The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-08

university, Is doing good work among
/ these people. State aid has been ex-
tended to this school and I think the
money has been wisely spent. and 1
| commend it to your further generous
/ consideration.
! Alcoholism.
| Experience in the consideration of
| pardon cases has impressed me as new
| er before with the tremendous import
! ance of the liquor question on its eco
nomic side. 1t is hardly an exaggera-
ton to say that, of the scores and hun
/ dredS of applications for pardon and
parole which have been made to me
during the past two years, ninety per
cent of the original trouble had its in
ception In the drink habit. This I'M
| fortunate habit and the accused traffic
which is its foundation impose an
enormous burden of taxation upon the
people, and, altogether aside from
moral considerations. viewed wholly
from an economic standpoint, the
question is worthy of your serious con-
| sideration whether or not an ounce of
prevention is not better than pound
| of cure. believe it would be wise to
establish a state hospital for inebriates.
for the treatment of alcoholism. Per-
haps the new medical department of
the State university might be wisely
enlarged in its scope to include treat
ment of this class of unfortunates.
The Old Soldiers.
Our debt of gratitude to our coun-
| try's defenders should be intensified by
| the passing years and by the fnfirmi-
| ties and necessities which age brings
to them. They are rapidly responding
to the bugle-caH across the river. The
pontoon of death is heavy with the
tread of departing veterans marching
to the eternal camping-ground. Forty
thousand of them answer the roll-call
every year on the other side What we
do for many of them, aye, most of
them. must be done quickly, and we
cannot do too much. I most heartily
commend for your careful conSidera-
ton, therefore, likewise and practical
Commander P. H. Coney, a copy of
which will be laid on all of your desks
In addition to the recommendations of
Captain Coney, I wish to suggest the
propriety of the legislature providing
for regular chaplain at the Dodge
City Soldiers home. Here is little
city of 500 or 600 souls, with its cot
tage homes. its public school, and
town and home life. Surely such a
place should have a resident pastor, to
give hese old veterans and their fam
lilies the benefits and joys of regular
religious services as we'll as to minis
ter to them in pastoral capacity.
Asylum Farm.
The suggestion of Mrs. Cora G.
Lewis, visiting member of the board of
control, for the purchase of lands adj
jacent to our state hospitals for the in
sane, TO Ee culIlVaIod Dy harmless III
mates of these Institutions, seems to
me to have much. merit. The sugges-
ton seems to be wise not only from
a financial standpoint but also from the
mental good of these unfortunates.
and recommend the subject to your
favorable consideration.
Private Charities.
In addition to- the nine state elee-
mosynary Institutions supported entire
nv nrlT-f a 10 W
large number of private institutions of
a charitable nature are also partly sup
ported by funds from the state treas
ury. This policy has always been open
to criticism It's wfsrom has often been
questioned; but conceding it's wisdom.
it's imperfection in operation must
be admitted. Some of these Institutions
may not need help, while other SINH
lar Institutions in the state. equally as
worthy, are not assisted at all Some
more satisfactory method of assisting
these institutions should be adopted, If
this policy is to be continued. Tthink
the whole matter should be placed in
the hands of the state board of con-
troll, or at least the Endorsement of that
board should be necessary before
money is appropriated to any of these
institutions. In this connection wish
to call attention to another matter.
Representatives of sO-called private
charities are constantly going about the
state soliciting contributions to their
=
senting no institution at all, impose
upon the charitably disposed people of
the state in this manner. If some legal
method could be devised by which
these solicitors would be compelled to
have the Endorsement of the state
board of control 1T would be a great
protection to legitimate institutions as
well as to the people.
Equal Suffrage.
Municipal suffrage, which has been
a. r1fT 81 |
1887, has proven success. The right
should be extended. No argument
worthy of the name has ever been
made against the right of women as
well as men to participate in govern
ment with equal rights at the polls. |
and no such argument, in my judg-
ment, can be made. Government rests
primarily upon the ability of the
governed to contribute virtue and in
telligence to government, and what /
husband or father or brother or lover
will deny these requisites to the wo-
men of Kansas? But whatever may
be thought as to the wisdom of ex-
tending universal suffrage to women,
certainly no fair man can deny that
women property-owners should have
equal right with men to vote upon
questions involving taxation of their
property. The word male has no |
place in a modern. state constitution
and should be stricken from ours.
The Oil Interests.
When the last legislature embled |
our vast oil interests were in the abb |
solute grip of the Standard Oil COM
pany. Holding out inducements of
remunerative prices for crude oil, it /
had prompted thousands of people to |
put their hard-earned money into oil |
companies for the development of the |
field, but when the field had been de- |
veloped at individual expense the
price of crude oil was reduced two |
thirds. practically bankrupting thou |
sands Of people, and all this without |
any corresponding reduction of the |
finished product to the consumer. |