The Washington herald., 1909-04-04

eu out 10 nm anG convinced MIN that
he was being used as "a cats-paw. ne
withdrew. and. making a deal with Hoch.
took charge of his campaign and elected
him. He was himself speaker Of the leg
islature that year. and last summer. when
the time for Hoch 20 retire approached.
Stubbs again appeared as a candidate for
governor. putting HOch forward for the
newly salaried office of State printer. aud
supporting Joseph BristOW for the United
States Senate. The slate went through
by large majorities. eliminating Chester
Long and the last remnants OF the old
railway domination
The Office once within his control.
Stubs began preparing Cor il probably
as few other governors have prepahed for
office. All the newest and best develop
ments in other States he studied care
fully lie went TO Wisconsin and looked
into their epoch-makinG departures He
studied primaries, ballots city govern
Enents. the conservation movement. and
everything which seemed 90 have a bit
OF good for Kansas When he was in
Quoted into the executive Office his first
message set forth IN detail the things
which he wished done The reforms he
called for Werc remarkable. for they rep
resented as material for a single year
laws which other States had been grad
ually working out in long term OF years.
Here are some Of them;
A Real Reform Programme.
The Wisconsin primary election law.
The Wisconsin legislative reference
library plan
The Massachusetts, ballot.
The commission form OF city govern
ment
A law for tba ,a5.io.. ,,.,., -. -,
ways and railway rates Ike that in Wis
consIn.
A public service commission modelled
after that in New York. and including
telephones and all similar utilities.
The establishment of a State forester
the exemption of forest lands from taxa
ton during growth. and the forestation
Of the western part of Kansas.
II Is undoubtedly true that IN most
States such a programme presented by
the governor would be the occasion OF
an immediate realigr ment Of forces. All
the various opposition bodies would
unite against the principal planks, they
would be distorted in committee. and II
they passed at all. would do so in a
mangled and hopeless form. No such
tate awaited them in Kansas. The reform
which has stirred that State is thorough
Some Of the bills which called for the
reform were Tut in by men who had been
most opposed 10 Stubbs That FOR the
forestry work was drawn and pushed
through by William Yost Morgan. OF
Keno, campaign manager FOR Chester
Long. yet who is working in thorough
sympathy for the governors programme.
II would not pay 10 oppose that pro-
gramme, for ii represents the sound sense
and the united demands OF the people.
on the day on which I visited the leg
isiature Il had been in session about
three weeks. but a number or the bills
were already enacted and the rest were
wen advanced and assured Of success:
ana several other reforms. including one
forbidding druggists 10 sell LIQUOR even
on prescription. hadN been added TO them
by the attorney general On that dav
there came from the governor a special
message asking that the commission
government bill for cities be given a
prompt consideration. as Wichita was
about 10 hold an election and wished an
opportunity TO test that sort Of gov
ernment- The willing legislature AZ once
went into committee Of the whole. called
up the bill. reported II 10 the house |
and next day passed 1t UP 10 the governor
ready for his signature Within a few
weeks Wichita and one other Kansas /
city adopted commission rule
The Railroad Rates COmpIafnt
The railway and public service com
mission law viii mean a revolution in /
Kansas. At present rates from the sea-
board are made first to Chicago for the 1
adjacent territory. then to Missouri River
points, then TO Denver, and then 10 the j
coast. Towns I'm Kansas must nav for /
through shipments the whole local rate
from the Missouri River plus the through
Missouri River rate sometimes amount
Ing 10 more than the Denver rate. This
heavy burden on grain going out and on /
goods going in initiates against the estab-
llshment Of manufacturing centers in the
state and keeps 1t an agricultural COM
munity. The new commission Will have
power 70 scale down the Kansas local (
End OF such rates to a figure in propor-
lon 10 the through rate. In addition the
commission viii control all public ser
vice companies and their franchises. The
legislative reference service. providing
really a public lobby. a bureau which will
properly draft bills upon any subject.
provide expert Information upon them at
short service and give the legislators the
special knowledge which they get incor-
-ectly from private lobbyists. has already
'een pushed TO a high development at
Madison and win undoubtedly be so
pushed IN Topeka.
The state Forester Law.
But perhaps among all the bills put
n and passed this session, that for a
State forester and press agent .bode the
most ultimate good for Kansas. The pur-
bose Of this bill is 10 establish forests
n the western part OF the State and to
provide an intelligent agent who shall
prepare for the papers of the State, as
Tom Ship does under Mr.. Pinchot's di-
ection for those Of the nation. inform
ng articles showing the value Of tree
PLANTING and the proper varieties Of trees
o plant.
I'm a-goin' to plant trees all over the
hort grass country" said Gov Stubbs
n relating this. II don't know about
orestry, but all those things Pinchot
ays II does for a State, want done
or Kansas. Wen turn the prairie into
/ park, and IL it helps the climate and
he rivers. so much the better. II IL
Ioesn't, IT will supply US with posts and
imber, and that will be a profit"
Kansas views the activities of the new
governor with feelings Of almost un-
mixed Joy. But the railways, whom he
las disciplined with an anti-pass law,
nd several other forms Of drastic legis-
alton besides the public commission bill,
ave another idea about him.
What do you think Of Stubbs7' a Wis
tor asked one of the ex-railway lobby
SITS
We'll" he replied, he reminds me Of
he story of North Carolina wedding.
They as the Lord have jined. let no man
ut asunder. SAYS the parson.