Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1899-12-28
MUCH CAN BE SAVED.
Gov. Stanley Would Abolish Offices
That Cost 100000 a Year.
biggest slash in the Interest OF Economy
Would BE to abolish Court OF APP
peals-EEOxe Clerks Than Nee
essary In state Omces.


ley contemplates economy. There is
an endless number of offices that could
be abolished without any injury to
the state, as he believes. The biggest
saving to be made, as estimated, is in
the adjustment of the court of APP
peals. At present six judges, six
clerks, six deputy clerks and stenog-
raphers and bailiffs without number
draw good salaries on this court. The
Judges alone are allowed SIS, 800 to
pay their salaries and expenses and
the salaries of their stenographcrS
and bailiffs. Besides this, the clerks
ard deputies make an average of $12,-
900 year. This makes total OF $751;
800 that could be cut off. AS an Off
set, the membership of the supreme
court could be increased to seven.
This would make $4,000 expenses,
leaving $25, 800 saving. This PROPOSE
ton will come up for settlement be-
fore the people at the next general
election. II the proposition carries to
increase the supreme court, then the
taxpayers will save the $4,000; if it
fails, they won't.
There are now five offices which
Gov. Stanley refused to fill, although
he could do so under the law. They
are: The state board of public works,
composed of three members, a state
accountant and a state architect. By
this the governSr is saving the state
81, 900 annually. But in order to make
this saving permanent the laws Great
inging these jobs should be repealed.
The board of pardons, which usually
costs the state 81, 500a year in cashand
a large amount in scandals, has been
abolished. It may never be re7estab-
Iished, for Gov. Stanley claims to have
demonstrated that the chief executive
can handle that business without any
trouble whatever.
The state forestry station is use
less commodity and may be abol-
ished. That would net the state $4,-
22O a year. The State Horticultural
society and the Academy of Science
may be consolidated with the state
board of agriculture, thus saving the
state $4,000.
A saving of $1,000 year could be
made by wiping out the board of
health. The main thing the five dep
uty oil inspectors at large do, as be-
1ieved by the governor, is to draw
their salaries. Those officers may be
abolished and the state would be S.
500 better off, One mine Inspector
can do all the work in the state. The
two deputies may be spared for the
purpose of saving So, 500. There is no
special reason, as insisted, why the
state should maintain two boards to
handle the penitentiary and the
Hutchinson reformatory. One board
may do the work. This will save $2,-
900. One clerk maybe cut off in the
insurance superintendent's Office, saw
ing the state $500.
The states appropriates $4,000 a
year to run the court of visitation.
This court having no judicial powers,
the money is wasted. A railroad
commission at an expense of not to
exceed $4,000 may take it's place and
be of some service to the people of
the state. This will save $4,000.
One live stock commissioner could
do the work now being done by the
three members of the board. This
would cut down that department 3d.
500. Three persons in the state Ii
brary can do the work five are now
doing. This would save 81 800.
The state board of charities could
be reduced to three members without
Gripping the service. In fact, it
would improve it. This would save
So, 500.
Each of the state educational insti-
tutions-the university, the agricuI-
tural college and the state normal
schools managed by q board of re-
gents of six members. It has been
suggested that they should all be
,1Ta he IF 17s6
of three members. This would re-
duce the number of regents IS. IF
the reduction is made and all institu-
tions are put under one board, it is
proposed to name a graduate of each
school on the board. The Western
university, the colored school, is now
managed by seven directors. This
| number could be reduced to three
without injuring that institution in
the least.
Outside of all these, big saving
could be made by general reduction
of the clerical force in each of the
elective state Offices. There are en-
tirely too many clerks on the pay roll
for the amount of work to be done.
The number is no greater than for
years. In fact, it is smaller, but this
is no excuse why it should not be
further reduced. Fully one-third of
the clerks could be dispensed with
and then the work could be done
without delay.
It is estimated by the governor
that at least 100000 can be saved an
nua1ly by the adjustment of useless
offices and he is likely to advocate a
revision of the laws for the purpose
OF accomplishing that result, In his
message to the next legislature.
Three Generations Defendants.
Scranton, Pa, Dec. 1s.-A murder
trial in which three generations OF a