The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-22
the Proposed by Hiskey eeney.

ten1-that is, for the best interests of
the people, without regard to politics
or politicians. The time and the senti-
ment is such that representatives would
be afraid to attempt sgerryn1ander1ng g,
even if they were so disposed. Compact
districts, even population, convenient
railroad facilities, easy communication
between counties and little change in
the boundaries is now possible, and is
| what the people want"
| Mr.. Hiskey's plan fixes the population
| of the districts very nicely, but it prob
ably wouldn't suit the politicians. 1t
would be hard to find anything which
would suit all of the politicians. Here
is a summary of the changes which are
proposed by Mr.. Hiskey.
The new Eighth district to be made
up largely of the old Third, and to con-
sist of the following southern Kansas
counties: Cherokee, Labette, Montgom-
cry, Chautauqua, Elk, Cowley and sum
ner. All of these counties except Sum
ner are in the present Third district.
Sumner is in the Seventh.
The only change in the present ar
rangement of the First district is the
exclusion of Nemaha county.
The Second district under the Hiskey
plan would be composed of Wyandotte,
Johnson, Douglas, Usage, Franklin and
Miami, all of these but Usage being al
ready in the Second district.
The new Third district would be COM
posed of Coffey, Anderson, Linn, Wood
son, Allen, Bourbon, Wilson, Neosho
and Crawford. Part of these counties
are now in the Second, part in the
Third and part in the Fourth.
The Fourth district would be made
to include Geary, Wabaunsee, Morris,
Lyon, Chase, Marion, Greenwood, But
Ter, Harvey and Sedgwick. Sedgwick
and Harvey are taken out of the big
Seventh, and Geary is taken from the
Fifth. ss
The Fifth district is the same as at
present, except that Nema11a and Pot
tawatomie are put in and Geary taken
out.
No changes whatever are made in the
Sixth district.
The Seventh is the same as at present,
except that Harvey, Sedgwick and
Sumner are taken out.
The Emporia Gazette in discussing
partisan proposition to get rili OF certain
Republican members of a state board,
| says: There seems to be a desire in GER
tain Republican quarters in this state, to
lcgislate the present state board OF char
tiles out of office. The Gazette is 10th
to believe that either Mr.. Stubs or Gov
These men are candid men, and if they
wanted the five places on the board Of
members that their DOM was better than
their company and their designations
would probably be Forthcoming. The adj
ministration of the present board seems
to be perfectly clean. No scandals have
been con 1ect.d with the awarding of con-
tracts for supplies nor with the treatment
of inmates of the hospitals for the states
infirm. The cost of maintaining inmates
is smaller in Kansas than it is in neigh
boring states, and no one holds that the
inmates are poorly kept. The supplies are
bought in the open market and no bidder
has come before the people with a state
ment that he has been unfairly treated.
The opportunities for graft under the
present law are minimized by having the
responsibility for each contract divided so
that no man is able to get in his crooked
work. 1t is always easier to buy one man
than two, and two men than three, and
to get in any crooked work under the
present law, half a dozen men would have
to be party to the Swindle. The present
lay may be amended. 1t is not. OF course,
perfect But to change it radically so that
the present members of the board will be
legislated out of office is hardly getting
at their removal in a fair way. Reform
is practically proper. Indeed it may be
justly said that the tail goes with the
hide. But the thing for the managers to
do, If they desire to get rid of the ser
vices of the present incumbents of the
board, is to ask them to resign, and not
ball up the state laws, and take the time
of the legislature, which is needed to re-
deem the promises made in the Wichita
platform. It should be Eorne in mind that
a decent railroad law, an equitable tax
law and stringent primary laws ana a
law reforming the conduct of the state
treasury, were explicitly promised. If the
legislature gets to monkeying with purely
patronage laws ike the change in the
board of charities, the people will know
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