People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1893-01-27
THE MESSAGE.
Gov. LeweIling Addresses the Kan
sas Legislature.
The PrOhibitory Law, Railroad Legisla-
ton and Constitutional Election
Mortgages and
Taxation.

TOPEKA, Kan, Jan. 1S.-Gov Lew
cling sent his long-expected message
to the legislature yesterday morning.
Marked attention was paid to the
reading 1t was long document, the
salient points of which are annexed.
The message opened as follows:
To the Legislature:
The biennial meeting Of the chosen repre-
sentatives of the people, pursuant to the re-
/ Quirements Of the constitution, is an occurrence
so frequent and usual as not OF itself to attract
! more than ordinary attention; but the political
/ contests which marked the election at which
| you were chosen were such as TO engage the at
tention Of the people Of the whole state in a
most unusual manner The interest which at
tended upon the late political campaign has
| been kept alive not only as regards the results
of the election but so far as it may be likely to
/ affect the future policy Of the state Contem-
| poraneous with your election, the people select
/ ed from among their number an entire set Of
state officers who enter for the first time
| upon the great duty Of administering
[ the government, indicating a purpose on the
| part Of the people to secure such changes in
the management of public affairs as they
/ deemed TO be necessary for their safety and
protection. Beneath the surface of all political
or social agitation there has developed a con-
viction that the essential strength of every
state must depend upon its justice in dealing
with all persons and all interests The relation
of authority and service, of capital and labor,
are daily appealing 10 higher elements than
force for the adjustment of differences, while
the artificial and fluctuating relations Of money
and power are proportionately weakened In
munity from responsibility for violated trusts,
and immunity from the penalty Of great social
and moral wrongs are yielding to the demand
for reform. The great political parties have
become so intermingled in opinion upon econ
omic questions that opportunity has been
found for more deliberate inquiry into apparent
abuses Of official position and power Not only
| good will in words, but good will in deeds
among men, and on the part Of those in author
ity. always tend alike to the safety and proteC-
| ton Of the individual and of the public
The governor next took up the fnan-
cial situation of the state and discussed
it as follows:
An ancient adage, 'Out Of debt, out OF dan.
ger" has been supplanted in some circles in
these modern days by Our debts stand for our
investments" The late Gov. John A. Martin,
in his message 10 the state legislature on Janu-
airy II, 1887, presented the following startling
thoughts:
THE aggregate Of municipal Indebtedness is
rapidly and enormously swelling until it has
reached proportions that should alarm every
citizen who has at heart the prosperity of the
state and he well-being of its people
1.-The municipal subdivision of the state have
gone on voting bonds and pi1ing up interest
bearing debts that will in few years cripple
and dishearten every energy and ambition of
their people and paralyze all public spirit
IF all the bonds voted we're issued, the mum
icipal indebtedness Of Kansas would be: Coun.
ty, Sl4,473 65l; township, S9,4l5,SO5; city, sS.
975 Ash school district s2SS5 40; total So 6l9,
$751;"
1t would be but an automatic statement to
make the declaration that ex-GOv Martin
would, we're he still on earth, instinctivey and
ntuitively repudiate the Wanted boast so bold
ly made "0ur debts stand for our invest.
ments." But the following comparison of
municipal Indebtedness may be appropriate
and pertinent
Amount of county bonds in 1899 IS 1i,732, 9?9 40
Amount Of county bonds in 1872? 1903, $3.50
Increase in county bonds in two
years. .........................S 300 1914
Amount of township bonds in 1898 500 $780, g.
Amount Of township bonds in 1892 S,OS2, 5000
Increase in township bonds in
TWO years. ......................S 42243 80
Amount Of citY bonds in lS9O...s 1872, 1896
Amount of city bonds in lS92. 9,S4l, 2l59
Increase in city bonds in two
years. Observation-Disclosures. 2,1OS,77O73
Amount Of school district bonds in
1890 Observation-Disclosures. 5,S1OO?2S7
Amount of school district bonds in
1885,. Observation-Disclosures. 41S1671. 46
Decrease in school district bonds
In two years. .................s 1,62S, 1901
1t may here be seen that the aggregate in
crease in county township and city bonds dur
ing the last two years is s2,4 ,44L5I
The total assessed valuation of all
property in 1890. S347, III, 2l8OO
The total assessed valuation of all
property in ls92........... 1874, $50. As
Decrease in valuation in two
years ...........................s 1882, $3.50
Assessed valuation Of alllands tax
aOle IN 1851. Sl6S, 2S5 1879 II
Assessed valuation Of alllands tax
able in lSa2................. ..... ILL., l67, 1885
Increase in value in two years s. 2.SSi, 800 6s
Assessed valuation Of all personal
property taxable in 1890 .....S 1880 9l3. 3s
Assessed valuation of all personal
property taxable in 1892 ......... 1886, 1878
Decrease in value in two years. 24SS4i96O
1t may be said thata judicious exercise Of the
appointing power should result in securing com.
plete obedience TO the law: but practical ex-
perlence and observation lead TO other conclu.
sions While this is true, it still remains that
none OF these difficulties nor all Of them war
rant the citizens Of the state, much less the of.
teers Of the law, in disregarding the law Of the
land, nor in suffering its violation with impun-
ity. Nothing can be more demoralizing in a
community than the open violation Of a law un-
accompanied by wholesome effort for its en-.
forcement; and however lame or INADEQUATE II
may be, the duty Of those who administer the
laws is clearly indicated.
The governor reviewed briefly the
past railroad legislation and criticised
sharply, referring to the decision of the
state supreme court on its lack of power
and OF the United States supreme court
on the Minnesota law and continued:
Here then, is the Scylla and Charybdis of
legislative action: the ineficacy of too liale
power on one hand and the unconstitutionality
OF TOO much power on the other hand To
AVOID these obstacles must be the care of the
legislature in amending this law so as to make
1t more efectual in righting wrongs. And it
should be amended so as to confer on the COM
missioners authority to make orders and clothe
them with the power TO enforce such orders by
mandamus or other proper proceedings On
the other hand, the right Of the railroads to be
heard on appeal to the supreme court should
not be denied them. and provision should be
made looking to the prompt and speedy deter
mination Of such matters
The right OF the state TO control the opera