Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1913-03-22
GOV. HODGES URGES
NEW RULE IN STATE
Kansas Executive Recommends Com
mission Form of Government.
THE PRESENT SYSTEM CLUMSY
would Have Legislature of EIGHT or
Sixteen Members in Continuous
Session-RecaIl Would
Act as Check


Act as Check
Topeka.-Governor Hodges sent the
following special message to the leg
1Slature urging the commission form
d government for the state of Kan
Sas:
AS the legislative duties of the leg
1slature of 1913 draw to a close. / de-
sire to congratulate the members of
both branches on the magnificent
work which they have accomplished.
L believe I am justified in saying that
You have worked harder and accom-
plished more than any legislature in
recent years. Almost every pledge
you made to the people last year has
been fulfilled.
The System Is at Fault.
But l am convinced that this mag
nfficent record is due rather to the
efficient membership of this legisla-
ture than to the system.
In common with a large and grow
ing number of thoughtful people, 1 am
persuaded that the Observation-Disclosures
for legislation provided for in our
state constitution, have become anti
quated and inefficient Our system is
fashioned after the English parIia-
ment, with it's two houses based upon
the distinction between the nobility
and the common people, each house
representing the divers interests of
these classes
No such reason exists in this state
for dual legislative system and even
in England, at the present time, the
dual system has been practically
abandoned and the upper house shorn
of its importance, and 1 believe that
we should now concern ourselves in
devising a system for legislating that
will give us more efficiency and
quicker response to the demands of
our economic and social conditions
and to the will of the people.
Convinced by His Own Experience.
Il have been led to this conclusion
by an experience of eight years as a
member of the senate of this state
and my convictions On this subject
are by no means of recent date AS
far back as March II, 1911, in an in
terview printed in one of the great
dailies I advocated that our present
legislative system be abandoned and
that a legislative assembly of thirty
members from thirty legislative dis
tricts, under the check of the recall,
be provided for in its place.
"The suggestion made at that time
met with much favorable comment
and I firmly believe that there is
growing public opinion in it's favor.
You senators and representatives
cannot but have observed the defects
of our present system. In a short SEES
sion of fifty days you are required to
study and pass upon hundreds OF
measures and the hurry with which
this must be done, must of necessity
result in number of more or less
crude and ill-digested laws, which of
ten puzzle learned jurists to interpret
with anything like satisfaction to
them selves or to the public.
Old Methods Not Always Best.
Hundreds of measures also en-
bodying important legislation die on
the calendar every two years. After
a brief session the legislature ad-
journs and the business of one CO.
ordinate branch of the state govern
ment is absolutely abandoned for
whole biennium, unless the legisIa-
ture is convoked in an expensive ex-
traordinary session by the governor.
1t is as if the head of an important
department of some other big bust
ness should give only fifty days
every two years to its management.
Il am aware Of the veneration with
which ancient institutions are re
garded in some quarters, but 1 see no
reason why we should cling to these
institutions in carrying on the all
important affairs of state, when in
almost every other activity of life we
are discarding cid traditions and an
tiquated methods for newer and pro-
gressive ideas and more efficient and
economic methods.
This legislature has itself discard
ed the antiquated and inefficient meth
DDS of mana ging the business OF our
big state institutions and have CON
centrated the responsibility in the
hands of a few, instead of many
boards-in a word, has applied to
them the principle of government by
commission.
"We have recognized in this state
also that the old methods of city gov
eminent are expensive, inefficient and