Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1906-07-19
GOVERNOR LEEDY's OPINION or
THE GREAT PRIVILEGES
TO EJECT SETTLERS.
MR. HARRIS IRRESPONSIBLE FOR
UNION PACIFIC RAILROADS.
EFFORT
no Deprive Settlers Of Lands Pureha'
ed From Company.

Topeka, July lS-Siish' '"'''e
zion of the history Of the Legislative
session Of 1897 plainly disclose' .ns
reasons fM Populist dislike and olS
trust of W. A. Harris Of Chicago, the
man the Democrats want to make gov
ernor Of Kansas. In 1897 Harris lived
Nm Kansas. It was at the Legislative
session of 1897 that he was elected
limited States Senator and seVerea
his connection with the state. In 1881
Harris was elected member u ths
state senate. The fusion camPaigs
was fought on q railroad issue and the
Populists had promised radical rate
regulation.
w. A. Harris, who was candidate
for United States Senator and VINO
indicated that he was favorable 70
railroad regulation, was made chair
,can of the committee on railroads
Mater he was elected United States
senator and in March resigned from
tthe state senate. After his promotion
he displayed his real feelings toward
the railroads.
Several railroad bills embodytng
iPopulist ideas were introduced, MOI
one of them could get past the senate
railroad committee, headed by Harris
Harris presented bill which was
known as the Harris BILL" That bill
IL has since been learned, was pre-
tpared by Judge Elijah Robinson oi
Kansas City, a Missouri Pacific rail-
road attorney.
Harris, w. H. Ryan, and Hugh Far
RELY, Populist whips in the senate
l1inally forced the bill through both
houses of the legislature. when the
honest Populists had despaired of So
curing any sort of railroad legisla'
tion. Thirty-one Populist representa-
tives who voted for the bill denounced
1t IN unmeasured terms rs corpora
zion measure only slightly better thar
mo law at all.
But Governor Leedy, who had prom
fsed the people some sort of railroad
legislation, was not to be fooled. HG
prono1nced the "Harris Bill worst
than no law ut all and vetoed It. His
veto message will long be remembered
by the Harris-Ryan-Farrelly crowd al
one Of the strongest rebukes ever ad
sninistered to q set of disloynl political
Adventures. The following extracts
from Governor Leedys' message veto
ing the Harris bill afford some idea Of
the reasons he found for branding Il
: as framed in the interests of the rail
roads:
Offering the shipper no defensibl'
advantage that is not his under thu
present legislation and securing II
him no means of redress that Is no
his already by virtue Of the ancien
principles of the common law, this bill
actually circumscrlbes the rights tina
he would have under the common law
in that it induces him to struggle be
fore the railroad commission, whicl
only lands him in the district court Il
no better position than that of his con
temporary who begins his action Their
without reference to this statute, bu
who has not lost the time consumes
before the commission.
"This commission Is so utterly in
potent that the provisions in this BIZ
against discrimination, supported a
they are by no penalty that is sure O
enforcement, offer the shipper no at
vantage over present legislation tina
he can hope to maintain against tn
legal technicalities of which corpori
lions would avail themselves. The cnl
means of redress that this bill secure
him is an opportunity to so befoI
court or commission and prove that
has been robbed This right. the cor
mon law which he inherited from h
fathers and which Is still the law {
Kansas except when q statute Stel
In, amply secures to him. II he co.
into court and begins an action und'
his old common law right, he saw
the time which another complainai
spends before this commission only
ind himself by appeal Of the corpor
ton in the district court few mont
behind his common-law brother. Al
with no start, there which the 9th
man has not enjoyed.
The governor stated haadg the Y
20 make the saggoa Of KAnSAs; IL
his pledges to It'd and received n,
vas made to pa who hope for =
veto. snd ri "
ulisi oandidawon 81 every turn -
against ReafsH' p,-rpgrntula. lie
q vas 4 corpoFaiiOp{ -.--. Ia.
years later Lseay5andrths FoPnlis
went down because a hru n.e.
f.rr II a. cios'ns dags q 81, %