La Junta tribune., 1912-03-16
h, William Allen White

.
errands ride free. while those whom
the politicians were riding about to
dupc and oyertaN Paid the politicians
fare In excess rates. The anti.pass
law was the first body blow the ma.
chine received. The state board OF
control law robbed the politicians
cf the patronage, aud In a measure
left them naked to their enemies
So when the fight for the state wide
direct primary came, the politicians
had no passes, and no patronage. and
no slush funds-e1cept what the spe
I l.priyilcge.sceking corporations con
Z tributed-and their Jordan was a
hard ,oad TO travel
Since the election Of Governor
1 Stubbs In 1908 the legislature has
given the people "A number OF strong
laws Notably an custer Law which
permits the attorney-general to pro.
ceod In the supreme court again I,
county and city officers who are not
enforcing state laws. and the custer
proceedings are given immediate
hearing; under this law several resig-
nations hay. been secured and one
custer ], is the Kansas substitute.
for the recall. aud II works quickly
and oft sctiycly Kansas also has a
law requiring lobbyists to register.
stating their legislative busine >.
another law provides for a legisla-
I tive reference bureau: another pro-
yid,s for a direct advisory vote upon
United States Senator In the No
vembpr election under what is known
a the Oregon plan, still another Law
/ is corrupt practices act that pre-
vents the employment of workers or
[ teams at primary elections. and also
limits the amount Of money that
may b. spent by candidate for Of
J flee. The Law providing for the op-
tional adoption of the commission
form Of government for Kansas cities
was secured IN 1907 and greatly I'm.
proved In 1903.
I Kansas leads the country IN the
number Of cities under the commis-
sion form Of government. with the
initiative and referendum and recall.
largely because the Law Was written
In tho University. and the secretary
Of the Kansas Municipal League is a,
the head OF the extension department
OF the university. and the uniyer u.
ty Bureau OF Municipal Research In.
dustriously spreads the propaganda
for the commission form OF govern.
mcnt Tn. commission form OF gov.
.rnmen, In putting ward politicians
out Of business as rapidly as the pri
mary put stat. politicians ou, of
business
The tendency of thes. Kansas laws
is two-fold: FIRST. to make 1t easy
for honest men 10 control politics
against selfscekins politicians. sec.
ond. to administer the states affairs
80 that substantial justice between
man and man will BE- achieved
I And one Of the phases OF tn. es-
tablishm.nt OF lusticc-though by no
means the most importan,-is the
encouragement Of prospc rity by laws
tina, viii attract capital seeking In
ycs,mcat. promote thrift, and en.
courage industry Taking the year
I 1905 as the beginning Of the awaken.
I ing OF kanss1 We find tina, III. total
I Increased valuation for kansas has
grown from S3sT .s53 .sts steadily year
by year To 1913. .7ss. and while
"a full valuation law. which was sccui
has Increased the total greatly. the
increase of assessed valuation during
the years of the full valuation Law
has been ,srec hundred million a
sum nearly n large as the entire
valuation bcfur. Kansas woke up To
day Kansas has an nnscss.d valuation
Of s,sis30 for every man. woman
and child In the state. this Is the
largest per capita valuation In the
United States Tn. commercial re-
ports show less than n -cor" of mil.
li,naircs Ia the state. rated. all told.
a, less than fifty millions. and II
VIII be seen that the distribution Of
wealth Is probably more equitable In
Kansas.
when n state abollsher the con.
y-ntion system II removes the De-.
mand for poiisicsl jobs: for conycn.
lions ar. IN" market places Of poll.
tics There the trades are made
that fore. Inefficient men into pub
lie Offices To pay political dcbta, In
Kansas tn. passing of the convention
systcm has seen the passing Of the
political crrand.boy on the states