The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-30
Albert T. Reid Makes Some
Property Comparisons.
Makes Some Observations at
Manhattan Thursday.
THAT MEMORIAL SITE.
More Is Paid There Than Of
fered in Topeka.
New Boom Is Started for Vie
Murdoch.

Albert T. Reid, the well known To-
peka artist, spent Thursday in Man.
haitian. The agricultural college town
is coming to the front with a rush.
Many new houses are being built
there and the electric street car line
will soon be in operation. A farmer
living near the town who has great
faith in its future, has bought site
upon which he proposes to erect an
opera house and several business
houses And in the purchase of this
site is found a moral with which to
adorn the stories that have gone over
the state recently in regard to Topeka
holding up the memorial commission
for a site for the proposed memorial
building.
The farmer paid $4,000 for a 15O-
foot front in the town of Manhattan
on block off the main business
streets. Manhattan is a country town
of 5000 population.
The memorial commission want to
buy a 20O-foot front facing the state
house square in Topeka only block
off the main business street, for $15,-
600, and declare 1t is a holdup when
private individuals decline to sell their
property at this sacrifice. Topeka Is
the state capital, has $4,000 popula-
ton and is growing fast and is in
prosperous condition.
Even the irrepressible country edi-
tors will admit that Topeka property
a block from the main business street
and facing the magnificent state house
square should be worth twice as much
as property in Manhattan a block off
the main business street and facing
nothing in particular
The memorial building bill carried
with it the powers to condemn prop
erty for state purposes. Why don't
the commission have this site con-
demned and appraised for its actual
value? That will stop all the fuss and
the hold-up charges.
These Oklahoma papers are apt to go
off half cooked at the slightest provo
cation. Here is the Oklahoma State
Register wanting to run Victor Muir
dock, the young Kansas congressman
from the Eighth district. for president,
all account of his mail contract bill
and the part he took in the fight on
Speaker Cannon. The State Register
is bombastic to say the least when It
gets the following boost out of its sys-
tenn:
Murdoch is a genius of large COM
prehension and thoroughness Of detail
when he sets himself to a task. And
there is nothing beyond his capacity
of thought-he is at home in the do
main of an intellectual pursuit. Muir
dock has been modest heretofore and
mas thought hlmseH 100 young 10 de-
clare himself But he Is now seasoned
and mature and the country will hear
from him. He is the political Lochin-
var of the West"
Still ii may be that Kansas does not
properly appreciate It's own product, al
though this has not heretofore been the
custom of the Sunfiower state.
The Kansas City Star, a Missouri
newspaper with strong penchant for
running Kansas politics, has already
started it's fight on Senator Charles
Curtis by twisting the Kansan's state
ments about in such fashion as to
make it appear that he is opposed to
the income tax 1t is a safe bet that
Curtis favors the income tax and If
there had ever been any doubts they
are brushed aside, as no better evil
dence is needed regarding Curtis sin
cerity than the Stars attack. The
owner of the Star will be Caught" by
the new law.