Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1893-01-26

4 | Il
be the duty OF tho legislature TO reimburse til
university fund 10 that amount.
} Text hooks.
The parents and guardians of the children |,
our public schools have long complained of th
exorbitant cost OF text books, and this subjec
should command your serious attention. Iwouli
earnestly recommend that some method DO de
vised for supplying the necessary books free o
cost TO the school children of the state,
To this end II might be we'll that the count
superintendent of public instruction and tn
directors or other school officers OF the schoo
districts should, In each county, be empowers,
TO purchase all the necessary text books for tn
schools Of their respective counties at a pric
not much in advance OF the actual cost OF tn
books
BY reason OF some Iuch legislation IL ia be
lioved that tho crying complaint of very ok
pensive school books would be largely mitigated
and in TINE s60Shed Eov0 odon+
legislation substantially of this class, and, wher'
successfully tried IL has mot the approval Of The
people affected by and there is a growing senti
ment in favor OF such system.
The State Library.
Itappears from tho eighth biennial report of
the state librarian that the accessions to the
library for the past twelve years have been Il, 95.
volumes. The appropriations for the purpose
OF books have iuctuated between 81 900 and 81 600
per annum, except that from 1893 to 1880 no ap-
preparation was made.
Mrs. Jane c. Stormont has made the generous
donation OF the "Stormont Medical Collection, "
which now embraces 1893 volumes, representing
more than $1,000 in value. She Intends 10
make further personal purchases for the collec-
ton, and shehas also paid iuto the treasury of
the state 81, 900 as a permanent donation for the
| use OF the state.
4 The librarian expresses the hope that the APP
Preparation for the purchase of books may
again be placed at $1,000 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 q
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
| IL shall bo 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 l43 Of
the laws Of 1871, and chapter 1873 OF the laws of
| 1875 contain acts Of the Legislature regulating
| the state library, and ms these several acts in
somemeasu 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 usefulness The records OF the past his
tory of Kansas collected by this society during
| tho seventeen years OF its existence are now
found essentialto the full examination Of any
subject pertaining to the affairs of the state or
any of Its localities. The state can make no bet
ter proyisicn for the education of its people than
that OF collecting and preserving the materials
of Its own history In the completion 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.
Charitable Institutions.
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
with information of general character for the
benefit OF the public The successful care and
management OF these institutions should be mat
tiers of great concern to every intelligent citizen
Of the state Their existence marks an era of
progress in the development of Christian civil
zation, and desire to approximate 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, Osawatomle; state reform school,
Topeka; institution for the education of the deaf
and dumb Olathe; institution for the education
OF the blind Kansas City state asy lum foridiotio
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
difficult to choose our course when necessity die
tates but If 1t 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 state reformatory for male
criminals between the ages of 10 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 S26O,COO has been expended in its
erection.
There can be no question as to the wisdom of
establishing such institutions when the tinan-
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
stltution In Kansas, an appropriation should
be made sufficient for the completion and occu-
panCy Of the present buildings.
The Penltentiary.
The eighth biennial report of the directors and
warden Of the state penitentiary covers mass of
details that are included in a pamphlet of Rbout
sixty pages. 1t is seen from the warden's report
that there are unexpected balances of the appro-
priatlon made for the fiscal years of 1891 and 1892
remaining in the treasury OF the state of S75,-
700a. Permanent improvements costing $50
buildings, 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 cutting and lay
ing Of tagging, and additions to the electric light
plant.
Toe directors of the penitentiary have insti-
tuted a suit against W. E. Thomas on coal con-
tract to recover balance due of $9l731, and this
suit is pending in the district court Of LeaVen-
worth county.
A 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 l. 1892, for surplus prison labor in ac-
cordance with the following statement L. Kiper
Il Sons fifty men at 81 cents per day; Helmer's
Manufacturing Company, sixty-fye men at 6S
cents per day; II. s, Burr 81 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
DO quite saving to the state. 1t recommended
that attention be given to the matter of determin-
ing whether plant may be established in con-
nectiop 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-
stitutlon of the state 1t Ia not a question
whether this administration is for or against
prohibition, hut whether 1t is in favor of re-
spect for, and obedience to, all the laws on the
statute books. very large class of our peo-
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