Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1913-01-17

OF the vote, either by means Of a
double election board or otherwise.
1t has for years been a matter of
complaint in this state that mortgages
held BY non-residents on property
in this state, escaped taxation. To
remedy this, the legislatures OF 1909
and 1911 passed recording mortgage
tax laws, which were vetoed by my
distinguished predecessor. call your
attention 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. | therefore recommend that
you pass such a law at the earliest
moment consistent with orderly pro.
cedure.
recommend the unconditional re-
peal of the present Inheritance tax
law.
Four years ago the legislature
passed an enactment that provided for
the optional building of rock roads
and a self-assessment by the petition
ers for the payment of the same
There is a limited area where there is
need of macadamized roads This is
chiefly in the eastern part Of the state,
where truck gardeners, dairymen and
small-fruit farmers market their prod
ucts daily. In such localities a num-
Der of roads have been built and the
wisdom OF the enactment has been
made apparent. In every instance the
land abutting upon the improved road
way has increased in value from three
to five times the cost per acre of such
road work, thus further justifying the
enactment. | call your attention to
the report made by the state highway
engineer, that about $4,000 900 is spent
annually for road work in our state
and only trace Of such road work is
permanent. Our state needs perma-
nent dirt roads, and an advanced step
has been taken the past two years
through the influence of the Good
Roads association and the Good Roads
Magazine. The matter of the develop
ment of our public highways is so
vital to our state that | can not too
highly recommend this important sub
ject for your further consideration.
am more than pleased that the state
at large is awake to the necessity Of
the erection Of rock or concrete
bridges, and | congratulate the state
that so many permanent bridges OF
that construction have been erected
during the past two years.
call your attention to the fact that
decision of the supreme court has
made our grain-inspection laws in
effective. That our farmers and grain
men may be given protection in the
grading of their grain, and in the mat.
ter of weights. l recommend that an
effective grain-inspection law be
passed.
All parties, in their platforms. have
promised the enactment of certain
enumerated laws for the protection of
labor and laboring men. urge you to
make good these promises by appro-
pirate legislation. The safeguarding
of the lives and health of the men
who work in mine, factory or other
hazardous employment, the more rigid
enforcement of the child-labor law.
and an enlargement of the mower of
the Bureau of Labor and Industry are
measures to which | invite your spe-
.cial attention.
| recommend to your attention the
platform declarations of Democratic
and Republican parties on the subject
Of the state publication of school text
books. and l advise that you make
careful inquiry as to the expense of
such undertaking, and also as to
whether the state has power to en-
gage in it without an amendment to
our Fundamental law. If in your
wisdom such an enactment would be
constitutional, then | recommend that
this legislature make suitable appro-
priationS for the establishment Of a
state plant to carry on this work in
order that the state may be prepared
to furnish school textbooks when our
contract for common-schoOl textbooks
expires four years hence. I strongly
favor the state publication of school
textbooks and their distribution by
the state at actual cost.
In the matter CT contingent funds.
recommend that the governors con-
tingent fund be reduced from $4,000
per annum to $1,000. and that all other
official contingent funds be scrutinized
by you and reduced to what is reason
ably necessary. I recommend, how.
ever, that the encouragement be Civ
en- contingent fund of 100000 per
annum as heretofore.
| shall hold sheriffs, county attor-
neys and mayors of cities responsible
for the strict enforcement of the pro-
hibitory law in their respective ju1s-
dictions and will cooperate with
the Encouragement in seeing that
they do their duty. regard money
spent in the enforcement of the pro
hibtory law as good investment, and
/ will not be party to any false
| economy which might tend to hammer