The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-01-05
EFT. HACKNEY'S SCHEME
He Would Have COnYicts Do the
State Printing.
This Would Do Away With a
Regular State Printer.
representative Hackney is Also in
Favor of Constitutional Con-
vention.

Ed T. Hackney, of Wellington, rep
resentative from the Seventeen district,
Sumner county is one of the members
of the legislature who has arrived and
will remain until after the work of the
session is completed.
Mr.. Hackney has q new theory with
reference to state printing and sug
gests that it could, with little difficulty.
be successfully done at the state peni-
Tertiary by convicts under the direc
ton of men who are skilled in the art
of printing. He said to a Journal re-
porter:
There are many men in the peniten-
tiary as ccnvicts who have a thorough
knowledge of printing and many others
who would be able to acquire it within
a short period of time. They might not
be qualified to do more than Straight
work but proficient printers and skill
ed men could be SO distributed there
| that the printing, in my judgment,
I could be successfully carried on at a
great saving to the state.
/ THE plan l propose" said Mr.. Hack
ney, practically does away with the
state printer, although it would be nee
essary to have a suitable and qualified
person in charge of the plant were it
established at the penitentiary.
Another point in favor OF the idea.
/ is that in the event the state should
| take upon itself. the publication of
school books, the work of printing
!
| der the present system.
People have been for many years
! exercised over the disposition of the
| convict labor problem. Were the state
/ printing taken to the penitentiary, a
! strong and needed training and educa-
| tional force would be found working a
constant influence for the better among
! men who might have charge of the
work well as among those who
might aspire to become familiar with it.
1t has been urged that the cOnvicts
| should be put upon road improvements
! This plan might do, but it would OF
! necessity cause much trouble by rea-
| son Of the fact that the state would be
! compelled to hire as many men to act
as guards as there We're prisoners al
| work. Take the printing to the peni-
tertiary and have the state work done
! by coHvicts; remove them from compe-
/ titiOn with organized labor, not only in
! work in which they are employed"
Mr. Hackney favors the proposed
constitutional convention He says
! THE POpulistS have always supported
and upheld the idea of the referendum
or direct legislation. AS there seems u
be demands for a constitutional con
Vcntion from a large number of oul
people, am in favor of giving them al
opportunity to vote upon it. The con
/ SuUutional convention. in nv iudg
ment, does not necessarily mean re
submission, yet there is a large per
centage of our people who are askin.
for another record of votes upon thi
question, and. believe as upon tn
other proposition thew should he e-iva1
an opportunity to have it so. 1 believ
that another vote would be decisiv
and e1fectually settle the question on
| way or another
Representative Hackney desires t
push the work of securing radica
changes in our present laws governing
assessment and taxation. although n
has not fully determined upon the poll
cy he will pursue upon those subjects
He VIII, however, introduce a bill pro
Viding that all transfers of mortgage
be made of record. thereby aiding i
the location of the responsibility q
agents and permit mortgages to dea
direct with the holders of the mort
gage, thereby driving the middlemal
who is at all times absorbing exorb
tant commissions, out of the bushes!
: He will also present. by request a hi
! to prevent the practice of blacklistin
, by railroads or other corporations: an
, | also to prevent Determinations agalns
: members of organized labor unions an
5 to provide for the payment of wages. E
6 least monthly. by all corporations