all. He regarded
it at the time as bad law"
Mrs. Annie Diggs says the dome of
the state capitol, with Old Glory flying.
is beautiful as it is. I'm Washington
says she, people always mistake the
Pallas Athene statue on the dome for
an Indian maiden. No one looking up
at our dome will recognize Ceres, it is
as likely. If. instead of placing a stat
ue of a heather goddess, at cost of
SO, 900, on the dome of Kansas. that
sum of money might be used to build
up some state industry, some manufac-
turing, m ining, farming or other oppo--
tunity for the very human, yet very
needy, gods and goddeSSeS of our state,
it would be benefaction which would
be divinely repaid in warm heart,
thankfulness and in riches incalcula-
higher citizenship. Is there any reason,
save tradition and inherited prejudices
and customs. why this should not be?
1t would be decent conduct for the indi-
viduaI, why not for the state? Kansas
has made a most promising beginning
in this direction by its establishment of
a state employment bureau. 1 am so
profoundly grateful to the Republican
legislature which thus recognized the
new moral order of statecraft that 1
shall forget to cavil because of the bar
rem and unequipped condition into
which the employment bureau was
launched. 1 shall only remember that
Emerson said that .'it does not so much
matter how far an has gotten on i
and hope that the next state legislature
1f W ha