Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1913-03-22

commission plan of city government
IS being adopted in almost every case
is yielding high class results.
A Small Body Works Better.
For myself, I can see no good rea-
son why this new idea of government
by commission should not be adopted
for the transaction of the business of
the state.
Two years ago 1 suggested a sim
gle legislative assembly of thirty
members from thirty legislative dis
tricts.
81 am now inclined to believe that
this number is too large and that
legislative assembly of one, or at
most two, from each congressional
district, would be amply large.
my Judgment is that the governor
should be ex-officio a member and
presiding officer of this assembly, and
that it should be permitted to meet in
such frequent and regular or adj
journed sessions as the exigencies of
the public business may demand;
that their terms of Office be for four
or six years, and that they be paid
salaries sufficient to justify them in
devoting their entire time to the pub
lie business.
such legislative assembly would
not, I believe, be more expensive
than our present system. 1t would
centraHze responsibility and account
ability, and under the check of the
recall, would be quickly responsive
to the wishes of the people
No IlI-considered Laws Then.
"a legislative assembly such as 1
have suggested could give ample time
to the consideration of every meas
ure, not only in relation to it's sub
ject matter, but to the drafting of it
in plain, concise and easily under
standab1e language 1t would be
ready at any time to deal with new
conditions, and to provide relief il
emergency cases, and, with time to
inform itself about conditions, and to
study the needs of the people, and of
our state institutions, there seems to
me to be no question but what it
would be vastly more efficient than
our present system, as well as vastly
more economical.
Our present system has been in
vogue since Kansas became a state
more than fifty years ago, and in that
time we have seen the most remark
able changes in sociological and eco
nomic conditions take place.
mo private business concern now
uses the methods of fifty years ago.
In every activity of modern life, new
and progressive methods have been
adopted.
"By progressive I do not mean any
visionary scheme of government, but
the exercise of that same, sober and
wise judgment which is always ready
to throw away antiquated machinery
and methods and adopt the latest.
most efficient, most benefcent and
most economical instrumentalities for
accomplishing the greatest good,
whether it be in public or in private
affairs.
Willing to Trust the People.
rs there any good reason why po-
litical institutions should not change
with the changing demands of mod
ern social and economic conditions?
1 believe not. The leaven of this new
idea of modern business methods for
modern public business has taken
root in the public mind The people
am one of those who believe that
correct conclusions about their own
public business when they are given
adequate opportunity to study and dis
cuss any subject.
CAS- Wendell Phillips said, The PEG
pie always mean right, and in the end
they will have it right
1.-THE people of Kansas are progress
sive; they know what they want
Give them a chance at the ballot box
and they will get it. I am not in
sympathy with the idea that any pub
lie officer knows better than the peo-
pie themselves what they want.
Il am not asking at this time that
this subject, but am calling your at
tention to this subject now that you
may carry back to your people the
idea herein expressed and talk it over
with them for the next two years to
the end that when you come back to
these halls at that time you may
know and be of a mind to execute
the will of the people of this state on
this subject.
81 want to thank the members OF
the legislature of 1918 for their sim
cere and earnest efforts to legislate
for the best interests of the state and
for the uniform courtesy which they
have extended to me, and to assure
them of the high personal regard in
which 1 hold each and every senator
and representative.