The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-01-12
Defends Kansas Against Attack
in Congress.
STATE WON'T GO BACK
The Decrease of Representation
Would Be Humillating.
Oklahoma Profited From the
SunflOwer State.

a triumph in the house last Iuesday- LIS
Burleigh bill passed the house Of repre-
sentatives by a vote of 165 to 1o2. All of
the members Of the Kansas delegation
were active in the support Of the Burleigh
bill, but to Mr.. Chester H. Long IS due
particular credit. He made a notable
speech IN the house Monday afternoon
In part it was follows:
The gentleman from Illinois IN MS re-
marks the other day had this to say Of
Kansas which in part represent:
+. The trouble is not with the Dill re-
ported by the committee, but with the
condition existing In the state of Kansas
Kansas has been cursed Tor ten long
SestEs Win E0pullsln; Ss1gles.a i its.7 49,
driven from the state. Energsucii pro pro
gressiYe. splendid men who sought homes
there nave peen driven else sew il., ~ nS
young giant, as # was ten years ago
has been laggard in the race or the
counties in the state or kansas aurlng
the ten years that the POpulists have
been in power in that state show a de-
. Now. Mr. Speaker. as I was saying,
IN htty-four counties Of Kansas IN tns
creased from one-half Of l per cent to 6
per cent, and taking the entirs state II
eent-less than the births Of the state
1T IS true that Kansas has gained but
5000 in population in the last ten years
But il is not fair to refer to her as a lag
gard among. the states simply because the
last decade has shown TINS small increase
in population The state from 1850 to
1870 Increased 240 per cent; from 1870 to
leso, 1tS Per cent AZ = a STATE " nsI ~
progress has been made under. great DIFF
hcultieS, and where at times the courage
and fortitude Of the people nave been
sorely tested.
Great prosperity was apparent every
decade but in 1891 times became hard,
and the prosperity that had been ours to
versity. In 1893 this country experienced
the greatest panic that has been known
since 1897 The prices of farm products
decreased to the lowest point within the
memory Of men then living and Kan
sas. that is usually first in prosperity. at
that time was first in adversely and the
people of the state early In the decade
ing that in Illinois and other states they
could find prosperity and happiness, which
Of Kansas at that time. But no sooner
had they left the state. gone to Illinois
and other states than this general panic
was upon the whole country, and they
regretted many times the change.
IF Kansas in the midst of her misfor-
tunes attempted TO correct and improve
financial conditions byN unusual legisla-
ton, it is not the first time in the history
Of the country that this has been attempt
ed, Kansas has. not taken the initiative:
new territory of Oklahoma, TO the south,
and many of the people that N ere enumer-
ated in Kansas in 1880 ia 1900 were counted
in making up the total of the population
Of the great territory of Oklahoma
But as Kansas was first to feel the
general panic that swept over the country
early in the decade 50 she was first
among the states to feel the return of
prosperity when it came. and during the
last four years. and especially during the
last two she has made wonderful adj
vancement in recuperating the wasted
fortunes of her people and In returning to
her old time prosperity and enterprise.
The value of the live stock and other
farm products of Kansas during the last
year has Increased In value % millions of
dollars over that of the previous year, and
last two years has Increased IS million
dollars. The banks of the state are over
citizens They have not only paid off
their mortgages and discharged their
other obligations, but they are lOaning
money now to the less fortunate citizens
Illinois other states h
ssWhile this progress and Improvement
has been apparent everywhere in the last
time TO bring home our wandering citi-
zens who had gone to Illinois. Missouri
Oklahoma and other states and territories
which make a much better showing in
the returns of the census.
1T is unfortunate that the chairman of
great committee should have referred
to the political eccentricities of our great
ple has always inclined Kansas TO ex5eri
ment with new plans and policies in poIiti-
cal affairs. but when found of no value
She has always been quick to abandon
them. am myself a living witness Of
the political uncertainties of our state
but i anne here TODAY not to represent
the Republicans Of Kansas, the Demo-
Gratis or the Populists. but to represent
the people of the state without regard to
party If we have erred in the past. the
gentleman from Illinois should not taunt
us with our wrong-doing, after, at least,
There are those of us in the state who
feel like wanting to forget some things
"
in the history Of our state. but the gentle
man from Illinois insists on fixing a num-
representation for the next ten years: in
slsts that every time roll call is had in
the electoral college, that we of Kansas
shall be compelled to remember that once
we had eight representatives here in this
house instead of seven. and once had ten
votes in the electoral college instead Of
nine. He wants this state Of ours chas-
tised- and this, as an object lesson, to be
held up before us continuously for the
ten lest we tr,a
rences of the decade Just closed. 1t is
not right-it is not just-that this situa-
Kansas is not here as suppliant for
favors from other states. She simply asks
that number may be fixed as a size for
the house for the next ten years that will
recognize the increase in population of the
of the country was 90 millions. and con
gress in its wisdom fixed the size of the
creased to 2ss 81 the admission Of Colo
RADIO. The population Of the country had
millions Congress recognized the increase
Of population and fixed the size of the
tives, saying 81 representative shall be
given to represent the increase Of y mill
lions Of people who have been born under
or have willingly come to live under our
flag. In 1880 the country had increased
gress recognized the increase and attempt
ed to keep pace with the population by in
ing an increase of 81, saying we give 81
members to the y millions Of people that
I'm 1900 the population of the country
has increased u millions more and is now
"a millions. The majority OF the commit
tee for the first time in a half century
going back to the precedent of 1850 saws
there shall be no further increase In the
size Of the house of representatives; that
We shall not keep pace with the increase
in population: that 357 members repre-
scented 81 millions of people and that the
same number is sufficient to represent "A
millions The minority of the COMMITTEES
says, in line with the precedents Of q
half century. we shall recognize the in
crease in population by an increase in the
membership Of the house of representa-
tives. 1t proposes the number 3S6 an in