The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1897-01-15

A4gtH1 AAAuN h-lcN lhtlc hlrtl Ills VIEW
the case vas constantly eGnibstted by the COZ
poFano1s, Ehe claimed Is they were pEivate
corporations, they were not subject to state lege
isistion so far as their charges Wers concerned,
view they have not get abandoned
When, however, congress II years ago,
created that subterfuge fer Justice
sailed the interstate commerce commission,
1t enacted legislation that was supposed by
the people to be for the PURPOSE Of securing
their rights and controlling these corporations
AFTER Il years Of weary waiting, the people are
now told by this commission that the law under
which they we're acting was defective and had
been held By the court Of last resort as iRapera-
tive and unconstitutional Thus after 80 years,
OF effort in this direction, we find that pTaetiealA
~ nothing has been done toward the control Of
corporations I recommend that the legisla-
tuFe pass a maximum freight Law that viii be
fair TO corporations and just to the people I
believe also that the board Of railroad COM
missioners should be clearly vested
with the powers Of a court and given
the power to adjust fares and freight within
the state Of Kansas IS they nay deem just; and
not exceeding the NAHUM rate and that their
Powers shall be made definite and certain, but
subject to appeal to the supreme court Of the
state, In doing this, I think the legislature
should not proceed in any spirit Of retaliation or
revenge Tor the Iaisdeeds OF the corporations ID
the past, but they should make their purpose
clear to these CORPORATIONS that, in the future
the interests OF the citizens Of this state are to
be taken into account, as well as the welfare OF
the corporations, and that profits in good times
! and losses ia bad ones are to be equally shared
between them.
FavOrs the Southern Market
Iadvise the people Of the state OF Kansas to
seek for justice cut Of court In doing SO, I can
oily point to one route by which it can be OBJ
tanned, and that is for the states west OF the
Mississippi river to build road Of their own to
Underwater by the shortest and most direct
route, which will put them Ia position TO COM
mand the situation without getting into any
complication with the railroad companies or
with the federal courts we have at Calves
tea nov, narbor that can be entered safely
by the largest ships. The federal government
has expended S6,000,O 600 in creating al 5vtlet il
I Galveston bay ana pT0Eiding G safe harbOF
fdc / terminal point In order to get to
this harbOT, theTe are no mountains to tunnel
and no large rivers to cross and no engineering
difficulties in the way. 1t is practically plain
upon which road cannot only be built, but can
! be operated as oheaply as anywhere ia the
world at the present value Of labor and ma
teTial road can pc built for from Sc 900 to slG-
OJe mile, and it would be as unjust to the psO-
/ pie Of this generation to ask them to support a
railroad bonded at $4,000 a mile as it would
/ have been to the people Of a preceding genera
/ ton to haul their grain and merchandise on the
/ turnpike OF that time after they had been par-
/ Rlleled by railroads
If the states Of Texas and Nebraska you'd
/ join Us in the building Of q line to GSSsZstOii
| the expense Of building such road TCJa9 be
merely nominal when compared with tia .hsb
sums Of money that would be saved to the citi-
zens OF these states through the lowering OF
/ freight rates; in fact, the oVeTchaTge above
/ what is reasonable and fair on grain upon the
! crop now existing in the state of Kansas, would
| pay all the charges Of completing such a road,
were the state Of Kansas to undertake It her
! self Such q road, when completed, would
place the people OF this state id a position Of
| Independence in the matter Of transportation
! SO far as the railroad companies and the fed
| eral courts were concerned, and do not believe
| that such move would be injurious to the rail-
/ road companies in the long run.
Mortgage Legislation,
| A great deal Of complaint comes from over
! the state in regard to mortgages made and
/ executed In this state, which have been made
as a rule to companies organized under the
laws Of our state for the purpose Of lOaning
money. These mortgages are sold in the east
| and in many cases. the party who struggles
! through and pays his loan finds that he has
/ been sWindled and in order to clear his title he
must again pay the amount or lose his home,
/ Section 1889 should be so amended as to require
every assignment Of mortgage or note secured
by mortgage to be placed on the records in the
county where the real estate is located, This,
in great measure, viii guard against any recur-
| renee Of these sWindles which are unjust and
work great hardship to the people Of the state,
Such an enactment viii enable the debtor to
deal directly with his creditors without the in
PREVENTION Of somebody who preys upon the ne
cessities Of both
Banks and Banking.
The banking business, involving as it does to
SO large an extent all other interests, has been
very properly made the subject Of state super
vision and contract The wisdom Of such su-
pervisiOn has been demonstrated by the i'm
proved condition Of our banks from year t.
year since the adoption Of the present banking
law. In his biennial report the bank commits
sioner recommends the adoption Of new bank
ing law, a draft Of which appears in said re-
port am Of the opinion that this proposed
- e1+N+~- --e-+lJ -+'f@l-1--S r--@N e+Ao-AA~- w
adopted. therefore commend it to the care
full consideration Of the legislature.
Building and Loan Associations.
These associations being entrusted with the
weekly or monthly savings Of many OF our citi,
zens should be subject to state supervision
Foreign loan associations should be required t.
deposit ample security with the state treasurer
to protect their Kansas investors. heartily
concur in the recommendations Of the banA
commissioner and secretary 81 state with re-
spect to these institutions.
Loan, Trust and Investment Companies.
The mismanagement and rascality Of LOAF
companies in the past has resulted IN bringing
Kansas securities into disrepute in many local
tiles in the east am Of the opinion that the
legislature should take the necessary steps K
prevent the organization of this class Of insti-
tutiOns except under proper restrictions ant
with ample paid up capital to insure protection
to their customers. The recommendations Of
the bank examiner with reference to these in
stttuti0ns are worthy Of consideration.
Attendants In the Asylum.
In my judgment the attendants and nurses
for the insane, the blind, and deaf and dumb
should be selected solely by reason Of fitness
and should never be removable for p0litiea
reasons. The responsibility for these unfortu-
nate people is too great to be the football O
faction
Evidence in Divorce Cases.
Recent decisions Of our courts indicate tba
the statutory rules OF evidence In divorce cases
are decidedly defective and by no means &C
eompIish the purpose Of their enactment Thi!
matter should receive the early, indeed the i'm
mediate, attention Of the legislature.
Coal Mines and Miners
From the state mine inspectors report I Hnt
that there were mined ia 1885. S,f9O843 tons o.
coal valued at S3,590,141 Nine thou,
sand and twenty-one men and IS boy
were employed in the industry and tn,
net product was 1851 tons less than il
1894 The miners and mine owners Of the stat
viii ask for certain legislation bearing on thi
important industry which respectfully ask yol
to give careful Consideration. The mining com
panies issue scrip TO their employees, redeema
bic in goods at their store 1t should be mad
Reasonable in cash once month.
Bureau Of Labor and Industry.
The commissioner OF labor statistics submit
the flth report Of this department The bureal
possesses possibilities OF great usefulness an
especially is this true under present ecOn0mi
conditions while the relations between Iab0
and capital sEe OF such vital importance
In Conclusion.
Cent4suen OF fbe legislature. We eanna