The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-06-26
STAND UP FOR KANSAS.

senator L. r. Wright of Emporia. and /
the Republican senator, f. Dumont |
Smith. of Kinsley
Senator Wright pointed out the fact /
that in the past Kansas has often
placed itself in the role of seekers for !
aid and in more recent times boasted
of her great wealth and resources. He
truly said.
IF indeed this money is needed for
Kansas, let us give the money our
the aid of the food stricken people of
selves I wish we could have sent back
The large gifts sent here by Philadel /
phia and New York and said. we
thank you for your generosity, bur
must decline your help because we are
able to take care of our flood sufferers /
ourselves 1t is a shame. it viii be a
lasting disgrace upon every senator
who sitting here appropriates $4,000 for
his own use ana sees his state holding
out her hands to public charity We
had better spend $4,000 in making an
exhibition of manhood than in display
Ing our wealth at the worlds fair next
year"
Senator Smith said: kansas has
oftcncr appeared before the United
States as public mendicant
than any other locality in the Union.
Hasn't the day gone by when we should
be public beggaTs? 1t seems to me that
something ought to be done to keep the
state from being further under obhga-
I IlQn TO the OUTSIDE WORLD IT we can
pass this bill let us return the money
we have already received and from now
on let's stand upon our own feet"
AS cur readers know. the State Jour
nal has from the time of the worst
days of the flood maintained that the
state could take care of its own people.
and that an appeal for outside aid was
not only unnecessary but would reflect
upon Kansas and do the state injury
for Years to come.
The state had well nigh recovered
from the wounds of the drouth and
/ gTasshoppers inflicted a quarter of a
century ago and Bleeding Kansas
had become a misnomer The state
missed its great opportunity to stand
upon It's dignity and its resources
when it appealed to any but its OWN
people for relief. We were hurt lit
tie and scared a great deal
As a matter of fact. UP to this week
the city of Topeka has cared for those
IN distress by the flood without the
actual expenditure of a dollar received
from outside of the state Some I'M
paid bills to be sure will make it nee
essary to draw upon these outside
funds now on hand but had the con-
tributiOns of our own citizens been in
creased by but a few thousand no
necessity would have arisen for any
Of the $4,000 sent by New York city.
the $4,000 sent by Philadelphia, s.. 500
sent by Cincinnati and the various
sums from the generous hearted pee
pie of the east who naturally could not
resist the urgent official appeals sent
broadcast for aid.
Indeed, it is quite clear today that
with the subscriptions from our own
people and from the fraternities of the
country allied with our local fraternities
and benevolent organizations, the money
sent here by general contribution from
the outside could have remained IN
touched
Some time before the legislature con-
vened it appeared that it might be nee
essary for the state in some way to loan
or advance money to relieve some Of
the stricken people. However. before
the legislature actually met the flood
sufferers had been so well taken care of.
that the senate and house decided that
public aid from the state was unneces-
sary. So. too the world will believe by
the legislatures action.
1t would have been a happy thing,
however, had the legislature made an
appropriation of say s75. 600. to turn
back to the people of the east the money
contributed from their means. and in
some cases. their hard earned limited
means for the benefit of our own people
Isn't it a comforting fact for this great
state of Kansas to realize that the leg
islature came together on account Of
the flood and appropriated $4,000 to its
own members and employees, an amount
which is $1,000 larger than the governor
of the state received from the outside
for the state fund in response to his
appeal? To be sure that appeal brought
a somewhat larger amount of money to
Topeka and Kansas city, Kansas.
Among the contributions sent Cover
nor Bailey today and credited elsewhere
Ia this paper is So from St Louis
working girl" Think of it, Think Of
she sufferings in St Louis near at
hand. Yet the appeals sent out from
4 Kansas We're such as to wiring the heart
and probably exhaust the pocketbook OF
/ working girls in other states.
We do not know how the following
sentiment viii strike our readers, but
it ought to meet a warm response in
words and a warmer one in cash. It is
this:
We ought to give cordial thanks for
the outside aid and return every dollar
of it.
This can be done by popular sub
scription. If in no other way. and it is
not uncertain that the counties under
the Leland act, published elsewhere.
can not legally appropriate money for
this purpose.
In any event we can easily raise the
money in Topeka TO return all moneys
contributed to the Capital City from
outside the state.
The people of Kansas City may hold
indignation meetings. condemniug the
governor because state aid was not vo-
ted. but they must remember that when