Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-01-16

DECIMAL CENSUS.
| BY the terms of the constitution, the third
def ennial enumeration Of the inhabitants of
the state must be taken during the present
| year. The first state census was taken under
chapter 20 Of the session laws of 1866, which
act was afterwards republished as chapter II
of the general statutes of 4768. But it was
repealed by chapter 81 of the session laws
OF 1875, Gan act supplemental to chapter
1877, Of the session laws of 1873, relating to
the collection of Statistics" etc. The CEN
sus of 1875 was taken under the two last
named acts. Section of the supplemental
act of 1875 was amended by chapter 1872 of
the session laws of 1877, and this is the only
change made in it since the census Of 1875
was taken. Chapter 109 of the session of
laws of 1858, however, provides for the BIZ
ennial enrolment Of the soldiers of the late
war, their widows and orphans. venture
the suggestion that these several acts, COM
mencing with that of 1874, are inadequate
in their provisions for a regular decennisl
census, which ought to follow, as nearly as
may be, the forms used in the federal census,
so that the comparisons may be made with
it, thus giving the benefit ola complete CEN
sus, every five years. Your attention is res
pectfully invited to this subject, and to the
necessity of an appropriation for the ex-
penses OF such system us in your wisdom,
you shall make provis on for.
LEGISLATIVE ApPoRTIoNMENT.
Section 2, article X, of the constitution,
requires reapportiorment of the state in
1886, based on the census of the preceding
year. But under the amend -nents to our
organic law providing for biennial sessions
of the legislature, no regular session will be
held in 1886, and this requirement of the
constitution can be complied with only
through the agency OF a special session
This is one of the anomalies of our organic
law growing out of its frequent amendment
and the difficulty of adjusting these amend
ments to all sections of an originally con
sistent instrument. You may, perhaps, be
able to devise some measure BY means Of
which the necessity of an extra session in
1886 may be avoided.
ENROLMENT OF SOLDIERS.
The legislature of 1883 provided for bi.
ennial enrolment of the soldiers of the late
war, their widows and orphans, now resi-.
dents of this state. This enrolment wa,
hastily, and, in counties, very imperfectly
made by the township assessors, and the
lists returned by them were consolidated BY
. the county clerks and forwarded to the adj
jutant general. Nothing, believe, has sine,
T been done with them.
The purpose of this enrolment was to Sc
cure complete record, by states, regiment
) and companies, of the postoffice address o
/ all union soldiers of the late war residing il
; Kansas to the end that they, and the surviv
ing soldiers in other states, might, on appli
cation to the adjutant general, ascertain tn,
address of comrades who could furnish evi
dence necessary to establish pension anC
other claims growing out of service IL tn,
union army. Several hundred thousand
r pension claims are now held in the pension
| office at Washington, awaiting proofs tina
, might be furnished if the applicants coulC
learn the postoffice address of survivin.
, comrades. Every regiment of the unior
army, and probably every company, is rep
: resented in the population of Kansas, and i
the work begun in 1885 was perfected, tn
, just claims of thousands OF our own citizen
) as well as thousands of faithful soldiers scat
, tered all over the country, might be estab
2 lshed. i sincerely trust You will adop
, measures for perfecting the enrolment mad
in 1883, and for Systematically recording til,
names thus ascertained, so that the adiutan
general can furnish to any applicant th
postoffice address of any soldier of the unioi
residing in kans.s.
; OUR EASTERN BOUNDARY LINE.
! Our eastern border is defined in the organic
act, the act of admission, and in our stat
constitution, as the western boundary of tn,
state of Missouri The location of that lin,
from the mouth of the Kansas river to th,
north line OF the state. is not definitely I'm
{ derstood by our people nor by the inhabi
/ tants of Missouri. BY the treaties between
: the United States and thu Sacs and Foxes
! the act of congress of June It'll, 1886 anC
the executive proclamation of March 2sth
, 1887, it appears that the platte purchase
extended only to the Missouri river, and EN-
| braced only the territory lying between tina
river and the original western boundary o
) the state of Missouri. Under the generally
accepted rules of construction, our eastern
. line therefore extends to the left, or eastern
bank of the Missouri river, and at low wate
, that stream lies wholly within this state. Or
account of the rightfui taxation of the sew
} eral great bridges which span the river tn,
jurisdiction of tine courts the service of civi
and criminal process, on the river and OF
the bridges spanning it, the sovereignty
over islands, and for other reasons that viii
suggest themselves it is important that th
J line be definitely settled and generally un
derstood, at as early day as practicable.
recommend the reference Of the question
to the attorney general for the suggestion o.
such action as shall be thought proper.
THE AMENDMENT OF 1880.
At the general election in 1880 the peopl,
of this state, acting in their sovereign capaci
ty, accepted an amendment to the constitu
ton prohibiting the manufacture and sale o.
intoxicating liquors, except for medical
chemical and scientific purposes. The legis-
lature of 1881 enacted law to enforce this
constitutional provision.
1t is the duty of the executive to carry on,
the will Of the people expressed in the laws
given him by the representatives Of the peo-
pie. Upon you, gentlemen of the legisla-
lature, devolves the duty of making the
desires of the people effective. Keeping in
mind the provision OF the constitution, it is
in your power, it is your right, to amend the
present law or to repeal it and make another.
No statute ever framed was perfect. Law is
a subject of constant revision. If the pres
ent law does not accomplish the results de-
sired and expected, you are acquainted with
the reasons, and it is your duty TO so amen
it as to make it what the people, by their
votes. have said they wish it to be. The
questions involved are not partisan ques-
tons, and should not be treated as such.
The law enacted to give vitality to the pro-
hibiton amendment should be like those for
the enforcement of any other provisions of
our constitution, as brief, simple and direct
as possible. As rule laws are effective Just
| in proportion as they are simple and direct.
With the experience of the past to guide
YOU, YOU should be able to frame an act that
will avoid the faults and supply the defc-
iencies of the existing statute.
| would suggest that those provisions of
the present law relating to physicians and
druggists do not seem to be in harmony
with the purpose OF the constitutional
amendment ITSELF as they impose unreason-
able and obnoxious restrictions on the man
ufacture and sale of liquors for the very
purposes recognized by the amendment as
legitimate. The people of the state, in
adopting the amendment of 1880, did not,
in my judgment, intend to annoy or en-
barrass the members of an honored and
honorable profession, nor those engaged in a
reputable business, with vexatious restric-
tions, bonds, oaths, and forms. To repeal
these provisions would strengthen, not
weaken, the law, and preserve still its pur-
pose.
TIE PUBLIC HEALTH.
A letter from the national board of health
advises me that the presence of Asiastic
cholera, i'll epidemic for, in Europe, is con-
slant menace to to the people of this coun-
try; that this dread disease has pressed
steadily westward during the past two years;
and that grave apprehensions are entertained
Of its appearance in this country. 1t is,
therefore, urged by the national board that
the legislatures of tine several states adopt
measures whereby the most thorough sani-
tary service, state and local, may be imme-
diately organized.
The Kansas State Medical society will
present memorial asking the passage Of an
act for the organization of a state board of
health. Such body, properly organized,
might be of important service, especially in
the event of the appearance Of cholera. !
Tho preservation and improvement of the !
public health is, however, at all times a mat
ter of grave concern, and suggestions haying |
such a purpose in view should receive your |
considerate attention.
THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCE.
This is a useful organization, maintained |
at no expense to the state except the courtesy /
Of having its report published as part of
the biennial report Of the state board of ag-
riculture.
The society will present, for your consid-
Grafton and action, the question of providing
for thorough geological survey Of the state.
1t is urged that, IN view of the rapid settle
ment of Kansas, this WORK is necessity; that