The Red Cloud chief., 1909-01-15

while and attention TO find out what
manner and methods the personal prop.
crty owners are employing to conceal
their property from assessment, and to
amend the law, II need be, so that such
action can be prevented.
Record OF Legislation OF 1907.
I am pleased to inform you the railway
commission estimates that shippers and
passengers of this state have been saved
Sc, 600, 900 as a result OF legislation passed
by the last legislature, reducing passen-
ger fares to . cents n mile; express rates
% per cent; and freight rutes. on grain,
live stock, fruit, lumber and coal, and
other commodities In carload lots, 10 pei
cent.
Experience has demonstrated that thu
terminal taxation law which was passed
by the last legislature has provided Il
more equitable system of taxation. and on
the whole has been beneficial to the tax
| payers residing in the cities and villages.
The last legislature also passed an net
to control lobbying and TO prevent corrupt
practices affecting legislation; abolished
the free pass evil by cnacting an anti
| pass law; enacted Il statewide primary
law. requiring political parties to nomin-
ate their candidates by direct vote of the
people. and gave the railway commission
| power to put an end to rebates and dis
ordinations I'm transportation, to mako
and TO fix rates, and to control them
properly I'm all particulars. Telephone,
telegraph. express and street railway
companies were also placed under the
control of the railway commission.
| That lnpieInfurp paaspl n pura fool
law and an employees liability act. II
enacted laws providing for neglected chill
| drcn; provided for free high school privil.
eyes for normal training in high schools
! and assistance for weak school districts;
prohibited pooling by bridge contractors,
and provided a way to remove officers for
willful neglect of duty and failure to ell.
force laws.
Primary law.
The primary law should not be repealed
but in some particulars should be amend
ed. Provisions should be made for a ro-
tated ballot. The preclnct-committeemen
should be selected by the voters Mt the
primaries instead of being appointed by
the county candidates. as now provided.
There, should be n different provision
thar that now continued in the law re-
gardipg platform conventions. Now, eacf
county Is entitled to one delegate. This Is
not representative. Another objection Is
that the platform convention is not held
until after the primaries. a party plat
form should be promulgated before the
candidates are nominated. Provisions
should be made so that the platform con-
vontion shall be held before the primaries
or the matter OF platform-making left &c
the candidates nominated by the rospec'
tive parties.
Sterilization OF Deiinquents.
Those dependent upon tho state havt
been increasing year by year. and more
particularly the insane and convicts. Thi'
Is q matter for exceedingly serious con
slderation.
Society Is justified in adopting sucl
policies. and in carrying them out agains
individuals. as will in the long run ten'
to help elevate and perpctuate the hu
man race. Careless and il-advised mar
riages a had a great deal to do In In
creasing the dependent classes and II
producing untold misery. therefor
recommend for your earnest consideration
a change in u marriage laws so that !
will be Impossible for any man or womaI
to marry until a certificate from n physi
clan licensed to practice In this state ha:
been presented, containing n statement
that their health Is good and that they
are capable of producing healthy Off
spring. Those who are n burden upor
society should not be permitted to repro.
ducc themselves.
In order to prevent the confirmed Grim
inal and the i~ncurable insane from pro,
ducing offspring I suggest that you give
careful consideration to the necessity o.
passing a law providing for the steriliza'
ton of that class of people.
Regulation OF Liquor Traffic.
In my opinion the time has come foi
advanced legislation to better regulat,
and control the liquor traffic. At the pres
cnt time there is no political party which
publicly will stand pat' on the Slocuml
law. The demands OF the hour call 10,
legislation to control and regulate thi,
traffic in accordance with the presen
conditions and needs of the state. Thi!
question should not be permitted to drat
along until legislation is enacted tina.
will satisfy only the the extremists. II
that event the legislation will probabl.
be that which a minority rather than
majority approve. Experience in the en-,
forcement of tho liquor laws demon
strates that It is difficult to enforc,
these laws in any community where pub
lie sentiment Is against such action.
The saloon as 1t now exists Is indie
feasible. 1t breaks our laws, corrupts oul
politics, degrades our men and fills GU
prisons and asylums.
This question must be met in a practi
cal way. After careful consideration
} nave come to the conclusion tina the pro
per thing to do at this time is to pass
statewide prohibition act. making pro
vision so that any municipality may sus
pend such an act by a three-fifths vote
and In such instances to nave liquor dis
pensed as may be provided by law. Thi
will put the burden upon those who de
sire of make n profit out Of the salooi
business, rather Than upon the people o
the state who desire the saloons abol
ished. / therefore recommend that yol
pass such an act and that Won also sub