The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-01
MAY BE JOHN YONKERS
Who is to Be Appointed State
Architect
If One is Appointed, But Will
He Get Pay?
General News of the State Depart
ments-Notes and Personals.

The executive council is in a guam
dairy with reference to the appointment
of a state architect and has postponed
consideration of the subject until full
and complete examination of the law
can be made.
There exists in the minds of the mem
bers of the council a doubt as to the
extent of their powers in reference to
the state architect. The issues involve
the action of the legislature in failing
to appropriate moneys for the mainte-
nance of the state board of public
works during the next two years.
The present difficulty dates back to
the 1895 session of the legislature. In
the bill appropriating money and max
ing Ievies for the further Improvement
of the state house grounds and the
completion of the capitol the provision
is made that the executive council shall
have power to elect an architect to
have sole charge of the work, that Of
fetal to receive not more than $500
per month for time actually employed.
When the Republican executive coun-
ell took up the election of state arch
itect the first obstacle encountered was
the new law.
The law of 1891 which created and de-
fined the duties and powers of the state
board OF public works provides that the
board shall have power to select an
architect who shall have charge of the
construction of all public buildings and
the general supervision of the work on
the state house. The law of 1895 did
not repeal the law of 1891.
The Republican council avoided the
difficulty by securing an agreement
from the members of the board of pub
lie works and J. c. Holland was elected
architect by both the council and the
board
Now the Populists are in deeper trou-
Bile The legislature failed to make
appropriation for the state board of
public works for the ensuing two years,
yet the members of the council are con-
frOnted with the two laws which re-
quire the election of a. state architect.
An effort was made in the Repubi-
can legislature two years ago to secure
the abolition of the state board of pub
lie works, but Cy Leland stopped that
deal and fixed the board up with proper
appropriations, thereby affording him
an opportunity to reward some OF ms
political friends by using Governor
NIOrriIIS appointing power. The Sent1-
n7ent that the board is not altogether
necessary was manifested once or twice
by some of the unterrifed among the
Populist legislators, but it shared the
fate of a number of other POpullSt re
forms and died a violent death The
legislature, through the ways and
means committees of the two houses
did finally muster up courage TO refuse
appropriations, but this action old not
reneaI the law and abolish the board.
Thinking that perhaps the board would
be abolished the authors OF the plll
which was passed in 1899 anticipated
the consequent adjustment of the state
architect and clothed the executive
council with the power to elect man
to that position.
The first question which the PopuIlsts
will determine is whether the council,
under the existing complications, may
name an architect. The second IS
what effect Will the law of 1891 nave
upon such action. The pecuhar STU
alton has placed Governor Leedy in
predicament. He is weighing the
question whether or not he shaH APP
point members of the board Of public
works and thereby secure the legal ap-
pointment of an architect under the olu
law and permit the members OF the
board to take their chances IN secur-
ing an appropriation to remunerate
them for their services from the next
legislature.
An architect will be appointed IN due
time and John YOnkers OF North To-
peka it is said will be the man, Dut
when and under what circunnst ances IS
the question which worries hlTn-
Theo. Lescher, a well known a ar M.
tect of this city, is also a candloate Aor
fha VI9Ca-