The advocate and Topeka tribune. [volume], December 21, 1892, Page 4, Image 4

About The advocate and Topeka tribune. [volume] (Topeka, Kan.) 1892-1894

Image provided by: Kansas State Historical Society; Topeka, KS

                
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AND TOPEEA TRIBUNE.
OmoiAL Fafib or ths PaoFL-'e Pabty
ot Kajtsas.
N. R. P. A.
Published every Wedneiday by
f HE ADVOCATE PUBLISHING CO.
Booma 43 and 48 Knox Building,
TOPEXA, . KAN3A8.
$1.00 PER YEAR.
ADVERTISING BATES.
Display matter, 20 centa per line, agate meas
urement, (14 Mnea to the Inch.)
Beading notices, 40 centa per line,
ddreaa all communlcatlona to
THZ ADVOCATE PUBLISHIXa CO.,
Topeka, Kanaaa.
entered at the port office at Topeka, Kansas, aa
aeeond olaaa matter.
WZDNE3DAY, DECEMBER 21. 1892.
Governor Flower, of New York,
has appointed Sasan B. Anthony
manager of the state industrial
school at Rochester. Thia is a very
proper thing to do. It is about time
for politicians and offioials to discover
that the people of the United States
consist of two sexes.
Ir Senator Peffer can do anything to
abate the Standard Oil Company, the Ex
press will hereafter be a Peffer organ.
Buffalo Express, December 13.
Let the Express consecrate its en
ergies to the election of enough men
like Senator Peffer to control our na
tional congress for just one session,
and we will guarantee not only the
abatement of the Standard oil trust,
but of many more greedy corpora
tion of equally vicious character.
Tax flimsy pretense that the state
house lottery was conducted fairly in
the case of the Coffey county tie, and
that the People's part should there
fore gracefully accept the result, is
altogith r too ganzy. The names of
the men conuected with the affair
and the star chamber method of con
ducting it, &ta a bufSeieut gn rantee
that it waa not fairly done, and to
aocept the result, aud permit the re
publican 1 1 organize the house in
consequence of it, would re coward
lce, aud not only cowardice but a
crime.
A Goldsmith of to-d y oould find abun
dant material 'or arjr number of poems on
deserted Tillages by taking a trip to Nevada.
That state, which had a population of 62.000
in 1880, had one of only 45,000 in 1890. Toe
falling off ha been so rapid in '.he past two
years, on account of the drop in the prioe of
silver, that the total is believtd to be down
to 40,000 now. Globe Democrat.
If it were only Nevada. But that
same Goldsmith of to-day could go
into other states and territories and
find more deserted villages where the
people never depended on mining for
an occupation. And he would nod
that the same legislation that caused
the desertion and depopulation in
Nevada has ruined many a business
man, and driven many a farmer from
his home. I
THE DEPEAVITY OF THE PBESJ,
The Washington correspondent of
the Kansas City Journal is entitled
to rank among the foremost liars of
the age. Why people continue to
support papers that employ such men
and publish such rot it is difficult to
understand. It might, with some de
gree of reason, be supposed that
subscribers to newspapers desire
the news that they desire facts
which will enable them to keep pace
with current events. This is unques
tionably what they pay their money
for. Do they get it? Not very often.
The leading daily newspapers of the
country strive to be sensational rather
than reliable. They employ a set of
unscrupulous correspondents to fur
nish this trash, and pay them, not for
furnishing the news, but for filling a
certain amount of space with some
thing that is sensational, no matter
whether it has any foundation in fact
or not. Such foundation is not at all
essential. In fact, the wider the de
parture from truth, the better it suits
such papers as the Kansas City Jour
nal, and a correspondent possessing
the qualifications of the Washington
Ananias who contributes so liberally
to its columns is considered of more
than ordinary value.
As an illustration of his valuable
services, we reproduce from the
Journal of December 8 his version of
a little proceeding in the house of
representatives, together with the
official report of the same proceeding
as published in the Congressional
Record. The following is from the
Journal:
Washington, December 7. Special.
Baker, of Kansas, went down under a flood
of ridioule to-day, and, as estimated, will
not be heard from for a weak. It was the
first chance the members hare had this ses
sion to make a football out of a nonentity,
and they improved it vigorously.
The first bill the speaker oalled up in the
morning hour was the famous Frt Hays
military reservation bill. This is Biker's
only pride and pet. He was insanely ner
vous over it during the last two months of
last session. He was afraid if he failed to
gei it through, he would be defeated. It is
the only bill he has that concerns his district
aa a loo U mes jre. While this is true, it did
not originate with the S x-h district; states
man. It wa introduced in the senate by the
lat Senator Plumb, on the 14 of I ant Da
Combr. Senator Perkins put it 'hrounb the
eeuat- soon after he was appointed, and
gave Baker muy mouths during last ses
sion t put it through the houie.
The bill provide that the government
cede 2,400 acres of land out of the Fork
Hays military reservation, to be uwd by the
state of Kauaaa for a otate soldiers' home,
and for that purpose only. When the
speaker announced the parliamentary status
of the bill this morning Bker had not ar.
rived. No one koew where he waa at, al
though near y a half hour after the house
had been oalled to order he was absent. The
pit seemed to contain all the members but
Btker. MoBea, of Arkanrv, a member of
the committee on military affairs, responded
to the speaker's call for Biker. MoRea ob
served that the Kaoaaa statesman waa
evidently not on hand. He regretted the in
cident very much, as that gentleman was
deeply conoerned in the bill. Personally he
could not recall juat what it waa about.
The speaker was on the verge of passing
on when Baker rushed in. He evidently
jostled the crowd in the oorridors,f or he oame
in a hurry. Some one had met him possibly
taking his air bath around the oapitol, and
told him of the imminent peril of his bilL
He proceeded to catch the speaker's eye, and
juat here the football game commenced.
Some member jelled to Baker to explain
the bill. This was a big job. Ha stumbled
along, destroyed tobacco and got red in the
faoe. His explanation was about as clear as
mud. He was so feeble and ridiculous that
the members, who are always disposed to
have fun with a weak sister, in a few seconds
were pestering him. They put all manner of
questions, as though they were really anx
ious to know the prioe of corn in Kansas.
They wanted to know if they were buying
corn in Kansas now, also how many coun
ties in Kansas, where this reservation waa at;
if in his district; where was his district at;
would this make Mrs. Lease senator if it
passed, and what effect would it have on
him and Mrs. Lease if it did not pass.
Diverse and many guy questions were tossed
at the fellow, and at first he tried to be
fanny, but he fell so flat that he about f aoed
and took his punishment just like a ohunk
of clay.
In the midst of the din and confusion,
Baker was heard to announce the great
philanthropy campaign principle: " Right
wrongs no man." To this some pesky fel
lows observed: " Where does that come in
at ? " Again he rallied, after taking a chew
of tobacco, and started out on what would
have been a dandy sentence, doubtlees, if he
had been able to finish it. It started off:
"It is an unfortunate oircumstanoe "
Just here one observed, over on the demo
cratic side: "That you are here." The
world will never know any more of Baker's
unfortunate oiroumstanoe. It got to ex
tremely funny that possibly thirty members,
who delight m punishing a man who gets
into the house without any qualifications for
the position, jammed in close to the victim
and reached him at short range. Speaker
Crisp repeatedly tried to restore order.
Baker was supposed to be making a speeob,
but he was not.
Finally Judge Broderiok got the attention
for a moment ard direoted Baker to state
that the bill oalled for no money to be paid
by the government. This, of course, ought
to have oome early in Baker's defense of the
bill, but was omitted, as was everything else
germane to the subjeot. It finally was ap
parent that Baker would never be abl to do
anything, and the speaker broke up the
mob. De Artnond was given the floor, and
offered a few reasons why, in his judgment,
the bill should not pass. He was followd
by MoRea, who explained the bill to some
extent. It was not his bill, and he hid not
expected to take this part, but Biker's
ridiculous failure forced him to show that
the oommittee was not foolish in recom
mending that it pass.
Baker thought to try it again, and when
MoRea had fiaishcd, made the effort, but
was choked off. Hjlm-in objected. Bailey,
of Texas, had returned and got in his first
feeble efforts. Oates had a few discourag
ing observations, while Outhwaite was suie
Biker was asking too much to have the bill
p&srtd. Tuer wererepeattd ones of "vote."
To place the bill on the third reading, it
went dwn at the rata of 25 to 85 Biker
again did not know whem he waa at, and
rushed back to see MoRea, when the latter,
through a feeling of kindnrss for a helpless
being, oalled for teller. There were only
twenty-one votes for tellers, and henoe the
call waa not sustained, and so went the bill
into the bottom of a basket.
Biker was fatigued after the rough treat
men. For a few moments he had earned
his salary by being kicked around. No one
doubts but the bill would have parsed with
out the appearance of any serious objection
had any one of medium legislative ability
been in charge, or had any one not spotted
by all. the members as belonging to a gang
of monstrosities been in charge. As ex
pressed by some of the members, the aff air
simply shows plainly how utterly and inex
cusably absurd it is for a district to send a
man to congress who is neither a democrat
nor a republican, and especially when the
man himself is an object of pity to those
who are kind, and a sure victim among
men who insist a man ought to know his
plaoe in life. Through the weakness of
Biker, Fort Hays reservation loses a sol
diers' home, and Kansas a location for an
institution that is needed.
The Congressional Record is sup
posed to report the proceedings as
they occur verbatim et literatim, and
a comparison of the Record's report
of this proceeding with that of the
Journal will show just how mifch re
liance is to be placed upon anything
which comes through the latter
source. It will also show another
thing. It will show that the Journal,
which pretends to have such a deep
and abiding affection for the old sol
dier, instead of sustaining and sup
porting a man who is endeavoring to
do something in behalf of the soldiers
of our state, endeavors to cast re
proach upon him, and prejudice
people against him, not because of
anything he has done, but simply be
cause he is not a republican. This is
the Journals idea of fairness and
honesty, and a manifestation of its
highest conception of journalism, and
the people continue to pay for such
rot. The following is from the Con
gressional Record of December 8:
Mr. Baker: Mr. Speaker, this bill pro
poses that the congress of the United States
shall grant to the state of Kansas a body of
land whioh was formerly used for militry
purposes, but the military use of whioh was
abandoned in 1887. The land is at Fort
Hays, Kas. The object in asking for this
grant is to provide a cottage home for old
soldiers and their families. At the close of
the war, as is well known, many of the old
soldiers sought homes on the new and un
occupied lands of the west. Unfortunately,
hundreds of those old soldiers have been
dispossessed of their homes, and are to day
without homes or shelter for themselves or
their family. This traot of land contains
7,600 acres. We have asked oongrees to set
aside a certain portion of it for a cottage
home for the old soldiers and their families;
the balance of it to be leased in forty and
eighty acre traots for the benefit of the
cottage home. The object ef the bill is two
fold, first o provide for old soldiers who
are to-day without homes, and secondly to
reduce, as far as may be possible, the ex
penses incident to the support of suoh of
them as have baoome a publio charge.
Mr. Cox of Tennessee: What is the value
of this land at this time?
Mr. Biker: There has b?en no estimate
placed upon it so far as I know. I presume
it wouid be valued at from $5 to $15 an
aore. That whioh is close to the oity prob
ably would be w jrth $15 per aore.
Mr. Cox of Tennessee: Wnat are the
buildings worth?
Mr. B iter: The buildings were appraised
at$i0,000.
Mr. Cox of Tennessee; And there are
7.600 acres in the traot.
Mr. Btkar: Savon thousand six hundred
acres Tat sAua passe I a b ll oouvying
2,400 awes for this purpose, but my bill in
clude tht whole military reservation, to be
used for the purposes I hive seated.
Mr. Ojtnaite: rhereisa national home
in che state of Kinsas for disabled volun
teers, is taore not?
Mr. B tker: There is; but it does not pro
vide for the families of the soldiers.
Mr. Livingston: These soldiers are on
the pension roll, are they no-?
Mr. Biker: 8ome are and some are not.
Unfortunately a great many of them have
not oome under the pension law; most of
them, indeed, are of that class to day.
Mr- Bjatner: Is thin land wanted for
purposes of oultivaton?
Mr. Baker: I can hardly answer that
question, for there are many million acres
in our ftate that are not under cultivation
at this time.
Mr. Andrew: Does this bill contemplate
that the wires and children of veterans shall
oooupy this home?
Mr. B iker : That is the purpose that the
wives and children, so far a necessary, may
receive relief in thia way. We think that
the burden of taxation, not only of the
people of Kansas but the national govern
ment, will in this way be relieved.
Mr. Outhwaite: I would like to ask the
gentleman whether he knows of any other
ataie of the union that has received aa large