Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-04-25
RADICAL POPS To WORK FOR ECON
OMY IN STATE PRINTING.
SAY PROFITS ARE ENORMOUS.
JAMES BUTLER AND sUPERINTEND-
ENT STRYKER TALK.
Declare That Fees Allowed by Present
Law Are OutraEeous-Mntter to
BE Brought Before LeSisla-
ture Mt the Extra
Session.

Topeka, Kas, April 24.-(Special.) In the
event of a special session of the legislature
desperate effort will be made to secure
the passage of law reducing the fees of
the state printer. The fight will be led
by State Superintendent Stryker and James
Butler. the head of that faction of the
Populist party which terms itself rad
icals."
Stryker has a grievance against j. S.
Parks, the newly elected state printer. A
short time ago the superintendent awarded
the contract for printing the course of
study for teachers institutes to private
concern and Parks raised a howl. He
claimed that it was state printing and
should be done by the state printer. In
timations were made that possibly the
superintendent was getting something out
of it. This has aroused Strykers ire and
he now sees fine opportunity to get even.
The attention of the legislature, if it
assemblies in extra session, will be called
to the method adopted by Parks and his
friends, which resulted in the conference
committees forgetting to make report
until after the close of the legislature. and
he will also display an array Of figures
which will show the outrageous profits
given to the state printer under the pres
ent law. This very contract which Parks
is bowling about will be made exhibit
A" By it he will prove that under the
present law the state printers fees would
be four times as much as the charge of
private concerns" that, instead of 5
cents copy for its publication, the law
would give the state printer 20 cents.
Butler favors a bill cutting down the
fees on general principles. In an address
issued to-day he handles the state print
er in this way:
ing are outrageous. Enough can be saved
on this item alone in the next two years to
pay the expense of an extra session and
yet leave the state printer the most re-
munerative office in the state. There are
two printing firms in the city of Topeka
that have abundance of financial backing
and are in every way reliable that stood
ready to furnish the bond of the state
printer, do all the work, shoulder all the
responsibility and pay the state printer in
whom the title of the office is vested 81 900
per month. All they would ask of him
would be for him to como to Topeka once
a month, sign and execute the vouchers
and draw the money. The position as it
now stands is a clear gift by the state of
$4,000 year to the man or combination of
men who hold the title to the position of
state printer. There is profit enough to
justify a reliable business firm to conduct
tne business a1ter paying Sl,WJ per month
as a 'rake-off' or premium to secure the
work. If the X rays could be turned onto
the men and methods used during the past
year in defeating the reduction of the fees
in this Office. it would make an interesting
picture. When the farmers and business
men of Kansas step up to a bank counter
TO borrow money TO pay their taxes it will
no doubt be a great consolation to them to
know that their state printer can lie in the
shade. without dollar invested, and pock-
ct LOCO per month from the state treasury.
This is no time for conservative action.
The people should make their demands
known to their representatives In such
positive way that it will be warming in
the future"
Butler demands the calling of an extra
session of the legislature so that state
printers fee bill. maximum railroad bill
and bill to make railroad commissioners
elective could be passed. and demands the
resignation at once of every Popocratic
senator and representative who refuses to
support these three measures. In case of
failure to comply with his request, they are
invited to leave the country.