Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1913-09-13
Topeka News Letter
Topeka. September u

this season. Past experiences has es-
tablished law of probability which
carries the conviction that the next
few years will bring returns to agri-
culture that will far more than re-
place the deficit caused by the 1913
drought. To farmers who have actu-
ally lost all this years expectations
this sort of consolation may appear
untimely, but the fact remains that
Kansas still has the largest per capita
wealth of any state in the union, and
each year is putting her wealth pro-
ducing machinery into better opera
ting condition. 1t is an evidence of a
univeral spirit of optimism and Of the
readiness of the average Kansas far
mer TO learn his lesson quickly, that
thousands of silos are being built at
this time as check against repiti-
tion of such feed shortage as the pre-
sent. score of years ago dry
season cost Kansas thousands of resi-
dents who moved to Oklahoma or
back east. This year there will be no
emigration.
Several thousand ponds will be
built in Kansas this fall under the
direction of engineers from the State
University and the Agricultural Col
lege, who are now making special
preliminary stuuies at the direction
of the Governor. That ponds have a
value to the land on which they are
situated is so well established in the
older countries that Germany, proba-
bly, the most thrifty of them all, has
built 200, 600 thousand acres of artifi-
cial bondage which is used for water
storage for stock and for raising fish,
and industry that is well developed
there.
Governor Hodges has announced
that a proclamation calling on Kan
sas people to build ponds, and direc-
ting the state engineering forces to
assist in every possible way, will be
forthcoming this month, setting
aside week in October or
November after routine fall work is
laid by, for general campaign of
pond construction everywhere in the
state.
Every Kansas citizen will be given
an opportunity of studying the
problem of one-house legislature
such as has been proposed by Cover
nor George II. Hodges, in accordance
with the legislative resolution which
directed the publication of report
for general distribution. The report
has been prepared by State Librarian
James d. King and Will be delivered
INV no
fall. An effort will be made to place
a copy in the hands of every voter in
the state.
The Governor proposes a constitu-
tional amendment creating a legisla-
tive body of l6 members elected for
terms OF four years by a vote of all
the people OF the state on every can
didate, the terms to be so arranged
that four should be elected every
year. 1t is probable that the address
delivered by the Governor at Colorado
Springs before the conference OF
governors last week will likewise be
published in pamphlet form since it
presents his own arguments in an ex-
haustive way.
The state insurance department
has locked horns with the fire insur-
ance companies operating in Kansas
over efforts to obtain rate increases
by changing the classification of cities
ON account of alleged deficiencies in
tire protection. -Four years ago al
rates in the state were cut by the de
partment. Since then, according tC
w. j. Dryden who looks after the
fire insurance affairs of the depart
ment, the companies have more thar
made up losses caused by the genera
cut by changing classifcations of en-
tire cities and by discovering specia
defects which permitted additions
charges on individual risks. The de
partmenu has refused to permit re
classification of Ottawa and Bin,
Rapids just ordered by the Eldridg,
Rating Bureau, which fixes fire insur
ance rates in Kansas.
Records of the bank commissioner
show that out of twenty application
for charters for banks filed with tn,
state charter board in the past 81,
months, but five have been granted
Recognizing the theory that banl
is a reservoir and not a creator O
wealth the state law has specificall,
lsxosfoa tho ~I,a