The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-06-24
MUST Be FIXED.
Lieutenant Governor Hanna
Talks of Needed Legislation.
Kansas Must Put Itself Right
With the World.
WHY DOES SHE ASK.
Outside Papers Wonder About
Appeal for Aid.
Call Attention to Boasted Pros
perity of State.
WHY DOES SHE ASK.

It is probable that there will be d
number of plans and bills proposed for
relief appropriations as soon as the leg
islature gets down to business, but in
most instances these propositions Will
come from districts which nave not suf-
fered from the flood
Lieut. Gov. D. J. Hanna believes an
appropria ton should be made to reestao-
lish the credit of Kansas abroad. He
has just returned from San Francisco.
and he says he heard considerab bic crit
icism of the state on account of its po-
sition with reference to aid from outside
sources. Governor Hanna left Kansas
several weeks ago and was getting
ready to go on a pleasure trip to Japan
when the special session of the legsla-
ture was called. and he was obliged to
come home.
I have seen considerable newspaper
criticism and have heard it on the train
concerning Kansas" he said today.
One newspaper article was headed,
Kansas the CRATER Another quoted a
prosperity story in which it was told
that Kansas had $50 per capita on de-
posit in the banks of the state, that it is
about to harvest a wheat crop of one
hundred million bushels. and is now
calling for $4,000 harvest hands TO help
cut it. Then the article went on to ex-
press surprise that in the face of this
prosperous condition Kansas should ask
for outside aid
1 heard the same thing talked on the
trains People did not know, Of course,
that | was from Kansas or I might not
have heard it, but they simply spoke Out
their minds. If it had been any other
sstate but Kansas there would have been
no criticism, but now people are talking
about Bleeding Kansas again, and il
has hurt the states credit abroad.
In the face Of these things 1 don't see
how we can consistently refuse to MAKE
an appropriation to help our own suf-
fererS, lnaSmuch as we have accepted
aid from outsiders. I came in yesterday y
with Elrick Cole, from Great Bend and
he says that his county already has
more than a hundred dollars per capita
on deposit in the banks and it viii har-
vest more than five million bushels OF
wheat within the next two or three
weeks. The people 1 believe would like
to see an appropriation made by the leg
islature simply to maintain the credit
of the state abroad, if for no other rea-
son. If we do nothing to help ourselves
after asking other people to help US il
win call down on us still further critic
ism"
Senator Fred Dumont Smith says ne
does not believe an appropriation will
be made, but thinks it should be done.
This talk about its not being consti-
tutiOnal is all rot" he said. That fact
that it is not for every person in the
state does not mean that il is not for a
public purpose. Every state in the un-
ion and congress also has made appro-
priations right along this same line.
We should either make an appropria-
ton to aid the sufferers or we should
pass a resolution saying that we do not
legislature meets and makes no appro-
priation viii hurt US if we go on ac-
ceptng aid from other states"
Judge J. 5. West, law clerk in the
governors office, says that he does not
believe any sort Of an appropriation can
be made which viii be constitutional
He has been looking up the question
thoroughly and he says in the most inn
portant decisions the courts have held
against using public moneys for private
purposes. In one instance which is al
most parallel to the situation ia Kan
sas at present. the Massachusetts leg
islature attempted to make an appropu-
alton for the sufferers from great fire
in Boston. but the courts held that II
could not be done. This decision is
quoted in the Ninth Kansas and Is
held to be good law in Kansas also.
s'It does not seem to me to be wise to
attempt to give relief when it is almost
certain that such an act Of the legis-
lature will he contrary to the constitu-
ton" said Judge West today. 4 have
studied the question carefully. and dc
not see how such an appropriation could
be made, even if it should seem desira-
BILE"
Then there is no demand Cor relief ap
prODratiOn Shawnee county certainly Is
not asking for any relief from the state
Wyandotte county. which WAS injured more
than any other in the STATE. assured tn
governor some time ago thar 1t desired
special session Of the legislature only t
enable it to restore its bridges and nor u
las county says that it can care for its owl
flood sufferers. These are the counties II
which there is greater loss than anYWher
else and none of these are asking for AID
So as a matter of fact. there is no de
nand from any of the food-striclzen coun
ties that appropriation be made 1o
them from the state treasury
The chief objects for the legislature t
accomplish is to pass enabling acts to al
low those counties which wish to do ST
to restore their bridges and q general lay
init the taxes on property winch has Deel
destroyed or greatly damaged
II think there should he a general Law
Of this character on the statute book. any
way said Speaker Pringie today. i be
lieve the commissioners should be empOW
cred to sit as board of equalization a
anv time in extraordinary instances. l1k
the present one Or for instance suppos
a LOT of property should be destroyed h.
fire after it had been assessed. but hefor
the taxes were paid There would be n
roll have seen a number of lnstanc7 s.
where such a law would have been bene
fetal and the lack of 1t worked a hardship
and I had it in mind to introduce such
measure last winter had 1 been on tn
floor