The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-12-13
CLUMSY LAWS.
Which Prevent a City's Pro-
gress, to Be Remedied
IF the Kansas Municipal Con-
VentiOn
HELD AT FORT SCOTT
This Week Can Influence the
Legislature.
City Lawmakers of Topeka In
Attendance There.

Municipal convention left at o'clock
this morning for Fort Scott over the
Missouri Pacific. The delegation in
cluded Mayor Fellows, City Attorney
Bird, City Clerk NcFadden, Fire Mar
shall Wilmarth and Councilman ]. w.
Blossom of the First ward. Councilman
Morgan of the Second ward, Council
men John Elliott and D. J. Dickinson of
the Third ward, Councilman G. J.
Drew and James Burgess of the Fourth
ward and Councilmen J. S. Warner and
F. Roundtree of the Fifth ward.
Mayor Hesser of Fort Scott is presi-
dent Of the association and G. S. Smith
OF Wichita is secretary. Elaborate pre-
parations have been made to entertain
the visitors and the opening meeting
which will be in the nature OF a social
session will be held this evening at the
court house.
This association was organized to i'm
prove the laws governing the cities of
the frst-class in Kansas and during the
four years Of it's existence it has made
itself felt In more ways than one. 1t
secured a revision in the law which
governs the distribution of the taxes by
the county treasurerS so that the cities
get what is entitled to them, it secured
the law which enables the fire compa-
MES of the cities to receive annual al
1owances through the superintendent OF
insurance as we'll as many other chan
geS which have improved the operation
of the municipalities.
There are many things to be discuss
ed at the meeting at Fort Scott and To-
peka is especially interested in several
of the measures The Topeka represen-
tatives will request the passage of a
resolution demanding the abolition of
the Office of commissioner of elections
but as Kansas City and Topeka are the
only cities Which nave this useless eX-
crescence there will be no opposition to
the passage of the resolution.
Another thing in which Topeka is
very much interested is a law abolish
ing the justice courts. Topeka business
men and all classes demand the aboli-
ton of the justice court and the Topeka
representatives in the convention will
insist that some action be taken with
reference to the matter. Representa-
tive E. D. McKeever is the champion Of
a bill to abolish the justice courts and
eSta bliSh a city court in their place
with salaried officers and he intends to
be present at the meeting and urge the
Importance of legislation along this
line. Topeka is thoroughly tired of the
''vermifOrm appendix known as the
justice court and the members of the
council will do what they can to put
an end to their existence.
There is a disposition on the part of
many city officials to change the paving
tlw and the law governing the cOnstruc-
ton of sewers. Some of the Topeka del
egation favor having a paving law
passed which will assess only half the
pavement to the abutting property; the
rest of the cost to be paid by general
taxation. AS the law stands now the
improvement of cities is greatly ham
pered because of the expense of paving.
Unless a majority of the people living
along a street petition for paving the
street cannot be paved. There is an al
most endless amount of routine bust
ness connected with paving that it is a
weary process at best to get a street
paved. A change may be proposed that
viii shorten the time for advertisement
and curtaH the preliminary resolutions.
The sewer question is in much the
same condition as the paving. A few
people are a BILE to effectually block the
construction of sewers. North Topeka
is now passing through this red tape
experience and plan to shorten the
route to secure sewers may be adopted.
City Clerk McFadden of Topeka, has
some ideas on sidewalk legislation
which, if recommended by the associa-
ton and passed by the legislature, will
give a great deal more power to the
council in replacing old sidewalks with
new ones.
AS the law now stands. In order to
replace an old sidewalk with a, new one,
the council must first pass a resolution
cOndemning the old sidewalk. Then q
petition must be presented to the coun-
Gil signed by 25 of the resident tax pay
ers of the ward in which the new side
walk is to be built. After the presen-
tation Of this, the owner of the proper
ty along which the new sidewalk is to
be run, has 80 days in which to build.
The plan which Mr.. McFadden pro-
poses is to give the council power to
order the replacing of the old walk with
a new one in 80 days time, without go
ing through the formality of a petition.
This would greatly expedite rebuilding
walks. The proposed ordinance does
not affect new walks.
The cities of the first class want some
kind of a work house law passed. Such
a bill has been before the legislature
but it has not been pushed and this
year an effort will be made to secure
some legislation along this line. The
Topeka representatives want a better
system for working prisoners and
Leavenworth and Wichita are also anx-
ious to have something done which will