The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-11-27
NO RADICAL MEASURES
Will Go Through the LegisIa-
ture Says Sen. L. P. King,
Who Has Been Senator For
Sixteen Years.
State Boards Will All be Decreased in
Number and Membership
Other Probabilities

Senator L. P. King of Cowley county,
who was in Topeka yesterday is much
the Oldest member Of the legislature in
term of service He has spent 16 years
in the legislature and has been re-
elected to the senate for four years,
which Will make his term of service 10
years Senator King was twice elected
to tine house as a Republican and once
70 the senate 1t was While serving ms
first term in the senate that he joined
the alliance and soon afterWard ne eS-
pOused the cause of the POpullst party
He was then the only Populist IN the
senate. Senator King is 3 farmer and
lives at Tannehill
Senator King has been a legislator
long enough to have pretty well defined
views of what he would like to see &C
complshed by the next legislature In
conversation with a Journal reporter he
outlined some of the reforms ne would
like to see enacted into laws.
There are several things that re-
Qulre our attention, said he j believe
in reforms but do not believe in doing
anything radical The next legislature
can accomplish much good without do
ing anything that viii merit the term
radical There are several things con
nected with our state that should be
done and 1 believe the next legisla ture
viii give them their attention
"Al this talk about making the Mex
lean dollar legal tender is foolish for
there is no one who would dream of
any such measure.
There should be a law enacted con
corning the method of conducting the
penal and charitable Institutions be-
leYe that all the penal institutions
should be under the control Of a single
board and that the number of members
should be reduced to three. 1 am also
Of the opinion that three members
would be enough on the state board of
charities. We get excellent service out
of the boards of county commissioners
and think that the state boards would
do as Wen if they we're no larger 1t
Will make them much less expensive
and less cum ersOme.
There is no doubt whatever of the
legislature abolishing the board of pub
lie works. Governor Morrill, said it was
useless in his message and ne was
right. The state boards and state arch
itect can do the work done by the board
of public works because it comes di-
rectly in line with their duties.
There should be some railroad legis-
latiOn. A maximum freight rate bill
Will probably be passed am not in IA
VOr of making any sweeping reductions.
but there is surely an opportunity to
do something along that line. 1 be
Heve that there viii be an honest at
tempt to secure just and equitable re-
ductiOn."
Senator King has been lab0ring long
and earnestly to make a new basis for
the pay of county officers and he says
that his efforts will be renewed in the
next legislature. My people under
stand my position" said he sand if
find it is impossible to pass q general
bill affecting fees and salaries of county
officers 1 viii introduce one affecting
my own county and my colleague is in
hearty sympathy with such a measure
do you favor plan for placing the
state institutions under civil service
rules? H
mo, 7 do not. I believe that it is not
practicable to do SO. There should. how
ever be the greatest care exercised in
selecting competent men. There are
members of either party who are com
petent. A man should not be appointed
because he had made speeches or cap
tured d certain number of votes A
standard of qualification should be
made and the candidate should be com
PEELED to come up to it,