Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-01-23
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.


Message OF Governor John A. Martin, deliv-
cred 70 the Legislature of Kansas, in
Special Session. ON January 10th, 1886.
To the Senate and House of Representatives
Section rs of article II of the constitution
OF Kansas, requires the Legislature to "provide
for taking an enumeration of the inhabitants
OF the state at least once in ten years" and
specifies that "the first enumeration shall be
taken In 1865" Section of article of the
constitution declares that sit shall be the
duty of the first legislature to make an APP
portionment, based upon the census ordered
by the last Legislative assembly of the terri
tory;" and that a new apportionment shall
be made in 1866, and every five years there
after, based on the census of the preceding
year."
The enumeration of the inhabitants of the
state, as required by the constitution, has
been made, under the direction of the
secretary Of the state board of agriculture,
and the results of this enumeration are com
municated in the report of that officer, here
with transmitted. Upon this census the ap-
p0rtionment which the constitution requires
the legislature to make during the year 1886,
must be based.
TEE STATE REFORM SCHOOL.
The act making appropriations for the
current expenses of the state reform school
Tor the fiscal years endeng June goth, 1886, and
June 5oth, 1887, was not presented to me for
approval. until after the adjournment of the
iegislative session of 1885, and consequently
olo not become law. The amounts APP
proprlated by this act, for the current fiscal
year, were: for salaries and wages of officers,
teachers, and employees, $3.50; and for care
ano malntalnance, 81, $50: making total
of $4,000.
A very serious responsibility was devolved
upon the state officers by the failure of this
dPpfopriatlon bill, viz. the alternative of
closing the reform school, or of NEGOTIATING
loans, on their personal responsibility, for
paying the current expenses of the institu-
ton. The executive council, after full con-
sioeratoD, decided to adopt the last-men-
toned alternative. Arrangements were there
lore. made with bank in this city, for fur
nlshIng the money necessary to keen the re-
form school IN operation, and a note cover
ing the amount of the expenses was executed
each month, the state officers becoming in
dividually responsible for the payment of
these notes, which bear interest at the rate
OF nine per cent. per annum. The board of
trustees of The state charitable institutions was
notified that the expenditures for the reform
school should not exceed the amount voted
10y the legislature, in the act which failed to
H..
has conformed its acquisitions to this direc-
ton. The secretary of the executive council
Will furnish the Legislature with an accurate
statement OF the notes now outstanding and
the amount OF money necessary to provide
for their payment. / would respectfully re-
quest an appropriation for the liquidation of
this Indebtedness and call your attention,
also, to the necessity of making an appro-
prlatIon for the expenses of the reform school
during the remainder of the current fiscal
1857. N''' '''''''
TIE BUREAU OF LABOR.
Chapter 1SS, session laws of 1885, created a
Bureau of Labor and Industrial Statistics. -
defined Its duties and powers, and authorized
the executive to appoint some suitable per-
son, identified with the labor interests of the
state, as commissioner of Labor Statistics"
The salary and allowances of the commits
sioner were fixed in the act, authorizing his
appointment, butno appropriation was made
for their payment.
Under the authority conferred by this act.
1 appointed Frank II. Betton, of Wyandotte
county, as commissioner of labor statistics,
be accepted this appointment in April last.
and has been since that time discharging the
duties devolvedupon him by law. His first
report Is herewith transmitted. Provision
Tor the payment of his salary and allowances
EA1ula 10 iloOc at VIC present session.
Fifteen states have established bureaus of
labor, charged with the duty of collecting
statistics and facts relating to the CONNER
ciai, industrial, social, educational and SAN
ltary condition Of the laboring classes.
S0ch information, accurately and mtelli-
gently compiled, cannot fail to be of value
20 the iaw-making power. The practical ex-
perlence OF other states has approved these
departments, and l have no doubt that in |
Kansas the work of the "Bureau of Labor
and Industrial statistics" will Justify the |
wisdom and expediency of its creation.
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.
Chapter 129, session laws of 1886, creates |
state and local boards of health, and defines |
the duties and authority of said boards. Sec
ton of said act provides that the secretary
of the state board of health "shall receive |
such compensation as may be allowed by |
the state board of health, and approved by
the governor"
Other sections of this act devolve upou
the state and local boards certain official du-
ties, and section II requires the state board
to make an annual report, which 'fhall con-
tain detailed account of the money paid |
out by or on account of said board, and a de-
tailed statement of the manner of its ex-
penditure during the past year, but
the amount so paid out shall not aggregate a
sum exceeding five thousand dollars in any
rear" The state board has fixed the salary
Of the secretary at s., 800 per annum. and |
have, in accordance with the provisions of
the act above quoted, approved its action.
No appropriation, however, was made by
The Legislature for the payment of the salary
state board is by law authorized to make.
COURTS IN NEW COUNTIES
Section of chapter 119, session laws of
1886, an act to regulate terms of court in the
sixteenth judicial District" detaches the
md Hamilton from the county of Ford, and
attaches the counties of Scott, Wichita, Gree
ey, Hamilton and Seward to -Finney county,
or judicial purposes; and further provides
hat the counties of Clark and Meade. '-un-
il organized, are attached to the ooulty of
,omanche for judicial purposes" lut Co
nanche county, by the provisions of chap
he nineteenth judicial district, and Clark
md Meade counties have been organized.
,Sction of chapter l19, session laws of 1885,
Gems to be in conflict with the require
aents of section 90, article V, of the consti-
hilton. The result of this legislation is that
lark and Meade counties are without courts,
nd that the position of the .unorganized
ounties of Scott, Wichita, Greeley and Ham
lton is confused and uncertain. Clark and
deade counties should be attached to one of
he contiguous judicial districts; and the
loubtfrl validity of section 2, chapter 119,
eesion laws of 1886, should be cured by the I
massage of a law in harmony with the re-
;uirements of the constitution. In this con- .
lection, earnestly recommend that any
nv you may enact, attaching unorganized {
'ounties for judicial purposes, shall embody ,
provision prohibiting, under severe penal
iess tho sa1e of school lands in such unor-
'anized counties. The present system in