Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1886-02-04

1899. $4,000 25,oO0 I5s00
Total $500. s574, 500 ssls 200 SSH, 500
The SIT. coo of bonds maturing in 1856, and
| the sl5,5Go maturing in 1887, are provided fol
| by tax leyies already made. leaving only
| SSl5,j09 unprOvided for. or these. only SI65.
eco, all held by State funds, mature prior t.
| 1896
| In view OF the fact that the bonded debt q
| the State, unprcvided for, aggregates OnlS
| $4,000 md that only f250,000 OF this amOu NJ
| IS held 10y individuals and corporations,
do not believe that it is wise or just to i'm
pose upon the present generation of taxpay-
| ers the burden Of paying our outstanding
| bonds on their maturity. This generation 10
necessary to erect all our public build
! ings, which will survive for centuries
| to come; we can readily refund all
nio new Sonds they .
| at not to exceed 81. or 4 per cent: and it
| seems to me that it is neither wise nor just
| to compel the taxpayers of the present TO
assume, in addit on to their other burdens,
| that Of providing a sinking fund for the Ell :
| tinguishment of our State debt. We might
! take pride in saving that the State has no
| able to say that the taxes are not oppressive
| or burdensome to the people. The present
| is paying for public buildings the future will
| occupy, and the future should provide f)r
the outstanding bonds as they mature.
In this connection it is proper to direct yOnr
! attention to the fact that the public revenue
which will be raised under the reduced tax
levies made last winter,will, Notwithstanding
the increasing valuation of the property of
the State. be very largely absorbed Ivy the
appropriations made at the same time for.cur-
rent expenses and public buildings. The de-
mand for rgid economy at this session is,
therefore, imperativ We. The tax levics A.
ready made for the fiscal years ending June
30, 1885, and June Sc, 1887, can not be, and
ought not to be increased. Hence the ex-
penditures directed at this session should be
limited to the absolute requirements Of pub
lie necessity.
INSURANCE MATTERS.
The laws enacted at your first session coA.
corning mutual fire insurance companies
took effect at a very recent date, and it Is too
their practical results. The law regulating
mutual life or assessment companies has had
the effect, the Superintendent Of Insurance
reports, of driving from the State number
of worthless organizations, managed by
men whose sole object was to defraud the
public.
discriminate against and thus prevent this
organization OF fire insurance cOmpH
MES organized in Kansas and managed
by our own citizens. An immense sur
year in the form of premiums on fire insur-
ance policies and if laws can be devised
which, while guaranteeing the prompt and
certain payment OF losses. will at the same
time encourage and promote the organize
ton OF Kansas insurance companies, the le-
suit would be of public beneft.
BOARD DE RAlLROAD COMMISSIONERS.
The report of the Board of Railroad Com
missioners embraces full and valuable state
ments and statistics concerning the trans
portation business of the State. The trafiin
returns of the different railway companies
show very large increase in the volume of
freight handled, az well as in the number Of
passengers carried. The total tonnage
year ended june 80, 1885, exceeded
that of the previous year 1O6,G69,-
saa tons, while the freight earnings for the
crease compared with the year 1884, of 81.
13l, 763 The saving 10 the people OF the State
by the reductions III freight rates, secured
chiefly by the Board OF Railroad Commission.
ers, aggregates for the fiscal year ended
June 30, 1885, over 81, Co., 600. The suggestions
and recommendations embodied in the re.
port of the Commissioners are worthy Of
your cOnsiderate attention.
TEMPERANCE LEGISLATION.
The general working of the amended pro-
hibitory law OF last winter has been favor.
disappearing. and the general and popular
feeling is positively and decidedly in favor Of
obedience to the Constitution as amended.
Not only the supreme Court, but all the
Judges of the District Courts of the State
and tho Judge of the United States Court for
this circuit are in favor of allowing the peo-
pie of Kansas to regulate their own domestic
AFFAIRS in their own way. Thus all agencies
have worked together during the year in be-
half OF law, order and practical temperance,
and Kansas has made greater moral prog
eventfu and noble history. On January 1,
1885, saloons were open in twenty or
thirty towns and cities of the State. year
later the open saloon had been banished
from every town and city of Kansas, with
possibly two exceptions. and in these active
and determined legal efforts for its suppress
sion have been instituted.
There are some defects in the new law.
The fees for Probate Judges for the duties
they are called upon to perform should DO
specifically defined, and the power conferred
licenses to druggists, should be subject to
review. by the District Judges: The
authority as now vested in Probate
may be abused, to the ' detrm snt
of the public or of individual citizens. But
the general and practical effect OF the new
law has been so favorable, and the result
aimed at has been so nearly accomplished.
that it would, in my Judgment, be unwise to
make any general or radical changes in its
provisions.
THE Governor refers to the reports of the
several State institutions and gives some
statistics. OF the SCI prisoners confined in
the pententiary on December 81 last, 800
we're serving terms of imprisonment for
their first offense and 65l were under thirty |
years of age. OF these l9l were from sixteen |
to twenty years of age: ga were from twenty |
thirty years of age. Very nearly: three |
fourths of all the convicts in the State Peni- |
it will thus be seen. are under thirty
years Of age. and more than one.half of them
that authority of law be given to transfer to |
the new reformatory, as soon work upon |
it is far enough advanced, two or three hun |
dred of the best disposed among the younger |
prisoners now confined in the penitentiary |
under sentences for the milder types of |
crime In providing home for SOL
dierS' orphans the Governor says: |
Kansas has engaged in work that |
will commend itself Her bounty could |
be extended to no more deserving class; her |
beneficence could find no nobler scope for |
the exercise of its generous impulses. than |
will be effected by the establishment and |
of home for the orphan and |
destitute children of the State. The
growth of Kansas is re-
viewed, also the organization and equipment |
Df the Kansas National Guard, which is COM
posed of excellent material and many OF |
whose officers are experienced soldiers.]
CONCLUSION.
In conclusion, desire to express my APP
probation of the uniform promptness and |
with which my associates in the
various departments OF the State Govern
ment have responded to every request made /
FOR information or advice that would aid
me in the discharge Of my dutfes.,
JOHN A. MARTIN.
Executive Once Tonaka Kan JsunarS n |