The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-02-14
TOpeka's Advantages Over
looked in Fair Fight.
Senate Committee Would Rath-
er Spend State Money.
FIRST ROUND ENDS IN DEFEAT
Adverse Report on Bill and
Offer of TrOutman.
City of Salt and Sand Favored
by Senators.

Scorning the gift of $4,000 and
valuable grounds worth a quarter mil
lion dollars forgetting that located in
the capital city of the state with all
natural and artificial advantages are
buildings and modern equipment. de-
clining to recognize the success of ex-
positions held in the capital cities OF
other states-laying aside all adnvan-
tages OF value and operation and main
tenance-the senate committee on
state and federal affairs late Thursday
afternoon killed the state fair bill OK
Topeka and recommended for passage
an appropriation asked by Hutchinson
Hutchinson asked the state for an
appropriation of SIS, 900 to carry on a
state fair on grounds without shade.
without sod. without permanent fire
proof buildings. Topeka asked for
nothing, offered to donate 100000 for
maintenance and promised to give the
state shaded. Sodded, improved val
liable grounds with massive brick and
concrete buildings. But the commit
tee. despite the firm Democratic plat
form to cut down taxes refused the
$4,000, the $25O,000 grounds and in
true political pork barrel" style re-
commended the Hutchinson bill for
passage.
The committee report came as
surprise to the senate. In the first
place the general sentiment favored
dropping the state fair proposition this
year. In the second place the Topeka
offer was so far in advance of the Of
fer from the central Kansas town that
it was not thought the committee
could refuse to recognize the capital
city. In the third place the cry of the
Democrats against appropriations was
thought enough to down a state fair
proposition where the state had no
revenue in sight and where no neces-
sity existed.
It was a case of too much Carey. The
Reno county senator has been work
ing up the state fair fight for months.
He has playful. and cleverly aided
the Democrats on administration
measures, he has distributed his voting
patronage and has kindly loaned his
support on anything that would bring
state fair vote in return.
OF course the fight isn't lost Re-
ports come today from the house, how
ever. that Iron Jaw" Brown. speaker
of that body. has promised to step
down on the floor and give over his
energies to the fair at Hutchinson.
Hutchinson supporters here lobbying
for the last week or so are trying to
bet money with big odds that the
chance of Topeka landing the fair
amounts to nothing-that the city OF
salt and sand has a comfortable ma
jority sewed up In bag-or nailed in
a pork barrel-and no other look In
for the state fair is entertained.
Truly the state fair in Kansas Is
politics. No account has been taken
of superior grounds, superior advan-
tages, and an expenditure of thousands
in improvements. If the state fair
question was put to a vote of the
people and the persons who had at
tended all the state fairs cast their
ballot according to the relative value
of grounds and equipment and COM
fort-Topeka could walk down to the
big stone entrance tonight and tack
the state seal on the gates.
The Hutchinson arguments are these
Topeka has the state house. Topeka
can go to the American Royal Stock
show at Kansas City. Topeka is not
centrally located. The state house ar
gument is the same old threadbare
story that is used by every enemy OF
the city. 1t is too bad the state has
to make it's home here when It might
tune! The Kansas City Stock show
tion-anyway it is in Missouri. The
population center-and it is the popu-
| lation that is served-isn't very many
miles from the state house.
But it isn't the argument that has
counted in the current action on the
| fair bill. If the arguments in favor
| of Topeka would carry the PROPOSE
| ton, this city would have little oppo-
| sition on the final passage of the bill.
There is hope in the hearts of the
| supporters of the capital city that on
the floor of the house and the senate.
| politics will have no effect-that
straight facts, figures and patriotic
/ truths will tell the story.