The Iola register., 1891-04-17
BUCHAN'S REPLY.
THE RECORD OF THE LAST LEGIsLA-
TURE TRUTHFUILY REVIEWED.
EVERY PLEDGE MADE BY THE AL
LANCE MEMBERS WAS VIOLATED.
Some Figures to Study.

|
Some Figures to Study.
| To The People Of kansas:
After the legislature adjourned /
CHANGED to see in the Kansas City Times
purported speech of Speaker Elder
made in the house Of representatives
during the closing hours of the session
In reply to some observations OF Senator
Osborne, in which the Hon. speaker ar
raigned the senate for wasteful extrava-
gance in its appropriations for the cur
rent expenses of the state government.
This speech did not hear, having other
things to occupy my time in the last
moments of the session than listening 10
the political barangues of the leaders
OF that remarkable body OF legislators,
and take this my first opportunity to
state few facts concerning the subject
matter OF that speech.
1t will be remembered that economy
and reform in the administration OF
state affairs was the war cry OF the new
Messiahs that had come to redeem Kan
sas from the thrall of republican mis-
rule: In view of this cry, in connection
with the further fact that the alliance
party had two-thirds of the members Of
the lower house, the senate committee
on ways and means decided to let the
house take the initiative in formulating
and presenting the necessary appropri-
alton bills for the support OF the state
government and state institutions.
There are eighteen regular appropri-
alton bills for the maintenance Of the
several departments OF the state CLASH
fed and provided for by the joint rules
of the legislature, and rule sixteen re-
quIres that thirteen of these bills must
be introduced in one or the other of the
two houses on or before the twentieth
day Of the session. and sent to the other
house at least ten days before the close
OF the session. Rule eighteen provides
that the committee on ways and means
of the two houses may, for the purpose
of preparing and considering appropri-
alton bills, constitute joint committee.
After waiting reasonable time for
the house committee to act, and finding
nothing done towards making the ap-
preparations incumbent upon the legls-
la ture to make, as chairman of the com
mittee on the part Of the senate. called
in person upon Mr.. Rogers, chairman of
the house committee, to ascertain the
conditions of the appropriations to be
made | ascertained that no estimates
had been made, and no bills prepared by
that committee. | then suggested to
that committee that rue eighteen pro-
vided for joint meetings Ci tie commit
tees, and that it might be GdvIsG-
BILE for the two committees TO
meet in joint session GaJ prepare the
bills, or at least agree upon Il general
ne of pei icy to be pursued. Tbs wi3
assentedDlo 10 and time and place fixed
for such joint meeting. At the desiS
mated time the two republican members
of the house committee met the senate
committee, but none others on the part
OF the house appeared, aud Of COucce
nothing was done. The soGa:e coUlmjt-
tee then began the examination of o5ti-
mates and tie preparation OF the Ceccs-
sary data to form. ulHte uppGopr.Gti,n
bills. Upon the eighteenth day Of the
session finding that TO b.ls had been
prepared or introduced 10y the house
committee, there being Lut two days
left under the JOINT rules in which to III
troduce these bills, tho senate commit
tee introduced the first e these nsCes-
sary appropriat. on bills, and followed
with the balance within the prescribed
time.
Now, the house committee on
ways and means consisted OF fifteen
members and the senate committe o,
eeyen members. And it is a matter OF
record that the Cnly ore of tie reg
ular appropriation bills required by law
and the joint rules to be passed, tn
these fifteen econ imical mcm-
bers Of the house ways
and means committee, which Speaker
Elder eXtolls SO highly as standing be-
tween the senate and the state treasury,
prepared and introduced into the house
during the entire session, was the mis-
cellaneou5 appropriation bill. This bill
which this committee by its constant
ana persistent efforts" managed to for
mulate and Introduce in the house on
the 10th day of March, seven days after
the time allowed by rule, which came to
the senate on the same day, seven
days behind time-this remaik k
able effort OF Speaker FL
der's committee contained on reaching
the senate 81 items. OF this numbar
274 items wore sums appropriated rs
personal per9uisitieS of members and
employees of this economical house Of
representatives. Fifty per cent OK the
aggregate OF this personal benefit bill,
amounting to $40, ,546.0G, was for mileage
and expenses of the members " ho trav-
eled about tho state on railroad passes,
and boarded at the several institutions
of the state, while in the vain effort to
learn something OF the methods Of con-
Quoting the affairs OF the state in which
their education seems to hCve been sad
ly neglected, and for the management Of
which their legislative work appears to
have fully demonstrated their incapa-
city for public affairs. Rooms in the
city Of Topeka were rented and payment
therefor provided for in this bill, under
pretext of being necessary for
committee rooms, and these
apartments were occupied aa
sleeping quarters for members and en-
ployes of the house, as well as numerous
other items of equally questionable pub
lie necessity.
Another OF the appropriation bills
formulated ard introduced by these
'wstch dogs Of the state treasury" was
the state printers bill, the office OF state
printer being held by q member OF the
alliance party. This bill appropriated
for state printing for the fiscal years 1892
and 1888 the sum of Sl53,0 900. The same
bill passed two years previous for a
republican state printer amounted to
$40, 0,49030, making the state printing
under an alliance state printer cost Sl2,-
50970 more than under republican o.
fcer.
1 also find appropriated to pay the ex-
penses of special Investigations on the
part of the house the further sums OF
s42,228.s9, to provide for which this
economic body found i. necessary to re-
duce the wages Of the teachers. clerks.
mechanics and employees of the several
institutions of the state to such an
extent, Rs to do injustice to faithful