The advocate and Topeka tribune., 1893-01-18
The PenitentInrY.

priation made for the fiscal years of 1891 and 1892
remaining in the treasury OF the state of $75,-
700.90. Permanent improvements costing $50
060.92 have been made in the shape of brick
buildings One-StOry brick dwelling house, the
completion of the east wall of the prison yard, a
foundation for the cells of the new cell house,
and the construction of circular brick air-ducts
therein, and in the corridors the cutting and lay
ing of tagging, and additions to the electric light
plant.
The directors of the penitentiary have insti-
tuted suit against w. E. Thomas on coal con-
tract to recover balance due Of $947.3l and this
suit is pending in the district court of Leaven-
worth county.
contract was made with the Kansas Manu-
featuring Company, of which Alexander Caldwell
was president, for convict labor, and this con-
tract, which was of nineteen years duration,
terminated on February l, 1892. Mr.. Caldwell,
under an Grticle of the contract made with him,
makes certain demands upon the state. This
matter is now in controversy, and may require
some legislative examination.
Contracts have been made for five years from
February /, 1892, for surplus prison labor IN ac-
cordance with the following statement: L. Kiper
u Sons, fifty men at 81 cents per day; Helmer's
cents per day; H. s. Burr & Co., fifty men at IS
cents per day.
. The board of directors have adopted the rule of
buying all supplies for the penitentary by adver-
tising for competitive bids, which is claimed to
be quite a saving to the state Itisrecommended
that attention be given the matter OF determin-
ing whether plant may be established in con-
nectiOn with the penitentiary for the manufacture
of binding twine.
Prohibition Is part of the law of Kansas;
not only statutory law, but part of the con-
stitutiOn of the state. 1t Is not q question
whether this administration Is for or against
prohibition, but whether 1t Is In favor Of re-
spect for and obedience to, all the laws on the
statute books. A very large class of our pe0-
pie earnestly believe In the efficiency OF the
law, while respectable element are not per
s0nally In favor Of prohibition. Many OF those
who live In the larger towns and cities believe
that the expense resulting from an honest,
faithful effort to enforce the law exceeds the
good results obtained, and Is greater than the
people should be made to bear. In the rural
districts the law seems to be generally en-
forced; but 1t Is not so well supported by pub
lie sentiment In the centers of population.
Extraordinary powers have been placed In the
hands of the executive for the enforcement OF
the law In cities of the first class through the
metropolitan police system. 1t Is unfortunate
but true that these powers have In great meas
ure been nullifled by various law-evading de-
vices, while serious evils have followed almost
If not quite as Objectionable as the one sought
to be destroyed. In many places public senti-
ment seems to have encouraged and oonnived
at the open violation of the law, and thus con-
tempt Is brought upon the authority Of the
state, This system, apart from It's relations to
prohibition, seems to have developed into q
In power, so that venal methods for the control
of local and state politics have been more con-
sldered than matters of duty under the law
Appointments under this system are often
made as q reward for party service more than
fitness for the duty to be performed, and thus
the support of additional officials Is added to
the burdens of the taxpayer, to say nothing OF
the methods of extOrtion approXimating black
mail which are said to prevail under the prac-
tical operations of the law.
NOV no sold fhaf a iudiniOna nYaPniqA Of
the appointing power should result In securing
complete obedience to the law; but practical
experience and observation lead to other con-
cluslons. While this Is true, IL still remains
that none of these difficulties nor all of them
warrant the citizens of the state, much less the
officers of the law, In dlsregArding the law OF
the land, nor In suffering its'violation with inn
punity. Nothing can be more demoralizing In
community than the open violation OF law
unaccompanled by wholesome effort for Its
enforcement; and however lame or inadequate
1t may be, the duty of those who administer
the laws is clearly indicated.
Railroad Legislation.
No subiect has claimed more legislative atten-
tion during the past decade than that relating to
state regulation and control OF railroads. In
nearly If not all the states of the union some leg
islation has been enacted giving to some person,
commission or court power to supervise, regulate
or control these great thorOughfares OF COM
merce. This growing sentiment has taken root
in Kansas, as well as elsewhere, and in 1888 its
fruits were the present commission law Itwould
be going too far, perhaps, to say that this law
has been wholly barren OF good results. The peo-
pie expected vast benefits from it, but have
pro6ted little in the correction of abuses. To the
casual observer it may appear laden with all the
remedies necessary to cure the ills complained
of, but its provisions only keep the word of
promise to our ear, and break it to our hope"
The great difficulty with this law is the limited
power it gives to the commission. The supreme
court in the proceedings against the Kansas Gen.
trail Railway Company in November, 1891, assure |
us the question was bitterly contested in the leg
to what powers should be conferred upon or
delegated to the commission" some favoring |
'the delegation to the commissioners and courts |
full authority for the enforcement of their |
cation of such powers; and the result was that |
advisory action only on the part Of the commits |