Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1892-09-17
WAR HOE THEoPPREssoRs?


Where the Employees Wore Only
Receiving Starvation Allowance.
During the long campaign of 1890
the alliance lecturers daily promised re-
lief to the working men and women, and
at the same time denounced the corpor-
atoms, the soulless men and vampires
who sought to reduce to state of serv-
itude those who were dependent upon
wages for the support OF themselves and
their families. How well these prom
Uses were kept may be seen in the yari-
GUS appropriation bills after they were
trimmed by the house of 1891. In them
are presented cold facts, from which
there is no escape The attention OF
workingmen is called to the fact that
this trimming" was practically the
only work done by the alliance men,
bers, except the extravagant investiga-
tons instituted.
A few of the appropriation bills
passed, which the senate was forced to
accept or see the institutions closed, are
here presented.
Commencing with the reform school.
the salary of the superintendent was re-
duced from 81 200 to 81, 900 a year. A
saving of 5000 was effected, at a cost to
the state of losing the services of man
acknowledged to be the best reform
school superintendent in America. The
matron, who has charge of 800 boys,
was reduced from $500 10 $500 year,
and another change was the result.
Ten officers and teachers. who had been
receiving in the aggregate $4,000, or
an average of $3.50 year, were reduced
to $500 year, thereby saving from
these already poorly paid people $3.50
annually. The night Waterman, whose
duties require him to have supervision
of five buildings, inside and out, from Z
p. m. until a. M, was visited by the
reformers, and a reduction of $50 year
followed, he having been plutocrat on
salary of $50 month. The econom-
ical streak did not end here. The head
farmer and the head gardener we're each
receiving 1884, month. The house
generously permitted the state to pay
these two men $25 a month, effecting
a saving of $685. a month on each.
Four attendants had been receiving SIS
q month each, which munifcent salaries
were reduced to $3.50 each, while the
state treasury is enriched by saving of
$40 month, taken from the wages of
men who had been contracting extrava-
CANT habits on salaries of SIS month.
The baker had $6s month taken from
his salary, while streak of compassion
induced the house to take only SIS
month each from the two fremen. The
seamstresses, who we're receiving $9.75
each, seem to have been overlooked.
The deaf and dumb Institution was
not left untouched as to its laborers and
workingmen, the following reductions
having been made: Engineer, SIS a
month; two assistant engineers, $3.50 a
month each; two supervisors, $1.75
month each; teamster and gardener,
$3.50 month each; the latter are now
allowed $14.16a month; the night
Waterman loses only S. month, and
the cook was asked to contribute to the
state $3.50 month.
The industrial school for girls was
found to be e1travagantly managed. |
The matron bad $685. a month taken |
from her, while the engineer, who had |
been receiving $500 year was cut |
down to $500. The teachers salaries |
were reduced from $500 to $500. and |
one teacher cut off altogether, although |
the number of inmates had increased |
fifty to one hundred.
A net reduction of $3.50 was made
pit the institution for the blind by cut |
ting out the item for smoke-stacks and |
Veptilating stacks, for which there ap-
peared to be no use so long as air was !
cheap, and the windows could be low
cred whenever the air in the building
becomes too foul for endurance.
The sum Of s54, $3.50 had been asked
Tor new cottages at the Soldiers Or
phans' asylum, because of its crowded
condition. The populists said $10,99O
or nothing.
At the penitentiary no employe es-
capped. In spite of the fact that the su-
perintendent of the mine had refused
salary of $4,000, rendered by the Home |
mine, for the purpose OF remaining with |
his pet state mine for $4,000 a year, he |
~oc lcouOoo SHoo yooi. Auo Aoi"oA
and the gardener lose 5000 year each,
while the ,other employees were COM
PEELED to drop 800 to 5000 year all |
around. The chairman of the house
ways and means committee, Mr.. Rogers,
of Washington county, admitted that
this wholesale reduction would cripple
that institution, but the axe had to be
applied.
The house refused to create q state
agent at Washington, to prosecute
claims free OF charge, for the veterans
residing in this state. This bill was de-
rided when it was received from the
senate, and Speaker Elder said, on the
floor Of that body, that lit was another
attempt TO fasten fat Office on the
state. / think as much of the old sol
diers as anyone. but believe in letting
them hustle for themselves. am under
no obligations to themr' In this senti-
ment he was heartily cheered.
A REPUBLICAN TO A PROHlBt-