The Globe-republican., 1907-01-10
KANSAS MESSAGE ! s |
Cow Hoch Submits His Recon-
rnendations to the Legislature
f for Action.
SEVERAL REFORMS FAVORED
Prohibition Receives Strong En-
dorsemcnt From the Executive
"A Great Year for All Indus.
as tries In the State.


To the Senate and House Of Represen
tatives
In obedience to constitutional require
ment and in harmony with custom,
transmit herewith my biennial message
for your consideration.
To you, gentlemen of the legislature
has been committed a great trust,
study the governmental needs of the
people, to supplement former Legislation
with additional enactments necessary fol
its enforcement and efficiency, and &c
put upon the statute-books such new
laws as new conditions and experience
may show to be necessary. In this great
work, at the threshold Of your labors
the executive department tenders you
cordial cooperation and submits fol
yopr earnest consideration numerous rec
concentrations.
mpDde at length in my message two years
ago for the passage of primary-election
law, and / trust this legislature will
be able to solve the problem, and give
tho people Of all parties an opportunity
to select at a primary election the can
didates for whom they will be asked to
vote at general election. They should
also be permitted to express their pre-
ference for United States senator, an ex-
preston which legislature would hard
~ ignore.
l recommend the enactment of a law
f0rbidding gratuitous transportation, ex-
cept to actual railroad employees.
recommend the appointment of a
committee early in the session to hear
arguments for and against a proposition
10 reduce railroad fare In this state.
III railroad rates In this state aie
to be made equitable, an expert equal III
ability to those employed by the rail-
roads themselves in fixing the schedules
In the first place must be employed by
the state.
The absolute necessity, also, of an
authoritative estimate of the value Of
railroad property in Kansas. In order
that the question as to what is rea-
sensible rate may be intelligently decided
by the commissioners. Is apparent to ev-
cry student of the subject.
The railroad companies are en-
abled to evade most of our statutes
oy claiming that much. IL not most, Of
the traffic is interstate because its term
inals are across the line, and the freight
sas to Kansas City, Mo-, and from Kan
sas City, No., to all points in Kansas.
This should not be. If our laws are to
be of value. we must insist that the rail-
roads provide places for the reception of
freight and passenger traffic on the Kan
sas side Of the line. Otherwise our state
laws on these subjects will be In large
cart annulled.
l wish to renew my recommendation of
two years ago In reference to placing
the telegraph and telephone companies
and all transportation lines operated by
electricity under the control of the
Board of Railroad Commissioners.
Our taxes seem high because our as
sessments are ridiculously low. AS a
- 60 ff.t~, -No
municipal, are managed with remark
able economy. Official salaries are COM
paratively small. Few states pay so
little to their officials Appropriations
for the support of the state penal
eleemosynary and educational institu-
tons are relatively less than in most
any state In the union, and yet our taxes
seem high, because, as stated above,
assessments are ridiculously low, and
for the further reason that vast
amount Of property escapes taxation al
together. This Is particularly true of
money for, while the bank commissioner
reports sl40 900 on deposit In the banks
of the state, less than $5,0OO,000 appear on
the taxrolls. The assessment of rail-
road and other personal property Is al
most IL not quite as great farce. The
Jaw compels the assessment Of property
at Its actual value, but nobody contends
that this law Is complied with, and there
Is no penalty for its violation. | think
most of this whole taxation problem
could be solved by adding to present laws
severe penalties for their violation, In
Guiding severer penalties for perjury IN
listing property for taxation, and rec
ommend that this be done.
Relatively land every thing is rela-
tive in this WORLD the prohibitory pol
icy has been a great success IN this
state. It has been a great benefit edu-
eationally, morally, and financially to
the people.
When / came into office, two years
ago, | found this law largely ignored,
If not flagrantly violated, in every city
Of the first class in the state. and In
many Of the smaller cities and towns
/ have written to every county attorney
and sheriff in the state, and to many
Of them repeatedly, urging the enforce
ment OF the law.
In four -fifths of the 1O5 counties the
prohibitory law is as well enforced as
other penal statutes. The constitution
imposes upon the governor the duty Of
enforcing laws, but legislatures alone
give effect to constitutional requirements
and furnish the executive with power for
their enforcement. The governor can
only enforce law with law.
have some well-matured thoughts as
to what you should do In this matter,
but will not make specific recommends
lions at this time. Bills covering the
subject will be submitted for your ap-
proval having the Endorsement of the
administration, and l doubt not will
receive your careful consideration.
The subject to which devoted more
attention than to any other in my first
biennial message, two years ago, was
change in the method Of managing our
state eleemosynary institutions.
rfshn institutions hauo haan flIanpd IIn0f1
strictly civil. service and business ba-
sis. Many reforms in the management
have been inaugurated. The inmates
have Jared better than ever before; and
yet, while the needs of these institu-
tons have greatly increased, owing to
the fact that the population Of the state
has increased 100000 In the past two
institutions show a most gratifying fl
nancial exhibit, the aggregate saving
amounting to some seventy-odd thou
sand dollars. / commend to your most
favorable consideration the recommen-
dations of this board, and trust you will
furnish them every facility they ask to
continue even more successfully the
great work they have been doing.
The last legislature wisely changed the
whole method OF state printing by pro-
vfdfnR for the election OF state printer
Nv ifhe neopie, tn be given a salary OF
$500. and for the erection OF print
ing house to be owned by the state. II
now gives me great pleasure to report
the completion Of three-story brick
printing office, so by 1870 feet In dimension,
handsome In external appearance and
modern In internal arrangement, equip
ped with modern material and IN sue
eessfrl operation. at total cost OF about
SC2. Doc, all OF which will be paid for out
Of lie saving Of less than three years
operation
10 more humane and creditable law
was ever enacted than the one passed
two years ago known as the Juvenile
court law. You will be asked to con-
slider some amendments to this law, sug-
gested by experience.
/ recommend that the trial Judges
have fhn mower to Issue nar0le 'mme-
Iiafely after sentence has been imposed,
In cases In which they may think II
wise to do so,
A day recently spent at the penitentlary
revealed wonderful external and Internal
Improvement. Mr.. Haskell Is q great
warden, and ! commend his recommene
I--u