Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1895-01-24
decide where they shall be placed.
nnhIIn nnInAInn


Public Printing.
In tho 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 paid by other states that are
larger In population and wealth, even for tho
same quality and amount Of work. Our law Is
defective, and our constitution Is In this re-
Bnect ut fault
The Legislature has the power TO regulate the
prices which shall be paid the state printer.
Tho laborer Is worthy OF his hire, and fair,
honorable and just compensation should DO
paid by the state for all work performed for
II, Whatever is paid beyond that Is so much
uniustly taken from tho tax payers OF the state,
and ought not 10 be tolerated. The state OF
Iowa has similar law TO ours. The prices
paid for printing there Is about one-thlrd less
than those paid by us. For printing laws,
journals, reports and circulars, the state
printer OF Iowa Is allowed 80 cents per 900
"ems" for composition and 10 cents per 1000
"ems" for table work. Kansas pays for print
ing journals, reports, laws, circulars, etc., rs
cents per 900 ems" for straight matter, and
eLi2h per 1000 ems" for table work. For
press work the Iowa state printer receives 81. so
per 900 for i6-page forms. We pay Sl,Hh
per LOCO for s-page forms, In fact, however,
the state printer never runs an 8-page form.
He runs one l6-page form and charges for
two 8-page forms, making the actual price
paid by the state $40 per 1000 Impressions
against Sl.50 paid by the state OF Iowa.
The state OF Kansas pays 80 per cent. more
for composition than the state Of Iowa, and 100
per cent more for press work. Illustrations
OF these extravagant prices paid for printing
can be multiplied, but IL Is unnecessary.
Another very important matter in connec-
ton with the state printing that should re-
ceive your attention, Is the voluminous matter
published in the reports Of the departments
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 1895
should not exceed 1900, thus saving the
state more than $4,000 The matter demands
the immediate attention Of the Legislature, and
o thorough revision Of the prices paid for pub
lie printing should be Immediately had
Fees and Salaries.
Your attention is called to the abuses which
have grown up under our system OF fees and
salaries The most practical way to reform
these abuses would be, whore 1t is at all feasi-
BILE, to abolish the fees system and substitute o
fixed salary for all officers,
Enrolling Clerks.
would sug-
gest that the law be so revised as to
place the employment OF assistant engrossing
and enrolling clerks, and tho 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
houses, delivering them to the secretary Of
state, taking his receipt therefor and when
the bifls have been enrolled or engrossed, re-
ceiye them from the secretary OF state, receipt
ing to him therefor. This would define clearly
the duties Of the different officers so that each
could be held strictly accountable for the dis
charge OF his duty,
The act referred to provides for the compen-
satiOn Of clerks at a stated sum per folio and
no authority exists for employing assistant en-
crossing or enrolling clerks by the day. The
disregard Of this law by the legislature has
cost the state thousands Of dollars bennially
and has caused an unseemly scramble for
places, in many instances by persons utterly
unqualified TO discharge the duties Of enrolling
clerks.
State Boards.
Several propositions have been discussed
looking to a change of the powers and duties Of
the state boards, but doubt the wisdom Of
making any radical changes in this respect
Some amendments might be made which would
increase the efficiency Of these boards, and it
would be well for you to consider the propriety
OF abolishing entirely some of them. 1t would
seem that either the board Of public works or
the office of state architect might BIO
dispensed with. The office of silk COM
missioner can be abolished without
any detriment to the state. The state
board Of health might be made less expensive
without materially diminishing its efficiency,
no off Of tof ri mir no al
ished and the office placed under the control
Of the professor of veterinary at the agricul-
tural college, In these times OF depression it
Is your duty to cut off all expenditures not
absolutely necessary. There has never seemed
to me any reason why members of the state
boards should be paid mileage. Itwould be far
more reasonable and sensible to pay them
their necessary travelling expenses actually
paid, and their per diem for all time necessar-
lily employed, and know no good reason why
the per diem should be increased. The treas
ureT Of the board of charities handles large
amount of money, and gives only a small bond
as member of the board The business-like
way to do would be to abolish oil these minor
treasurers and require all moneys to be paid
by the state treasurer But II this not done,
he ought to be required to give bond suffl-
GENTLY large to cover any moneys belonging to
the state that may come into his hands.
There seems to be no system Of checks or
counterchecks on any Of these boards. The
board Of charities eXpend about S350,000 per
year They make their own contracts, audit
their own accounts and manage matters after
their own will. There is no provision even for
the investigation of their accounts, except
when the legislature is seized with a spasm Of
virtue, and examinations of this kind are but
of little value. The most critical examinations
ought to be made Of the accounts Of every
state institution, OF least once a quar-
ter, by an expert accountant, who should
visit the institutions at irregular sea-
sons without the slightest notice to the
officers He could render valuable assist
ance by suggesting improved modes Of
keeping accounts. The governor as the chief
executive of the state, Is virtually responsible
for the proper management of the state insti-
buttons, To enable him to be brought in closer
touch with their management 1 would suggest
that he be authorized to employ an additional
clerk, who should be an expert accountant,
and whose duty 1t should be to examine quar-
terlY, or oftener II directed by the governor,
the accounts Of all the state institutions and
state boards. He should also be subject to the
orders Of the governor at all times, with au-
thority to examine the accounts of county
treasurers far enough at least to protect the
state in the matter Of state taxes and school
land funds The simple fact that there is q
difference OF almost 100000 in these accounts
gestion.
deem 1t OF far more Importance that these
suggestions should be carried out than that
Al.