The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-01-13

Zee. Tho names of judicial candidates
at the primary should be printed upon
each party ballot and not upon Z eep-
arate ballot. that there may be q
fuller expression OF choice. Cam
pa1gn expenditures should be limited
90 T.. reasonable sum Commensurate
with the salary of the ONCE, SO that q
Door man Llay have the same oppor-
tunity as rich man. Smoking in
polling places should be prohibited.
Two sets of judges and clerks of cleo
tion should be provided for every
congested precinct.
Improvement of Roads.
l am unreservedly in favor Of the
Improvement OF public highways. The
Trainers of our constitution conferred
this work on the counties. Until the
people. by amendment, change the
constitution. urge that the counties
Cooperate with one another, that flu
lure road work be more uniform and
dome In such way that it. will result
In connected and continuous highways
recommend such Amendments ba
made to the present law.
We have found the best and cheap
est road in Kansas is the dragged
road. When the work is done All the
right time the expense and labor of
keeping it up is small. A well organ
lied drag system will do more to give
any Kansas county fine roads, than
RI0At0F
amount Of money in building and
maintaining single highway. The
highways will come, but good COM
munity roads are our first need.
Welcome Eur0pe's Farm Workers,
Following the war in Europe a large
increase of European immigration to
the United States is to be expected.
OF which the largest part is and al
ways has been made up Of men skilled
In farming. The farming interests of
the United States may then obtain the
better class of these immigrants, pro-
them before they are dispersed to the
manufacturing districts, for which
they are poorly fitted. These emf
grants will come here with their faith
in American ideals made stronger
than ever by the failure of the Euro
pean system of government and di-
plomacy. They are a high type Of
farm workers. Kansas needs Just such
trained farm hands and farm tenants
and 1t will be wise to prepare to OBJ
Of these emigrants. This can be done
by attaching to one of the existing
bureaus or departments Of state an
immigration agency that will keep in
touch with the demand for such labor
in the state and will supply printed
matter, setting forth the attractions
and opportunities Kansas has to offer
to the farm workers Of Europe.
Remodel Prison with Convict Labor.
A nonpartisan committee of experts
was appointed under my predecessor
to examine the penitentiary buildings
improvement. This commission has
recommended that the penitentiary
plant be remodeled, and enlarged. I
ask you to give its Recommendation
most careful attention. 1t is pointed
out that the created part Of the raw
materials for reconstruction is to be
found on state property; that prison
labor can be used for nearly all the
work OF construction, excepting the
skilled superintendence; that we can
use all of the old plant which has
value; that we can construct what
| will be virtually a new penitentiary
| at a minimum OF cost. and that a large
number of prisoners, now, unski1led
men. can be trained, to become skilled
artisans. which will more than double
| their earning power, after their re-
| lease. The preseytr penftentiary was
built a Unit alta time with no definite
plan. With the EXCEPTION of the Irvine
plant, it is in a dilapidated condition.
| 1t has been outgrOwn entirely by the
advanced reformatofy methods now
approved by the best sentiment in the
state and the best known crfminolo-
gists. I do not regard it as advisable
to make a large expenditure at this
time: however, I recommend that q
reasonable appropriation be made to
begin the work.
Abolish the Fee System.
The fee system Of compensation for
public services opens the way to
abuses which are almost universally
condemned. While fees as compen-
| sation have been abolished in connec-
| ton with most public offices, the sys-
| tenn still remains in connection with
| certain state and county offices. urge
| the enacting of a law which will abol-
| ish the fee system in state and county
governments, as now conducted, and
specifically providing that all fees OF
whatsoever nature. collected by public
officials or employees shall be paid
into the general revenue fund.
Check Up County Officials.
| Our present system of handling
county funds is loose. slipshod and
a law requiring the county clerk or
| county auditor to check all county Of
ficials at frequent intervals, to check
out all outgoing officials and to
check in all incoming officials. This
is not provided for in our present sys-
The states of Ohio and Indiana save
a large sum of money annually by
their systems of uniform accounting in
all county Offices. recommend that
the state auditor be charged with the
duty of prescribing and installing a
uniform system Of bookkeeping in all
counties Of Kansas with as little delay
as possible.
Change in Banking Laws.
In view of the radical changes re-
Gently made in our national currency
and banking system by the establish
ing Of the federal reserve banks.
recommend that our state banking
laws be SO amended as to enable any
state bank which 30 desires to avail
itself Of the provisions Of the new
federal law.
Keep Faith with the People.
I particularly urge that the ways
and means committees Of each house
report the appropriation bills at the