Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-03-06
SENATOR TAYLOR,S IDEA.

SENATOR TAYLOR'S IDEA.
State Senator Edwin Taylor, of Edwards
vile, Wyandotte county, has writted an open
letter to Governor E. N. Morrill, in regard to
the metropolitan police conditions at Kansas
City, Kas.
Senator Taylor writes concerning the efforts
now being made to have the governor abolish
the metropolitan police system. He says that
prohibition does not prohibit in Kansas City,
Kansas, because the police have "laid down.
He says the police have "laid down. because
they were dependent the city for the rev.
enue to pay salaries, and the only place where
the revenue could be raised was from the Joints.
He then says the citizens approved of the ac-
ton of the police because they are tax-ridden
"The bulk of the taxes in Kansas City, Kas.,
are paid by minority of its citizens A large
fraction of those citizens are too poor to be
taxed. A smaller fraction are too rich to pay
their share. The burden falls, in the main, up
on the homes of the city and its small businesses.
Every of those businesses is struggle
The homes are fairly staggering under their
burden of debt and taxation, without assuming
81 900 year in addition for paying the police"
Senator Taylor says in his Judgment city con-
troll would not change the present status, as a
candidate for mayor running platform to
put the $4,000 month necessary to keep up the
police department on to the city would not pet
one vote in three.
He says the metropolitan police system is
the only hepe of prohibition in the large cities,
but that the police commissioners have been
"playing horse" and there is collision between
the police and violators of the law.
Senator Taylor then makes some suggestions
as to how prohibition can be strengthened
He says: 'I-et the state pay for its own ma
chinery. Wherever it assumes control over the
police of city let it pay the bills. There is
plenty of property in the state now untaxed, or
under-taxed, from which to raise twice the need
ed revenue, without increasing the present per
cent of taxation a single mill. When notes
mortgages bonds, stocks, judgments, industrial
plants, and municipal franchises all pay the
same per cent of their value that four-room
cottage does, the state pay its police and
also lower the rate of taxation
"Put the states police on some efficient civil
service footing. Let there be regular term of
enlistment, as into the army, and let all appli-
cations for positions be decided on the ground
of fitness alone.
''The political manipulations, combinations,
contentious and exertions of the different police
boards Kansas City has endured would astonsh
the uninitiated. Take politics out of the met
ropolitan system and it would work with less
friction give it money to pay its way with in
addition and it would be complete success
"Subnit to the people Of the state, at the
first possible moment, proposition to amend
the Constitution of the state so that the verdict
of jury will be the finding of nine snstead of
twelve Not only in trials under the prohibit
DRY law, but in all other jury trials, every con-
sderation of public welfare demands that venal,
perjured, preudiced, interested, stupid or con-
tentious twelfth juror be deprived of his power
to hang the jury and thwart the law State
Journal.
But, la me Senator Taylor is Populist
and don't know how to redeem the state like
good Rev. Dougherty. It's anything to save
the G. o. P. this year;