The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-13
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.

I
redeeming features is its brevity and
! Isuccfnctness 1t is a model of its kind
5 in this regard It sets a style that
' other chief executives to come and
those already existing in other parts
of the country may well follow, if they
care to interest anyone in what they
; have to say on matters of state. One
, does not have to read through end
less words of argument and come out
with a befuddled brain as to what
Governor Stubs believes in on ques-
lions of state. He makes known his
ideas in the briefest possible sentences
which are easily understandable.
There is every evidence that he has
istudied deeply the many important
public questions which are forging to
the front today in Kansas and the
country and has arrived at his con-
illusions concerning them. He gives
these conclusions to the legislature
and the public in his message. He
doesn't enter into lengthy -disserta-
lions on the methods he employed at
arriving at the conclusions. He mere
ly states them emphatica1ly and ex-
plicitly and therefore his message is
a most forceful document, one that
will receive attention from the 1egis-
fature and one that will be read with
interest and delight by the people of
the state. In this regard the message
| is refreshing. 1t was really worth
electing Mr.. Stubs governor to get
such a message as the one he has pro-
mulgated.
| There are several conclusions in the
message on matters of moment that
will develop opposition. He may be
! in the wrong on some propositions but
the chances are that he is of sufficient
caliber to gracefully admit this if it
| is shown to him conclusively. And
there need be no fear that he will veto
| legislative acts seeking to accomplish
the things he stands for but in a way
that is not identical with his own
ideas on the subject.
To those who looked for something
extremely radical in the way of an ex-
ecutive message from Mr.. Stubs
there is disappointment, no doubt, but
it is the kind of disappointment that
can be appreciated. His message is
conservative to a degree. He sug-
gests nothing unusually radical unless
it be the ultimate dissolution of the
board of railroad commissioners and
their replacement by a public utilities
commission which shall have super
N4SAOL CG1ldIn pOWSIS OF T6Sula-
ton over not only the railroads but
also over all of the other public ser
vice corporations doing business in
the state. He urges that such a COM
mission, of five members to be ap-
pointed by the governor, be created
and that the three railroad commits |
sioners be delegated to also serve on |
it during the next two years. Some |
such provision of this sort would have |
to be made if a public utilities COM |
mission were created because the |
present railroad commissioners could |
hardly be legisIated out of office I'M
til their terms expire two years hence. |
But at the end of that time there will |
be no need for them if a public utili- |
ties commission is created for such a
commission will do the work of the
railroad commissioners as we'll as per-
form the other duties that will be i'm
posed upon them. Even this SUCCESS
ton of Mr.. Stubs is not of the radi-
cal sort. 1t is in line with steps that
have been taken under the suggestion
of Governor Hughes, of New York
and also in the Wisconsin. 1t is the
new and progressive method for a
state to deal with the corporations do
ing business in it.
1AIS 1uSSSdSe TeQOunOS with many
other excellent and pointed sugges-
tfons for the amendment of the tax,
banking, corporation and other laws
On the subject of law guaranteeing
deposits in banks Mr. Stubs expresses
no personal opinion as to the efficacy
of such legislation. He calls attention
to the fact that former Governor STAN
ley asked the legislature to consider
such a question ten years ago and
adds that the matter has been discus
sed continuously since that time and
that during the last campaign both
political parties in Kansas pledged
themselves to enact such measure
into law. He then points out that the
members of the legislature are in hon.
or bound to carry out in good faith
their platform pledges on the sub
ject. He also insists that it is the duty
of the majority party in the IegisIa-
ture to carry out all the pledges they
made to the people. Good roads, for
estry and other important subjects
come in for their endorsement from
the new governor and he discusses the
important educational questions which
will come before the legislature He
recommends that the members give
careful attention to the report of the
educa tional commission on this sub
ject.
In fact there is not question of
moment confronting the people of the {
state that Mr.. Stubs does not pay at
tention to in his message and he han
dies these items in a skillful manner,
in way that shows he is alive to all
of them and his ideas on all of them
are worthy of the deepest considera- 1
ton while his ideas on most of them