Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1907-01-10

ms 40 me uas uIe-grvund vi tnougnL vI
the subject. But l must ever believ'
that In the final analysis, wrong, alone
is inexpedient. and that ultimately SOM
means can always be found to max
any right thing practicable. Relativel,
land every thing Is relative In thil
world the prohibitory policy has beer
q great success In this state. 1t has beel
great benefit educationally, morally
and financially to the people,
The 200 joints In Kansas CITY, kan
have been effectually closed, and yet
is almost the universal testimony tina
the city was never SO proHp Kan
sas City, Kan, Is the LARGEST elty IN th'
state, and l believe 1t is the iafgest city
In the world without an open saloon
There has been wonderful revolution
4 of sentiment among the business men
who are prospecting as never before, ant
who attested their faith In this new ant
wise policy by electing law and ordei
mayor at the recent city election. Ih'
people of Kansas City, Kan, have
splendid opportunity to make their city
the most noted city In the world b,
steadfastly adhering to the wise policy
under which they are now making sucf
gratifying growth in every realm 0:
civic Importance, and other cities woulo
do well to catch this infection, for IL
is In the air. In this great accomplish
ment too much credit cannot be bive,
to Attorney-general c. c. Coleman, t
the assistant attorney general. Mr. z
W. Trickett, and to the presiding judge
Hon. w. G.. Holt.
The absurd contention that more liquoi
is sold In prohibition Kansas than II
license states should deceive no one. /,
is made chiefly by those who would b.
entirely content with the prohibition
policy II their statements were true, bn.
official figures abundantly refute the
OF c 1
yIttlg good boOkh per ana a prettl
good collector. Compare prohibition Kan
sas with our neighbor, license Nebraska
for instance. Nebraska has about one
third less population than has Kansas
out Uncle Sam has collected about g..
10000 a year liquor tax from the peop,'
VI Nebraska, while he has been able Il
get only about $1OO,O06 from Kansas Tho
mount of fermented liquor sold in Kan
sas is from 5000 to 10000 barrels year
IN Nebraska from 100000 to 100000 barrels
IN Missouri from 2,0O0,00O to- 100000 bar
rels.
When | came into office. two years
ago, l 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
most difficult duty confronted me. 3
definite policy was at once formulated
ind, acting In harmony with the attor-
ey-general, this policy has been stead
lstly pursued. The enforcement Of this,
IS Of other laws, rests primarily, unde.
ar statutes, upon the local authorities
Recognizing these fundamental facts
IS well as the limitations of power con-
ferred by the legislature upon the gov
ernor for the enforcement of this ano
other laws, / have written to every
county attorney and sheriff in thu
state, and to many of them repeatedly
urging tho anf0r0ampnt nf the law
In four-fifths of the 1O5 counties thu
prohibitory law is as well enforced as
ther penal statutes. The constitution
imposes upon the governor the duty OF
enforcing laws. but legislatures alone
ssive effect to constitutional requirements
md furnish the executive with power for
their enforcement. The governor can
only enforce law with law. The various
avs enacted by Kansas legislatures dur
ing the past quarter of century t.
make effective this constitutional amend
ment have been stubbornly contested ir
The courts In every possible way by tn
uuor interests. Some OF these laws
have stood the test, but some of tn
most important ones have been annulled
oy the courts.
Upon you, gentlemen of the legisla-
ture,N devolYes the duty OF conferrine
greater power upon those clothed Will
responsibility of government. to the END
not be marred by the persistent violation
)f the prohibItory law, and that the
wise, economical and moral policies in
volved In this constitutional amendment
mav .he made more and msnTe eft:GtlySs; !;
to what you should do in this matter,
but will not make specific recommends.
ions at this time. Bills covering the
ubject will be submitted for your ap-
oroval having the Endorsement Of the
administration. and l doubt not will
receive your careful consideration.
Board OF Control.
The subject to which l 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.
The legislature responded nobly to the
Incorporating every one
of my suggestions in the new law, and
II that legislature had done nothing else
than adopt this new Board Of Control
method OF managing the nine charitable
institutions of the state 1t would have
done enough to win the everlasting graf
itude of the people Of Kansas.
The institutions have been placed upon
a 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-
tions have greatly increased, owing to
the fact that the population Of the state
has increased 100000 in the past two
years, reports from each Of these nine
show a most gratifying H.
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 aek to
continue even more successfully the
great work they have been doing.
State Printing.
The last legislature wisely changed the
whole method OF state printing. Pre-
vious to that state printer was elected
and did the printing for the state In
his own plant and at specified rates.
Under this system great abuses grew up.
The trouble was not 80 much In the
legal rate charged as in the vast amount
OF useless printing done for which the
state was required to pay and which
Yielded the printer in the aggregate an
enormous income Commenting on this
extrayaganee, ! SAID IN my mesgase;
the state 10 purchase a printing plant
and put a manager over It upon q rea-
Honable salary. l think the value Of
such a plant could be saved In a short
time"
The Legislature Responded 70 the Bue-
Eestion by providing for the election Of
Eiven q salary Of R.60o. and for the
erection OF a printing house 20 BE- owned
By the state. II also elected A. Nc
Neal state printer, and provided for the
appointment Of a commission BY tbs
Tovernor 10 erect the proposed building
WITH this statute, ! appointed Mr.. G. g.
3leed, Mr.. George y. Tucker and Mr.
q. P. Harris a. such commission II now
Eives me great pleasure to report the