The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-01-28

| ness anu prosperity dilKe oil employers ana
| employed, that American workingmen shall
/ be enabled to submit their grievances. real
| or fame. led, to the decision of an intelligent
| and impartial tribunal. which will carefully
| Investigate the facts and pronounce judg-
| ment.
This is especially true OF disputes arising
| between railroad and other great corpora
! tons and their armies of employees. And il
Seems to me that the State winch interposes
| its undOubted authOrityto regulate freights
! and fares, 10 locate depots. switches and side
| tracks, and to compel corporations to pro-
| vide adequate safeguards for the protection
| of animals. has ample power 10 provide for
| the arbitration of differences between cor
| poratioBs and their employees, where such
differences NAV not only disturb the peace
Of the State and interrupt its commerce. but
affect the well being and happiness Of thou.
sands Of its citizens.
[The 3Jtb OF May is recommended TO be de-
clared legal holiday. The outbreak Of
pleuro pneumonia and hog cholera is review
ed and the attention of the Legislature called
to the subject
THE STATE MILITIA.
Application has been made for the enroll
ment of companies OF coiored citizens ss q
portion OF the militia OF the State. But sec
ton of article VII of the Constitution pro-
vides that The militia shall he composed of
able bodied white male citizens" This imi-
tation - not IN accordance with the spirit
and genius OF our institutions and should lie
stricken from our organic law. During the
war OF the rebellion cOlored men demon
stratcd their patriotism. courage and endur-
ance on dozens OF desperate battle fields.
They possess and exercise all other prIYi-
leges OF citizenship. BY their votes they as
sist in making our laws, and it should not be
their right alone. but their duty 10 bear arms
in any emergency calling for military force
to- vindicate the supremacy of law and the
integrity or popular government. At pres
ent the colored citizens OF this State are
really privileged class, endowed with the
sovereignty of voters, but exempt from the
responsibility resting on all other able bodied
voters TO sustain AT any peril the constituted
authority and laws OF the land.
GENERAL LEGISLATION DESIRED.
These are subjects demanding immediate
legislative action, for the consideration of
which ! have convened your honorable body
in special session. Perhaps the interests OF
many communities demand the enactment,
at this time, of laws having a local scope;
and it may be that practical experience has
suggested needed changes in, or modtca-
tiOns of few general laws But. in my
Judgment, the interests of the State do not
demand, and public sentiment will not APP
prove, many changes in our statutory laws
at this session. in adopting the constitu-
tioual amendment for biennial meetings of
the Legislature, the people of Kansas gave
emphatic expression to their preference for
greater permanence and stability in stat
in the laws not only confuse the
public mind, but inspire a lack of
spect for law. And this is especially true
when such changes affect the general course
Of procedure in courts. or establish new prin-
cipleS or methods which necessarily have to
be settled by line of iudicia interpretations
and decisions. Pending these, uncertainty
is created, the administration of justice is
delayed and public sentiment is demoraliZed.
The American people are law respecting and
law -ObeYing. and when the courts have fully
ana fairly defined the directions and limIta-
tons of any law, and the methods of it's en-
forcement, they quickly adjust themselves 10
its requirements. But II laws are subject TO
frequent and whims cal notifications and
changes, the public understanding of their
policy and scope is confused and uncertain,
and public respect for their requirements is
YItf0tp1. therefore. recommends
tons to make looking TO the enact
menU or repeal of statutory laws.
| do not forget, however that you,
gentlemen OF the Legislature, are alone
charged with the duty OF making laws, and
that you alone must decide whether any real
necessity exists for general legislation at this
session. You come direct from the homes of
the people and should understand their
wishes. And. If you decide to engage in gen.
eral legislation at this session. | wish to re-
new the recommendations made in my first
message, touching municipal debt and taxa
ton, the assessment and equalization OF
property values, the State school lands, the
Secretary OF the State charitable institutions,
the St'puatiOnS and cond tons of insurance
policies, the revision and Qualifications of our
laws, capital punishment rates of interest
improvements by occupying claimants. and
the registry law. by observation and ex-
peTience since assuming the dut-e of the eX-
ecutive office have only confirmed and
strengthened the views have expressed on
these questions. none of which were made
the subject of legislative action at your Lass
session.
PRICE RAID AND OTHER CLAIMS.
The Price Raid Comm iSsion and the Com
mission relating to the invasion of Cuerillas
and maTauders' will submit for your consi1-
GRAFTON such reports as they are able to pre-
sent. l reiterate the opinion expressed in
my former message to your honorable body.
that the State is morally bound to make good
the amount of 81, S12 p, which, as trustee for
certain Price raid claimants, il received from
the United States in 1872, and which the then
State Treasurer paid to persons whose claims
were rejected by the United States Commits
sion
In this connection ! respectfully suggest to
the Legislature that it is net Just to deVOlye
upon the State officers or any number of them
the labor and rcspons ibility of auditing such
claims rs those growing out of the Price and
Quautri raids. I'm 1868 a joint committee OF
the Senate and House of Representatives ap-
pointed ~ investigate the action OF several
to audit the Price raid claims,
submitted report in which if was said:
No greater mistake could be made i'll the
judgment OF your committee, than to have
State officers compose this board of exam
liners. either I'm whole or in part. 1t would
be unjust to impose extra duties not re-
quired by law or expectancy, without pay,
and. II they are to be paid, other citizens can
better attend to the discharge of such diff.
cult labors without detriment to the public
service"
This opinion, expressed in 1868, has far
more weight at the present time. The popu- |
lstion of the State at that time did not ex- |
coed $4,000; il is now fully 100000 The |
labors of every department of the State |
Government have been increased fully four
fold, and the State officers can not possibly
find time for the proper discharge OF |
such delicate, laboriOus and responsIb BILE |
duties as are involved in the examination |
of claims of this character, aggregatng |
millions of dollars. To fairly and Justly |
audit class fy and support by proper eyi- |
dence such mass of claims as are now on |
fife. and to review and systematic the awards |
made by the numerous commissions of the |
past twenty years, would require months of |
patient, pa! EStaking work, involving q vast !
amount of clerical labor. And this work il is |
for the State officers. with due re- |
gard for their other duties, to properly per- |
form.
THE INDIAN TROUBLES REVIEWED.
About the middle of June last. very alarm
ing reports were widely published, in the
public press OF this and other States con-
corning the turbulent and threatening spirit |
by the Cheyenne Indians. whose
short distance south OF our southwestern
border. On June p 1 addressed q letter to
the Secretary OF War, calling his attention to
these reports, and requesting him to adopt
for protecting our borders against |
the possibility of an Indian raid. Dispatches
were at the same time sent to the General |
this military division, request
ing him to station an adequate cavalry force
II some point on the southern line of Kansas.
On July l, receiving a dispatch calling for
arms and ammunition, and stating that the
settlers in Southwestern Kansas were greatly |
alarmed, | again called the attention of |
he General commanding this military
ilNision 10 the reports rcce we'd. |
N response General Augur. under
late of July ., advised me that an |
ample force had been, or soon would be- con-
in the Territory. In reply urged
hat 50 long as the Cheyennes were well sup |
)lied with arms and ammunition they would |
continue TO be a standing menace to the
1eace and safety of the people of Southwest
,rn Kansas, and suggested that they be dis
armed.
Alarming reports continued to be received.
Ind on the evening of July the Sheriff of
lingman County tClegrsphed me that people
we're pouring into the town of kingmsn from
he western part of that county and from
Pratt County seeking safety from the Ind-
ms and that reliable parties from Pratt
county had brought reports from the south
o the effect that Indians had invaded the