The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-30

Ed@l4NEL Nl6ll also De taken the
wedding anniversary of Kansas and Re
publicanism-
Practically a half century has ELAPSED
in the life of each and today Kansas
is as sound as though she had never
bled. Every mark and trace of her
prostratiOn has been effaCed. She is as
constant as though she had never been
bewitched by POpulism and has return
ed to her first love TO whom she owes
+ allegiance by every natural bond. Wher-
ever we turn our eyes we see Kansas
! power dilating. EXPANDING, ascending
/ Never did a state spring forward in its
/ career with such bound as we have
/ In wealth. in intelligence in high feel
! ing, in all the great constituents of a
state we have made in a few years a
most astounding progress.
All Due to Republicanism.
+ The marvellous progress made in Kan
/ sas during the asst so wears has all been
4 accomplished through Republican lead
ership and as q result of Republican leg
/ isiat1on. Once .deViaing from the path
I OF recutude panic came upon us. The
cry of the hungry. the tramp of the idle
I broke in ION the silence of suspended
traffic. Dismay, depression. debt dam
gled ike milestone about the neck
of Kansas. But she learned her lesson
well and today that milestone has been
converted into a revolving mill wheel;
the fever and frenzy of the early nine
ties are replaced by the fires of many
busy furnaces. Once mortgage burden
ed Kansas has paid her debts, re-estab-
Hshed her credit, and reclaimed her hon
or. There is none hungry. He who seeks
work finds it. A million and half of
GOd-fearing, law abiding people possess
the land and by their character and en-
ergy add to its greatness. These people
are uniformly prosperous and universal
ly happy.
The last legislature made record for
wise ard fearless laWmaking that has
80
the state. There are upon the statutes
of Kansas placed there by the Repub-
lican legislature of 1905, more important
laws Illustrating the wisdom of Repub-
lican policies and the benefceEee of Re
publican administration than have been
bound into any session laws in any state
during the -aAa~t decade. A few of these
I would briefly mention.
Congressional ApportiOnment.
For years Kansas has been represent
ed in the national house Of representa-
tlVeS by eight congressman. OF these
eight congressman seven represented
definite and specific congressional dis
tricts, while one was known as a con-
gresham t-large, having for his con-
stituency the whole state and in reality
representing the interests and industries
of no particular section Of Kansas. This
plan Of apportiOnment was unsatisfac-
tory to the congressman t-large and to
the people generally Last winter a con-
gressional apportionment bill was en-
acted into law which created a new dis
trict in Kansas known as the Eighth
congressional district. This was accom-
plished with the least possible political
Juggling, without gerrymanderin" any
one out of his district, making adjust
ment to the new order of things simple
and forming a compact district in the
most logical section of the state.
Juvenile Court.
1t is hard to establish a penal sys-
isfactory results, but it is an established
fact that as general rule the habitual
criminal started on his career of crime
in youth. AS a remedy the juvenile
court law was enacted by the last 1egis-
lature. The law provides that the pro
bate judge in each county shall have
Jurisdiction of all cases concerning de-
pendent, neglected and delinquent chill
dren under the age of Is Years. AL
though in operation only a few months
it has already become a strong factor in
the reformation of youthful Offenders.
Negotiable Instruments.
The legislature of 1905 placed upon the
statute books a law which covers the
whole subject of negotiable instruments
notes. checks. drafts, acceptanees,
bills of exchange. certificates Of deposit
the object being to bring all under one
uniform law. In q states uniformity
now prevails. To the commercial and
business world the passage of this law is
OIL 4IEdlEuAdDiE DGHEllL. II Is OAlE VI the
most complete and comprehensive laws
on the statute books.
Printing Plant
More than quarter Of a century ago
the people of the state of Kansas adopt
ed an amendment to the constitution
providing for the election of a state
printer. A schedule of prices was adopt
ed. not unreasonable at the time of it's
adoption, perhaps, bl in view of mod
ernized machinery and cheapened meth
DDS the schedule became unreasonable.
The last Legislature Concluded that a
proper method would be to abolish the
old system entirely, take over the print
ing plant as a part of the state property
and place the state printer upon
stated salary, eliminating the printer
incentive to induce the various heads of
the departments of state government 10
DO as much printing as possible the
biennial report of the secretary OF stale
shows that the cost of printing Tor the
last biennial period-not including the
amount paid to the various newspapers
for legal publications-wa SlS4 6S0gf.
while the appropriation for the biennial
period ending June 30. 1907, amounts to
S135.000. The state printer feels conf
dent that he win be able 10 keep tne
cost of work for this biennial period
within the appropriations made by the
legislature If so, it viii show saving
to the state through the state owner
ship, as compared with the cost OF
printing during the last biennial period,
of $4,000 in round numbers.
state Depository Act.
Fulfilling a pledge made by the last
Republican state convention the legis-
lature Of 1895 passed a law known as
the state depository act. providing for
the deposit Of the public funds of the
state with incorporated banks doing
business in Kansas. Under the opera
ton OF this law the state funds are
now on deposit in several national and
state banks and the state of Kansas is
receiving interest on the same st the