The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-03-22
WILL 1T WORK?

1t Is very evident that John r. Con-
nelly, editor of the Colby Free Press,
is not out scanning the horizon for the
approach of the millennium simply
because railroad passes have been
prohibited-next year. In fact, he
confidently expects the railroads to
have just as much power in controlling
political conventions as ever. He says:
1.-THE anti-pass law has become a
reality in kansas. We have said from
time to time this winter and also dur
ing the campaign last fall that we had
no faith in the anti-pass law. The
real wrong resulting from railroad
passes was the political influence that
they commanded Will abolishing the
pass remedy this wrong? What would
be the difference in a railroad lawyer
at Topeka sending his henchmen in
this county a pass from Colby to To-
peka and return for the delegates from
here or sending him the money to buy
the tickets, knowing the money would
come right back into the Golfers of
the company. Would the company
be out a cent more by sending the
money than it would the passes? If
they wanted to get the law right, why
did they not pass a law which would
make the state pay the fares of dele
gates to and from conventions? This
would put everyone on an even basis,
but as it Is we can see no great reform
to come from the anti-pass law.
1.-TWO years from now when time
comes to send delegates to the state
and congressional conventions, Bill
Smith and Tom Jones will come in
from the rural districts and want to
go to the state convention. They are
RET mr. ~ he hor H1yf h
corporation crowd. After they get to
town, they will find the convention
has been set in the remote eastern
part of the state and it will take $50
to pay board, railroad fare and other
expenses down and back. 1t won't
take long after they figure up the cost,
to convince them that they can't pos
sibly spare the money and the farm
work is so urgent they can not pos
sibly leave it But there will be the
delegates who belong to the corpora
ton crowd, they are willing to spend
the money, because they know the
money will be refunded and they go
down and represent their people at
the convention.
'If the primary law had passed, this
would have allowed every man to have
cast his vote and stay at home. But as
it is now, the convention will be set
at the farthest point and you will see
that every corporation man is ready
to spend his CD money to attend as a
delegate. We are not knocking on the
law; we are only pointing out to you
how far it falls short of doing the work
you expected of it,
OF course, Editor Connolly may be
right-he is tolerably leveI-headed in
many respects But we propose to be
optimistic and hope for the best as
long as possible The people were given
many lemons by the late lamented
legislature. it is true, but 1t does not
follow that everything that was done
by that body was bad. We intend to
be pleased with the anti-pass law until
it turns out badly.
1t is very likely that the millennium
is running on such a schedule as to
make it impossible to get here just as
soon as the anti-pass law becomes eff
fective but the State Journal hopes
that the anti-pass law will help to
clear the track for It.