The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1897-01-15

lained. 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 or
with the federal courts. We have at Calves
ton now. a harbOr that can be entered safely
by the largest ships. The federal government
has expended &. 100000 in creating an outlet in
Galveston bay and providing a safe harbOr
for a terminal point In order to get to
this harbOr. there are no mountains 70 tunnel
and no large rivers to cross and no engineering
difficulties in the way. II is practically plain
upon which a road cannot only be built. but can
be operated as cheaply as anywhere in the
world. At the present value Of labor ana ma
terial. a road be built for from IS 900 to $40
O0O mile. and il would be as unjust to the peO-
pie Of this generation 70 ask them 70 support a
| railroad bonded at $1,000 a mile. as il would
have been to the people of a preceding genera
tiOn to haul their grain and merchandise on the
turnpike Of that time after they had been par
alleled by railroads.
If the states Of Texas and Nebraska would
Join Us in the building Of a 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 10 the citi-
I zenS Of these states through the lowering Of
freight rates. in fact. the OvercharCe above
! what is reasonable and fair on grain upon the
pay all the charges of completing such a road.
were the state of Kansas to undertake it her
self Such a road. when completed. would
place the people of this state in 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
| 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 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
| 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 SIG 600 600. and the to-
tai receipts therefrom have been 1892 100000 II
| the state of New York has prOfited so vastly
/ by pursuing this course, think il would be
| policy for the west to quit taking their ad-
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 a low rate in order to COM
| pete with water transportation. These
railroads that do business at a very low
rate and in competition with water Transports
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 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 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 J0e real estate Is located. MS
in great measure, will guard against any recur-
renee of these swndles which are unjust and
work great hardship to the people Of the state.
Such enactment will 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 to
year since the adoption OF the present banking
law In his biennial report the bank commits
sioner recommends the adoption Of a 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-.
Zens should be subject to state supervision
Foreign loan associations should be required to
deposit ample security with the state treasurer
70 protect their Kansas investors / heartily
concur in the recommendations Of the bank
commissioner and secretary Of state with re-
speot 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 70
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
situations are worthy Of consideration.
Evidence in Divorce Cases.
Recent decisions Of our courts indicate that
the statutory rules of evidence in divorce cases
are decidedly defective and by no means ae-
complish the purpose Of their enactment This
matter should receive the early, indeed the i'm
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 1893. 3.IgJsf} tons Of
-Ot