The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1893-01-20

| be the duty of the legislature to reimburse the
university fund to that amount.
| Text Books.
The parents and guardians of the children in
exorbitant cost Of text books, and this subject
should command your serious attention. would
earnestly recommend that some method Be de-
cost to the school children Of the state
To this end, it might be well that the county
| superintendent Of public instruction and the
districts, should. in each county, be empowered
to purchase all the necessary text books for the
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 il be-
ieved that the crying complaint Of very e1-
and, in time, measurably 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
| volumes. The appropriations for the purpose
of books have uctuated between 81 600 and & 900
| per annum, except that from 1SSs to 1S9O NO ap-
preparation was made.
Mrs. Jane C. Stormont has made the generous
donation of the "StOrmont Medical Collection -
| which now embraces /, 1913 volumes, representing
more
make further personal purchases for the collec-
ton, and she has also paid iuto the treasury of
the state S 600 as permanent donation for the
use of the state.
| The librarian expresses the hope that the ap-
| preparation for the purchase of books may
again be placed at 5000 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 mouey hereafter
paid in on such account, shall constitute a
library fund in the hands of the state librarian
Nd 81, 81
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 ll2 of the laws of 1870. chapter 143 of
the laws of ISL, and chapter 1875 of the laws of
1875 contain acts of the legislature regulating
the state library, and these several acts in
some measure duplicate each other, and in other
respects are inharmonious with each other, it
might be we'll to revise the legislation bearing
upon this subject, and thereby place the state
library upon a 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 make no bet
ter provison for the education of its people than
that of collecting and preserving the materials
of it's own history In the com pletion 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
Charitable Institutions.
institutions will be laid before ,ou and in it you
will find complete and detailed information of
the needs of these various Institutions, together
with information of general character for the
nf q nd
management of these institutions should be mat
ters of great concern to every intelligent citizen
progress in the development of Christian civil
zation, and desire to apprOxim ate 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
zane asylum, OsawatOmie; state reform school.
Topeka; institution for the education of the deaf
and dumb o lathe; 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.
1t will be observed that a number Of these in
situations are already crowded with inmates. and
more room is in some cases imperative. 1t is
tates, but if it shall be found impossible to make
such improvements and enlargements sug-
gested by the board, appropriations should be
especial consideration given to the care of the
helplessly insane.
The State Reformatory.
The legislature Of 1885 made an enactment
providing for state reformatory f0f male
criminals between the ages of 16 and 49,
Propositions came from several cities of the
state Tor the location of this institution, and
the commission appointed to locate the same
ure there exists in an unfinished condition. al
though e2SO.C0O has been expended in its
erection.
There can be no question as to the wisdom of
oh foh{ inst vuho fho Ano
cial resources of state are 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-
paucy 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 4 pamphlet of about
sixty pages. 1t is seen from the warden 8 report
that there are unexpected balances of the apprO-
priation made for the fiscal years of 1891 and 1892
5000. Permanent improvements costing $50
060.92 have been made in the shape Of brick
buildings, a one-story brick dwelling house, the
foundation for the cells of the new cell house,
and the construction of circular brick air-ducts
therein and in the corridors the cutting and lay
ing of tagging, and additions to the electric light
plant.
Tne directors of the penitentiary have insti-
tuted suit against w. E. Thomas on coal con-
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 l. 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 five years from
February 1, 1897, for surplus prison labor in
cordance with the following statement: l. Kiper
4 Sons, fifty men at 81 cents per day; Helmers
Manufacturing Company. sixty-five men at 66
cents per day; H. 8. Burr & Co., fifty men at IS
cents per day.
The board of directors have adopted the rule of
buying all supplies for the penitentiary by adver-
Using for competitive bids, which is claimed to
be quite a saving to the state. 1t is recommended
that attention be given to the matter OF determn-
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 q part of the con-
stitution of the state. 1t is not a question
whether this administration is for or against
prohibition. hut whether IL Is in favor of re-
spect for. and obedience to- all the laws on the
statute books. A very large class of our peO-
pie earnestly believe In the efficiency of the
law. while q respectable element are not per
sonslly 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