The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-01-23

] the agents Of tho insured, and thus the per-
son insured Is made responsible for the acts
and conductor persons who are really the
| agents of tho insurance companies.
BY the terms of many of the policies of
| life insurance, II the premium is not paid the
! exact dag on which IL falls due the policy be-
comes void, although in fact the company
has money in its hands belonging to the
policy holder.
the wrongs and abuses which result. or are
| likely to result, on account of such
! conditions of these i'm fire and life insur-
ance policies. and it seems to me there can
/ sty of similar acts to protect the citizens OF
Kansas against such wrongs.
RAILROADS..
| The rapid growth of the railways of Kansas
| is a source alike of just pride and of grave
! public anxiety and apprehension. The vast
1 and general importance and usefulness of
I these great arteries of commerce, in promot-
| ing the development of the State, in at ord
| ing facilities for the safe and speedy trans
| por.aton of our products to market, ard in
| bringing to us the products of other sections.
can rot be oycrestirnated. But their power
! and influence over every commercial, indus
| trial and agricultural interest of the people.
is equally vast, and if not restricted and
! regulated by wholesome laws, may readily
/ be welded as an Instrument of wrong and
| eNtOrtiOn.
| The last Legislature enacted law the pur-
pose of which was to protect the people
against unjust acgressions by corporate
power ana 10 secure rGaSOnaUie ana equal
/ fare and freight rates. This legislation was
| largely experimental. Wisely, in my juGg-
! ment, the law-making power avoided hasty
commission to which should be entrusted
| the duty of investigating the management
and operation of our railways, hearing anu
| deciding complaints of unjust dlscrimina-
| tons or extortiOns, gathering information
| concerning the cost of transporting passen-
| gers and freight. and advising the Legisla-
| ture as to the regulations and laws best
= ~ IN tad for "A m
safe and equitable transportation service.
This law has. so far, worked well in prac-
| tice. 1t has promoted better understand
| ing ard more harmonious relations between
! the public and the railroads than has ever
| before prevailed. II has secured consider
| able reductions in fares and freight charges,
| greater carcfuncsS in railway management,
| a more speedy and equitable redress of
grievances and more considerate regard
on the part of railway managers for the
| rights of travellers and shippers. IL removes
| the responsibility and expense OF Il fight for
justice from the individual to the State. 1t
has, to some extent, deprived the railway cor
poratons of the arbitrary power they had
possessed and unsparingly exercised to dis
criminate between communities or individ-
uGls. And II has enlisted in the service of
State a body of men who have given to the
complicated and many-SidCd question of
railway transportation, careful investigation
| and study. SO that they are competent to
intclligently advise the law-making power.
The experience OF other States confirms the
opinion that the commissioner system. with
ample power vested in the commission,
preferable to any other method of dealing
with or regulating railways. In recent
speech in Congress an Ex-Governor OF Mas
Sachusetts stated that although the Railroad
Commissioners OF that State had conferred
upon them no power at all except TO investi-
gate and recommend. yet in no case had any
railway company dared to resist or failed to
comply with the mere recommendation of
the State Railroad Commission. "A corpo-
ration" he said, might be rs powerful rs
| an ancient Baron: IL might laugh at statutory
penalties: but it goes on its knees, it trCmbles
with terror, at entire exposure.
Such changes and notifications of the
present law as experience with its workings
may have shown to be necessary should be
made. In some respects, think, the author
ity * cOnierS on the commission should be
ampliicd and enlarged. But the general
scope and requirements of the law, the ever
watchful oversight and constant restraint IL
puts upon the corporations of the State
should be adhered to.
The source and sum of all unreasonable
and eXtortiOnate charges mnde by railways
for the services they perform is their
.'watcred stock" sO-called; III other words,
stock issued far in excess of the cost OF their
construction. Railway companies are justly
entitled to n reasonable remuneration for
the services they perform and to Il reaSona-
BILE interest on the capital legitimatcly in
vested in the building and operation OF their
lines. But they should not be permitted to
establish rates that will enable them to pay
large dividends or interest on stock or in
debtcdEeSs in amount double or three times
the cost of the construction of their roads.
Deriving their powers from the state. rail-
way corporations are responsible to the
state for the exercise of those powers, and il
is the plain duty of the law-making power to
protect the people against unreasonable, eS-
ccSsivc or cXtortiOnate transportation rates
The exhaustive report OF the State Board
of Railway Commissioners is recommended
to your cons dcratc attention. The suggest
ions and recommendations it elnbOdies are
derived from careful.practical and intelligent
investigation and study of the railway qucs-
ton i'll all its phases.
OFFICES or KANSAS CORPORATIONS.
The Legislature of 1873 enacted law re-
curing Kansas corporations to keep and
maintain their general Offices in the state.
But this act did not repeal an act passed in
$50. which authorizes any Kansas railway
corporation to consolidate with or to lease
its road to any railway company of IAN adj
i0;nining State" whose road forms n con-
Tected and continuous line. This act OF 1870
is in the interest of 'udioininS States rather
than Kansas. and should be repealed. While
il remains on the statute books. the act of
1873 cannot be given much practical force as
against railway companies. The last men
tened nct. Chapter ), special session OF lS.J,
has been for years 4 dead letter on our stat
ute books. Adequate means for enforcing It
should be provided, or it should be repealed
PUBLIC HIGHWAYS.
Our road laws need thorough revision. Bet
ter HIGHWAYS are necessary. and some sys-
ten should be devised under winch y VIII he
possible 20 Securc them. The present SyS-
tenn of making aud improving country roads
is not only wastefui and unjust in lis opera
' II,
system Of patching between rains. Ii en-.
ploys host OF officers. generally ineSpcri-
Cnced and careless. and often incompetent,
TO direct work that would be much moro in
tell:gcntIy and economically accomplished
under the direction OF one experienced ant
responsible officer. 1t calls farmers from
! work they understand. and in which they
have Il direct personal interest, and compels
them to engage III work they do not under
stand, and in which they have only Il COM
nunity interest. The provisions OF the road
| law allowing rN:u taxes hg worked out,
| and delinutIencss To be- reported and placed
on the fax roll of the succeeding year. are an
anomaly in our tax proceedings. III Il road
district should embrace AN entire municipal
| township and the road tax, collected in cash.
should be expended under competent super
vision. and the work done with Improved
machinery and appliances. the public would
| be far better served, and at less cost, than
under the present system.
BOARD OF AGRICULTURE.
Our State Board of Agriculture has, through
! its various publications achieved Il National
reputation and has been of incalcuiable ben
! eft to the State in making known its re-
! sources and productions. ITS, work. as au-
| thoriZed by law. II to collect, arrange and
| furnish for the public, general information
| concerning Kansas. The monthly. quarterly,
| annually and biennial reports of the Board,
1 relating to the resources products and ad-
vanta;cs of the State, are uneuualed by any
| similar publications in this country, and are
/ eagerly sought for, both far and near. In its
! efforts to promote the agricultural interests
! of the State, and encourage industrial and
| manufacturing enterprises within our Dor
ders. the Board and its officers have shown
| commendable activity and enterprise. L
| have no hesitation in saying that this Depart
! ment deserves q continuance of the liberal
| support heretofore extended to it by tae
| Legislature. 1t has probably contributed
more, in proportion 10 its cost, to the settle
ment, Development and material prosperity
Of the State, than any other agency.
OUR STOCK INTERESTS.
Earnest protests have reached me from
at GsEn n n a N fnr