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

y, Il
ness and prosperity alike of employers an,
| employed. that American workngmen shall
| be enabled to submit their grievances rea
| or fancied, to the decision Of an intellgen
| and impartial tribunal, which will CAREFUL!
| investigate the facts and pronounce judg
| mept.
This is especially true Of disputes arts n,
| between RAILROAD and other great corpora
lions and their armies Of employees. And i
seems to me that the State which interpose
its undoubted authority to regulate freight
and fares, to locate depots. switches and sid'
tracks. and to compel corporations to pro
vide adequate safeguards for the protection
OF animals, has ample power TO provide fol
the arbitration OF differences between cor
pOratiOns and their employees, where Suci
differences may rot only disturb the peace
OF the State and interrupt it's commerce, but
affect the well being and happiness of thou
sanhs of It's citiZcUs.
1.-THE Both OF May is recommended to be de
clared legal holiday. The outbreak oi
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 as Z
portion Of the militia or the State. But sec
ton l of article VIII of the Constitution pro
vides that 'the militia shall be composed OF
able bodied white male citiZens.' This lim.
tation is not in accordance with the spirit
aud genius OF our institutions and should be
stricken from our organic law. During the
war OF the rebellion cOlOred men demon
strated their patriotism. courage and endur-
ance on dozens OF desperate battle fields.
They possess and exercise all other Urivi-
leges OF citizenship. BY their votes they as
sist in making our laws, and it should not be
their right alone, but their duty to bear arms
in any emergency calling for military force
TO VlndIcate 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 Oh all other able bodied
voters to sustain at any peril the constituted
authority and laws Of The land.
GENERAL LEGISL ALTON 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 modifca-
tons of few general laws. But, in my
Judgment, the interests of the State do not
demand, and public sentiment will not ap-
prove, many changes in our statutory laws
at this session. in adopting the coustitu-
tioDal amendment for biennial meetings OF
the Leg stature. the people of Kansas gave
emphatic expression to their preference for
greater permanence and stability in stat
n0ry the aWs ot o psquen n ss"ns Ss
public mind, but inspire lack of re-
spect for law. And this is especially true
when such changes affect the general course
ciples or methods which necessarily have to
be settled by a line of judicial interpretations
and decisions. Pending these, uncertainty
rs created, the administration of justice is
delayed and publlc sentiment is dcmOraliZcd.
The American people are law respecting and
law-obeying. and when the courts have fully
and fairly defined the directions and limta-
tons OF any law, and the methods of its en-
forcement, they quickly djuSt themselves to
its requirements. But il laws are subject to
frequent and Whimsical notifications and
changes, the public understanding of their
policy and scope is confused and uncertain,
and public respect for their requirements is
vitatcd. Ihsve, therefore, no recommends
tons to make looking to the enact
ment 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 lon 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. l 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 institut ions
policies, the revision and Qualifications OF our
laws capital punishment. rates Of interest,
by occupying claimants. and
the registry law. by observation and ex-
perence since assuming the dut es of the ex-
ecutive office have only confirmed and
the views have expressed on
these questions, none of which were made
the subject of legislative action at your last
session.
PRICE RAID AID OTHER CLAIMS.
The Price Raid Commission and the Com
mission relating to the invasion of guerillas
and marauders'' will submit for your consiA-
Grafton such reports as they are able TO pre-
sent. l reiterate the opinion expressed in
my former message to your honorable BODY
n q 9 IL, IN oh
the amount of S2l ST. 2S, which, as trustee for
certain Price raid claimants, it received from
.he United States in 1872, and which tho then
State Treasurer paid to persons whose claims
we're rejected by the United States Commits
sion
In this connection respectfully suggest to
he Legislature that it is net just to devolve
Ipon the State officers or any number of them
he labor and responsibility of auditing such
;!aims rs those growing out of the Price and
luantril raids. In 1858 joint committee of
he Senate and House of Representatives. ap-
pointed 10 investigate the action of several
to audit the Price raid claims,
submitted report in which it was said:
mo greater mistake could be made in the
Judgment Of your committee, than to have
state officers compose this board of exam
ners, either in whole or in part. 1t would
De unjust to impose extra duties, not re-
Ihired by law or eXpediency, without pay,
md, il they are to be paid, other citizens can
,etter attend to the discharge of such diff
,uit labors without detrlment to the public
service"
This opinion, expressed in 1868, has far
more weight at the present time. The pOpu-
alton of the State at that time did not ex-
ICED 10000; it is now fully 1,350,0G0 The
have been increased fully four
old, and the State officers can not possibly
ind time for the proper discharge of
uch delicate, laborious and responsible
If claims of this character. aggregating
Millions of dollars. To fairly and justly
udit, class fly and support by proper evil
ence such mass of claims as are now on
lie, and to review and systematic the awards
made by the numerous commissions Of the
'ast twenty years, would require months of
'atient, paInstaking work, involving vast
mount of clerical labor. And this work it is
for the State officers, with due re-
ard for their other duties to properly per-
orm.
THE INDIAN TROUBLES REVIEWED.
About the middle of June last. very alarm |
ng reports were widely published, in the |
uhlic press OF this and other States con-
orning the turbulent and threatening spirit |
eservation in the Indian Territory is only a |
hort distance south OF our southwestern |
order. On June % addressed letter to |
he Secretary of War. calling his attention to |
,easures for protecting our borders against |
ne possibility of an Indian raid. Dispatches |
ere at the same time sent to the General |
this military division, request 1
~ him to station an adequate cavalry force |
some point on the southern line of Kansas.
n July l. receiving dispatch calling for |
rms and ammunition, and stating that the |
sttlerS in Southwestern Kansas were greatly
larmed. l again called the attention OF
lie General commanding this military
vision to the reports received.
a response General Augur, under
ate of July 2, advised me that an
nipple force had been, or soon would be. con-
in the Territory. In reply urged
lat 20 long as the Cheyennes were well sup
lied with arms and ammunition they would
Dntinue to be standing menace to the |
eace and safety of the people of Southwest
IN Kansas, and suggested that they be dis
rmed.
Alarming reports continued to be received,
nd on the evening OF July the Sheriff of
ingman County teleRraphed me that people
ere pouring into the town of KiEgman from
lie western part of that county and from
RAFT County seeking safety from the Indi-
as. and that reliable parties from Pratt