The Topeka state journal., 1913-03-17

to make special improvements. (House
bill 357.)
Provided for primary elections in
cities. (1ouse bills 116 and 222.)
/ Abolished the county assessors In
| counties under $4,000 population and
required the county clerk to perform
| his duties. blouse bill 1909
/ Provided for the nomination Of can
/ didates for United States senator Oy
popular vote. (Senate bill 95.)
/ Regulated the registration, adver-
tising and licensing of stations. (Sen-
ate bill 277.)
Regulated the practice of veterin-
ary medicine and surgery. (House bill
i BAD
Amended the laws relating to
244.)
Provided for the taxing of dogs.
| (Senate bill 27O.)
Regulated the practice of phar-
macy. blouse bill 5s2.)
Created a barber board. (House bill
| 632)
| Created a separate board of exam
| liners for osteopaths. (House bill 313)
Created a separate board of exam
Created an irrigation commission
and provided revolving fund of
$125,0O0 for experiment and demon
stration. (House bill 607.)
Provided that rivers of the state shall
furnish a part of the revenue of the
state Oh. B. 219).
Given vitality to the provisions of
the Webb bill concerning Interstate
liquor shipments. Is. B. 672.)
Passed county fee and salary bill
that will result in very material saving
to the taxpayers of the state. Oh. B.
578.)
Provided for a 10 per cent garnish-
ment law. Oh. B. 956.)
Explains Appropriations.
During the campaign last fall we
told the people that abuses had crept
into our government and that excessive
appropriations were being made for or
binary expenses of the state. I am in
formed by Chairman Shouse of the
ways and means committee of the sem
ate and by Chairman Herr of the house
committee on ways and means, that the
appropriations for the ordinary depart
mentS of the state government, made
by this legislature, are approximately
a quarter of a million dollars less than
those made by our predecessors for
the same departments. A careful
scrutiny of the appropriation bills has
convinced me that no department of
state has been crippled, but that all
have been adequately provided for by
you. The one item of government for
which you have increased the appro-
priation is that of education. You have
taken the quarter of a million saved
with approximately half a million more,
to the cause of education and for the
maintenance of the educational insti-
tutions of the state. This is a wise
public policy, which 1 believe will be
fully endorsed by the people of the
state.
notwithstanding the increased ap-
preparation of approximately three
quarters of a million dollars for educa-
tional purposes, you have not increased
direct taxation. The amount provided
for by this legislature to be raised by
taxation is seven million dollars, exact
ly the same amount provided for by
your predecessors. The new and wise
sources of revenue found by you, to-
Wit:-the corporation franchise tax, the
sand tax, the moving picture film tax,
will furnish ample revenue for all other
needs of the state.
''It should be the policy of the state
to find sources of revenue other than
the direct property tax. In accord
ance with this principle you have
passed the corporation franchise tax,
the sand tax, the moving picture film
tax and last, but not least, you have
provided for the submission to the
people of an income tax amendment
to our state constitution. I regard
this as the wisest kind of progress
sive legislation.
"I regret very much. that the mi
promised by all parties in their plat
forms, has failed of passage. In my
inaugural address I called attention
to the fact that it required two-thirds
of the members of each branch of the
legislature to pass a resolution sub
mitting a constitutional amendment
and that the Democrats did not have
this working majority in either the
senate or the house, so that if the
legislature failed to pass a resolution
an initiative and referen-
dunn amendment, it would not be
charged to the Democratic party, but
to the legislature as a whole.
There has been less politics in this
legislature than in any legislature in
my knowledge. In the main, the
in both houses has worked
faithfully with the majority for good,
wholesome legislation, and it is to be
that the minority of the
wise good record by playing politics
with such an important measure as
the initiative and referendum. The
people of the state will not forget that
the initiative and referendum passed
the senate, that it commanded the
vote of every Democrat in the house
but one, and that it was defeated by |
the minority of the house for selfish !
and political reasons.
again expressing my appreciation |
of the work done by this legislature |
and my belief that it has passed more |
constructive legislation than any |
other legislature in the history of the |
state, I am,
Sincerely yours,
GEORGE H. HODGES,