Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1897-07-08

SENATOR PETER In the Topeka Ad
vocdte, thus writes mp one side Of thu
legislature work:
"Whlle the last Legislature did mol
make an altogether satisfactory rec
ord, it's record shows that the mem
bers had some regard for their CON
stituentg interests II has already
been shown that the daily expense
Of the session was $542, compared
with 81. 002 At tho next previous sel
sion. IL has heen shown that it,
work WIS done with 80 senate and
l02 house emplo, ees, while in 1896
the senate had l3l aud the house
203. II has been shown that the
stationery cost $l,67s, while in 1896
the coat was $3,8S8 It has been
shown that the engrosSIug cost $726,
and that the expense for the same
purpose 10 1896 was $l,737
"Readers may wonder how these
savings could be made in such large
amounts. A comparison Of the items
OF expense for the house will throw
some light on the suhjsct The SER
geant-at-arms of the republican house
in 1896 did not begin keeping a rec
ord OF the stuff he bought until Feb
ruary 15, which was nearly 80 days
after the session begsl, so that the
popullst report for 1897 covers twice
the time that the 1896 report does.
The first item is pocket knives. In
1896, As dozen, costing 1910, were
purchased. In 1897, none was
bought. In 1896 there we're 125
members and 2O3 employees, a total
OF 1913. Forty.6ve dozen or $40
knives would supply every employe
with a second knife and still have q
few left. Was this a necessary ex-
pensei Did the house of 1897 suffer
any inconvenience from a lack or a
sufficient supply Of knivesi In 1896
108 paper weights were bought.
None was purchased in 1897. Nine
mirrors purchased IN 1896, but none
was deemed necessary in 1897. The
fact that the 1896 Legislature used 15
dozen towels while the last one used
only five dozen, may, it is true, make
a bad showing for populists.
Perhaps the fact that five dozen
boxes OF toilet soap were bought in
1896, compared with 81 boxes in 1897
makes q similar showing.
Give fine toilet sets we're purchas'
ed in 1896, but no toilet sets appear
in the statement for 1897. Twelve
extra fine hair brushes with chains
were paid for in 1896, but no money
was spent for that purpose in 1897.
Exactly the same number OF floor
mops were required at each session.
Sergeant alarms were 80 numerous
in 1896 that it was a necessary to
label them, so that the chief sergeant
could tell who was on his force and
it required "a badges for this pur-
pose. No badges were necessary in
1897 because the number Of officers
had been reduced 80 greatly that it
occaSloned no trouble to keep tab on
them. Eight Office chairs, nine Office
desks, fourteen Office tables, two type
writer desks and 148 heavy chairs
were purchased in 1896 and notwith-
the fact that there was little
Of this left after the members got
through voting it away to reporters
and employees and stealing it them
selves the 1897 house bought none of
this class of furniture. In the list of
purchases for 1896 are found IL
,hamois skins but no similar item
appears IN the 1897 list. The SER
yeant-at-arms reports that he found
one large water tank bought in 1895
and that it is the only thing on the
ong list Of 1896 purchases which be
lid find. 1t is presumsble that it re-
NAMED because it was too heavy to
% carried away"