The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-02-15
State Fair Scheme
Is Uncovered.
They Promise to Help To-
peka Two Years Hence.
TURN DOWN BOND ISSUES
Twice Voters of Reno Refuse
to Buy Fair.
Facts and Figures on High
Finance Plan.

Promoters of the Hutchinson state
fair scheme and persons who have
stock in the central Kansas organiza-
ton are in Topeka trying to influence
the officers of the Topeka State Fair
association to abandon the fight before
the senate with promises that two
years from now Hutchinson will come
to Topeka with all her forces and con-
trolled votes and aid the capital city
in obtaining a state exposition
In other words, the cleverly laid
plot is this:
Stockholders of the Hutchinson fair
are frantic in their attempts to bring
legislature. If the state establishes
the state fair seal in Hutchinson, the
promoters will ask Reno county and
the city of Hutchinson to vote them
$4,000 or 100000 or $125,O00 in
bonds and buy the fair grounds to
donate to the state. This will give the
promoters the money for the grounds,
the county will have to turn the prop
erty over to the state, the state will
have a fair on it's hands-and the
stockholders will have the funds in
their pockets.
The state, under the bill before the
senate, will not give the fair to
Hutchinson until the grounds are
turned over by the county. But the
county does not own the grounds
not yet.
In fact the voters of Hutchinson and
Reno county twice have turned down
afitly a bond issue to buy the fair
grounds. Once the promoters tried to
give the fair to the city for about
$1,000 A bond election was declar-
ed. The city refused it. Then the
financiers attempted to give the
grounds to the county. Here the bonds
were defeated by 80 per cent vote.
Before the state fair is given to
Hutchinson the county must buy the
grounds. Senator Carey-the clever
and active head of the organization, is
pushing his bill through the senate in
hopes that the state will appropriate
$4,000 to Hutchinson-then he will ask
Reno county for bonds to buy the
fair-and the state will have to at
tend to the rest.
The Topeka fair managers viii not
listen to the proposition presented to
The central Kansas men promise that
in two years from now they will come
to Topeka in force and fight for
state fair here.
If Hutchinson is so anxious for
state fair in both cities, why not have
two state fairs now? Topeka is not
asking the state for one cent. Topeka
will give the state $4,000 to run the
fair for two years-also the grounds
and buildings worth a quarter of a mil
hon QOuarS. hutchinson wants S15, 900
gives nothing but the grounds which
are claimed to be worth $4,000.
Senators in Tight Place
The Topeka supporters in the senate
are surprised that the new members of
the state and federal affairs committee of
the senate-bright young men with a
future would enter the game of finance
suggested from the city of salt and sand
These young senators have a brilliant
future in politics-if the state does not
suspicion them of pork barreF' methods.
The fight between Topeka and Hutchin-
son has warmed up both sides in the
senate today. The fact that the commit
tee killed the Topeka bill which asked the
state for nothing and offered to give
$250,O00 and a $20,0 900 cash bonus, and fav-
ored the Hutchinson bill asking the state
for $4,000 has uncovered a bald state OF
political agreements.
Today several senators are not back
ward in stating that neither city should
be given state fair. That the state of
Kansas had other troubles without enter
ing the state fair business. That the SEN
ate could not afford to favor an appro-
priation of $1,000 when already the reve-
nue. outlook for the next two years is
worrying the Democratic administration.
And now, when 1t is known that Hutch
fnson wants topeka to withdraw from the
race, under an agreement that two years
from now the central Kansas supporters
will flock to the capital city with their
unloading two fair managements on to
the state-many wise old sena torial heads
will shake in disapproval.
The state fair proposition comes up for
discussion and vote in the senate Wednes-
day afternoon at 8 o'clock. The senate
will place itself on record at that time.
-ART uRRRpTEA VFETA