Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1905-01-19


ment aud Taxation-Asks an Appropri-
alton OF $4,000 for an Investigation
OF the Public Records.
TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES,
Section 5, of article /. of the state con
stitution, in defining the duties OF the
governor, says that he shall at the conf
mencement of every session conmunlcaite
to the legislature I'm wriung) such III
formation as he may possess IN refer
ence to the condition of the state ana
recommend such measures as he may
deem expedient." In harmony with TINS
constitutional requirement / have the
honor to submit herewith this biennial
message,
THE STATE PROSPEROUS.
1 wish at the threshold to congratulate
YOU upon the suspicious circumstances
under which you meet. The state you
have assembled to serve in the law-abid-
ing capacity is enjoying IL wonderful de-
gree of prosperity, as a whole, in spite
of the overlooking waters which during
of our fertile valleys, entailing great loss
in town and city and country. The
mortga s ds5s which mic 10 Years ago 9ggF it
remarkable rapidity until 1t is now no
longer u serious burden upon our peo-
pie. Our banks are overlooking with
money. largely the accumulSt ton of our
prosperous farmers. Our laoorers com
mand renumerative wages and all of our
L
your legislative labors may advance
rather than retard this upward movement
1 am sure will be your highest ambition,
as it Is my most earnest desire. To sub
serve these good ends 1t will be my very
great pleasure to Cooperate with you in
every way possible.
LEGISLATIVE REFORM
My own legislative experience together
you will serve for the first time in this
capacity. will be sufficient apology, |
trust, for the frankness with which /
shall address you concerning matters
purely within your own province, and 1
hope that my words may not be consid-
cred impertinent or intrusive, but that
spirit in which they are uttered. 1t is
easy for one political party 70 condemn
courage and virtue when a political or
ganization condemns the acts of its own
members This was freely and frankly
done in state convention by the party to
certain acts of the last legislature. 1t
is only fair to say of that body that 1t
was at least an average legislature in
ability and character; that 1t included in
Its membership many Hble 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 pernic:ous custom. L hope you
Will not consider me officious in saying
That the people expect You to reform this
abuse. and l warn YOU that If YOU do
not do 1t your failure will Justly incur
severest popular condemnation. l 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 PUBLIC 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
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
the shadows of suspicion and uncertain
". II Is my purpose. if aided by your
generous assistance, to have an examina-
tion made of public records which shall
be so thorough and complete that nc
doubt Will remain as to the real condi-
ton of things when 1t Is DONE In this
connection 1 think it may safely be saif
That whatever may be the facts as to the
more serious matters, the system of pub
rer,s accounting rig IN state departments is
10 subserve all these ends 1 ask youl
SSo-operation IN an appropriation of not
less than $4,000, or so much thereof as
may be necessary to make the examina.
uon ana Improvement referred to.
PRIMARY LAW.
In republic like ours where soyer-
eighty inheres in its private citizenship
Where pubic officials are mere minis
ters OF the popular will. political parties
d. an essential part of the machinery
OF government. Since government, there
lore. comes TO us through parties it must
nave its initiative in party primaries
Mnere candidates are selected. The pri-
mary mary tnen. Is the beginning OF govern
H., Pta
determined by the character of its foun-
t tSarl, 80 80 government will be no purer
IMAM It's source. 1t would seem STRANGE
to a thoughtful person that while ~
carefully guard the ballot-box at the reg
t tsaf e1ectIon, we have paid but little at
lentlon 10 the real source of elective
poWer-the place where candidates arc
selected; Many states have adopted pri-
mar! election laws, perhaps the most
nm eIu one ne Deing the state of Wisconsin.
st.g the provisions of the law in that
STATE, as l understand 1t, is one nrace
IfiIratiy providing for the election of
contamination devoutly to be wis1ed bsra
as everyvhere), the law providing thai
Ssndidates for that office must run for
lhe candidate who wins at the primarv
VIII be recommended to the Legislature
as the party,s nominee. OF course. this
RECOMMENDATION is not compulsory he
cause the constitution of the United
states provides that senator's shall he
en- BY the legislature but it is hard
~ prooabie that a legislature would be
found which would disobey the wishes
OF the people thus expressed | sincere
~ trust that this subject will receive
your careful attention and that a wise hill
Will be finally agreed upon and promptly
enacted into law.
RE-APPORTIONMENT
The re-apportionment of the state into
congressional districts is one of the i'm
peratiVe duties of this legislature The
last territorial apportionment was made
IN 1873. at which time the state was en-
Tilted to a representation of seyerYNin the
congress OF the United States In 1890 a
new congressman was allotted to Kan
sas under congressional apportionment.
since which time this state has been rem
resented by congressman-at-large.- Sue
cessive legislatures have failed to per-
form their duty in the re-apportionment
or the state into eight congressional dis
trtcts, and ] earnestly hone that this
legislature will not neglect this duty The
people expect it and will be greatly dis
appointed II it is not done. No personal
interests should be permitted to prevent
the performance of this plain duty II
Is no reflection at all upon the eminent
gentlemen who have served the state
with distinguished ability in this position
In the past, or upon those who may be
called to perform similar duties in the
future. to say that no one can serve the
state so .acceptably or so profitabiy ir
this manner as when representing a def
mite constituency such as is contempla-
NlrI k