Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-04-09

some OF tins increase was properly
made; some new Offices were created by
the legislature after the bills passed the
senate, and their salaries were to be
provided for 1t was ascertained after
the Osawatomie insane asylum bill had
passed the senate, that an additional ap-
preparation of $40, 900 for that institu-
ton would care for about 800 more ot
those unfortunate patients and that was
added. By questionable change made
in the management of the penitentiary
insisted on by the house, that appro-
priation was increased about $4,000
each year. But many of the reductions
made by the house maintain were in
judicious, without reason, and were un-
wisely made, and in every instance al
most where reductions were made 1t
seemed to be the studied effort of the
house to strike at the wages and sala-
ries of mechanics, clerks, teachers and
laborers."
Then follows a table showing how
wages of employees had been reduced IN
the various institutions, on account Of
which. he SAYS: Il decline to enter into
a discussion with gentlemen who advo-
cate reform in public affairs by reduc-
ing the pay of officers and teachers in
our public institutions from $50 to S24
per month, and cut the pay of employees
from $500 to $40 per year.
Buchan compares the appropriations
made two years ago with those made
this year, and shows that with the ap-
preparation made for the state house
two years ago deducted that the appro-
priations of this legislature exceeded
those of the last by over $40, 600. Of the
failure to provide for a continuation of
work on the state house, he says:
"Whether this refusal of the house of
representatives to make adequate APP
preparations to continue the construc-
ton Of the state house was a wise and
economic saving leave the hundreds
of carpenters, joiners, masOns, stone
cutters, bricklayers, painters, black
smiths and the vast number of wage
workers employed in the stone quarries
and about the construction of this great
work who for years had earned living
for themselves and families as its mas
sive columns have gone upward from
its foundations and who now will
be compelled to go elsewhere
and perhaps leave the state
to fui employment and n living for
their families to determine. The ir
wives and children as they daily pass
the state house ground will look upon
its deserted walls and unfinished struct-
ure, only to be reminded of the absent
father or brother who was driven away
from home to earn their daily bread by
the parsimony aud false economy of an
alliance house of representatives.
Mr. Guchaa then tells of necessary
appropriations for state institutions by
the senate in which the house refused
to concur. Of Speaker Elders asser-
ton that the Legislature had been called
upon to appropriate $3.50, 600 for de-
ficiencies caused by republican extrava-
gance, he quotes figures to show that
the deficiency appropriation was only
S17O,515. 80, and then explains why these
DEFICIENCIES were necessary.
Senator Buchan, on the finances of the
state, goes into them briefly to show
that the rate of taxation has steadily
decreased from 1865 from 6J5 mills to
9-1O mills in 1891.
In conclusion, Mr.. Buchan says: ''Mr.
Speaker, your garbled speech was a
necessity. You were conscious that the
house, of which you were the guiding
and ruling spirit, fell far short, not
only of its promises, but of an honest
effort to redeem them. On the black
boards of every school house were writ
ten your promises to economic, and as
the hour of adjournment approached
you and your associates dreaded to
meet the reproaches of your victims.
To gain an election you made
many foolish promises beyond
the power of anybody to perform.
When the hour of trial came you were
found wanting, both in purpose and
method In the extremity of despair
you fondly hoped that a glowing
speech, charging extravaganza. on re-
publican legislatures and a carefully
prepared manifesto charging a repub-
hcan governor and senate with derelic-
ton of public duty might hide the enor-
nifty of your own violation of plighted
faith and willful omission of patriotic
duty. But you are mistaken both as
to the capacity and patriotism of the
people of Kansas. You did the credit and
good name of the state much harm by
your attempted legislation. Three
times you refused to make an appropri-
alton for an exhibit of our resources at
the worlds fair. You spent $50, 900 of
the peoples money trying to fasten
scandal on republicans and republican
management For more than sixty-five
days you and your political associates
to the number of ninety-two, occupied
seats in the house and never originated
one measure of legislation for the good
of the people of this state"
Parliament ReassembIes.
LONDON, April THE house of COM