The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-12-29
new TOWN ROW.
That at Clay Center Is Develop
ing Intensity.
1t Originally Started in Local
Politics.
ALL ARE DRAWN IN.
Even Banks Taking More Than
Passive Interest
City Ownership Issue the Bone
of Contention.

There have been some historic town
rows in Kansas; some of them are still
going on, but the very latest town row
and one which promises to be one Ct
rhe hercest, Is now in full blast at Clay
Center. the county seat of Clay county.
Two years ago. the people Of Clay
Center were peaceful. harmonious ana
happy; they stood by each other through
thick ana thin, and wouldn't listen ~
the evil word about their nelghDors.
Now the town is divided into two hostile
camps. and each camp Is fortified with
bulwarks of money and power and p.o-
what started all the trouble?" was
asked OF Clay Center man a few days
ago
Local politics. was his reply
But now the battle has gone far be-
yOnd the political stage Each side has
its own banks-hOW often the rival
banks are the center of town reud.
one side has an electric light plant,
and the other side is fixing 10 put It out
of business by the municipal ownership
route. one side had a corner on the
newspapers OF the town, the other
side has started new paper. One side
had a hrm of strong lawyers to night
its legal battles. the other side has i'm
ported" one OF the best lawyers Of the
state and made him a citizen Of the
town One side had gigantic Hour
the other side has just concluded the
deal for the purchase Of another mill
and viii undertake to put its big op-
ponent out OF business
That's how the fight has lined up, and
the people call one faction the Will
hanson crowd" and the other the Han
ma crowd
How long is this fight going to last?"
was asked of a man well posted on the
Not long" was his reply. II look
for a short bitter and decisive conflict
one side or the other viii get the start
and the side which lcses money fastest
viii have to give in"
Municipal Election Started 1t.
The Clay Center town row had its
origin when George Hanna. a Populist,
was elected mayor of the town, in the
face Of a normally safe Republican
majority Hanna was elected On
municipal ownership platform, and he
did not hesitate to put his election
promises into execution. The city want
ed a municipal electric light piane TO
take the place of a private lighting
franchise held by F. L. Williamson &
Co The Williamson franchise was
about to expire.
The fight over the voting of bonds was
bitter in the extreme. The attorneys
for Williamson < Co. were Coleman &
Williams both of whom at the sine
Were holding state positions; Coleman
as attorney general and Williams as
private secretary to Governor Hoch.
The Clay Center newspapers printed
vast quantities Of information about
municipal ownership. and allowed both
sides TO chew rags by the bolt. But
both papers sympathiZed with munich
pal ownership. c. c. Coleman, attorney
general, went to Clay Center and took
an active hand in the campaign in be
half of the corporation which he rep
resented. Williams did the same.
Hanna lined UP his friends and the cleo
ton took place Municipal ownership
Woc-
Then Coleman & Williams commerce
ed an elaborate campaign of legal OBJ
StruCtiOn TO prevent the issuance Of the
bonds to build a city electric light plant
All sorts Of technical issues We're made,
and finally the people became SO IN
dignant at what they considered I'M
warranted intrusion on the part If
Coleman. a state officer, that they hung
The attorney general in effigy. Finally
the courts decided against Coleman &
Williams. and the Hanna crowd is GO
ing ahead as rapidly as possible to let
the contracts for city light plant
Banks Were Drawn In.
The fight over the municipal owner
ship bonds had been SO fierce, and the