The Topeka state journal., 1909-02-16


the pubic utilities law will be enacted
IN IN due time and will become at once the
most praised and condemned law in the
STATE. II IS right and it will prevail but
me opposition to it is as fierce as was
ever made against a railroad reguIa-
1loh Win this difference, the men who
are protesting are our friends and
nelShpors, men we have lived with
ahese many years. But the public has
a a rlgnt TO have an efficient public utili-
Ties law and it is being framed care
fully and faithfully.
Inc anti-lobby law has already been
passed py the senate. 1t contains none
OF the ridiculous Inconsistencies of the
Wisconsin law but it is a sane, sensible
qocument that Kansas people will not
pc ashaned to have outside people
The fourth party pledge is the refer
ehce horary This was one of the
thlngS which in legislation is called a
joker. Ihere are not hundred people
iib,.asl ~ nansas IA who know what reference
npraFy is and one half of that number
coulo not find any use for one if there
was one at the state capitol or in the
university library. There will probably
tI pe reference library law passed. but
tnere is no demand for it.
The fifth pledge is harder to redeem.
1T IS the election of the tax commission
ers py the people. That is a matter
that the legislature must take up and
SellIe although the outsiders cannot un-
derstand how entirely useless the pres
ent tax board is and how selfish it is
IN al OF its recommendations. The
legislature very properly SHES at any
recommendation made by it and the
majority party knows that with the
record made by the board it is danger
Gus to have the office become elective.
1t IS party pledge, however, and it
VIII be redeemed.
THE generous provision for state
forestry has already been made. The
seventh party pledge is to compel all
candidates for office to file expense ac-
counts This is already being provided
for with half a dozen bills and it will
become a law.
The Guaranty Law.
The guaranty bank deposit bill will
be stronger and better than the party
promised. 1t has been prepared with
the greatest care and no committee
has ever worked harder than the bank
ing committee in the senate. The bill
Will be passed the coming week.
The ninth relates to liberal appro-
pr1at1ons for the patrons of husbandry
at Manhattan, a party pledge that is
being redeemed faithfully and intel
ligently-
made last fall and they will all be
remedied. The Kansas Senate is fur
ther along with it's work now than any
previous senate in the history of the
state In addition to the party pledges
II mas undertaken to enact some sensi-
bic legislation and the laws passed are
better digested, will cause less trouble
IN the interpreting than anv laws that
have heretofore been passed.
'The writer wants to say just a
word about the Kansas senate. 1t has
generally been charged that the senate
was never in sympathy with the pub
lie. This is not true this year. Cover
nor Fitzgerald is the best presiding
officer any legislature ever had He is
absolutely fair. If he has any commit
tee to which he can assign bills for the
4 rlf r oxy,.a 49, V-.TJ
in the senate knows it. He does not
have. He is fair to a marked degree.
1t is probably true that Governor F'itz-
gerald does not believe in some of the
party reforms but he has not stood in
the way of single measure and has
taken StateSm anlike view of every
question. His committees were ap-
pointed with the single purpose of get
ting the best results for the people
and the work shows that he chose
wisely. The slaughter house in the
senate is the judiciary committee
Judge F. c. Price is the chairman of
that committee. He is the ablest mem
Der of the senate, a man of clear, big
brain, fine perception of law and thor
oughly devoted to the public welfare.
He would be incapable of standing as
want, Governor Fitzgerald knew this
man by long acquaintance with him
and selected him as the head of the
judiciary committee because he wanted
Critic Has Been Unfair.
Mr.. White has been spectacular but
he has been unfair. He will find that
but that it does need and has a right
to have earnest cooperation of the
papers of the state. The work in hand
Is great work and it can be done only
by united effort
There have been fool bills intro
duced of course. The most foolish we
can recall at this time is the one to
force gas companies to maintain stor-
age tanks holding natural gas enough
for three days consumption in every
town as an emergency. That would of
court ruin every gas company in Kan
sas and this bill has probably had
lie utilities than any other one thing. |
The gas people have read the bill and |
taken it to index the temper of the |
Kansas legislature. The bill does not |
me kansas legislature is composed of
average citizens of the state, a few
freaks and no lunkheads. 1t is a great |
body and man is getting a liberal |
education who is a member of it.
The continued success and per-
oetuity of government depend more |
upon the confidence of the people in |
he integrity, honor and unselfish |
patriotism of those charged with the |
duty and responsibility of government |
han upon any other condition con- |
lected with, or incident to, govern /
nent. without it no government can /
ong endure. Ours would son crumble |
and fall. Whatever tends to destroy
his confidence, whether arising from /
within any of the coordinate branches !
IF the government or coming from !
without, should be frankly and fear |
essly met and, if possible, overcome.
THE Stubbs administration stands !
.or the square deal to all interests and !
he legislature will hold up the hands /
IF the governor
CNATnurN GO oNn