The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1915-01-15
be provided For every Contested pre-.
Improvement of Roads.


/ am unreservedly in favor of the
Improvement of public highways. Tho
trainers of our constitution conferred
this work on the counties. Until tho
people, by amendment, change the con.
stitution, | urge that the counties co.
operate with one another, that future
road work be more uniform and done
in such way that it will result in
connected and continuous highways.
recommend such amendments be 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 at 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
the expenditure of much greater
amount of money in building and
maintaining single highway. The
highways will come, but good commun-
ity roads are our first need.
Welcome Europe's Farm Workers.
Following the war in Europe 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,
provided measures are taken to at
tract them before they are dispersed
to the manufacturing districts, for
which flnNf
emigrants will come here with their
faith in American ideals made
stronger than ever by the failure of
the European system of government
and diplomacy They are high type
of farm workers. Kansas needs just
such trained farm hands and farm
tenants, and it will be wise to prepare
to obtain our share of the most de-
sirable of these emigrants. This can
be done by attaching to one of the ex-
listing 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 at
fractions and opportunities Kansas
has to offer to the farm workers of
Europe
Remodel the Prison With Convict
Labor.
A non-partisan committee of experts
was appointed under my predecessor
to examine the penitentiary buildings
and make recommendations for their
improvement. This commission has
recommended that the penitentiary
plant be remodeled and enlarged
ask you to give its recommendation
most careful attention. 1t is pointed
out that the greater 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 tbs
skilled superintendence; that we car
use all of the old plant which has
value: that we can construct wha
will be virtually a new penitentiarI
at minimum of cost, and that a large
number of prisoners. now unskilleC
men, can be trained TO become skilled
artisans, which will more than double
their earning power after their re
lease.
Abolish the Fee System.
The fee system of compensation fol
public services opens the way tC
abuses which are almost universally
condemned. While fees as compensa
tion have been abolished in connec
ton with most public offices, the sys
TEN still remains in connection with
certain state and county offices.
urge the enacting of law which will
abolish the fee system in state and
county governments, as now conduct
er, 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
utterly unbusiness-like. | recommend
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'
TEN of county government.
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 so desires to avail
itself of the provisions of the new
federal law.
Keep Faith With the People.
particularly urge that the ways
and means committees of each house
report the appropriation bills at the
earliest practical day, so that they
may have careful consideration before
the rush of the closing sessions.
recommend the adopting of the
Initiative and referendum an amend
ment to the utility commission law
prohibiting the use of free railroad
passes by members and employees OF
the commission the enacting of a
presidential primary law; an amend
ment to the constitution to provide for
a verdict in civil cases by three
fourths of the members of jury;
and the strengthening of the "Blue
Sky" law, so that there may be no
question Of its constitutionality.
THE aftanfiCn ~ tho IapfalatJIra lis