The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1889-01-17

miscellaneous work not done by the
state printer, there remains $3.50 ,270.5S
for labor and profit.
These figures are significant. No
blame whatever is imputed to the state
printer. He is operating, however. un-
der law passed many years ago, by
| which much unnecessary printing is re-
quired and work is duplicated and re-
peated in the various reports, entailing
an expense that should be avoided.
The amount of legislative printing
could be greatly reduced by joint
committee, and proper rules, regulat-
ing the printing of bills and the matter
that should go into the journals of the
two houses. This would greatly lessen
the expense of our legislative sessions.
1t seems to me, however, that the only
adequate remedy lies in more carefully
| guarding the amount of matter to be
printed during the whole biennial
period.
| recommend that you provide for
/ the reference of all matter to be print
ed at the public expense to a super
visor, to be appointed for that purpose
by the governor or executive council
under proper restrictions.
| ALIEN OWNERSHIP.
| At the first session of the last senate
it was proposed to regulate the tight OF
aliens to purchase and hold real estate
in Kansas; but it was found that any
legislation discriminating against
aliens in that respect was expressly for
hidden by section IL of the bill of
rights. Senate Joint resolution No. 6
was thereupon offered and passed both
houses, submitting to the people q
proposition amendatory of said section,
by removing such restriction. That
amendment haYing been adopted at
the late election, the legislation there
by contemplated should be enacted at
once.
MINING LAWS.
a serious disaster occurred recently
in a coal mine at Frontenac, Crawford
county, whereby nearly a half IN 1red
men at work in the mine lest their
lives in most shocking manner,
through an explosion, the precise
cause or nature of which seems to be
a matter OF dispute and great differ
ence of opinion, even among disin-
terested and well informed
persons. Regret and sympathy
are universal over the sad event; add
without reference here to the disputed
question of immediate responsibility,
attention is challenged to the more
profitable inquiry, whether, by any
further legislation, the danger OF like
misfOrtunes in future may not in de-
gree be reduced, if not largely removed.
The mining interests of the state are
rapidly increasing, and the Importance
| Oh pEODSE IlC SUI
Ject OF mines and mining cannot be
Over-stated. 1t involves health and life
to those who toll in the mines. HUI
mainly demands for them every possi-
BILE protection. The law should swiftly
and severely punish any one who shall
wilfully neglect or fail TO observe any
!, precautiOn required and imposed by
} the legislature on that subject; and
the question of such further legislation
} is urged upon your early attention.
Frequent COMPLAINTS heard by coal
miners that they are imposed upon by
their employers in regard to the man.
ner of adjusting coal screens, whereby
their meager earnings are reduced and
they are made to suffer no inconsidera-
: BILE hardships. 1t is believed that law
prohibiting mine superintendent. Oper-
atOrs or foremen from widening of
screen bars, or changing the elevation
: of screens, after contract with the
, miners, would remedy this evil, and l
urge the matter upon your attention.
, DEATH PENALTY.
The death penalty for murder in the
: first degree should be either abolished
in express terms, or made effective.
The present state OF tile law neither
: does one or the other. 1t seems to
: have been ingeniously devised to make
the governor a public eXecutioner,
!; shifting upon him the responsibility of
: courts, and constituting him Jhir-
teenth juryman in such cases. AS d
result, there is now in the penitentiary
large number of convicts under SEN
I, tence of death, with the prospect of re-
manning there, for no man thus sem
fenced since the present law was en-
acted has been executed.
: l believe in the death penalty in ex-
treme cases. with the intervention of a
year between conviction and execution,
i | hlIf rn0OnrIVa the fact that nnhliF OnIn-
. ion in that question is much divided.
i 1t should certainly be abolished in eX-
press terms, or the duty of its enforce
ment imposed where it belongs.
APPROPRIATION BILLS.
r The rules of your respective branches
f usually require that the important ap-
preparation bills shall be introduced on
= or before fixed day of the session, to
f insure consideration-rules, however,
: L am sorry to say, more honored in
: the breach that in the observance. !"
= Usually these measures, appropriating
: large sums of money, in making pro-
= vision for the support of the state gov
3 eminent, in all it's various departments
: and public institutions, come in late, or
a lag at the heel of the calendar, until
= the closing days of the session, and are
= crowded through under the whip and
= spur of necessity with a haste that is
y absolutely unseemly and unwise, not
:; to say unsafe. These measures should
t be framed, introduced, carefully CON-
g sidered, passed and out of the way as
: early as is practicable, and it is to be
= hoped that you viii! rigidly enforce and
t observe the wholesome rules spoken OF
i above. Members will find it of great
advantage to themselves in securing
attention to other matters of legisla-
h ton which are often lost by having to
s give way to the belated appropriation
bills, coming along in the hurly-bur1y
of the closing hours.
CONSTITUTIONAL REVISION.
n 1t detracts nothing from the ac-
knowledged wisdom of the
= trainers of our constitution TO say
that it is now very defective,
= Our marvellous developement and
changed conditions, impossible Of an
- now for revision. Kansas has out
:, grown many of its provisions and lmi-
u tations. AT the time of admission the
!. population of the state did not exceed
. 100 900. There were but thirty organ.
= lied counties, and five judicial dis
9 tricts. each with population of about
- "a 900. The legislature consisted 81
10 one hundred members-twenty-fve
senators and seventy-fve represents
le tives. If based on population. eaeh
u representative would have represeu1ec
II about 500 people. Then there was
II not mile of railroad in the state
a Now we have $500 miles in operation
e with population approximating one
&c million and three quarters; with
le twenty nine judicial districts. each
q with a population of about 60 goo
4 There are in the state one hundred
"a and six organized counties. maintain.
u ing separate county governments, anc
y, more than ten thousand common
n schools supported and successfully
DC conducted under our grand system o.
d. free popular education. The Kansa,
Is Of to-day has reached the vast
Is nronortio1s of an emnire. ra1nTr