Glick's Administration.—Gov. George W. Glick, the first Democratic governor of the State of Kansas, was inaugurated on Jan. 8, 1883, and the next day marked the opening of the fourth biennial session of the legislature, which organized with Lieut.-Gov. D. W. Finney as president of the senate and James D. Snoddy as speaker of the house. Following the custom required by the constitution, Gov. Glick submitted his message to the assembly at the opening of the session.

"I consider this duty," said he, "under the present system of biennial sessions, would be proper, and more satisfactory to the legislature, were it performed by the outgoing executive, as all transactions of the government are familiar to him, and he a part of them and an important factor in them. The incoming administration labors under great difficulty in endeavoring to perform this duty to the state. The inability of any one to make himself entirely familiar with all the various affairs of state, its educational, charitable, reformatory and penitive institutions, in the short time intervening between the election and the time for entering upon the discharge of the duties of the executive office, will be apparent to any one who will give the matter a moment's reflection."

Notwithstanding this view, the governor goes on and gives an intelligent review of the conditions surrounding the finances, institutions and industries of the state. He announced the corn crop of 1882 as having been over 35,000,000 bushels; the wheat crop more than 35,000,000 bushels, and the value of all farm products for the year as over $108,000,000. The permanent school fund had reached $2,280,121.07, and there was a cash balance of $644,323.76 in the state treasury at the close of the year.

He recommended that provisions be made for the appointment of a state veterinarian, in connection with the state board of agriculture, "who shall be charged with the duty of looking after, and aiding the people in protecting the live stock against contagious diseases," etc. He also recommended the creation of the office of county assessor, in order "to secure an equal, or at least a more uniform valuation of real estate," and that county commissioners be authorized "to levy a tax annually, not exceeding one mill on the dollar, to be used exclusively by the county board in the repair of, or grading roads, where public necessity may require such work to be done, as the means now provided by law are inadequate."

Earlier in the year the supreme court had decided the prohibitory amendment, as well as the law giving it force, valid and in harmony with the spirit of the constitution. In discussing this subject, the governor declared that "It was premature—and indeed unfortunate—to have engrafted into the fundamental law of the state a policy which from its nature was an experiment of doubtful utility and of uncertain success, and which has proved a failure wherever tried in other states." Holding this view, it was natural that he should recommend the resubmission of the amendment. (See Prohibition.)

A large part of the message was devoted to a discussion of the railroad problem, the result of which was the passage of a law fixing the passenger rate at three cents a mile and the establishment of a railroad commission (q. v.).

It will be remembered that the legislature of 1877 passed an act authorizing the governor to appoint a state agent to prosecute the claims of Kansas against the United States, and that Gov. Anthony appointed ex-Gov. Samuel J. Crawford to the position. In his message of 1883 Gov. Glick says that Mr. Crawford, as the agent of the state, "has with great energy and marked ability prosecuted the claims of the state against the general government, and has secured for the school interests of the state 267,898 acres of land, leaving 1,600 acres yet in controversy; and also secured and adjusted a large amount of the claims against the general government for money expended and indebtedness assumed on account of the volunteer and militia forces into active service, and five per centum on the sale of public land, and other moneys and lands. He is entitled to his compensation for services rendered under his contract, and you will without doubt make an appropriation for such payment."

In response to this request on the part of the executive the legislature, by the act of March 5, made an appropriation to pay Mr. Crawford for services already rendered or in process of consummation. This appropriation, amounting to $10,209.65, was distributed as follows: $200 for securing to the state indemnity school lands, and a sum equal to ten per centum of lands so secured, estimating the value at $1.25 per acre; $4,238.25 to pay for his services in collecting the five per centum due from the United States on sales of land in the Indian reservations in Kansas; $1,076.15 for services in securing the rebate of $10,761.50 on the direct war tax levied against the state; $895.25 for the recovery of $8,952.57 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1883, on account of arms, etc., furnished the United States by the State of Kansas in 1861; $3,800, "or so much thereof as may be necessary, for the purpose of paying said agent for his services in prosecuting to recover five per centum on sales of land in former Indian reservations, not included in former accountings by the United States and heretofore disallowed, the same being estimated at the sum of $38,000."

The next day another act was passed, authorizing Crawford to represent the State of Kansas in all matters pertaining to grants of land made by Congress to aid in the construction of railroads within the state; and that "in the execution of his authority under this act he shall investigate and ascertain the amount of land granted by Congress for the benefit of railroads in Kansas, and the amount to which each of said railroads was or is entitled as indemnity; . . . and whether in the adjudication of such grants the just rights of the state or of citizens thereof have been impaired." (See Railroads.)

In the execution of the duties imposed by this act Mr. Crawford was required to report to the governor, for transmission to the legislature, and was to receive no compensation unless the state was benefited.

The session lasted until March 8. In addition to the acts above mentioned, the state was divided into seven Congressional districts; provision was made for the sale of school lands on twenty years' time, with six per cent. interest per annum on deferred payments; the appointment of a mine inspector was authorized and laws passed to guard the health and safety of persons employed in the mines; cities with outstanding bonds were given authority to compromise and refund their debts; the political disabilities of a number of persons were removed, and the eighteenth judicial district was established. One of the duties devolving upon this session was the election of a United States senator, and a ballot was accordingly taken on Jan. 24. Preston B. Plumb received 127 votes; John Martin, 20; J. G. Bayne, 12; John A. Anderson, 3, and Gov. Glick, 1. Mr. Plumb was therefore declared elected.

On March 31, 1883, the executive council appointed the first board of railroad commissioners for the State of Kansas. It consisted of Henry Hopkins, who was appointed for three years; James Humphrey, for two years, and L. L. Turner, for one year. (See Railroad Commission.)

Dudley C. Haskell, representative in Congress from the second district, died on Dec. 16, 1883, and on Jan. 3, 1884, Gov. Glick ordered an election for March 1 to select a representative for the unexpired term. The Republicans nominated Edward H. Funston, who was opposed by S. A. Riggs. At the election Funston received 24,116 votes, and Riggs, 17,904. Mr. Funston took the oath of office as Congressman on March 21.

During the winter of 1883-84 the malady known as the foot-and-mouth disease became prevalent among the cattle in the counties of Woodson, Anderson, Lyon, Allen and Coffey. At that time there were in the state some 2,000,000 cattle, valued at $50,000,000, and sheep worth over $2,000,000, all of which were subject to the disease, which was pronounced contagious and incurable. As the governor had no power to declare or enforce a quarantine against infected animals, there arose a general demand for a special session of the legislature to devise ways and means to stamp out the disease. Accordingly, on March 13, 1884, Gov. Glick issued a proclamation calling the general assembly to meet in extra session on the 18th. The legislature met pursuant to the call and organized by the election of A. P. Riddle president pro tem of the senate, and James D. Snoddy speaker of the house. The session lasted only until the 25th, and but few bills were passed. The sum of $7,000 was appropriated for an exhibit of the state's products at the New Orleans exposition; a live stock sanitary commission was created; quarantine grounds for Texas cattle were designated, and provisions made for the appointment of a state veterinary surgeon.

The most interesting events of the year 1884 were the incidents connected with the political campaign. On April 21 a committee of the National Greenback party met at Topeka and selected as delegates-at-large to the national convention, A. J. Utley, P. P. Elder, J. H. Limbocker and C. H. Moody. The committee also selected the following named gentlemen for delegates to the Anti-monopoly convention at Chicago: H. P. Vrooman, W. J. A. Montgomery, A. B. Montgomery and J. C. Hebbard. This convention met on May 14 and nominated Gen. Benjamin F. Butler for the presidency, which action was indorsed by the national Greenback convention at Indianapolis, Ind., two weeks later.

A Republican state convention at Topeka on April 29 nominated P. B. Plumb, John G. Wood, J. S. Merritt and A. W. Mann for delegates-at-large to the national convention, and two delegates from each Congressional district were also named. John H. Price and D. A. Valentine were nominated for presidential electors-at-large. The district electors were: 1st district, A. J. Felt; 2nd, I. O. Pickering; 3d, Dr. J. L. Denison; 4th, J. M. Miller; 5th, F. W. Sturgis; 6th, W. S. Tilton; 7th, T. T. Taylor. A vote was taken by the convention to express the choice of the Kansas Republican for president, and James G. Blame received the votes of 202 of the 289 delegates. The resolutions indorsed President Arthur's administration; favored "such legislation as will afford labor just remuneration, and make capital secure in investment," and a national law regulating interstate commerce.

The Democratic state convention for the selection of delegates to the national convention was held in Topeka on May 28. Gov. George W. Click, Thomas P. Fenlon, W. C. Terry and Thomas Hudson were selected as delegates-at-large, and district delegates were also chosen. Among the resolutions adopted was one indorsing Gov. Click's administration "as able, conservative and honest," and the convention "points with pride to the first Democratic governor of Kansas, as a specimen of what may be expected when the Democracy shall take possession of the national government."

On July 16 the Republican state convention for the nomination of candidates for the state offices met in Topeka. John A. Martin was nominated for governor; A. P. Riddle, for lieutenant-governor; E. B. Allen, for secretary of state; E. P. McCabe, for auditor; Samuel T. Howe, for treasurer; S. B. Bradford, for attorney-general; J. H. Lawhead, for superintendent of public instruction; Albert H. Horton, for chief justice of the supreme court; and William A. Johnston, for associate justice.

The day following the Republican convention the Prohibitionists met in Topeka and selected delegates to the national convention of that party, the delegates-at-large being J. H. Byers, M. V. B. Bennett, James F. Legate and A. M. Richardson. Ex-Gov. John P. St. John was nominated for president by the national Prohibition convention, which met at Pittsburgh, Pa., July 24.

Two conventions assembled in Topeka on Aug. 20—one composed of Democratic delegates from all parts of the state, and one of Republicans who favored the resubmission of the prohibitory amendment. The latter adopted a resolution to the effect that "no candidates for legislative, gubernatorial or judicial office should be supported for election who are not known to be, and who will not pledge themselves, for resubmission, and Gov. Glick was heartily complimented and commended "for the manly and honest course he has taken, and the fight he has made, in behalf of the personal liberty of the people of Kansas."

A conference committee, consisting of seven members from each convention, recommended that the resubmissionists be permitted to name one candidate on the state ticket, and Cyrus K. Holliday was nominated for lieutenant-governor in accordance with this arrangement. The resubmission convention then adjourned and the members repaired in a body to the hall where the Democratic convention was in session. Here they were received with a great demonstration of enthusiasm and some time was devoted to speech-making, after which the delegates settled down to the nomination of candidates for state offices. Gov. Glick was renominated by acclamation; the nomination of Mr. Holliday for lieutenant-governor was sanctioned in the same way; Eugene Hagen was named for secretary of state; H. V. Gavigan, for auditor; W. A. Huliman, for treasurer; George P. Smith, for attorney-general; M. J. Keyes, for superintendent of public instruction;. W. P. Campbell, for chief justice, and T. A. Hurd, for associate justice. Presidential electors were also chosen, as follows: At large, Thomas Moonlight and George T. King; 1st district, W. W. Sargent; 2nd, J. B. Chapman; 3d, B. F. Devore; 4th, T. P. Fulton; 5th, James Ketner; 6th, H. A. Yonge; 7th, J. B. Fugate.

The platform adopted by the Democratic convention indorsed the nomination of Cleveland and Hendricks for the presidency and vice-presidency by the national convention at Chicago; approved the administration of Gov. Glick; congratulated the people of Kansas on the establishment of a board of railroad commissioners; declared "That constitutional prohibition has been fruitful of discord, perjury and discrimination," and demanded "a repeal of the present obnoxious and unjust law for the enforcement of prohibition, and in its stead a well regulated license system rigidly enforced."

A state ticket was placed in the field by a convention of the Greenback-labor party at Topeka on Aug. 27, and was made up as follows: Governor, H. L. Phillips; lieutenant-governor, John W. Breidenthal; secretary of state, J. C. Hebbard; auditor, W. H. T. Wakefield; treasurer, D. H. Hefflebower; attorney-general, H. L. Brush; superintendent of public instruction, Miss Fannie Randolph; chief justice, H. P. Vrooman; associate justice, J. D. McBrian; presidential electors at large, A. J. Utley and S. D. Underwood; 1st district, B. H. Oldfield; 2nd, C. T. Sears; 3d, E. H. Benham; 4th, C. Corning; 5th, J. H. Limbocker; 6th, C. J. Lamb; 7th, J. H. Franklin.

On Sept. 2 a convention of Prohibitionists favoring an independent party movement met at Lawrence and selected the following presidential electors: S. L. North, E. Clark, Theodore Wilson, R. L. Lotz, Theodore Owen, C. P. Stevens, T. C. Miller, J. S. Stockton and M. V. B. Barker. A majority of the delegates decided that it was not advisable to name a state ticket, leaving each member of the party free to act individually, but pledged themselves to use their best endeavors to secure the election of the national Prohibition ticket. This action did not meet the approval of some, and about forty of the delegates bolted the convention, nominated A. B. Jetmore for governor; Miles Brown for lieutenant-governor; Allen Williams for auditor; William Battles for treasurer; R. Simons for attorney-general; and indorsed the Greenback candidates for secretary of state, superintendent of public instruction, and the supreme court justices. Mr. Jetmore subsequently declined to make the race.

At the election on Nov. 4 the Republican presidential electors carried the state by almost 65,000 plurality. Martin, the Republican candidate for governor, received 146,777 votes; Glick, 108,284; Phillips, 9,998; John Martin, 142; scattering, 38. Gov. Glick ran about 11,000 votes ahead of the Democratic candidate for lieutenant-governor, and nearly 14,000 ahead of the rest of the ticket, owing to the support of the Republicans who favored the resubmission of the prohibitory amendment. Seven Republican Congressmen were elected from the several districts, in the order named: E. N. Morrill, E. H. Funston, B. W. Perkins, Thomas Ryan, John A. Anderson, Lewis Hanback and Samuel R. Peters.

On Dec. 3, 1884, the presidential electors met and cast the vote of the state for James G. Blaine for president, and John A. Logan for vice-president, each of whom received nine electoral votes. James M. Miller was chosen messenger to carry the vote to Washington, D. C.

During the year 1884 James Smith, secretary of state, issued charters to 780 corporations, which would indicate that the business and industrial interests of the state were keeping pace with the march of progress.

Gov. Martin was inaugurated on Jan. 12, 1885, and the next day Gov. Click retired from the office which he had held for two years, during which time he had endeavored to discharge his duties with fidelity and impartiality.