Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1897-01-14


Mississippi river 20 build road OF their own 10
! tide-water by the shortest and most direct
route, which Will put them In n position to COM
mand the situation without getting into any
complication with the railrOad companies or
with the federal courts. We have at Calves
ton, now, harbor that can be entered safely
by the largest ships, The federal governments
has expended 50, 900 900 In creating an outlet In
Galveston bay and providing safe hafbor
for terminal point In order TO get 10
this hnrbor, there are no mountains to tunnel
ana no large rivers TO cross and no engineering
difficulties In the way II is practically plain
! upon which road cannot only be built, but can
be operated as cheaply as anywhere In the
world. Az the present value OF labor and ma
terial road cOn be built for from 80 900 TO 9i0-
OOO mile and II would be as unjust Ia the peo-
pie Of this generation TO ask them TO support q
railroad bonded ut $4,000 q mile, as 1t would
have been TO the people Of o preceding genera
tlon to haul their grain and merchandise on tho
turnpike OF that time after they had been par
alleod by railroads.
If the states of Texas and Nebraska would
join us In the building OF u line TO Galveston,
the expense Of building such n road would be
merely nominal when compared with the vast
sums Of money that would be saved TO the cltl-
2ens Of these states through the lowering OF
! freight rates; In fact, the overcharge above
what Is reasonable and fair on grain upon tho
| crop now existing In the state of Kansas would
pay all the charges OF completing such road,
We're the state of Kansas to undertake II her.
self. Such road when completed, would
| place the people OF this state in o position OF
independence in the matter Of transportation
so far as the railroad companies and the fed
eral courts were concerned, and l do not believe
that such 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 bn
drawing traffic In that direction, and the deX9
creased rates at which the railroads would BID
compelled to carry freight would be made up i'm
the volume OF business The state OF New
York, by completing the Erie canal and keep
ing the tolls ut low rate, has
caused the commerce Of the country TO
flow in that direction so as to make II the great
commercial metropolis Of the country, but this
did not retard the building OF railroads which
do business in competition with II; In fact the
finest railroad Of the world with four tracks,
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
publications, has been $ll6000,000 and the to-
tai receipts therefrom have been 1882, 900 900 II
the state of New York has prohted so vastly
by pursuing this course, think it would BIO
policy for the west to quit taking their adj
vice on commercial affairs and begin to follow
their example And elsewhere where 1t 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 1t 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 ut y very low
rate and in competition with water transporter
tion are in as good condition financially as
railroads which do not have to compete in such
u way, Therefore, it seems to me TINT 1t
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 plan in case the laws that
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 mortgages made and
executed in this state which have been made
as 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 1899 should he so amended as to require
every assignment of mortgage or note secured
by mortgage to be placed on the records In r.. -
county where the real estate is located. TT
In great measure will guard against any Rect
renee of these swindles which are unjust IA
work great hardship to the people OF the ST.. 4
Such an enactment will enable the debtor -,
deal directly with his creditors without the inI.
terVention Of somebody who preyS upon the neA
Cessities Of both. u
Banks and Banking.
The banking business, involving as 1t does ia
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 inn
proved condition OF our banks from year to
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, draft Of which appears in said re-
port, am OF the opinion that this proposed
law embraces many provisions that should be
adopted, therefore commend it to the care
Jul consideration Of the legislature.
building and Loan Associations.
These associations being entrusted with the
weekly or monthly savings Of many of our citi-
gems 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. 1 heartily
concur in the recommendations of the bank
commissioner and secretary of state with re-
spect to these institutions,
Loan, Trust and Investment Companies.
The mismanagement and rNscality 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 GLASS of insti-
buttons except under proper restrictions and
with ample paid up capital to insure protection
to their customers, The recommendations OF
the hank examiner with reference to these in
situations are worthy of consideration.
Evidence In Divorce Cases.
Recent decisions of our courts indicate thai
the statutory rules of evidence in divorce cases
are decidedly defective and by no means ac7( \
complish the purpose of their enactment. III wv
matter should receive the early indeed the ind
mediate, attention Of the legislature,
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,
Coal Mines and Miners.
From the state mine inspectors report find
that there were mined in 1895 8l9O,si3 tons Of
coal valued M 80 200 IN Nina thou