The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-10
HOCH ON REFORM.
His Message to the Legislature
In Submitted.
Expects Members to Stop VAST
Ing Peoples Money.
LOOK UP THE RECORDS
Wants $4,000 to Probe the
Corruption Charges.
Urges State Repositories for
Public Funds.
A. NEW PRIMARY LAW.
Recommends That One BE
Adopted at Once.
Would Have State Printing
Plant Established.
Wants $4,000 to Probe the
Corruption Charges.
Urges State DspOsitOrleS for
Public Funds.
A NEW PRIMARY LAW.
Recommends That One BE
Adopted at Once.
Would Rave State Printing
Plant Established.

Governor Hoch's message to the leg
aslature is voluminous. 1t was formal
~ presented to both the house and sem
ate after the organization and is as
follows.
To the Senate and House of Represen-
tatives:
Section 5, Of article 1, of the state
constitution, in defining the duties Of
the governor, says that he shall at
the commencement of every session
communicate to the legislature Gin writ
ing) such information as he may pos
sess in reference to the condition or
the state and recommend such meas
ures as he may deem expedient." In
harmony with this constitutional re-
quirement have the honor to submit
herewith this biennial message.
The State Prosperous.
wish at the threshold to congratu-
late you upon the suspicious circum-
stances under which you meet The
state you have assembled to serve in
the law-making capacity is enjoying a
wonderful degree of prosperity, as q
whole, in spite of the overlooking wa
tiers which during the past two years
have inundated many of our fertile
valleys, entatl1ng great loss In town
and city and country. The mortgage
debt which IS years ago aggregated
two hundred and forty million dollars
has been liquidated with rema rlabie
serious burden upon our people. Our
banks are overlooking with money,
largely the accumulation of our pros
porous farmers. Our IaborerS COM
mand remunerative wages and all of
our business interests are prosperous.
That your legislative labors may adj
vance rather than retard this upward
movement I am sure will be your high
est ambition, as it is my most earnest
desire To Subserve these good ends
il will be my very great pleasure to
cooperate with you in every way pos
sible.
Legislative Reform.
My own legislative experience to-
gether with the fact that large ma
5ority of you will serve for the first
time in this capacity, will be sufficient
apology, I trust. for the frankness
with which shall address you concern
ing matters purely within your own
province. and hope that my words
may not be considered impairment or
them in the kindly spirit in which they
are uttered. 1t is easy for one political
party to condemn another, but it is a
rare exhibition of courage and virtue
when a political organization condemns
the acts of its own members. This " as
freely and frankly done in state con-
ventfOn by the party to which most of
you belong in reference to certain acts
of the last legislature. It is only fair
to say of that body that it was at least
an average legislature in ability ard
character; that it included in its mem
bership many able and excellent men;
and that many of its official acts were
highly commendable- The evils justly
complained Of were the flower and
fruitage of an unworthy custom which
has been growing for years. The null
tipIicity of useless offices and extrava-
giant waste of the peoples money
through these channels was the natural
Outgrowth OF this pernicious custom.
] hope you will not consider me officious
A.
to reform this abuse, and I warn you
that If you do not do it your failure
will justly incur severest popular con-
domination. I believe many thousands
OF dollars can be saved to the state in
this way without detriment to the eff
cheney of your honorable bodies
Examination of Public Records.
Serious charges having been made in
the public prints which are of great
public notoriety, concerning the bust
aid OF the legislature, that a thorough
and impartial investigation of the pub
lie records be made and the real facts
asceTtained- These charges and dis
cussions relate not only to imperfec-
ton of public accounting, but affect |
private character as well. Private
character on the one hand and the
states interest on the other are too
sacred to remain under the shadows of
suspicion and uncertainty. 1t is my
purpose, If aided by your generous as
SiStance, to have an examination made
Of public records which shall be SO
thorough and complete that no doubt
VIII remain as to the real condition of
things when it is done. In this con-
nection 7 think it may safely be said
that whatever may be the facts as to
the more serious matters. the system
of public accounting in state depart
ments is very imperfect and needs i'm
provement To subserve all these ends
I ask your cooperation in an appropri-
alton Of not less than $4,000, OF so
much thereof as may be necessary to
make the examination and improve
ment referred to-
Primary Law.
In a republic like ours where SOW
ereignty inheres in it's private citi-
zenship, where public officials are
mere ministers Of the popular will.
political parties are an essential part
of the machinery of government.
Since government, therefore, comes to
us through parties it must have it's
initiative in party primaries where
candidates are selected. The primary,
then, is the beginning of government
and as the character of a stream is
determined by the character of its
fountain, so government will be no
purer than its source. Tt would seem
while we carefully guard the ballot
box at the regular election, we have
paid but little attention to the real
source of elective power-the place
where candidates are selected. All
kinds of frauds are perpetrated with
tmpunity. The importance. therefore.
of a primary election law which shall
as sacredly guard this fountain Of
popular government as the regular
lad