The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1877-01-18

EDUCATION OF the greatest practical
value i'll the profession of teaching.
Instruction in the art of teaching is |
the admitted purpose OF these schools.
Let them be held to fulfillment of
such obligation.
UNIVERSITY AND AGRICULTURAL COL
LEGE.
The University and Agricultural
College are each giving promise of ac-
com ,llishlng that which will give re-
nown to the State, if sustained by
wise and prudent aid and sympathy.
They represent the whole round of
professional and technical education,
and so long as this class of training is
held TO be legitimate tax upon the
public, ct is your duty TO do all that
is needful TO perpetuate and perfect
them.
THE DEATH PENALTY.
The act approved March 2, 1872
which is the existing law governing
the punishment of capital offenses,
| seems to have been the elimination of
an effort to abolish the death penalty
without seeming 10 do SO. That ii
DIVIDED sentiment exists as to the
right, as well as TO the expedicncv of
this form Of punishment, is well I'M
| derstood, aud deem it your duty to
clearly express the sentiment Of the
people in an amendment TO existing
| acts, by abolishing the death penalty,
or restoring it as Il mandate OF law,
| subject only 10 the conditions of the
pardoning power. 1t may be wise to
invest the Executive with the power
| n % Gppth usa
ii TO imprisonment.
CORPORATIONS.
There is, whether Just or not.
widespread feeling OF dissatisfaction
| with the railroad corporations of the
state, on account of alleged unfuiiiiled
obligations OH their part. 1t is claimed
| that these corporations received val
liable franchise privileges, most of
them sharing III the division of half
million acres of State Internal I'm
provement lands, and receiving large
contributions of local aid upon their
lines i'll county, township and city
bonds. that these valuable rights and
| franchises were bestowed Oh condi-
ton, and in consideration, on the part
of the state and people, that colnpa-
| bitS 81 tuil tCltu anu SDVuli
build upon the lines and operate their
i roads. in good faith, between the ter
minal points named in their rcspec-
tive charters. BY such construction
and operation of these railways, it is
claimed, the State has to get its re-
turn for the various and valuable CON
siderations given therefor, in more
rapid settlement by immigration and
a building up of towns and cities to
be rich commercial centers within the
| borders of the State.
Some of these companies, it is as
serted, have not built upon their lines,
nor caused their roads to connect and
be operated between and to the points
! stipulated. Others have complied by
building upon their chartered lines,
but haue evaded the essence of their
obligations by the construction or
leasing of ostensible branches and
then making such branches the mali.
lines OF operation, to the cost and loss
OF the State, and the localities giving
aid for the original line. Also, that
these roads are owned by aud man
aged in the interest of non-residents,
discriminating against the State by
important adjuucts of their roads
beyond the borders of the State, great
y to the detriment of its people i'll the
loss of prestige, taxable property and
general property.
This public sentiment found express
sion in IAN act to define the duties of
corporations, chapter three, special
session laws of 1875, proAiding that
the general Offices of such companies
be kept and maintained within the
State, and providing further, that a
failure or refusal on the part of any of
said companies to comply with the
provisions of this act for period of
six months, should work forfeiture
of charter to companies failing or re-
fu>ing compliance.
This law, like too many others, has
remained dead letter for the want of
public sentiment, or proper officers to
secure its enforcement. 1t should be
repealed by you, or so amended as TO
provide adequate means for testing its
disputed validity. Laws of this ma
ture will never be enforced SO long as
prosecutions under it are LETT to local /
officers and county cost. Nothing |
could be more unfortunate than to an
tagonize the State and these corpora
tons by raising unjust and untenable |
issues with them. Their interests are |
closely interviewer with those of the |
State, each depending substantially |
upon the same elements for prosperity. |
Each railroad company Is an immigra-
ton agency, doing State work of
Unreasonable value for US as we'll as |
8. L. Il Il 81
represents SIC, 1877 ,511.7S of the taxable |
property, aud pays one-eighth OF the |
taxes of the State. Their present |
owners in many instances are not the |
men who were guilty of the misrepre-
sentation incident to the procurement
of much of the local aid bonds which
now so burden the communities issu-
ing them. In fact, these local bonds
never formed an important part of the
construction fund of the roads. They
went into the pockets eff the franchise
brokerf, attorneys and others who
never had other interest in the roads
or the State than that represented by
their share III these bonds, and some
of these are now foremost Ill telling
the people how they have been swim
died and ruined by these soulcss COR
porations. In order to settle all con-
trovertcd points now in dispute as to
the chartered obligations OF these cor
porations, | urge the passage of
law which shall clearly and fully en-
body demand upon these companies
for recognition of the obligations
held by You to be due from them to
the State, with adequate provision for
its enforcement by the State authori-
ties. This adjudication should be as
people, settling, as it will, relations
that should not be disturbed by vital
or prolonged differences.
IMMIGRATION.
The subject of immigration is one
of more vital consequence TO your
State than any, if not all others. Up
on immigration we must look for re-
lief from the heavy taxation assumed
in building railroads, State, county {
and municipal buildings, and educa-
iiona appliances, equal to popula-
ton many times as large as the one
we have. 1t is the wealth we are to
receive in taxable property brought
here by immigration, and not to wealth
10 be earned here, that we must look
20 for rapid reduction of the rate of
taxation and lessening of all public {
burdens. ,
The property gain of immigration,
however, is not its main nor its most :
important feature. The chief element
If progress and power in State is
men aud the measure of character !
possessed by the men brought here by d