Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1909-01-20

tuesday, sent the following message
to the Kansas state legislature:
To the Legislature:
Under the provisions of our constitu-
ton II becomes the duty of the governor
70 make recommendations TO the legisla-
es ana communicate spch information
as ne may deem proper with reference to
conditions In the state. 1t therefore gives
me very great pleasure to be able 10 state
t tlat Kansas Is marching straightforward
70 her goal. The people are progressive,
prosperous, we'll clothed, well-fed, con-
tented and happy; banks, bins and store
houses are full to overohwing and our
JAMS and poorhouses in many counties are
empty. The products of the basic indus
try OF our state. farming and stock rails
Ing, together with the live stock on hand,
were valued last year at AIS million dol
lars, which Is double the value ten years
ago.
:, The character and progress OF our pub
TIC schools viii exert greater influence
In shaping the destiny OF our state than
any other one factor 1t is. therefore,
particularly gratifying to know that the
state university, agricultural callege and
normal schools have made phenomenal
progress in practical, useful and scientific
work, and have increased the number of
students almost 100 per cent within a pc
riod OF five years
The charitable institutions are well es-
tablished on a humane and businessiike
basis. They are managed more with q
view of giving the helpless. sick and in
sane inmates skillful, scientific treatment,
proper care ana KIND attention than on an
economic basis. but In the end / believe
economical.
The penal institutions have made splen-
did progress in the direction OF fitting
men for practical work after they are re-
leased from confinement in place of the
old methods of punishment, which APP
peals 10 me as more consistent with the
principles of a Christian civilization.
II Is my hope that the present session
of the legislature will break all records
n nlH
as compared with former sessions in Kan
SaS and other states 1t would be q novel
proceeding 10 witness the members of the
kansas legislature settling down TO work
six days in the week from the commence
ment TO the end of the session, forgetting
every personal interest and being con-
scious only Of their great public RESPONSE
bility and the important work which has
been entrusted TO them by their neigh
boTs' friends and ciuzens-al Of whom
VIII judge you by your works when you
return home.
! most earnestly recommend the enact
ment of public utilities law i'm Kansas,
using whatever may be used to adVant
age of the present railroad law as a basis
and adding the best features of the New
York and Wisconsin public utilities laws,
which have had severe practical test
This law should empower commission
to supervise not only the railroads, but
all public utilities including water, gas
electric light, heat, power express, car
pipe line, telegraph and telephone COM
nanies. and all other public service utili-
IleSs also, tne jurisdiction over the issue
of stocks, bonds and securities OF railway
and all other public utilities corporations
also, the power of determining whether
public necessity and convenience demand
the building Of additional lines of rail-
way, or additional water. gas, and cleo
trio flight plants in communities where
there is in operation a plant of similar
character, under an indeterminate fran
chise; also. the power to ascertain the
physical value of all public utilities prop
erty within the borders of the state.
This commission should consist of FIVE
members to be appointed by the governor
and be subject TO removal by him for
cause. This law should also provide for
three railroad commissioners to he a part
of this commission during the ensuing two
years.
We are spending more than million
dollars n year on the public highways of
Kansas without making permanent i'm
provements worthy OF melton. If this
amount of money was used In a scientific.
business-lille way. and the work done
regularly and Systematically by men who
are skilled in road building, 1t would only
require a few years to give Kansas a per-
feet system of public highways.
Kansas cannot construct public high
ways without an Amendment to our con-
stitution. But the state can provide laws
authorizing each county to build and
maintain permanent roads.
The new tax law provides for the as
sessmene of all property at its true value
and the purpose Of this law is to COM
pei all personal and real property to bear
it's equal burden of the tax. With the
state tax commission, county commits
sioners and assessors in the cities and
counties all directly responsible to the
ton and election. the administration of
the law should become more and more
equitable and efficient
The present banking law Is one OF the
very best state laws in the Union and the
state banks of Kansas are worthy of the
confidence of the people. recommend
viding that no bank shall receive deposits
in excess of ten times the amount of its
capital stock and surplus.
Every stakeholder should be required
to make under oath an annual statement
for publication showing whether or not
he has sufficient property free of eNemp-
tions and membranes to make good his
double liability as Il stakeholder in case
his bank should fail.
Bank directors should be compelled by
law to give personal attention to the du-
ties OF their office with proper penalties
prescribed for neglect or violation thereof.
The corporation law should be amended
so as to provide for receivers to correct
corporate abuses and when corrected 10
hand back the corporate property. without
dissolving the corporation, into the hands
OF Its owners and managers. subject 70
the supervision Of the court. This amend
ment should be supplementary to the
present law so that either judgment may
be pronounced at the discretion of the
court.
The present enabling act authorizing
cities OF the first and second class To
adopt the commission form OF government
should be amended in n few material par
ticulars TO make the plan when adopted
more efficient in operation.
Ten years ago Governor Stanley made
the following recommendation to the leg
islature with reference to bank deposits:
"The bank commissioner recommends
the creation OF guarantee fund for the
protection OF bank depositors. No one
thing connected with the business OF
banking would be more desirable than
some provision securing the safety of de-
positors. The plan proposed is new; II
NAV be practical. / commend 1t to your
careful consideration"
The bank guarantee question has been
continuously discussed until during the
last campaign both political parties in
Kansas pledged themselves TO enact such
a measure into law. and the members OF
this legislature are in honor bound &c
carry out in good faith their platform
pledges on this subject