The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1895-01-18

allowed to work out their road tax at ex-
/ travagant wages, and the result Is that
| one-half of the tax judiciously expended
under the direction OF some competent and
J intelligent man, who has made a study OF the
| best manner TO improve the public highways,
would be more effective and produce better
results than are now obtained from the entire
/ tax.
new system should be provided The
/ county commissioners should have charge Of
the roads, with authority to appoint a suf1i-
cient number OF overseers to look after the
/ roads OF the county. All road taxes should be
/ paid in money, and IL should be expended in
| the most practical and economical manner
possible
The county commissioners should also be re-
quired to personally view and lay out new
roads, and assess damages therefor The pres
ent system of appointing road viewers should
be entirely abolished.
Township Officers.
l recommend that the term of township on
GERS be extended to two years. and that they
be elected on years in which there is no cleo
tion of state officers The reasons for this
change will readily suggest themselves. One
of the more important would be that it would
divest the election of state officers from any
connection with that OF the township officers
The term of two years is certainly short
enough. for the officer can hardly become
familiar with his duties in less time
Maturing State Bonds.
The following bonds of the state become
payable in 1925 and 1896
March Is 1895. s36.5O0
July /, 1895. 10000
All of the bonds due in 1895 are held by the
state school fund a permanent investment,
and $4,000 OF those payable in 1896 are thus
held. 1 would suggest that the state school
fund be authorized to take up those bonds
above named that are not held by them. and
that the time of payment of the entire amount
be extended. subject to payment at the option
of the state. At the rate OF per cent interest.
This would make an absolutely safe invest
ment for the school fund, and would leave the
money in the hands of the people.
Western Counties.
For the past two years there has been a
partial failure of crops in some sections Of the
state. In some counties in the eastern part Of
the commonwealth the crops have been nearly
equal to an average. and the increased prices
received have increased the profits Of farming
But in the western section of the state. for two
years there has been practically total failure
The settler in a new country is never blessed
with a surplus OF worldly goods. He goes
| there because he is poor, and because he feels
that in a new country. with cheap land at his
command, he can build up more easily per-
manent home for himself and his loved ones
The people in the eastern part Of Kansas have
passed beyond the point of being called new
settlers" they have established good homes,
have opened fine farms have built substantial
houses, and have provided themselves with
large orchards which are producing an abund-
ance of fruit. and they are practically an old
established and d comparatively wealthy COM
munity.
But the western part of the state has not yet
reached that point. A more fertile soil, or
finer land to look upon, cannot be found in the
world; and ii is to be sincerely hoped that the
total failure of rain for the past two or three
years has been phenomenal, and that as severe
drOughts may not occur again for years.
more enterprising. energetic, honest and brave
class of men never opened up a new country
They have cheerfully borne its privatiOns;
they have labored persistently trusting with
almost implicit confidence that the harvest
would follow the springtime. But the clouds
have withheld their rain. and there has been
practically no return for their labor. They
have displayed pluck and fortitude never
excelled by any people.
am very proud to say that there have been,
so far, scarcely any appeals to me for help for
that section: but 1 feel that 1 ought to call
your attention to the conditions existing there,
in order that you may take such action as may
be deemed for the best interests of the state.
Lotteries and Gambling.
Your attention is invited to the provisions Of
the constitution prohibiting lotteries and the
sale Of lottery tickets. There is no law to en-
force this provision OF the constitution. If it
is possible for one form of gambling to be
worse than another, this one is the most fruitful
of evil II reaches out into every village of the
state, and the churches and the religious or
CARNATIONS are contaminated by it. 1 would
urge the passage of a law prohibiting lotteries
OF every character and the sale OF lottery
tickets under any device. with penalties severe
enough to make it effective.
Bribery Law.
recommend the passage of a law making
the acceptance of a bride by any public officer
therefor. Such bill passed the house
of representatives in 1891. and again in 1898.
but in each instance failed to reach a vote in
the senate.
Prior to 1869 the law made it equally crime
to give or TO receive bribe. In that year the
legislature repealed so much Of the law as
made it a crime to receive a bride. leaving in
force only that part of the statute max
ing it a crime to give bride. 1t was argued
in support OF this partial appeal, that il both
parties to the transaction were subjected to
punishment. there would be nobody willing to
testify to the facts. II there is any force in
that argument. il would seem that the portion
of the law which was repealed is the one which
should have been left in force, and the portion
which was left in force should have been re-
pealed For it is possible that a per-
son who had bribed public Offcer might
make the fact known, especially il the bride
had been exacted under color of office. and I'M
willingly paid: but it is much less likely that a
public officer would proclaim his own disgrace
by publishing that he himself had been bribed
However this may be. the result has not justi-
fed the argument. and the theory Of excepting
the bribe-taker from the just penalty of his
crime is not in harmony with enlightened pub
lie sentiment
1t should be understood and agreed by good
citizens everywhere that no public officer has
any right to receive dollar for any act of his
whatever in his public capacity, except the
salary or fees which the law gives him. The
emolumentS OF legislators. city councilmen,
and of some other officers of trust and power
are very small But no man is compelled to
assume such Office against his will; and il he
seeks it with the hope of making up def
ciences in his salary by using his official posi-
tion for his private gain, he is an enemy to the
public, and should be in the penitentiary
instead OF in public Office.
Election Laws.
The perpetuity OF our government depends
upon free ballot and a fair count Our cleo
tionS should express the free and unbiased
will of the voters. The average judgment OF
the people can be safely relied upon. and if it
proves occasionally to be wrong. the mistake |
will be corrected at the earliest opportunity
The enactment of the Australian ballot law
was a very decided and advanced step in the !
right direction. and has the unqualified ap-
proval of the aj0rity Of our people 1t would |
be well to provide that :he county central COM !
mitteeS of the three parties receiving |
the highest number OF votes at the last /
election be required to select the judges and |
clerks to which their party would be entitled. |
and place them in the hands of the mayors OF |
the cities, or township trustees, at least ten |
days before the day Of election. This would |
place it beyond the power OF any official to |
select inefficient men TO act for any other party.
An amendment providing for q square at the 1
top Of the ticket. in which anyone who desired |
to vote the entire ticket could make a cross.