Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1894-11-15
moo MANY KANSAS OFFICES.

second Monday not until the l4th.
The last time this happened was IN
January, 1889, when Lyman U.
Humphrey became governor. Under
the constitution and law it IS the gov
ernor's prerogative to send message
of recommendation to the Legislature,
which, in 1889, John A. Martin, the
retiring governor, greatly to the an
noyance and embarrassment of his
successor, did.
Having Governor Martins action
for precedent, 1t is declared by the
populists that Governor Lewelling
will likewise submit a message to the
legislature, in which he will make
some recommendations of public
economy that will be embarrassing to
his successor, and to republicans who
have fixed their minds on some of the
good places which the executive has
to bestow.
Nearly a year ago, Governor Lew
elling, in an interview published in
the Star, stated that he had found
many unnecessary offices, and conse-
quent waste of public money in the
form of salaries in the administra-
TONS patronage, and that he, then
fully expecting reelection, would
recommend to the legislature that
some Of them be consolidated and
others abolished. To-day, close ad-
wiser of Governor Lewelling told a
reporter for the Star that the gov
ernor was still of this opinion, and
that he would recommend to the leg
islature some radical reductions in
the civil service of the state.
On the governors list of useless
places are the adjutant general and
his help, the labor commissioner and
his clerks, the state board of public
works, the state veterinary surgeon,
the state board of health and it's ex.
pensive secretary, the commissioners
of elections at Kansas City and Tope-
ka, the Metropolitan police commits
missioners, and some other expensive
places which have become fastened
upon the body polite. The depart
ments enumerated now cost III sala-
ries, not including contingent funds,
over $4,000 a year, and their contin-
gent funds amount to more than that.
1t is not the governors purpose to
abolish this expense entirely, as there
is necessity for some of the places.
The adjutant generals duty he would
haYe performed by the governors ex-
ecutive clerk, who now has little or
nothing to do. The executive clerk
originally was ex-officio adjutant gen
eral until the latter office was created
for a party favorite some years ago.
and it now has salaries attached to it
aggregatlng $4,000.
The duties of the labor commits
sioner, who, with his clerks, now draw
$1,000 a year, the governor would add
to the work Of a clerk in the office of
secretary of state, or to the work of
the secretary of the state board of
agriculture.
There is no use for the state board
of public works, Governor Level
ling's adviser who is here quoted
says. Its work can be performed by
the state board Of charities, and it's
salaries of $4,000 and that Of assist
ant architect, 1,000 be saved.
The state veterinary surgeon, who
draws $1,000, is called upon so little
that 1t would be less expensive to call
on a specialist when such services are
required. a state health commits
sioner could better perform the du-
ties of the cumbersome board of
health and it's secretary, and much
money saved.
The governor believes that the two
commissioners of elections (annual
expense $4,000 and the eighteen met
ropolitan police commissioners (annu-
al expense IS, 400) ought to be abol-
ished entirely. He thinks the cities
ought to be permitted to manage their
own affairs. Whether Governor Lew
ellng will remove the police commits
sloners of the six cities which have
them is question, although he has
precedent IN the removal of the com
missioners of Leavenworth by Gov
ernar Humphrey upon the eve Of the
latter's retirement two years ago.
During his administration the econ
omv of CREATING a state accountant.