The Goodland republic., 1907-03-01
.H0GH IN SPECIAL MESSAGE
TELLS SENATE AND HOUSE TO
Do SOsIETHTEG.
Urges Passage OF Bms Into Laws
Promised the People in Last
Campaign

Governor Hoch one day this weel
sprung a double surprise on the leg.
islature. 1t was in the form OF a spe.
cial message containing a covert init
nation that he might can a special
/ session unless important legislation Is
1 enacted before the adjournment OF the
/ regular session The big surprise was
due 70 the fact that Governor Hoch
read his message in person in both
house and senate. It is said this Is
/ the hrst time q Kansas governor ever
read q special message in person.
Ordinarily when the governor wants
to communicate with the legislature
he does 50 IN writing and the message
! is mOnotonOusly read by the clerks.
But Governor Hoch has set a new
pace The house was appreciative
and applauded the governor literally.
The senate made no demonstration.
The message covers just three sub
jects: anti-passs primary elections, and
the COleman-Triekett bill intended to
strengthen the prohibitory law. The
message is as follows:
4 ITO the Senate and House OF Repre-
sentatives:
The limit Of time provided by the
constitution for legislative session will
soon expire and but few enactments
Of a general nature have reached the
executive department for the signature
Of the governor. The work Of the leg
islature up to date, so far as the en-
actment Of law is concerned, has chief
" been Of a local nature The many
measures recommended in the regu-
lar executive biennial message and
which errr77 N0 no G1es-oz - 4r--
have not been crystalized into law, 1
cannot pemit this legislature to ad-
jOurn without again calling to your
attention to some Of these measures
I'm two biennial messages have
urged the enactment OF a primary
election law. I believe the people are
demanding such a law, and will be
sOrely disappointed if this legislature
adjourns without responding to this
demand I realize the difficulty Of
agreement upon the specific provisions
OF a law Of this kind, but I cannot too
strongly urge upon those who hold
these divergent views to make every
reasonable sacrifice and agree upon
some kind Of primary election law
that viii at least in some measure
meet the exigencies Of the occasion.
No personal consideration, no pride
OF authorship. no antagonism between
the two houses should prevent some
agreement on this subject
The people believe that free rail-
road transportation is a species Of fav-
Oritism which should not be toIerat-
ed, and that it tends to corrupt poll
tics. do not share this view to the
extent il is entertained by some 9TH
ers, but share it to a large extent;
and I trust this legislature will not
adjourn until it has followed the ex-
ample OF the congress Of the United
States and abolished the free pass,
save in such exceptional cases as rea-
son may suggest
I'm my biennial message I urged the
legislature to equip the board OF rail-
road commissioners with greater faci-
lities and funds in order that Il might
be able to thoroughly investigate and
intelligently decide the great questions
with. which it must grappIe, and I
hope his recommendation will be
crystallized into law.
"On the 6th OF February, 1907, I
transmitted to the legislature z spe-
cial message recommending the pass
age OF a bill relating to intoxicating
liquors. This bill was carefully pre-
pared by ex-Attorney General Q. Q.
Coleman, Assistant Attorney General
c. W. Trickett, Assistant Attorney
General John Marshal and carefully
scrutinized by other able lawyers, but
it has not only as yet not been enacted
into law but understand has been ad-
verseiy reported by the committee Of
the senate to which it was referred.
Executive, judicial and legislative
officers should need no stimulus Of
public sentiment to prompt them to
the performance Of constitutional du-
ties; but II thy did need It in Kan
sas the people furnished it in abund-
ance at the election in this state last
November. The enforcement OF the
prOhibitory law was made q distinct
and even vehement issue in the cam
paign, and with practical unanimity
the people declared in favor Of the
enforcement OF the constitutional pro-
vision. But constitutions do not en-
foce themselves. Legislatures must
furnish the statutory means for this
enforcement Executive and judicial
officers must depend upon the legisla-
ture for these enactments. The able
lawyers above named have given more
thought perhaps to this question than
any OF the attorneys in the state, and
they have had more practical expert
ence than any others. Their judg-
ment and recommendation cannot be
lightly disregarded by this legislature.
These are matters Of very great inn
pOrtance, gentlemen, and the people
look to you for their solution can
not too strongly urge them upon you
in these closing days OF your session
TT is the duty Of the governor to
call the attention Of the legislature to
matters Of state interest and import
ance- When he has done this he has
exhausted his legitimate power and
the responsibility must thereafter
rest with the legislature"
Notice 20 the Ladies
1rfsz osfey Hardy of Kansas CITY