The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-01-20
reaI eommunitv eenters-

/ MADE appOlnt1Ve instead of elective ]
! favor county tax for rural schools in
stead of a district tax, SO that all the
| schools Of the county may be on a par
as to equipment and efficiency.
State Publication of Text Books.
The state publication of text books for
use in the public schools has proved a
success in Kansas and should be encour-
aged and supported in every possible way.
/ While We have not proceeded in this un-
dertaking with speed-perferring to
/ demonstrate the feasibility of it as we
went along-the state text book commits
/ sion has already effected a great saving
! to the people. This year one million books
are being published at a saving of $780,
/ OO0- The commission has demonstrated
| its ability to produce text books of high
| standard for less than they can be pur-
| chased elsewhere, and means should be
provided as rapidly possible to enable
| the commission to produce all the text
| books used in the public schools.
recommend that you enact a law pro-
| viding for free text books in all the pub
| lie schools, adopting plan similar to
| that in Nebraska, the books to be the
property of the district
Better Roads
am strongly opposed to more commits
sionS, but to obtain this states propor-
ton OF the federal appropriation for good
roads. under the Shacke1ford act 1t
seems necessary that the legislature
create state highway commission or
highway commissioner to have general
supervision of a system of state high
ways This can be an honorary commits
sion or can be composed in whole or in
part of existing state officers
L recommend that prison camps be es-
tabllShed wherever the highway commits
sion can obtain the cooperation of coun-
" authorities and that prisoners now
confined in county jaiIs may be worked
ers are now committed to county and city
1ails for minor offenses. Their confine-
ment in idleneSS is an economic waste
Worse than that it is denoralizing to
character and detrimental to health
These men should be put to work and
the greater part of the year could be
utlhzed IN making the improvements now
so badly needed upon Kansas highways
To strengthen further our prohibitory
law, ask for a law empowering the gov
ernor to suspend from office. upon evil
denee, any county attorney, mayor police
Official or other officer charged with law
enforcement, who fails to perform his
duty in compliance with his oath of Of
fee
also ask that In cases of infraction of
the prohibitory laws, city attorneys be
given inquisitorial. powers as the county
attorney and attorney general of the
state now have.
1 further recommend that Kansas news
papers and periodicals be prohibited from
publishing liquor advertisements and the
advertisements of liquor dealers and
LII CAS, cliQ lildI the sale and the
display for sale by newsdealers and others
OF all publications carrying such adver-
tisements, be likewise prohibited
The High Cost of Living.
Ihe increasing cost of living has be-
come an almost unbearable burden upon
the people 1t would be well for this
legislature to investigate the meat pack
ers trust, the creamery and cold storage
business, and all trade conditions in Kan
sas which give rise to suspicion of COM
binationS manipulation There js een
eraI recognition by all economist of the
abnormal difference between the prices
received by producers and the price paid
by the ultimate consumer, the result of
which is small profits for the farmer and
exorbitant prices for the people As a.
remedy for this evil, better organization
and better methods of marketing are mr.
gently needed Kansas should encourage
farmer cooperative marketing societies.
The state department of Agriculture
should be empowered to undertake and
promote this important work
Industrial Development.
The manufactured products Of Kansas
last year equaled in value the products
of our farms, exclusive of live stock But
they are confined to a few restricted lines. |
and the state presents the anomaly of |
shipping hundreds of carloads of its raw
materials hundreds of miles to be con-
verted into finished products and Skinned |
back to us at greatly enhanced prices /
Kansas must develop industrially: we /
need nome markets; We need the growth /
and expansion which come with thriving |
little towns and cities in which men and /
women are employed the year round 1
recommend that the functions of the state /
department of labor and industry be en- |
larged TO embrace activities promoting /
the industrial development of the state; |
including the gathering of industrial sta /
tlstics and other information which will I
enable manufacturers to appreciate the 4
field
State Oil Department
The oil and gas industry is developing
rapidly in Kansas. The state oil depart |
ment should be made of real use in its
encouragement and aid 1t should bear
the same relation to the industry in its
charge that the department of agriculture
bears to agriculture or the banking de-
partment to the business of banking 1t
should compile statistics and obtain com
plete information concerning the industry
in Kansas and its possibilities of further
development The department should be
empowered to conserve the states supply
OF Oil and gas preventing the deplorabIe
wastes that now characterize the indus
try 1t should fix standard grades of
kerosene and gasoline and a standard of |
measurement for natural gas. The ex-
pense of maintaining the department
should be borne by the industries affect
ed A new law providing for reasonable
iA4SpSGlIOH lees Will De necessary
Flood Prevention.
Following the devastating floods of
two years ago. when property valued at
millions of dollars was destroyed in Kan
sas, L called a conference of public Off
Gals. representatives of big business in
terests and other interested citizens, at
which ways and means for flood preven-
non were discussed. 1t was the sense of
this conference that the project was so
Stupendous that it could be handled sue
only by the state and federal
governments working in cooperation.
When the matter was brought to the at ;
-entlon OF congress an appropriation was
made to defray the expenses of a pre-
urinary investigation, which is now in
progress under the direction of the en-
corps of the United States
army 1 suggest that the legislature ,
through concurrent resolution. commend !
federal government and memorabilia con- I
sress to make such additional appropria- ,
hons as may be necessary to protect the
state from flood losses in future In or
Ter that the state and federal govern
Cheap Goods. Ia
A shabby man entered a small gen ,
eral store in a Scottish village and
asked the owner, q genuine Scot who