The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-06-24
THE SPECIAL SESSION.

ternoon.
By evt ryone acquainted with the great
losses sustained by Kansas City, Kan
sas the counties of Wyandotte, Shaw
nee and Their communities. through the
destructio1s of their bridges and loss of
property, t he governor is commended
for performing his plain duty in issu-
ing procla nation assembling the law
makers.
In the call the governor mentions Only
the legislation necessary to enable the
counties of the flooded district to vote
bonds to repa II their losses. He says
these enactme ats should be made in
few hours and, Il trust the great ca
lamity that ha 3 come to US viii not be
utilized in an attempt to pass general
legislation
The people of the state viii undoubt-
eddy commend the drawing of a sharp
line against ny attempt to enact or
change any laws bearing on any sub
ject whatever save that Of the flood.
It is safe to predict that an effort will
be made by SOME members to correct
more or less INK portant defects of our
last legislation. Ar to enact some sim
pie measure whic h the member will say
will do a great a mount of good and no
harm. If. howeH 'er. any such bill be
permitted it will open the gate which
may precipitate al deluge of bills. the
advocates of eack of which will claim
are as meritorious as any proposed
The only safe manner is to cut out
everything but foo measures. 1t hS the
earnest hope that the majority of the
senate and house. as well as the gov
ernor. will refuse to permit any other
than flood legislation. no matter what
its merit.
The session would not have been call
ed except for the Kaw valley overflow
and those concerned would have man
aged in some way without general Leg
islation. They should do so now.
This paper believes that no state aid
should be voted. 1t believes that the
counties and communities affected can
provide for their own. with the little
legislation they may need; to enable
them to adjust taxes on the flooded lots
and lands, to reconstruct and repair
their bridges and pavements and, if
necessary to relieve the distress of their
own communities.
The county of Shawnee is not ask
ing for any financial aid from the state.
The county of Douglas is not asking,
and it, too, was a severe sufferer. When
the governor met with the prominent
people of Kansas City. Kas.. who urged
the convention of the legislature he
was told in plain words that they die
not want financial aid, that suffering as
they were and carrying the large bur
den they had assumed in providing for
their stricken people. they felt they
We're enabled to do this without aid
and money from the state; they simply
asked decided legislation to- enable them
to help themselves.
This was a brave and correct stand
and the people at the KawTs mouth are
to be commended for their heroism in
more cases than one.
OF the state aid already received from
within our borders and from the gen
erous people outside. aggregating about
SIS. 600 Wyandotte county has properly
been given over half. Shawnee county
has received SO, 500 and while It could
have maintained itself without this aid,
it was probably proper to distribute
this amount of the fund on hand
The members of the legislature who
were in North Topeka this morning.
and witnessed the devastation there.
should remember that the distress and
necessities of practically all of these
people, with the exception of about two
hundred families. have been met. OF
course. no state or community can re-
store the losses by the flood any more
than they can restore the losses to the
individual by fire. individuals may be
helped with food and clothing and to
their regular avocations, but beyond
this little can or ought to be done by
the state The individual must rise to
the occasion and work out his own sal
walton.
cfoI
and destitute viii now. as always, be
cared for by the benevolent societies
and by the generosity of their relatives,
friends neighbors and fellow citizens.
While the desolation along the Kaw
valley appears on its face to be great,
it must be remembered that only a small
portion Of the rich valley between To-
pelxa and Kansas City is destroyed for
agricultural purposes. In many in
/ stances the crops of this year have been
injured or blotted out but on the other
hand. the land in the main is still the
most valuable within the state and all
but few of the emerged acres are
still worth a hundred or more dollars
per acre.
These farms in large part were owned
by those who titled them and this alone
win command ample credit.
IN many instances new crops nave
been put in and the land will produce
results. Supplied seed corn is already
above ground. The tenants will find
work al hand and in many instances
more of it by reason of the very flood
itself and with few exceptions they will
be able to bridge over the calamity
So far as the State Journal is con-
eerned, we would like to see the legis-
lature appropriate from the general
revenue fund sufficient sum of money
to refund the money contributed to the
relief fund from outside the state We