The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1913-02-21
MORE LEGISLATION

Within the last thirty days It has
seemed necessary that certain west
ern counties of Kansas take such
measures as would materially change
the present Kansas law that counties
may vote $4,000 per mile bonds TO a
railroad providing they exchanged
stock in their companies for same.
But as many railroad companies
stock is worth more than par and
county bonds have to be sold at much
less than par, 1t is working rather a
hardship on the western counties and
few enterprising men In Grant and
Stanton counties have had a bill
passed through the legislature allow
Ing their counties to vote and do
nate these aid bonds, and it has
aroused a number of the business
i men and representatives of the
various counties to a point wherein
they see that this is good move.
1 The proposed building OF certain
railroads across western Kansas, and
the promoters behind these having
indicated that in case they had to
give their stock in exchange for the
bonds, that the counties, or certain
ones therein would have to buy the
stock back again, 1t is the easiest
manner to get around this point by
having law of this kind covering
generally the western counties Of the
state.
A bill has been prepared and in
troduced at Topeka within the last
few days to the effect that any county
In western Kansas having smaller
population than 10000 may vote and
donate $4,000 per mile aid bonds
TO any railroad building through
their county within FIVE years from
the passage of this bill AS there is
a likelihood of Seward, Haskell and
Finney counties securing the line of
the Wichita Falls and Northwestern
which will be extended this year from
Forgan to some point In the north
west, some Of the citizens of Liberal
sent word to parties interested in
Haskell and Finney counties that a
move of this kind should be taken at
once and designated a meeting at
Santa Fe, Kansas, February 18th,
and several Of our prominent bust
ness men went over and on their ar
rival at the almost abandoned town
Of Santa Fe, which is the present
county seat of that county, met
number of Haskell county men who
were vitality interested in a. move of
this kind, and a few minutes later
two auto loads Of Garden City boost
ers arrived, and a meeting was held |
at the old court house, and It was
unanimously agreed by everyone
present that they were in favor Of
such a bill being passed and all three
counties agreed to send representa-
tive that night to Topeka to urge the
passage of such bill and also del
egation was appointed to confer with
a representative Of the railroad COM
pany few days later concerning
the prospects of getting a north and
south line through these three coun-
ties.
Unfortunately for harmony in Has
kell county, a couple of men living
at one of the new towns, Sublette,
have called an election to vote on the
removal of the county seat to Sub
lette and these two men, Steve Cave
and Gene Murphy, seem to be the
only dissatisfied persons, though they
did not say anything until the meet
ing was over. Then they accused the
people of putting this up at this time,
I
thinking it might defeat their want
ing the county seat, but Cave is
known to be a very selfish man, never
having had the best interests Of his
county or town at heart, and Muir
ply, while apparently determined.
yet having such weak backbone,
and there was so little truth in their
charges that their influence was not
felt. 3
without doubt the election to
move the county seat from Santa Fe
February 25th, will be beaten and
the county seat will remain as 1t is
for an indefinite time or at least un-
til the residents have a chance to de-
termine where they want 1t to go.
The Liberal party returned by way
Of Sublette and Satanta and found
the last mentioned place very decid-
edly the best, and after returning to
Liberal they sent l.. A. Etzold to
Topeka to represent the interest OF
this county and 1t is understood that
will go to Wichita to con-
Ter with the railroad men some time
next week. f{