The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-11-11
THE nine PLEDGES
What State Republican Plat
form Promised the Voters.
Physical Valuation Of Railroads
One of Them.
AN ANTI LOBBY LAW.
Also Publicity of All Campaign
Contributions.
State Bank Guaranty Is Also
ON the List.

The following are the pioieAO4 IA
pledges" of the Republican state plat
form which the next legislature VIII De
expected to put into effect;
"First-An appropriation sufficient 10
ascertain the valuation of properly
owned by public service corporations.
"Second-A law providing for the con-
+rol nv the state of the issue of all
stocks and bonds by public service cor
porations and limiting such issues to
the value of the property owned by
such corporation.
.Third-An anti-lobby law.
"Fourth-The creation of a reference
library bureau.
'Fifth-The election of tax commits
sioners and county assessors by direct
vote.
'.Sixth-A generous provision by the
legislature for state forestry.
'Seventh-A law compelling all can
didates and all committees to publish
all contributions and expenditures or
political campaign under oath with
severe penalty for its violation
,''Eighth-We pledge ourselves through
our candidates for the legislature TO the
passage of an act ena bling the state
banks of Kansas to mutually and vol
unfairly guarantee deposits under the
supervision of the bank commissioner
department and request our candidates
for congress and the United States SEN
ate to favor law enabling national
banks to participate therein
"Ninth-We favor liberal approprla-
ton for charging the operation OF the
department of annual husbandry OF the
State Agricultural college.
.Tenth-We commend the action or
Governor Hoch in appointing an educa-
tfonaI commission for the purpose OF
investigating the school problems OF
the state. We favor the enactment OF
such laws as will further strengthen
and develop the educational opportunl-
ties of the state, and especially do we
favor more liberal and ample facilities
for our rural schools, and to that end
we particularly recommend some means
for aid to weak districts and closer
state and county supervision.
The proposition to make a physical
valuation of railroads was one of the
things which was given the board of
railroad commissioners to do at the
nothing has been done. The 1907 ses-
sion passed this amendment to the
railroad law:
'"rhe commissioners shall ascertain
as early as practicable the amount of
money expended in construction and
equipment per mile Of every railway
in Kansas, the amount of money ex- !
pended to procure the right of way,
the amount of money it would require
to reconstruct the road bed, track, de-
pots and transportation facilities, and
to replace all of the physical proper
ties belonging to the railroads. For
the purpose named the commissioners ,
may employ experts sworn to inspect
and assist them when needed and
from time to time. as the information
acquired bv this article is obtained, |
they shall communicate the same to
the attorney for the board. and the
attorney general by report. and said
information shall be printed from
time to time in the report of the COM
missioners"
r.. r.. Commission Has Done Nothing.
The 1907 session of the legislature |
gave to the board as a contingent |
fund to pay incidental and travelling |
ira rate clerks, accountants and ex-
pert engineers and assistants, witness |
fees unprovided for in the contingent |
fund to pay incidental and travelling |
ira rate clerks, accountants and ex- |
pert engineers and assistants. witness
fees unprovided for in the contingent |
fund of the attorney for the board |
and the payment of such other per-
sons as may be employed by the |
board" the sum of $25, 900. In addi- |
ton the legislature gave the attorney
for the board $4,000 to use in pay
ing witness fees and special attorneys |
Yet out of this $4,000 available |
principally for employing experts. the |
state board of railroad commissioners |
has taken no steps toward making a |
physical valuation of railroad prop |
erty.
The railroad commissioners claim |
that 1000 is not enough money to
even make a start with this work. For |
that reason the Republican platform |
has pledged the legislature TO make an !!
appropriation for this purpose
There is a good deal of difference |
of opinion on the necessity of making a |
physical valuation of the railroads of |
the state It is probable that even af- |
ter the valuation is made 1t will not be |
very different from the valuation |
made by the state tax commission 1
The. tax commission made careful |