The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-28
Legislator Calls
Off the County Row.
Must No Longer Be Torn
by DissensiOn.
LII STAND TOGETHER.
8eekman of Arkansas City Says
So, Zoo.
People Who Expect Them to
Fight Nay 60 To.

How surprised the people down in
Cowley county would be if they could
see Bill" Hackney and Young Beck
man." their two representatives, walk
ing around together, whispering, and
getting along beautifully, in spite of
the fact that they are supposed to be
bitter and vindictive enemies, each one
carrying a whole arsenal of concealed
weapons with which to annihilate the
other.
CowIey county is a house divided
against itself Winfield, the county
seat, is insanely jealous of Arkansas
City its husky rival on the southern
border. Anything that one town wants
the other town will fight as q. matter OF
principle. Hence when it was suggest
ed that a bill be introduced authorizing
Cowley county to issue 100000 in bonds
to build a Jail and court house at Win
field, and another bill authorizing Ar
kansas City to establish a city court to
take charge of all litigation involving
amounts of less than 81, 00O both towns
set up a wild howl Of protest.
Il have been deluged with tele-
grams, said w. P. Hackney today
People down there have been burning
up the wires to tell me to stop; to fight
the bill; to do nothing that Arkansas
City wants; they say they'll skin me
alive if I let Arkansas City get its city
court, and they say they don't want
would be a shame to tear down that
dear old landmark which they love so
well.
What do I tell them? I tell 'em to
go to; l tell 'em the quicker they get
out of the notion that they have got
anything to say about what 1 will do
the better it will be for them; the
quicker they tumble to the fact that I
am the whole thing up here, the more
peaceable things will be-
Mr. Beekman is of very much the
same notion. He and Mr.. Hackney
have fixed things all up, and they will
stand pat. They will pass the court
house bill and the city court bill wheth-
er the Cowley county people want them
senator Ed WiIkerson, Of Cowley
county. is also standing pat. He says
that Hackney and Beekman are right;
he will help them to get their pilis
Mr.. Beekman said today-and Mr..
Hackney was right there when he said
it, and concurred:
.'Those people will be all right; they
don't understand the situation. Hack
ney and I have both decided that we
will run again in the next campaign;
we are either going to be reelected, or
else there Will be couple of Democrats
to represent Cowley county
That's right" said Hackney. I have
decided that l want to spend the rest
Of my natural life right here in the
house of representatives. l am going to
be a perpetual candidate. There is more
fun here in the house than there is in
the senate. I've tried them both and L
know
Beekman, Hackney and Wilkerson ev-
identity know what is a good thing for
Cowley county, and they are planning
to administer the dose to the naughty
child whether she likes it or not. 1t
is all right for Hackney and Beekman
TO be at swords points when they are
down in Cowley county. and it is ex-
nected of them to say the meanest
things they can think of about each
other, but up here in Topeka, what's
the use? They get along fine; they are
the most loving pair in the state house,
with the possible exception of w 4.
Stubbs and Cyrus Leland, who are in
more private conferences and heart-to-
heart talks than any other two mem
bers Just at the present time
Just as soon as the Winfield people
heard about the Arkansas City court
hill. they called a hasty meeting of the
club and fred in a hot ser
les of instructions to Mr.. Hackney as
to what he should do. Mr.. Hackney
handed back a letter which contained
some decidedly plain statements. Sen (
ator Ed Wilkerson has now stepped in \
as intermediator, and in a letter to the /
president of the Winfield Commercial /
club explains why Winfield ought not |
to oppose the bill.