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

are laws of trade which will control business
and which cannot be repealed by any statute
OF any legislative body. The waters of the
river. obeying the law of gravitatiOn, will
flow to the sea. and while the building of dams
or putting in distractions may retard the cur
rent. it will not change it's course, nor can it
stop its flow. Wise legislation would provide
for the removal OF the driftwood and snagS in
order to accelerate the current So industry
and economy wisely directed will always find
their reward in a measure, regardless of what
human laws may decree. Still it is a recog-
nized fact that legislation may disturb and re-
strict trade.
Foreign Markets.
And in this connection desire to call your
attention to one branch of the trade Of this
country that especially interests our people,
and that is the increased demand for our farm
products from foreign market For several
years steady and determined effort was made
to open up the markets Of the old country to
some OF the products in which Kansas excels,
especially Indian corn. beef and pork. Under
a better light secured by wise legislation,
prejudice and cupidity were gradually yielding.
and our exports Of these products were becom-
ing an important factor of great value to our
people, and gave promise of an increased de-
mand for the articles in producing which Kan
sas can lead the world. But the present con-
gress has. in my judgment. by ill-advised and
crude legislation, assumed to dictate to foreign
nations their internal policy of protection to
their home industries by discriminating duties
on sugar imported from countries having export
duties on that article. This has led to active
retaliation on the part of those countries, and
all the nations of central Europe have become
commercially estranged from our country, and
are taking active, and what prove to be effec-
tive, measures to prevent the importation Of
our meats. justifying themselves by revival
Of the exploded and Senseless claim that our
meat animals are diseased. The repeal of the
reciprocity provisions of our tariff laws has
caused Spain and other countries to make a
most unjust discrimination against the impor-
tation Of our farm products. To relieve us Of
this embarrassment by che removal of this en-
barge. and to restore us to q condition where
we can increase to its utmost limit the expor-
tation of those articles which are our main
support is a matter OF universal concern to the
people of Kansas. would therefore urge the
the passage OF a concurrent resolution by your
honorable bodies. instructing our senators and
requesting our representatives in congress- to
introduce and work for the passage Of the most
effective remedial legislation in this regard.
Constitutional Convention.
When the present constitution was adopted.
large portion OF the state was an unorganiZed
waste. Only 1896 persons voted for its adOp-
ton, and 5.52l voted against 1t: the whole num-
Der of votes cast being only one-twentieth as
many as were cast at the last election. There
were only thirty-five organized counties at
that time; seventy counties of the state had no
legal existence. The population Of the state
had been so decimated by the terrible drought
of 1860. that there were really less than hun
bred thousand people within the borders of the
state when it was admitted into the union 1t
would hardly be possible for the small number
OF people living in the state at that time, with
nearly two-thirds OF the entire state practically
lad tn Or N
wants and needs of 4 state as large as this has
become.
The practical Limitation upon the sessions Of
the legislature was at that time wise one,
with the small population and annual sessions;
but now that the number of the Inhabitants is
fifteen times greater and the sessions OF the
legislature are biennial, IL is impossible for any
legislative body to give the calm elaboration
and thoughtful study OF the needs OF the state
that are imperatively demanded.
There is an urgent demand for a reorganiza-
ton of the judiciary system. Under the pres
emit constitution the number Of judges OF the
supreme court is limited to three. and the leg
islature is only authorized to provide other
ourts which shall be inferior to the supreme
court. The rapid increase in population and
wealth has necessarily produced a large in
crease in litigation. until the supreme court is
no longer able to hear the cases as fast as they
are filed. For years the work has been gradu-
ally accommodating, until at the present rate Of
progress cases filed to-day would not be heard
for six years. Present relief might be
had by the formation of another court.
inferior to the supreme court, but it seems to
be the concenSuS of opinion that an enlarge
ment OF the supreme court is the only practical
solution of the question, and the only one that
will be entirely satisfactory. At any rate,
those skilled in the law, who have given the
subject the most thorough study. agree in the
los fItrf11
subserye the interests Of the people. litigant
is better satisfied with an adverse decision
from a superior court than from an inferior
one as such a decision is not only final de-
termination of the case, but it is also final
determination of the law governing the case
And in the event of an increased membership
OF the supreme court. the constitution should
confer upon the legislature power to AFFORD tenn
porary relief when the court found itself IN
able TO keep up with Its business.
There should also be change in our appor-
tionment laws, by increasing the number Of
members in both houses. BY doing this the
people would be more closely represented, and
there would be less danger of unwise or cor
rupt legislation.
The provisions Of the constitution with re-
gard to the time when the legislature should
convene, or the section fixing the time when
the term Of state officers should begin, should
be so amended that the incoming state officers
should always enter upon their regular terms
before the legislature convenes.
More rigid constitutional provisions should
be made limiting the power of the legislature
in the matter Of political subdivisions, so that
counties, townships and school districts could
not be organized within certain limits of terri
tory or population, and also limiting the power
OF such political subdivisions in the extent to
which debts may be created as well as for the
purpose for which the same may be incurred.
ch dalc Dar MIA rad
legislation appropriating public moneys or au-
thorIzing the mourning Of public debts, and the
purposes for which money may be appropri-
ated or debts incurred should be carefully de-
fined and sharply restricted The governor
should have authority to veto any section or
clause in any appropriation bill that does not
meet his approval.
The letting of convict labor to contractors