Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1903-03-11
THEMAcHIRe IN KANSAS.
K. c. Journal. Rep.

A Kansas paper asks The Journal
which it says "has considerable to say
about Kansas affairs for foreign paper, y
10 tell wherein the 30 called machine q,
Topeka differs from the machine Cur,ie
tried to put in power" And then, with
the apparent purpose of forestalling a
snswer,is notes that" a Missouri publica
ton ought to keep its mouth shut abou,
Kansas politics anyway"
The Journal has no apologies to Offer
for its discussion of Kansas affairs. It
has thousands upon thousands of readers
and subscribers in Kaneaa who expect
1t to discuss Kansas affairs, who seem tc
be pleased with its attitued on Kaneas
politics, and who give evidence of their
satisfaction in continued patronage. How.
ever We do not mention these matters a.
In the nature OF defence. No newepa.
per needs to give an explanation o.
apology for its interest in public mat
tiers anywhere-not even when assaulted
ed by the picsSune journalism which the
present machine in Kansas has gather.
ed to its standard.
The Journal knows Of no machine
which Curtis attempted to establish in
Kansas. It is frank to say. however,
that ii Curtis Lad such machine in vie y
it probably would have developed, in
event OF snccess. no points of excellence
over the machine of Mr.. Leland. The
question at issue has nothing to do with
the personality of the politicians who
are struggling for power. It Is not q
question Of which possesses the most OF
virtue or the least of vice, but question
of whether or not the Republicans of
Kansas want their party and their state
to fall under the complete dominion of
a political machine.
In it's methods the machine now at
work in Kansas differs in no essen :isl
point from Tammany. Il is operating
ON the theory that faction of the party
is entitled to all the spoils. The attitude
Of Mr.. Leland and his lieutenants re
minds one of the frank confession of
Richard Croker on the witness stand
that I've always work for our own pock-
etbo1ks" Mr.. Croker WAS totally un-
able to see that Tammany wasn't alto.
gether right in everything it did. Mr..
Leland is not boodler in the vicious
sense Of that word. He simply regards
the public patronage az political spois
which can rightly be used to build up
his own poll tical power.
Anyone who has followed the course of
the present Kansas legislature must have
seen that everything has been subverted
t. astrengthening of theLelaud machine.
Appropriations have been diverted from
their natural channels and put where
they can be controlled by q factional
organization. Those in the state govern
ment who are not part Of the machi ne
have been stripped of their influence
and power in the affairs of the common.
wealth. Matters which hitherto have
been reste in the combine wisdom of
the executive council, made up of all the
state officers. have been transferred
bodily to the control of thu governor.
An incident will show how the legis-
lature has been manipulated. Ka1eas
is engaged in q law suit with Colorado
over the water rights Of the Arkansas
river. At the request of the attorney
general the legislature appropriated
SIS 900 to enable him to employ addi.
tional counsel. On the motion Of the
machine this appro priation vas put at the
dispoeal of the governor, instead of at the
disposal of the legal department where
It rightfully belongs. Today the appro-
pristion for the Kansas exhibit at st.
Louis is hung up because the machine
has attached rider to the bill, provid.
ing that the present commissioners may
be removed at will and without the al.
legenent of any cause, simply to give
places 70 some of the machine politi.
cians. These are merely SAM pies of what
is going on in the Kaneas legis.
lature at the behest of the machine. The
session has been full of similar transac.
tions and the right to this kind of poll
icy is openly maintained.
Inc unmistaksble mark of machine
control in any state or city is extrava.
gance with the public funds. By this
measure Kansas lie given over beyond
ell question. The present legislature
has increased salaries all along the line,