Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1893-01-21

in Justice be held for them IL not whether /,
| be the duty OF the legislature to reimburse the
university fuRd TO that amount
| Text Books.
The parents and guardians of the children in
| our public schools have long complained of the
| exorbitant cost of text books, and this subject
| earnestly recommend that some method be der
| vised Tor supplying the necessary books freq OF
cost to the school children of the state.
ins o nn r. Ten snas .ne .oS ny
directors, other school officers of the school
districts, should. in each county, be empowered
| schools of their respective counties, at price
not much IN advance OF the actual cost of the
| books.
By reason of some such legislation, it Is be-
| Heved that the crying complaint of very ex-
| pensive school books would be largely mitigated,
and, in time, measurabIy abolished.
Some OF the states of this union have adopted
legislation substantially of this class, and, where
successfully tried it has met the approval of the
people affected by it; and there is growing senti-
ment in favor of such system.
The State Library.
It appears from the eighth biennial report of
| the state librarian that the acceSsions to the
library for the past twelve years have been Il 952
| volumes. The appropriations for the purpose
of books have huctuated between 81 900 and 81 00C
per annum, except that from 1888 to 1890 no ap-
preparation was made.
| Mrs. Jane c. Stormont has made the generous
donation of the "Stormont Medical Coll ection,"
| more than 81 600 in value. She intends to
make further personal purchases for the collec-
| ton, and she has also paid iuto the treasury of
| the state s. 900 as permanent donation for the
| use of the state
The librarian expresses the hope that the ap-
preparation for the purchase or books may
! again be placed at 81 600 per annum.
| The suggestion is made that all money received
| from the sale of the supreme court reports, as
| now provided by law, and all money hereafter
paid in on such account shall constitute a
| library fund in the hands of the state librarian
| to be applied to the purchase of reports and
books for the state, to be selected by the justices
| of the supreme court and the librarian, and that
it shall be the duty of the librarian to pay over
to the state treasurer any balance of such money
| remaining in his hands and not applied as above
provided for.
Chapter 112 of the laws of 1870, chapter 143 of
the laws of 1871, and chapter 13S of the laws of
| 1875 contain acts of the legislature regulating
the state library, and as these several acts in
| some measure duplicate each other, and in other
respects are inharmonious with each other, it
| might be well to revise the legislation bearing
upon this subject and thereby place the state
| library upon footing that will make it truly
subserve the best interests of the state.
State Historical Society.
The State Historical Society has demonstrated
its great uaefulness. The records of the past his
| tory of Kansas collected by this society during
the seventeen. years of it's existence are now
found essential to the full examination of any
subject pertaining to the affairs of the state or
any of its localities The state can make no bet
that of collecting and preserving the materials
of its own history. In the com pletlon OF the cap
itol building, ample provision should be made
for the housing of the library and collections of
the society, now crowded into very inadequate
quarters.
The report of the trustees of state charitable
institutions will be laid before YOU, and in it you
will find complete and detailed information of
the needs of these various institutions together
W information a character
benefit of the public. The successful care and
management of these institutions should be mat
of the state. Their existence marks an era of
progress in the development of Christian civili-
zation, and desire to approximat perfection in
their administration should be the commendable
zeal of true craftsmanship.
The institutions embraced in the report are as
follows: State insane asylum, Topeka; state in
sane asylum, Osawatomie; state reform school.
Topeka; institution for the education of the deaf
and dumb, Olathe; institution for the education
of the blind, Kansas City state asylum for idiotc
and imbecile youth, Winfield; soldiers orphans
home, Atchison; and Industrial school for girls.
Beloit.
1t will be observed that number of these in
situations are already crowded with inmates, and
more room is in some cases imperative. 1t is
difficult to choose our course when necessity die
tateS but If it shall be found impossible to make
such improvements and enlargements as sug-
gested by the board, appropriations SHOULD be
made for the more pressing needs of all, and
especial consideration given to the care of the
helplessly insane.
The State Reformatory.
The legislature of 1886 made an enactment
providing for a state reformatory for male
criminals between the ages of Is and Is.
Propositions came from several cities Of the
state Tor the location of this institution, and
the commission appointed to locate the same
made Hutchinson their selection, and struct-
ure there exists in an unfinished condition, al
though S260,COO has been expended in its
erection.
A.,
establishing such Institutions when the finan-
cial resources of state sufficient to justify
the cost of erection and maintenance. If in
your judgment the time is ripe for such an in
stitution in Kansas, an appropriation should
be made sufficient for the completion and occu-
pancy of the present buildings.
The Penitentiary.
The eighth biennial report of the directors and
warden Of the state penitentiary covers mass of
details that are included in a pamphlet of about
sixty pages. 1t is seen from the warden's report
that there are unexpected balances OF the appro-
priaton made for the fiscal years of 1891 and 1892
remaining in the treasury OF the state of S75,-
790.90. Permanent improvements costing $780,
060.92 have been made in the shape of brick
buildings, a one-story brick dwelling house, the
completion of the east wall of the prison yard,
foundation for the cells of the new cell house,
and the construction of circular brick air-ducts
therein, and in the corridors the quitting and lay
ing OF tagging, and additions to the electric light
plant.
Tee directors of the penitentiary have insti-
tUted suit against W. Z. Thomas on coal con-
tract to recover balance due Of $947.3 and this
| suit is pending in the district court of Leaven-
worth county.
contract was made with the Kansas Manu-
featuring Company, of which Alexander Caldwell
was president, for convict labor, and this con-
| tract, which was of nineteen years duration,
terminated on February 1, 1892. Mr.. Caldwell
under an article of the contract made with him,
makes certain demands upon the state. This
matter is now in controversy, and may require
| some legislative examination.
Contracts have been made for i've years from
February 1, 1892 for surplus prison labor in &C
cordance with the following statement: l.. Kiper
d Sons, fifty men at 81 cents per day; Helmer's
Manufacturing Company, sixty-five men at 66
cents per day; II. S. Burr & Co., fifty men at 65
cents per day.
The board of directors have adopted the rule of
buying all supplies for the penitentiary by adyer-
Using for competitive bids, which is claimed to
be quite saving to the state. 1t Is recommended
that attention be given to the matter Of determin
ing whether plant may be established in con-
nection with the penitentiary for the manufacture
of binding Irvine.
Prohibition.
Prohibition is part OF the law of Kansas;
not only statutory law, but part of the con-
stitution of the state 1t La not question
whether this administration is for or against
prohibition, but whether it is IN favor OF re-
spect for. and obedience TO, all the laws on the
pie earnestly believe In the efficiency Of the
law, while respectable element are not per
sonally in favor of prohibition. Many of those
who live in the larger towns and cities believe
that the expense resulting from an honest,
faithful effort to enforce the law exceeds the