The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-01-14
HODGES TO LEGISLATURE.
oContinued from Page one)

1 also recommend that you submit
to the people of this state an amend
ment to the constitution providing Tor
quadrennial election of state and
county officers. Our elections are
matter of great expense, not only 10
the public, but to candidates, ana IN
my opinion the public interest Will pc
served by relief from frequent polltl-
cal agitation. Whether dlsquah1lca-
ton to hold office two successive
terms should be added, 1 leave to your
wisdom.
believe in state aid in building
roads and bridges, and recommend
that an amendment to section OF
article IL of the constitution pc sup,
mitted to the people, which snail reao
as follows:
in carrying on any work of internal
Improvement, except highways anu
bridges"
In this connection I call your atten-
ton to the fact that but three consul,
tutional amendments can be submitted
at a general election I have recon-,
n.ended four. The initiative ana
referendum and the recall amend
ments are imperatively demanded by
the people and pledged by you what
the other amendment submitted snail
be 1 leave to your wisdom without the
expression of choice by me-
Urges Thompson's Election.
L
Democratic members of this legisla-
ture to the fact that the election OF
United States senators by direct vote
of the people is a fundamental doc
trine of our party. No matter whether
you signed statement Number One or
not, your personal preference must
not stand in the way of your party
obligation to cast your vote for the
candidate who received a plurality OF
votes in the state for United States
senator at the recent general election.
I therefore urge every Democratic
mem Der of this Legislature to vote for
William H. Thompson for United
States senator.
The complications growing out of
the recent election point to the neces-
sity for change in our election laws.
While L adhere to my faith in the sys-
tenn of nominations by primary cleo
tions, L feel that our present primary
law is unsatisfactory and inadequate.
1t is cum berSome and expensive. Mem
bers of one party, or of no party, may
and have taken part in the nominal
ton of the candidates of a party with
which they have never affiliated This
is wrong, and should be remedied by
some sort of registration in which
party affiliation is declared a reason
able time in advance of the primary.
Wants Massachusetts Ballot Law.
[ also recommend the adoption of
the Massachusetts form of ballot"
for which 1 contended at the last two
This seems an opportune time to make
the change, inasmuch as at least
25O,0 900 women, most of whom have
never before cast ballot, will vote at
the next general election. This will
greatly increase the vote in every pre-
cinct, and I recommend that you make |
provision by law to facilitate the
counting of the vote, either by means
of double election board or otherwise |
1t has for years been a matter of |
complaint in this state that mortgages |
held by nonresidents. on property in /
this state, escaped taxation. To rem |
edy this, the legislatures of 1909 and /
1911 passed recording mortgage tax
laws, which were vetoed by my dis
predecessor. I call your
to the fact that every Re
publican, Progressive and Democrat in
this legislature was elected on plat
forms pledging the enactment of such
a law. 1 therefore recommend that
you pass such a law at the earliest
m oment consistent with orderly pro-
cedure.
I recommend the unconditional re-
peal of the present inheritance tax
law.
For Rock Roads.
Four years ago the legislature
passed an enactment that provided for
the optional building of rock roads
and self-assessment by the petition
ers for the payment of the same.
There is limited area where there is
need or 1nacadanlzed roads. This is
chiefly in the eastern part of the
state, where truck gardeners, dairy
men and small fruit farmers market
their products daily. In such locali-
ties d number of roads have been
built and the wisdom of the enact
ment has been made apparent. In
every instance the land abutting upon
the improved roadway has increased
in value from three to five times the
cost per acre of such road work, thus
further justifying the enactment ii