Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-01-01
SWEEPING REDUCTIONS.

proposed
Committee-A Complete Revolution in
the Management of State Anairs.
TOPEKA, Kan, Dec 2S--The commit /
tee appointed at the last session OF the +
Legislature to revise and codify the ex-
isting laws of Kansas has completed its |
labors and has made its report to Gov
ernor Humphrey.
: The committee has thoroughly re-
vised all laws relating to public institu- |
tons. abolished and combined the vari- |
Gus boards in charge of the educational |
and eleemosynary institutions, made |
sweeping reductions in the laws gov
erning the State printing, provided for
a more strict accounting of the public
moneys, and in short revolutionized the
State Government.
The committee consisted of Senators
f. P. Hardness, of Clay; 7. b. Murdoch,
of Butler; c. Fl. Kimball, of Labette: NJ.
c. Kelley. of Crawford, and Joel Moody,
of Linn
The first meeting was held January 6.
1890, since which time one or more
members of the committee have been
steadily at work
A bill creating a State board Of pub
lie works has been proposed, to consist
of three persons to be appointed by the
Governor with the advice and consent
of the Senate, to Superintend all public
| improvements This board corresponds
to similar boards in municipal corpora
| tons and neceSSitateS the repeal Of the
| present law providing for the State
House Commissioners. Two of its MEM
| bers must be experienced mechanics
| and builders.
In regard to the public printing, the
committee found that the prices paid
| H.
| auctions. The great saving to the State
will be in the amount or volume of
printing to be done in the.future. Pub
lie documents will be set ''solid" in the
| future instead of ''leaded,' and the
| width of the printed matter on the ses-
| sion laws is made greater Provision
is made for enrolling and engrossing
| all bills by printing them. This VIII do
away with the small army of engross-
ing clerks. necessary for each Legisla-
ture. which cost the State last session
$1,000.
| The committee declares that the laws
governing the Agricultural College and
the State Normal School are vague, in
definite and uncertain, and wholly mad
eqate for the government of these insti-
tutions. Simplification is recommended
a most remarkable feature of the re-
|
brary and the Historical Society. The
report declares that many books are
duplicated and that hundreds OF charts,
maps. ETC., are duplicated and that two
libraries have created jealousies and un-
wholesome rivalries, resulting in eN-
travagance in the application of moneys.
The two libraries will be consolidated
into the State Library
The most sweeping change and the
one which will prove the most popular,
is the bill providing for public school
text books. The bill provides for the
text book plan the same as is now on
trial by Minnesota and Indiana The
committee submits seven reasons for
this change. claiming that it VIII not
cost the State more than one-third as
much as the old system. and Will give
to the children of the poor and
the 1aboring people the necessary books
without any cost whatever to them; it
brings the theory of free schools into
practical operation The committee es-
Inmates that the present plan costs 81 a
year for each pupil and that the pro-
posed plan Will cost not to exceed so
cents.
For State charitable and reform in
stitutions one State board, to be known
as 1.-The Board of Trustees of Charitable
Institutions" has been provided.
> A cutting down of expenses in the
State penitentiary Is recommended
? A bill providing for the election OF
( the Board of Railroad Commissioner
by a direct vote of the people is sub
/ mitted, and it is proposed to appoint z
State agent at Washing every four years
= instead of giving him life position
: The Department of Agriculture Is
completely revised, and its secretary IL
l the future is to be elected by the people
: the same as any other State officer Hi:
, duties are enlarged so that he must per
f form all The duties and offices of the
t commissioner of forestry and silk cul
l ture.
: The bill regulating the fees and sal
: aries of county officials makes sweeping
{ | reductions along the line.
= The bill providing for the re-appor
tionment of the State for judicial pur
: poses reduces the number of district
1 from thirty-five to twenty-five and save
S25. 600 annually in the salariesof judge
n alone
!: A large number of boards are abolishe,
6 in a bill which provides that the pro
{ fessor of veterinary science at the Ag
ricultural College shall perform the du
!, ties of the State veterinarians; the pro
fessor of sociology at the universit.
-. shall perform the duties of the commits
sioner of labor statistics: the professor o
geology at the university shall perform
= the duties of State geologist; the phar
q macy faculty at the State Universit..
a shall perform the duties of the boar
a Of pharmacy, and the State offices o
State veterinarian, State geolgist, com
, missioner of labor statistics and tn
State board of pharmacy shall be abol
= | iShed.
8 The committee concludes its repol
y with bill amending the tax statutes S
= as to provide that the basis of propert
value shall be the true value of tn
- property to be assessed and enlargin
IL the powers of the county and Stat
- boards of equalization The LieuteI
l. ant-Governor and Attorney-General al
4 added to the State board of equaliz;
ton.
&c Disaster in China.
To Dao Aacorf7inrr IN ar