Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1885-01-16

! VIII recommend the repeal OF thaC pOr-
ton Of the assessors law which re-
quires assessors 10 make basis or rate
per cent. Of valuation and compel the
assessment Of property at its true value
in cash. In this connection he will rec
ommend that rigid limit of tax levy
law be enacted. A law of this kind. he
will contend, will tend largely to a de-
crease Of taXes. Now four and a half
mills would the thinks) then be not
more than two mills, and the rate of
city taxes will be reduced fully one
third.
ROADS.
The governor in his present message
will discuss our present road system at
some length. He considered our work
ing out system" delusion and fraud.
1t takes farmers from their homes and
farms where they can render good
service to work upon roads at work they
know nothing about. The governor
will recommend that our road districts
be wiped out and system be instituted
that will work out more lasting and
practical results. To this end he will
fully indorse the Connecticut plan,
which is Of sufficient Importance to be
summarized here for the consideration
OF the legislatures now In session, whose
states de not have the same OF q better
system of road Improvement.
l. The voters Of the township elect
one road commissioner for the entire
township.
2. The commissioner Classics all
roads as follows. First class-The
main roads. Second class-Roads Of
less travel. Third class-Cross roads
or those Of very little travel.
3. The commissioners then subdivide
each class into sections or districts Of
from one-fourth to two miles in length.
These are all publicly described and
numbered.
The same officer then appoints a day
which he would receive bids at auction,
by districts or sections, to keep the
same in repair for number of years
not less than three. Some standard as
TO what would be required upon the
different class Of roads publicly an
nounced. In case there were no bids
upon any section, as they are deemed
too high, the commissioners are author
lied to adjourn the letting of such, or
TO employ such means rs he sees at to
keep the road in suitable condition.
Contracts with bonds are then entered
into by the parties.
A road inspector residing out of the
township Is appointed. His duty Is to
travel In company with the commission
or, over the road twice q year. II the
the roads are in suitable condition the
inspector so certihes. and then the con-
tractor receives the amount due him.
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
The governor will favor a constitu-
tional convention. True the conyen-
ton that nominated him declared
against convention, but there has
been great change In the public senti-
ment OF the state since then. The
nominating convention was composed
or an unusual number OF cranks and
compromisers and the legislature. fresh
from the people, demand a convention
and Gov. Martin will not feel at liberty
70 antagonize that sentiment. As tn
prohibition, it was never popular with
theleaders. Ingalls, and the entire con-
gressional delegation, except Plumb
are pronounced against prohibition.
They all want to get rid of 1t. The
democrats dare not oppose the consti-
tutional convention, for they won the
only battle they ever won in the state
by antagonizing prohibition. The
leading republican papers Of the state.
the Topeka Commonwealth. Lesyen-
worth Times and Wichita Eagle. all IA
vor constitutional convention for the
purpose Of Eetting rid of prohibition.
RAILROADS.
On the subject Of railway Legislation
Gov. Martin win recommend that the
existing statute remain. He win cite
the tact that the railway commission do
not AJAX for any enlargement Of their
powers, and that the relation now ex-
isting between the roads ana the peo-
pie ana satisfactory and harmonious.
This, however, VIII MOI prevent an All
tation BY the legislature and the strug-