The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-02-01
RIGHT UP FROM THE FuRRow.


When the members of the legislature
get away from their constituents, as
ISOLATION with many other members,
with lobbyists and representatives of
varied interests sometimes makes them
forget what they came to Topeka de-
termined to do. AS a reminder of what
the farming classes of Kansas wish
from the legislature, the farmers of
school district No %, in Reno coun-
ty met one day last week and
adopted a set of resolutions ad-
dressed to this legislature.
We give the resolutions in full below:
first: We, the farmers of Reno and
adjoining townships, do hereby declare
our views on needed legislation. We
believe our courts to be unreasonably
expensive. Therefore, we protest
against the useless delays, re-hearings
and so forth, on account of legal tech
nicalities, and declare in favor of gen.
eral reduction of expenses.
Second: We believe that there are
many positions of trust and profit that
We're created more for the purpose of
rewarding political workers than for
public need. We therefore demand that
all such places be abolished and the
fees and salaries of those remaining be
radically reduced.
Third The almost unlimited power
of the county commissioners is a source
of great injustice to the taxpayers and
the community. We therefore demand
of the legislature that they modify and
restrict authority of the county COM
missioners. And further demand that
the legal rates for all public printing
be reduced at least fifty per cent.
Fourth: We believe that the tax
payers of Reno county are unnecessar-
lily burdened by the payment of too
high salaries to county officers notwith-
standing the reduction OF two years ago
and believing as we do that there is no
Office in the gift of the people of this
IL i
efficiently filled for the consideration of
81, 600 per year, net, to the incumbent
and that no salary should provide for
electioneering expenses, we recommend
that the fees and salaries of Reno cOun-
ty be re-adjusted on the basis of one
thousand dollars as the maximum com
pensation for one years service.
Fifth: We heartily endorse the re-
commentator of Governor Leedy to
the legislature favOring the passage of
maximum freight law. believeing it is
high time to demonstrate whether the
railroads to which we have all so Eber-
ally contributed exist for the benefit of
the people, or the people for the bene-
fit of the railroads. The rate on a max
imum car of corn to Kansas City should
not exceed that now charged by the
railroads for car of live stock to the
same point, the labor and liability of
which is more than double that of grain
The present rate, besides being an I'M
just discrimination against the small
farmer who is not able to buy stock to
feed, is also a losing game to the rail-
roads themselves, as it requires about
three cars of corn to fit one car of stock
for the market, and thereby less num-
Der of cars for shipment; while the rail-
roads get less for a single car of stock
than either of the cars of corn that
helped to compose it. Besides these
considerations the rate on grain is too
high and should be reduced
Sixth: We believe with the governor
that all transfers of mortgages should
show on the county records for the ben
eft Of the mortgagor, as well as to en-
able the assessors to locate taxable pro-
| perty.
| Seventh: In regard to the school
| book question, we believe that the only
| permanent way to free the people from
| the ravages of the school book trust is
! for the state to publish its own books
| State uniformity would follow as a
matter of necessity, and we would sug-
| gest that the work be done by convict