The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-06-04
seTHE KATY BUSINESS. y

good many people are saying that
Colonel Harris did one thing with the
Union Pacific railroad and Governor
Hoch has done another thing with the
Katy. Thus each has q railroad rec
ord.-LaWrence Journal
This comparison is somewhat peculiar
to appear in a Republican paper that
has always posed as a defender of Gov
ernor Hoch. It is a comparison that
will appeal to the general mass of
voters, and 1t will not be to the detri-
ment Of Colonel Harris, either.
It is doubtful II Governor Hoch real
lied the full effect of his action when
he made it. He granted the request OF
the NJ. K. & T. attorneys a year ago,
and his action was criticised in these
columns at that time. The fact that
Attorney General Coleman started the
suit just as the campaign was opening
drew special attention TO the matter
long after 1t had passed beyond the
governors control
But If Governor Hoch was worked"
because of his friendship for John Mad
den, he refuses to make that plea. In
stead he assumes full responsibility for
his action and defends it. 1t must be
admitted. too, that the governor puts
up a pretty good defense from his
viewpoint.
While it cannot endorse Governor
Hoch's action in the Katy" matter,
the State Journal is inclined to think
this question is being overworked as a
political issue in Kansas. There is
danger that matters more serious to
the people of Kansas will be lost sight
of. The people in the Indian Territory
have not yet been harmed. and they
viii not be If the supreme court de-
cides the case from q standpoint of
justice. The danger is that the case
will be decided on some legal techni-
cality or that the railroad company will
persuade the people whom 1t is suing
to settle by making it a payment. II
the railroad company has any claim at
all it is against the United States gov
eminent, and not against the innocent
purchasers who have gone into the In
dian Territory and endured hardships
in bringing this land up to its present
high value.
That is where Governor Hoch may
have erred. He argues that the state
Of Kansas is trustee for the NJ. K &
T. Railroad company and it was there
fore the states business to bring this
suit. But If the state IS the trustee
certainly the trustee should have some
thing to say concerning whom the suit
should be brought against, and the
claim should have been urged against
/ the United States government II the
claim is valid it is the governments
duty either to give the ''Katy'' the land
in question or settle with it in some
other way without harassing the inno-
cent settlers in the territory.
But more important to the people Of
Kansas than this Katy transaction
is the demand for q good state govern
ment. In all this furors over Governor
Hoch's aid to the Katy there is dan
ger that this will be lost sight Of. There
is a demand for the election of a
good legislature, one that viii not be
either corrupt or careless and that will
pass laws needed by the state; and
there is q demand for honest. ef7cient
officials who win enforce those laws.
There are good men on both the Re
publican and Democratic tickets. and
the Republican voter who impulsively
determines to vote for the opposition
entire without due consideration may
make a grave mistake The thing to
do is to carefully consider the merits
Of each candidate and then vote for
the one that will most honestly ana
ef8ciently act for the people of Kan-
sas.
Some consideration. Of course. should