The Topeka state journal., 1922-02-04
Democrats Take Many Slaps at
Present Administration.
Industrial Court Is Severely
Criticised in Resolutions.
CHARGE MUCH ExTRAVAGANCE
Twelve Departments of Govern
ment Would Be Abolished.
Mayor COrwine and Rock Island
Attorney Are Speakers.

If there are any crimes the Republl-
cans haven't committed since 1915 in
state government the Democrats who
met at Klingaman's hall. 116 East
Sixth avnUe, Friday night, failed to
mention them in their resolutions.
After e,ecting forty-three delegates
and forty three alternates to the state
Democratic convention to be held in
Topeka, February %, the county CEN
tral committee members opened fire
on the present administration
Speeches by Mayor II. J. Corwine
and Robert Blair, Rock Island attor-
ney, paved the way for a scathing de-
'nunc:ation of Republican government
by the committee on resolutions The
industrial court is described as an in
stitutiOn conceived in sin. born in
iniquity and so far reared amid un-
wholesome and degrading surround
ings." The Republicans are charged.
with unwarranted extravaganza and
states taxes is declared indefensible.
Moreover, the Democrats would
abolish twelve departments of the
state governments and put them in
charge of commissioners, thus eimin
ating twenty-four appointees and sub
stituting five commissioners.
The Resolutions.
The resolutions follow:
We charge the Republican party, since
january. 1915 of having entered into "a
period of useless and unwarranted eXtravd-
gance. With continually increasing state,
county and municipal taxes. With having
created boards, commissions and courts
whose existence are not warranted. With
having sanctioned the actions of its gov
ernorS in indiScriminatelY pardoning
criminals from the penitentiary. With
having employed more help in the state
house, in county offices, in city offices,
on boards, commissioner and courts than
WAS necessary. With sanctioning and
paying for junketing, trims that have been
unnecessary and useless to the state ana
the people and condemn such eXtrava-
gance and expenditure of the money use
lessly wrunG from needy people
The Republican state administration. in
Guiding the legislature. instead of setting
good example to the municipalities of the
potency set a pace that has been followed
by the officers of the counties and other
municipalities with the results that the tax
burden is greater than the people can, or
will bear.
Increase in Taxes.
An increase last year of j6 per cent in
the state taxes is indefensible and every
person who by reason of his official posi-
ton is responsible to any extent for that
increase is subject to cenSure and Is un-
worthy to hold any office of profit or
trust
There must he radical reduction in
the cost of government which will reduce
the tax rates accordingly, and that will
work corresponding reduction in the
cost of living, as it will Justify and re-
modities. railroad and other utilities rates,
advertising and subscription rates, and in
fact everything upon which the tax burden
will be ightened.
All the property Of the farmer is in sight
and none of it escapes taxation, and in ad-
dition to the general taxes he is required
to pay, special assessments are levied
against his land under the present hign-
way laws. to pay for building boulevards
for the use of the general public. Such as
sessments as now levied are unjust and
the users of such highways should be re-
quired to contribute to their construction
and maintenance in much larger degree.
The farmer works longer hours and faces
more danger, hardship and exposure than
any other class and the whole world is de
pendent on him for food and clothing and
everything the farmer has to sell is at less
than pre- war prices and practically every
thing he buys is at war prices and he has
a right to demand that things be equal
ized and if n way cannot be found to re-
duce the cost of the articles he buys, way
must be found to increase the price of the
products he sells.
Slap at Industrial Court
The court of industrial relations was
conceived in sin, born in >iniquity, and so
far, reared amid unwholesome and degrad-
political football; \ pretext for hundreds
of junkets: A haven for political adher-
ents; The custodian of an annual appro-
priatfou of $32,S00 loot: An advertisement
for the politically ambitious. 1t was di-
vorced from the public utilities commission
to make places for Il new horde of office
tunes of others. Incident to the divorce
aIfmony to the amount of S132S 500 annually
was granted it by the Republican Iegisla-
ture. As court it is joke. As sep
arate tribunal it is Il useless extrava gance.
The industrial court law itself has never
been given fair trial and never will be
given such under the present system and
no one can judge from the performance of
the court whether it is a good law or Il
bad one. If bad or impracticable it should
be repealed. If good it should be admin
istered by properly constituted commits
sion as hereinafter provided.
AS Il guarantee to the people that much
of this misgovernment and extrava gance
shall be stopped if the Democratic party
IS again put in power in Kansas, We
adopt and publish the following as a
declaration of our party platform on which
the Democratic party will stand and If
elected agree to carry into effect:
l. We pladge our party and our candi-
dates to the reduction of taxes.
= We condemn as intoIerable and inde-
fensible the indiscriminate pardoning of
criminals from the penitentiary by the
governor and pledge our party and our
candidate for governor to issue pardons
only in rare and special cases