Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1905-01-12
ASKS FOR REFORMS.
Gov. E. w. Hoch Touches on Many
Vital Subjects In His Message.
"kansas Gas for Kansas People"
Rings Clear from the Chief Ex-
ecutive-New Laws Regulating
Railroad Rates.

Topeka, Kan, Jan. 10-Gov. Hochs
message to the legislature was deliv-
cred today. The most important sub
.jects discussed are as follows:
TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES
Section 8, of article /. of the state con-
stitution, In defining the duties or the
governor. says that he shall lat the COM
mencement of every session communicate
TO the Legislature Gn writinG) such In
formation as he may possess In REFER.
ence to the condition of the state and
recommend such measures as he may
constitutional requirement ! have the
honor to submit herewith this biennial
message.
THE STATE PROSPEROUS.
wish at the threshold to congratulate
you upon the suspicious circumstances
nnder which you meet. The state you
have assembled to serve In the law-abld-
ing capacity Is enjoying wonderful de-
gree of prosperity, as whole, In spite
OF the oVerilowing waters when during
of our fertile valleys. entailing great loss
in town and city and country. The
mortgage debt which 10 years ago aggre-
gated $-50OO0.000 has been liquidated with
remarkable Iapidity until II Is now no
longer a serious burden rpon our peo-
pie. Our banks are overlooking with
money. largely the accumulation Of our
prosperous farmers. Our laborers COM
mand renumeraiive wages and all OF our
business interests are prosperous. That
your Legislative labors may advance
rather than retard this upward movement
i am sure will be your highest ambition,
as IL Is my most earnest desire. To sub
serve these good ends il will be my very
great pleasure To cooperate with you in
every way possible.
LEGISLATIVE REFORM.
My own legislative experience together
with the fact that large majority of
you will serve for the first time in this
capacity, will be sufficient apology. |
trust, Tor the frankness with which l
shall address you concerning matters
purely within your own province. and
hope that my words may not be consid-
cred impertinent or intrusive, but that
you will receive them in the kindly
spirit in which they are uttered. 1t is
easy for one political party to condemn
another. but 1t is u rare exhibition of
courage and virtue when political or
ganization condemns the acts of its own
members. This was freely and frankly
done In state convention by the party to
which most of you belong in reference to
certain acts of the last Legislature. 1t
Is only fair to say of that body that II
was at least an average Legislature In
ability and character; that 1t included In
its membership 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
had been growing for years. The multi
plicity of useless offices and eXtravagant
waste of the peoples money through
these channels was the natural outgrowth
of this pernicious custom. | hope you
will not consider me ofiicious in saying
that the people expect you to reform this
abase. and | warn you that II you do
not do 1t your failure will justly incur
severest popular condemnation. | believe
many thousands of dollars can be saved
to the state in this way without detri-
ment to the efficiency of your honorable
bodies.
EXAMINATION OF PrELIC RECORDS
Serious charges have been made in
the public prints which are of great pub
lie notoriety, concerning the business in
terests of the state. / invoke the aid of
the legislature. that thorough and i'm |
partial investigation of the public rec
ords be made and the real facts ascer- |
tanned. These charges and discussions
relate not only to imperfection of pub |
lie accounting. but affect private charac- |
ter 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 uncertain |
". IL Is my purpose. II aided by your
generous assistance, to have an eXamina-
ton made of public records which shall |
De SO thorough and complete that no
ton OF things when 1t is done. In this |
connection think 1t may safely be said |
that Whatever may be the facts as to the |
more serious matters. the system of pub |
lie accounting in state departments is |
very imperfect and needs improvement. |
To subserve all these ends l ask your |
cooperation In an appropriation of not |
less than $4,000, or so much thereof as
may be necessary to make the examine
ton ana Improvement referred to.
DEPOSITORY FOR PUBLIC FUNDS.
This legislature will doubtless be asked
10 establish public depository, or a sys-
tenn OF repositories, where public funds |
shall sa be placed upon interest for the ben
passed of this kind which will enable
the counties, or the state, to receive the
peneht OF accruing interest on accumu-
p%Sc f money Two plans are pro-
state depository in which the interest
upon the money therein deposited shall
accrue to the state; and, In the other
providing that the semi-annual remit
tances from the various county treasur-
ers to the state treasurer shall be held
IN county repositories until the state
treasurer shall need the money. counties
receive the benefit of the interest on the
money withheld as well as upon the
sums already generally deposited In the
local banks, The simpler and easier
pository, but more equitable division
OF the benefits on such deposits would
result from the adoption of the county
plan. If this latter plan should be
adopted, however. 1t should be careful
ly guarded so that sudden calls from the
state treasurer might not seriously en-
barrass the local banks. The state of
received in interest from it's
state depository last year the handsome
sum of $i2.76S.6l. To the wisdom of the
legislature this subject is confidently
submitted!
GOOD ROADS.
Perhaps no modern movement Is of
wider significance or Of more general in
terest than that which Is commonly
known as THE Good Roads Movement"
interest In better public tho
Is everywhere manifest. Con-
gress has taken definite action in the
matter; the general government It lend
Ing substantial aid; the public prints are
full OF discussions on the subject, while
state legislatures are crystalizing these
advanced ideas into law. The subject Is
Dne of great Importance, especially to
The farmers. Good rnads are mt nnly |