The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1897-01-15

with the powers Of . court. and gfvez
the power to adjust fares and freight within
the state Of Kansas as they may deem just, and
not exceeding the maxium rate and that theil
powers shall be made definite and certain, blu,
subject to appeal to the supreme court of ths
state. In doing this, think the legislature
should not proceed in any spirit Of retaliation OF
revenge for the miSdeeds OF the corporations in
the past. but they should make their purpose
clear to these corporations that. in the future
the interests Of the citizens of this state tc
be taken into account as well as the welfare OF
the corporations, and that profits in good times
and losses in bad ones are to be equally shared
between them.
Favors the Southern Market.
advise the people Of the state Of Kansas tc
seek for justice out of court In doing so, car
only point to one route by which it can be OBJ
tanned. and that Is for the states west of the
Mississippi river to build a road of their own to
tide-water by the shortest and most direct
route which will put them in position to COM
mand the situation without getting into any
complication with the railroad companies OF
with the federal courts We have at Calves
ton. now, harbor that can be entered safely
by the largest ships The federal government
has expended Sc, 600 900 in creating an outlet in
for terminal point In order to get to
this harbor, there are no mountains to tunnel
and no large rivers to cross and no engineering
difficulties in the way. 1t is practically a plain
upon which a road cannot only be built, but can
be operated as cheaply anywhere in the
world. At the present value of labor and ma
terial road can be built for from Sc 600 to &c.
OOO a mile. and it would be as unjust to the peo-
pie Of this generation to ask them to support a
railroad bonded at $4,000 mile as it would
have been to the people Of preceding genera
ton to haul their grain and merchandise on the
turnpike Of that time after they had been par
alleled by railroads
II the states Of Texas and Nebraska would
join us in the building Of line to Galveston
the expense Of building such a road would be
merely nominal when compared with the vast
sums Of money that would be saved to the citi-
zens Of these states through the lowering of
freight rates; in fact, the overcharge 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 road
were the state Of Kansas to undertake it her
self. Such road, when completed, would
place the people Of this state in 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 a move would be injurious to the rail-
road companies in the long run.
The lowered rates of freight would attract
great and constantly increasing business by
drawing traffic in that direction, and the de-
creased rates at which the railroads would be
compelled to carry freight would be made up in
the volume Of business. The state of New
York, by completing the Erie canal and keep
ing the tolls at low rate, has
caused the commerce of the country to
flow in that direction so as to make it the great
commercial metropolis of the country, but this
did not retard the building of railroads which
do business in competition with it; in fact the
of fhn rvOrI1 - \, ,,1-,
was built for the purpose Of competing
with this canal for business The total
amount OF money expended by the state of New
York upon the Erie canal, according to recent
has been SIG, 600 OOO and the to-
tai receipts therefrom have been s132, OOO 600 II
the state Of New York has profited so vastly
by pursuing this course, 1 think it would be
policy for the west to quit taking their adj
vice on commercial affairs and begin to follow
their example. And elsewhere where it has
been necessary to compete with water trans
portation in the carrying of freight
RAILROADS have never heSitated to enter
into that competition. The haul from Chicago
east to the Erie canal is greatly reduced, be-
cause water transportation makes it necessary.
The haul from st. Louis to New Orleans is also
made at low rate in order to COM
pete with water transportation. These
railroads that do business at very low
rate and in competition with water tranSporta-
ton are in as good condition financially as
railroads which do not have to compete in such
a way. Therefore, it seems to me that it
would be wise for this legislature to
ask the legislatures of Texas and Nebraska,
whose state laws have been set aside and an
nulled as ours have been, to consider the FEAST
bility Of such a plan in case the laws that I
hope will be passed by this legislature should
fail OF success.
Mortgage Legislation.
A great deal of complaint comes from over
the state in regard to mOrtUaVpS 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 loanng
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, will guard against any recur-
renee Of these swindles which unjust and
work great hardship to the people of the state.
Such an enactment will enable the debtor to
deal directly with his creditors without the in
tervention 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 SUI
pervision has been demonstrated by the i'm
proved condition of our banks from year to
year since the adoption of the present banking
law. In his bieanial report the bank commits
Sioner recommends the adoption of new bank
ing law. draft Of which appears in said re-
port. 1 am of the opinion that this proposed
law embraces many provisions that should be
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 to
deposit ample security with the state treasurer
to protect their Kansas investors l heartily
concur in the recommendations of the bank
and secretary of state with re-
Spect to these institutions.
Loan, Trust and Investment Companies.
The mismanagement and rascality of loan
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 to
prevent the organization of this class of inSti-
buttons except under proper restrictions and
with ample paid up capital to insure protection
to their customers. The recommendations of
the bank examiner with reference to these in.
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 political
reasons. The responsibility for these unfortu-
nate people is too great to be the football Of
faction
Evidence in Divorce Cases.