Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1907-01-16
KANSAS MESSAGE
Gov. Hoch Submits His Recon-
mendations to the Legislature
for Action.
SEVERAL REFORMS FAVORED
Prohibition Receives Strong En-
dorsement From the Executive
"A Great Year for All Indus
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,
study the governmental needs of the
people, to supplement former legislation
with additional enactments necessary for
its enforcement and efficiency, and 10
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 for
your earnest consideration numerous rec
concentrations.
wish to renew the recommendation
made 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
the people of all parties an opportunity
to select at 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.
1 recommend the enactment of law
forbiddinG gratuitous transportation. eX-
cept to actual railroad employees.
recommend the appointment of a
committee early in the session to hear
to reduce railroad fare in this state.
If railroad rates in this state ale
to be made equitable, an expert equal In
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 a rea-
SCRABBLE rate may be intelligently decided
m m iS. i m lie
cry, student of the subject.
The railroad companies are en-
ap!eQ to eVade most of our statutes
ny claiming that much, if not most, Of
the traffic is interstate because its term
inals are across the line, and the freight
is billed from all shipping points in Kan
sas to Kansas City, Mo-, and from Kan
sas City. Mo, 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
sas side OF the line. Otherwise our state
laws on these subjects will be in large
Part annulled.
1 wish to renew my recommendation of
two years ago in reference to placing
the telegraph and telephone compa MES
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 ridicuously low. AS
matter of fact. Kansas affairs. state and
able economy. Official salaries are com
paratively small. Few states pay so
little to their officials. Appropriations
eieemosynary and educational institu-
tions are relatively less than in most
any state In the union, and yet our taxes
seem nign; because; as stated above,
for the further reason that a vast
amount OF property escapes taxation al
together: This is particularly true of
mOneV. while a ha rly
reports $40 100000 on deposit in the banks
of the state. less than s., OO0, 600 appear on
the taXrolls; The assessment of rail-
road and other personal property is al
post II not quite as great farce. The
Jaw comDels the assessment of propert.,
mt its actual value, but nobody contends
that this law is complied with, and there
Is no penalty for its violation. L think
most of this whole taxation problem
could be solved by adding to present laws
GLIDING severer penalties for perjury IN
listing property for taxation, and L rec
ommend that this be done.
Relatively (and every thing is rela-
tive in this world) the prohibitory pol
icy has been a great success IN this
state. 1t has been a great benefit edu-
cationally. morally, and financially to
the people.
When 1 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.
i 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 los 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.
L have some well-matured thoughts as
to what you should do in this matter,
but will not make specific recommends
tions at this time. Bills covering the
subject will be submitted for your APP
Rroval having the Endorsement of the
administration, and L doubt not will
receive your careful consideration
The subject to which l devoted more
attention than to any other in my first
change in the method of managing our
state eleemosynary institutions.
The institutions have been placed upon
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 tc
the fact that the population of the state
has increased 100000 in the past two
years. reports from each of these nine
institutions show a most gratifying fl.
nancial exhibit, the aggregate saving
amounting to some seventy-odd thou
Sanu UOllaTS. commend 10 your most
favorable consideration the recommen
dations of this board, and trust you will
furnish them every facility they ask t
continue even more successfully tn,
great work they have been doing.
The last legislature wisely changed tn,
whole method of state printing by pro
viding for the election of state printel
by the neonle. To he given salary o
$500. and for the erection of a Erint
ing house TO be owned by the state L
now gives me great pleasure to repor
the completion of three-story bricl
printing -office, so by $50 feet in dimension
handsome in external appearance an,
modern In internal arrangement, equip
ped with modern material and in sue
cessful operation. at total cost of abou
$4,000. all of which will be paid for gu
of the saving of less than three years
operation.
No more humane and creditable Law
was ever enacted than the one passe,
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 triak judge
have the mower to issue parole 'mme
diately after sentence has been imposed
In cases in which they may think |
wise to do so. e.
a.. .-o~.~. 81. -.