The Goodland republic., 1905-01-27

I aor L1lS state II needs reLOru-
State Fishery
think the FISH and game interests
/ should be consolidated and one nan en-
I rouered fo Trr0l- affe- hofb ~ fhe-, T-ba
destruction Of game IS an evil that should
/ be remedied as far as the law can con-
coming into the state and killing our
game for market purposes is one that can
not be too speedily stopped. and as a
means 70 this reform i recommend the
/ enactment OF a law imposing a heavy
license upon nonresident sportsmeu who
7 ply their vocation within our borders
School Lands
The attention Of the legislature is par
ticularly called 70 a matter or great i'm
Y portance concerning our school land pos
sessions There are yet unsold school
I lands approximatinE one million acres
I located chiefly IN the western half OF
I the state Under the law these lands
are on the market at the minimum price
Z OF S1-2J per acre IL is a matter Of com
. mon noteriety that lands in that part
OF the state as well as in other sections
Of the state have greatly enhanced in
/ value during the last four or five years
and especially during the last two or
{ three years These school lands shOulS
either be Withdrawn from the market
or the price at which they will be sold
increased commensurate with the growth
and development OF that county
Tax Revision
Every session Of the Kansas iegisla-
Z
upon 10 wrestle with propositions for the
revision OF our system Of assessment
and taxation The imperfectiOns are uni
versaIly recognized and its inadequacy
70 the needs OF the state generally con-
ceded-
The inequalities under the present sys-
TEN in the various sections Of the state,
even in counties adjacent to each other
and even in townships in the same cOun-
ty. are fagrant and ridiculous. while the
whole state suffers in reputation abroad
as well as in practical effect at home by
this imperfect system Of assessment and
taxation For instance. while the law as
il now exists provides for the assessment
Of property at its fun value. the entire
assessed value OF all the personal prop
erIy Of the state only aggregates slNty-siX
million dollars, while the bank cOmmis-
sioner reports over one hundred million
. dollars IN the banks alone and the sec
retary- OF the state board Of agriculture
reports the value Of farm products and
live stock for the year at S367 ,S01 600.
and there are many other forms OF per-
soual property not included in these fig
ures. Not only does this assessment make
our aggregate statistics look insignin-
cant ABROAD DuT II makes our rate OF
taxation appear so enormously high as to
fHghten hOmeseekers. and to deter in
vestments by those unfamiliar with the
facts think it no eXaggeratiOn 10 say
that the real value OF the personal prop
erty Of the state is at least six times its
assessed value. Such statistics do the
state great injustice abroad and give the
outside world no proper conception or
financial conditions here In addition 70
these absurd valuations, purpOSely made
by the various assessors which belittie
the state many millions OF dollars worth
OF personal property escapes taxation al
together. II this legislature can devise
some method by which to accomplish
Of personal property for the purpose Of
taxation, and the taxation OF IL at its
real value when listed. il viii have done
that which its predecessors have tried in
vain TO DO.
Labor.
There are few IL any better indices
70 the progress OF the people IN clElilza-
ton ana good government than the eS-
TEEN in which labor is held and the
code Of laws enacted for its protection
AFTER all. IN the last analysis. nearly all
values resolve themselves into the value
Of labor The laws upon our statute
books primarily in the interest OF our
laborers. II compiled. would make quite
a large book. In 1SstS the legislature
added to these enactments a law creating
State Society OF Labor and Industry
An elaborate report from the officers of
Il Tor the years 1901 and 1902 has just
been issued. II viii be found a volume
Of great interest and profit. The labor
commissioner makes some recommended
tions, 10 which I call your attention
The last legislature authorized the eX-
pendituTe. under the auspices OF the
Woman't Social Science Federation, OF
Sl--tJ IN Jne purchase OF BOOKS and PIC
lures for the Girls Industrial school at
Beloit- II was wise expenditure. and
now recommend the appropriation OF a
similar sum for the Boys IndustriaI
school II Topeka
Gas and Oil.
The marvellous development Of the gas
and oil resources Of the state impose a
duty upon this legislature which 10 for
mer legislature has had to meet Mon
cpoly threatens to rob our people OF the
chief benefits of this great endowment
and appropriate the profits to itself How
to save this wealth to the state and to
its people and secure them its greatest
benefits is a serious problem.
Railroads
No single material interest Of the state
is OF greater Importance than the rail-
road interests Their assessed value is
lInust equal to the assessed value of all
tho personal property in the state They
nave been powerful factors In the up
pU=' ding OF kansas. They are a vital
Part Of our Industrial system. Every
thoughtful person appreciates their i'm
PCrtance and every reasonable individual
recognizes their rights No demsgOgic at
tacks on them in legislative halls or out
OF them should be given sanction. but.
while this is true 1t is your duty, on
the other hand, TO see that the interests
and rights Of the people are protected
from the CuDidity of temporary managers
who from time TO time get in control
OF these great and necessary corporations
Temperance.
The manufacture and sale OF intoxi-
Cants has long since been universally
recognized as a legitimate subject Of gov
eTumental concern. because the evils
growing out OF their use are universally
recognized The growth Of temperance
sentiment mas Deetl EEGEfeLONS. UuL among
the most hopeful signs in this direction
is the attitude toward the drink habit
now sustained by the great corporations
Dykes and Drainage.
The subject Of dykes and drainage will
doubtless be presented for your consider
alton Their Importance have been en-
phasized during the past few years
Under present statutes the local restric-
lions are so great that II is practically
impossible for farmers In the low lands
and valleys subject 10 inundariou. to get
relief without additional legislation
Educational institutions
Every citizen OF the state viii be graft
fled 20 know that the education institu-
tiOns are in a flOurishing condition. Each
OF the three asks additional apprOpria-
tiOns to serve their great needs. and I am
sure You viii deal generously with them
No money is better spent than thai
which is expended for the equipment Of
our educational institutions
Prom the report Of the warden Of the
penitentiary you viii learn that that in
stftutiOn is self sustaining That during
the past two fiscal years there has been
returned to the state In cash and in pro-
ducts. which IL sold in the great open
market would have produced the cash.
a greater sum than the amount apprO-
priated BY the state for the expense ac-
count This is certainly a gratifying
statement I wish to indorse the recon-
mendation Of the board Of directors that
each state institution shall DaT cash for