The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1895-01-18

park has been established at the battlefield OF
Chickamauga. and the government has pur-
! chased. or proceedings are pending for the pur-
chase. Of over 5000 acres Of the battlefield. en-
I bracing most o. the heavy fighting ground. A
! commission was appointed by the president to
take charge Of this work. and nearly all Of the
! states whose troops were engaged in that bait
tie have already appointed commissions TO act
in conjunction with the United States commits
sioners in locating the positions OF the differ
ent regiments and batteries: and most OF the
| states have provided for the erection OF suit
able monuments to mark the position occupied
/ by their resp ctive troops on the field.
| In that memorable battle Kansas was repre-
! scented by Gen. Robert B. Mitchell. command
! ing division Of cavalry: Col. John A Martin.
! commanding a brigade AMI Lieut.-COl J. L.
Alternately, commanding the Eighth regiment
| of Kansas volunteers.
The battle was one Of the most important OF
| the war. and the Kansas troops fought with
much bravery, rejecting honor on their state.
/ The loss Of the brave Eighth has seldom been
! excelled By any regiment on any battlefield.
; They went into the engagement with four hun
dred and six men: they came out with one hum
| bred and sixty-three: forty-four were killed
| and one hundred and ninety-nine were wound
ed or missing. II is important that the posi-
! ton occupied By that regiment in that contest
should be properly marked and it is but
| fitting recognition Of their distinguished serv-
| ices
Eighteen states have already appointed COM
! missions to assist the national commission in
| the work of locating positions. The Eighth
Kansas regiment should have one monument
near tie Viniard place, where il fought on Sat
urday. the 10Th, one ct Orchard Knob, and one
| on Missionary Ridge.
1 would most earnestly recommend that the
sum Of $3.50 be appropriated for the erection
Of these three monuments. and that the fur
Their sum of 300 be appropriate | to pay the ex-
penSes OF three commissioners, TO be app ointed
| by the governor. from the survivors OF that
battle. to select the proper monuments and to
decide where they shall be placed.
Public Printing.
| In tie matter of public printing there is. in
my judgment, an unwarranted expenditure OF
public money. The amount paid for this work
by this state every year is exorbitant-much in
! excess OF that pail by other states that are
/ larger in population and wealth. even for the
same quality and amount OF WORK. Our law Is
defective and our constitution is in this re-
! spect at fault. In the state Of Ohio the pubic
printing is let By contract. every printer hav-
| ing a right to bid. There, an officer is
! appointed by the governor, known rs
| the supervisor Of printing, who re-
| ceives salary of 5000 q year He
| examines ali printed matter and sees that it is
done according To contract and has power to
| accept or reject the work. The entire cost for
! the printing and binding for that great state.
| which has three times the popul ition and
| wealth Of our state. for the last year was only
| SCI Az, less amount than that paid by Kan
| sas. The state of Illinois has similar law.
| The public printing in that state for the years
| 1893 ard 1894 amounted to less than S500D. not
| quite Ss5.' 90 per annum. In Nebraska the pub
lie printing is let in the same manner. and for
the years 1893 and 1904 it cost the state SO,sO)
| In the state of Missouri. for the same period Of
| time. it cost ss75OL or less than $4,000 per
year. Kansas paid in 1898 5000. and the APP
preparation of $4,000 for 1894 is now nearly ex-
hauste d, with half the year remaining.
| But since our constitution provides that the
state printer shall be elected, and that he shall
| do all public printing, il is impossible for US
| to put our state printing upon the same basis.
| The legislature has the power to regulate the
| prices which shall be paid the state printer.
| The labOrer is worthy OF his hire. and Il fair.
| honorable and just compensation should be
| paid by the state for al! work performed for
| il. Whatever is paid beyond that is so much
unjuStly taken from the tax payers OF the state
and ought not to be tolerated. The state OF
| Iowa has q similar law to ours. The prices
| paid for printing there is about one-th:rd less
| than those paid by For printing laws,
| journals. reports and circulars. the state
! printer OF Iowa is allowed 81 cents per 10
ems for composition, and 20 cents per 1000
| ems for table work Kansas pays for PRINT
| ing journals. reports. laws. circulars. etc, -
cents per 900 ems" for straight matter, and
| sl.l2H per l.OD) ems for table work. For
press work the Iowa state printer receives II. o
per LODI for l6-page forms. We pay sl.S1s
per 10 0 for S-plge forms. In fact. however,
the state printer never runs an s-page form.
He runs one l6-page form and charges for
| two SPACE forms making the actual price
paid by the state 1913 per 1,0O) impressions
| against $3.50 paid by the state OF Iowa.
The state of Kansas pays 50 per cent. more
for compost ion than the state Of Iowa. and 80
| per cent. more for press work. Illustrations
| Of these extravagant prices paid for printing
can be mu ltiplied, but it is unnecessary.
Another very important matter in connec-
| ton wiz. the state printing. that should re-
| ceive your attention. is the vOluminous matter
published in the reports Of the departments.
| A great deal of matter which is OF no i'm
portance whatever is embodied in these
reports. The executive council should be
authorized and required to limit the
size of reports. and to determine the character
and expense Of binding. The appropriation FOR
| public printing for the years 1895 and 1890
should not exceed $4,000. thus saving the
state more than $1,000 The matter demands
the immediate attention of the legislature. and
q thorough revision of the prices paid for pub
lie printing should be Immediately had
Fees and Salaries.
Your attention is called to the abuses whics
have grown up under our system Of Fees and
these abuses would be. where 1t is at oil FEAST
ble to abolish the fees system and substitute
/ fixed salary for all ofIicers.
Your careful scrutiny Is invited to the matter
Of salaries with view to such reductions Is
will bring them In harmony with the changed
business conditions Of the state.
Enrolling Clerks.
Your attention Is called TO the act Of May I.
1885, sections 1851, 50 and 36o3 OF the revised
statutes providing for the engrOsSinR and en-.
rolling Of bills. 1t clearly the intention Of
the Law that the secretary Of state should have
charge of this work. and that the enrolling
clerk of each house should be held accountable
for the caro- and custody Of the bills for their
respective houses. when such bills were not in
the hands Of the secretary Of state. The au-
thority for the employment Of additional
clerks rests with the secretary Of state
and the enrolling clerks would sug-
gest that the law be so revised as 70
place the employment Of assistant engrossinR
and enrolling clerks, and the entire control
| Of the work. with the secretary Of state. and
that the enrolling clerks be required TO take
charge of the bills from their respective