The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-03-01
THE GREAT WHITE WAY.

| What has become of the bill in the
| legislature which will provide the
means for the establishment of a great
white way in the business district of
Topeka, or in any other city of the first
class in Kansas that desires to have
one Surely each branch of the legisla-
ture can spare sufficient time even dur
ing the rush incident to the ending of
the session to take favorable action on
this measure. If there are any serious
objections to it they have not been
openly voiced. But it is difficult to fig
ure out how there can be objections
which would be of sufficient force to
warrant the bill being killed.
In brief, it provides that a lighting
system may be installed on the bust
ness streets of a city at the expense of
the abutting property owners on the
petition of not less than one-half of
the resident property owners of the
block which it is desired to light. After
this system is installed provision is
made for the city to maintain it by
a special tax levy of not to exceed Is
of mill. This places tho maintenance
of the system on the shoulders of the
whole people of the city, and it APP
pears to be a fair and just plan. Ger
tainly the whole city will profit direct
~ and indirectly by having its main
streets brilliantly lighted at night, and
so small is the levy that will have to
be made to meet such an expense that
it will be trivial with each individual
taxpayer. The original expense of in
stalling the system will be consider
able, but it win have to be borne by
the business men and the owners of
the store buildings on the streets to be
lighted. So far as is known, the great
majority of them in Topeka are heart
lily in favor of the bill. And as there
is nothing compulsory about the bill,
it ought not to have any opposition in
the legislature from representatives
hailing from other cities of the first
class. So why can not it be passed?
The necessity for such legislation in
the premises only goes to show how
ridiculously narrow ana restrictive are
the charters under which the cities of
Kansas are permitted to administer
their affairs. This is purely a local i'm
provement One or two cities might
want to go into it, AL of the others
might not. But not one of them can
undertake II WlIHOuI SIetCldA pei 1illS-
sion of the legislature. Of course. If
the business men of any city felt like
going deep enough in their pockets,
not only to install such a system, but
also maintain it. those of any city
could go ahead and put one in with
out getting authority from the legis-
lature. But this is really matter of
general public concern. in which the
city as a whole should help to foot
the bills. AS far as Topeka is con-
cerned, it's public authorities are favor
able to the proposition. So are the
business men who will have to shoul-
der a big share of the expense. So is
the Commercial club. representative of
all the interests of the city. Yet no
move can be made without a permits
siye act of the legislature. AS a mat
ter of fact, the cities of Kansas are
bound hand and foot, hog-tied, by
their charters so that they can move
in only stated and stilted directions.
Maybe when the millennium comes the
cities of Kansas and other states will
be able to conduct their own affairs
within reasonable bounds But then
when the millennium comes there
probably won't be any need for city
governments