The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1877-01-20


-. without Discussing he merits Of the ques-
ton Ut fseue, am compelled to say that it il NO
part Of the duty Of an officer to apologize for .
law be has Voluntarily sworn 70 execute. much
less to denounoe il as s'bl,t upon our statute
book. and refuse to enforce i6 plain mandates.
Such disrespect for law and disregard of Official
obligations, impairs the dignity and integrity Of
ing the merits Of law 10 Is rigid enforcement
by executive Officers.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Tbs school population of the State, a. shown
by the report Of your state superintendent OF
sr soDn on ons hoo . o - @ IN
age attendance. The disparity between the
number enrolled and the number in attendance
10 readily accounted for by reasons other than
young. The enrolment embraces all from the
age Of 8 to 81 years. The necessities Of parents
and children force abandonment Of the school
house for the field and Workshop at an average
age OF not more than is years.
The esteem in which public schools are held ie
shown in the fact that sSs pupils only are found
enrolled in private schools. Total number Of
zoe; female, s, ia; total, 5.576. Average wages
paid teachers per month-male, 1sS.66; female,
15.ts. 1t 10 safe 70 say that the talent engaged
is equal to The pay recsvsd and that the order
pensation. The school property Of the State Is
valued at - 800 49, consisting Of ,SSl school
houses (ofwiich ls5 have been built the current
year ,s value, s4.ls1: s4s; school furniture it
braries, S9, 94; volumes, 9,6H.
The magnitude of financial transactions will
be appreciated on examination Of the following
Receipts. -Balance In district treasures,
42l4 49, am unit received for teachers wages,
35A, 7hs.6s; amount received from contingent
school fund. Ssl .30s. 10; amount received from
State school fund. "a, 773.T; amount received
from site and building fund, 81 1856; amount
received from library fund, u, 1877. IS; amount
received from other sources, $sl .7S4.7l; total .
Expenditures Amount paid for teachers
amount paid to supsTas end
for rents, fuel and incidentals. sos Sis. 81 ;
amount paid for text books. 81. 10; amount
paid for library, $?,342.ss; amount paid for
for sites, buildings ana furniture, iss. s7d.ss;
totsl, 81. l8s .8;s s0-leavng Q balance in the
hands Of district treasurers, July 81, 1875, Of
e2l3, 592.61.
NORMAL SCHOOLS.
No reports have come to hand Of these institu-
tons, and nothing can be said OF their condition
more than that the preceding Legislature refused
to make the necessary appropriation fer their
continuance after the close of the last school
year.
esteem this subject one of paramount i'm.
pOrtance in connection with your public school
system. The training of teachers is to common
schools. what seed time is to harvest. You can
not reap where you have not sOwn.
Adequate appropriations should be made to re
vive these schools, but 30 guarded as to make il
impossible for them to be dwarfed into primary
schools on the one hand or into classical institg-
students as have already the necessary education
for teaching. who should there receive the train
ing necessary 70 make such education of the
greatest practical value in the profession Of
teaching instruction in the art of teaching is the
admitted purpose Of these schools. Let them be
held 70 fulfllment Of such obligation.
UNIVERSITY AND AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.
The University and Agricultural College are
each giving promise of accomplishing that which
will give ren0wn to this State. If sustained by
the Of
meal education and so long this class of train
ing is held to be legitimate tax upon the public.
it is your duty to do all that is needful to perpet
uate and perfect them.
INSURANCE DEPARTMENT.
The Superintendent of Insurance furnisbes a
supplemental report covering the period from
December 81, 1916, containing an exhibit of the
business of his Office for the calendar year end
ing at that date. Your attention is called to its
statements and recommendations.
This department was organized in the interest
and at the instance Of the insurers and is there
fore, rightfully sustained at the cost of the in
eurdnCe companies. lndomuC0, however, as the
expense Of the Office must ultimately come from
the golfers of the insured, in the forms Of premi-
ums, it is but just that it be governed by the
strict rules Of economy, and tax be laid on the
sary current expenses. / am unable to see any
demand in The duties Of this Office for higher
order OF talent, or more thorough business
training. to qualify its superintendents. than is
required in the important Office Of Auditor and
Secretary Of State; nor do 1 recognize the pro-
priety of his compensation being made larger by
you because it is paid by companies instead of
salary of that oficer accordingly.
(G0v. Anthony expresses his opinion that, un-
der the existing law, this department is o; but
little value to the State He thinks that oser in
surGnce is the canse of much willful destruction
of property. and suggests the passage Of law I.
which shall compel every fire insurance company
doing business in this State to make it q plain
than IS per cent. Of the proved loss Of property
under il shall be paid.
RIvIsIoNs OF STATUTES.
1868. That revision il out Of type, and the pub
lished edition of it is substantially exhausted, as
will be seen BY reference to the report OF your
Secretary Of Slate. Since that publication laws
them repeating portions Of the General Statutes.
and others inconsistent with portions thereof.
until TO get knowledge Of the law. a. it exists,
statutes and Of the eight Volumes Of Session Laws
enacted since. It Is not strange that diverging
and homogeneous laws should have found their
way into your system OF statutes rendering their
present condition the reverse Of legislative wis
dom. which would write all laws in terms 30
clear that to read would be to understand.
To meet an imperative demand, yeu should
revision Of existing statutes. recommend the
latter as the most valuable and economical. 49,.
believe it both wisdom and economy to provide
. commission to revise. or codify, the laws, as
loHn hnot
for the two years delay incident to the work, its
adoption and publication.
STATE ARMS. -
BY an act of Congress passed July 3, 1876,
the Secretary Of War was authorized to Issue to
certain Western States therein named, of which
Kansas WAS one, one thousand stand of arms
the States receiving than, but the Governors Of
sach States were required to execute Q bond to
the General Govern emit conditioned that such
arms should be returned at any time when re-
CURED. There was NO law authorizing the
Governor Of Kansas to execute bond as re-
Quired by this act Of Congress. The Secretary
of War. however, commented to turn the arms
Osborn, and his assurance that he would en-
deavor to have the Legislature ratify his action.
The arms are now in possession of the State, and
it is due 70 the late Ioyernsr that prompt ac-
ton be had by you. II. in the Judgment Of the
Legislature, the arms should be retained. an act
should be passed ratifying the action Of the Gov
ernnor in receivtng them and giving bond
Without such action shall feel it my
duty TO cause the return of the arms and the can
collation. Of his bond. -
THE DEATH PENALTY.
The act approved March 2, 1872. which is the
existing law governing tbs punishment of capital
ofenses, seems to have been the elimination of
IN effort TO abolish the death penalty without
seeming to do 80. That divided sentiment ex-
lists as to the right, well as to the expediency
of this form Of punishment, 10 well understood,
and deem it your duty 10 clearly express the
sentiment Of the people in an amendment to ex-
listing acts, by abolishing the death penalty, or
it as a mandate Of law, subject only to
conditions Of the pardoning power. 1t may be
wise to invest the Executive with the power to
Itay . death sentence, or con mute it TO imprson-
ment, on evidence In mitigation ELECTED subse.
1uent to trial and conviction; but to allow him to
order men hung, whose intended and expected
punishment was imprisonment for life, is too