The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-01-15

and give US the highest standard of membership
on the board.
The salary of the secretary. in my judgment,
Is n @ ael sne wo5k thas neeos 90 0 pohe
part of the time of a physician, and
would not prevent his practice OF medicine.
services necessary to be rendered. would
therefore recommend that the salary be reduced
to that amount.
soldiers Home.
The hard times which have pressed SO heav-
lily upon all the people of the country for the
past two years. together with the advancing age
OF the defenders of the nag during the war of
the rebellion, have caused extraordinary calls
Home. 1t has been found absolutely impossi-
bic TO receive all who have applied.
If We are to care for those who offered their
lives in defense of their country who in their
early manhood went forth to battle for the
ton (and l know no more sacred duty, addi-
tional room must be furnished, or many of these
brave men will be compelled to go to the aims
house. | urge upon you prompt and earnest at
tention to this matter.
soldiers Orphans Home.
Measures to provide for the fatherleSs, de-
pendent abandoned children of the state
commend themselves to every lover Of humani-
ty. We have at AtchiSon an institution in
which all should feel a deep interest Under
the able and efficient management of the
1t was first organized. about one hundre d and
twenty-five children have been cared for the
admission for want of ROOM Provision should
be made for the accommodation of at least one
invited to the report of the superintendent,
which fully sets forth its plans and needs.
In this connection / desire to suggest that
some restrictions ought to be imposed upon
the bringing into the state friendless children
that are gathered up III the large cities of the
east. Security should at least De required from
those bringing them In against their becoming
public charge.
Fish.
The subject of raising fish in this state, in my
judgment, never received the consideration it
deserves. We have numberless small streams.
hG 10 fr
several varieties Of fish can be raised with little
trouble. As an article of TODD they are whole
as cheaply as pork, and are in every respect a
better food article. Your special attention is
called to the report of the fish commissioner,
with the recommendation that some legislation
be enacted to stimulate the production of this
desirable article of food.
Coal Oil Inspector.
The law creating the office of coal oil inspec-
tor should be so changed as to require the in
spector to pay into the state treasury all the
of his deputies should be paid to him by the
state treasurer upon sworn vouchers, the same
of allowing the inspector to collect fees and pay
himself and his deputies from the moneys col
lected. is unbuSiness-like. The auditor should
furnish the Inspector with blank duplicate re-
ceptS conSecutively numbered and whenever
ne makes an lnspeetlon one OF these receiptS
should De gwen 10 the owner OF the oil, and the
other should be transmitted weekly to the audi
tof. record OF these receipts shouid Do kept
IN ms once, ana ne should pc required TO pay
into the state treasury monthly all fees collected
by him. and file an itemized statement showing
from whom and when the money was received.
statistics.
1t would be well to require the county clerks
to report in addition to the statistics now
qulred of them, statement of the number of
mortgages filed and released during the proceed
ing year, and whether on farms town proper
ty, the total amount of consideration in such
instruments. and also the number of mortgages
fOreclOsed and the amount involved, and Wheth-
er given for the purchase of property or not,
and whether upon occupied or aban dOned
farms. This could be done without additional
cost. and would be valuable information
state institutions.
I commend to your careful cons liberation the
reports from the different boards having charge
of these Institutions With the limited time at
necessary examination to enable me to intelli-
gently discuss their needs 1t is matter of
profound regret that gross scandals have been
publicly circulated IN relation to the manage
ment OF some of these Institutions, and would
these 'N cbarGeS in IL ordeE that the emil ~
may be punished and the innocent relieved of
unjust imputations.
Public Highways.
| Every citizen is interested in having good
roads. To the farmer who has to ship his pro-
| ducts by rail 1t is a matter of special import
ance, IeSSening to considerable degree the
| cost of transportation to the depot. And yet
there is hardly a matter that will come before
you that will awaken less interest, and there is
| guarded. The country is divided into small
road districts; anyone is chosen supervisor who
will accept; ali who care to do so are allowed to
! work out their road tax at extravagant wages,
and the result is that One-haf of the tax jude
! iously expended under the direction of some
| competent and intelligent man. who has made
a study of the best manner to improve the pub
| lie highways, would be more effective and pro-
duce better results than are now obtained from
| the entire tax.
| new system should be prOvfd ed The county
| overseers to look after the roads of the county
All road taxes should be paid in money, and it
should be expended in the most practical and
economical manner possible.
ale hn
! quired to personally view and lay out all new
roads The present system of appointing road
viewers should be entirely abolished.
Township Officers.
I recommend that the term of town.
ship officers be extended to two years,
Which there is n9 election OF State oeeTs. The
reasons for this change will readily suggest
themselves One Of the more important would
GERS from any connection with that of the
township officers. The term Of two years is
certainly short enough, for the officer can hard
ly become familiar with his duties in less time.
Maturing state Bonds.
| The following bonds of the state become pay
able in 1895 and 1896:
| inv i 1884 " " " 49, 80 = - S zS 40 ~
All of the bonds due in 1885 are held by the
! state school fund as permanent invest ment
and s39OOO OF those payable in 1895 are thus
| held. would suggest that the state school
| above named that are not held by them. and
! that the time of payment of the entire amount
| be extended, subject to payment at the option
of the STATE, at the rate of four per cent inter-
! est This would make an absolute safe invest
ment for the school fund and would leave the
! money in the hands of the people.
| Western Counties.
For the past two years there has been a par
! tial failure of crops in some sections of the
| state. In some counties in the eastern part of
| the commonwealth the crops have been nearly
equal to an average and the increased prices
| received have increased the profits of farming.
But in the western section of the state. for two
| years, there has been practically total failure
The settler in new country never blessed
| with surplus of worldly goods. He goes there
| because he IS poor. and because he feels that In
new country, with cheap lands at his COM
mdnd, he can build up more easily a permanent
! home for himself and his loved ones. The peo-
| pie in the eastern part of Kansas have passed
beyond that point of being called new settlers .
| they have established good homes. have opened
| fine farms, have built Substantial houses and