The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-01-16

/ moving from one district 60 another is thereof
needlessly put 10 great expense. The result is,
that in the aggregate the people OF the state
expend many thousa ndS of dollars for which
+ they neverreeeive any adequate returns which
! would be saved the people If we had Uniform
/ ity of textbooks. This is all the more inn
I portant because this burden falls usually
/ upon those who are least able TO bear
| 1t. The farm tenant. who changes his
residence from year to year, or the laborer,
who, seeking employment. must move from one
city toanother, is almost invariably compelled
70 buy new set of books for mis- children.
This is imposing upon him an unjust burden,
and compelling him TO spend quite large
amount OF money uselessly, because the books
which he is compelled to dispense with are just
as valuable. and as useful for the instruction
Of children, as the new ones which he is COM
| PEELED to buy. There is no valid argument
against the system Of state uniformity, and
there are many arguments for it. and where 1t
las been tried it has proven very advantageous
Chiclxamauga.
Under the act OF congress OF August IS, 1880, .
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 6,000 acres of the battlefield. en-
bracing most Of 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 bat
tie have already appointed commissions to ace
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 respective troops on the field.
In that memorable battle Kansas was repre-
scented BY Gen. Robert B. Mitchell, commando
ing division of cavalry; Col. John A Martin,
-ras1er s1V,N al
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 hum
dred and six men; they came out with one hun
dred and sixty-three forty-four were killed
and one hundred and ninety-nine were wound
ed or missing. 1t is important that the posi-
ton occupied by that regiment in that contest
should be properly marked, and it is but q
fitting recognition Of their distinguished sery-
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 monuments
near the Viniard place, where it fought on Sat-
urday, the 18th, one at Orchard Knob, and one
on Missionary Ridge.
I would most earnestly recommend that the
sum of $500 be appropriated for the erection
OF these three monuments, and that the fur
Their sum OF s40O be appropriated to pay the eI-
penses of three commissioners, TO be appointed
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 the matter nj r1J1b1ic r1rintinQ tharn 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 paid 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 public
printing is let by contract, every printer hav-
ing right to bid There, an officer is
appointed by the governor, known as
the supervisor Of printing, who re-
ceives salary of 5000 year. He
examines all printed matter $nd sees that Il 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 population and
wealth Of our state for the last year was only
81 ,450, less amount than that paid by Kan
saS The state of Illinois has similar law.
The public printing in that state for the years
1898 and 1894 amounted to less than $4,000, not
quite $4,000 per annum. In Nebraska the pub
lie printing is let in the same manner, and for
the years 1893 and 1894 it cost the state S50e0o.
In the state of Missouri, for the same period OF
time, it cost Ss7 500, or less than $4,000 per
year. Kansas paid in 1893 SIS coo, and the APP
OF $50 900 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, it 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 fair,
honorable &nd just compensation should be
paid by the state for all work performed for
1t. Whateverrsis 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 Similar law to ours. The prices
paid for printing there is about one-third less
than those paid by us. For printing laws,
journals, reports and circulars, the state
printer of Iowa is allowed 50 cents per 1000
''ems" for composition and 20 cents per 1000
''ems' for table work. Kansas pays for print
ing journals, reports, laws, circulars, ETC., 70
cents per 1000 ems for straight matter, and
1.l2I per 1000 "ems" for table work. For
press work the Iowa state printer receives sL50 |
per 1,0OO for 16-page forms. We pay sIs71s |
the state printer never runs an S-page form.
de runs one I6-page form and charges for |
two 8-page forms, making the actual price /
paid by the state s375 per 1000 impressions |
against s1.50 paid by the state OF Iowa.
The state of Kansas pays 80 per cent. moro |
for composition than the state Of Iowa, and $50 !
per cent. more for press work. Illustrations {
Of these extravagant prices paid for printing |
ian be multiplied. but it is unnecessary.
Another very important matter in connec- |
ton with the state printing that should re-
,eive 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
Ind expense of binding. The appropriation for
,ublic printing for the. years 1888 and 1895
should not exceed 0,000, thus saving the
tate more than s5o,eoa The matter demands
he immediate attention Of the legislature. and
thorough revision of the prices paid for pub
ic printing should be Immediately had
Fees and Salaries
Your attention is called to the abuses which
lave grown up under our system OF fees and
aisries The most practical way 10 reform
hese abuses would be, where II is at all FEAST
lie, to abolish the fees system and substitute
lxed salary for all officers
Your careful scrutiny is invited 70 the matter
4 salaries, with view 70 such reductions as
Eill bring them in harmony with the changed
business conditions OF the state
Enrolling Clerks.
Your attention is called 20 the act Of May I.
SIS, sections 3t5l, 3i5, and 1858 OF The revised
fatutes. providing for the engrossing and en-
olling Of bills 1t was clearly the intention OF
he law that the secretary OF state should have
barge Of this work, and that the enrolling
Jerk OF each house should be held accountable
Or the care and custody OF the bills for their
houses. when such bills were not IN
he hands OF the secretary Of state The su-
aority for the employment Of additional
Jerks rests with the secretary OF state
nd the eurnrIfrr cIeP.SS / would Sur-