The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-12-05
STAY AT HOME.
Governors Advice to Professors
of State Schools.
Would Do Away With This
Feature of the Lobby.
RIVALRY OF THE PAST.
Has Been a Race For the Larg-
est Appropriations.
Teachers Should Do Work For
Which They Are Paid.

While Governor Stanley has not said
so in plain words, he has limited, in Of
fetal letters that the presidents and
professors of the state colleges and nor
NAL schools would do well to remain at
their respective posts and attend to the
business for which they are paid instead
of making up a lobby to fight each other
and push schemes for appropriation
bills during the legislative session.
The governor has written letter to
the managers of these institutions ask
ing for a statement of needed appropri-
atoms. BY this the chief executive does
not mean the appropriations which the
presidents or regents believe should be
made, but the amount of money actual
ly needed.
The secretary of the board of regents
at one of the state institutions says the
governors letter states that it is his de-
sire ito do away with the lobby usu-
ally present to look after these appro-
priations," by making recommendations
in his message.
One of the most interesting contests
connected with the legislative sessions
of the past ten years is that which has
been Waged between the State Normal
school and the State university and the
element of the legislature which sought
to establish a new normal school.
Inc management OF the Two 1uSlllu-
tons named believed that the establish
ment of a new school, prior to the COM
pletiOn of the necessary appropriations
for those institutions might scale down
the sums of money asked for and needed
by those already established
Then the normal school and university
interests have usually had a. contest in
which compromises have generally re-
suited, but not until much bitterness
had been manifested.
Four years ago in the regular session
the normal school managers and the
university promoters became very ag-
gressive in their contest. The normal
school president, A. r. Taylor, had been
informed that Chancellor Snow was
making a fight against the Emporia IN
Stitut1On in order to improve the con-
ditions for the State university. There
upon the normal school people COM
menced q fight against the university.
The controversy became lively enough
to attract the attention of the house
and senate and from there it got into
the newspape Representatives of the
men heading the lobby present denied
the existence of a controversy and posi-
tive proof was lacking until one day in
the presence of a State Journal reporter
Chancellor Snow and President Taylor
talked over the subject and each found
that he had been laboring under mis-
apprehension. Then the two prominent
educators soIemnly shook hands and
each Immediately went to work to save
his own institution from the entangle-
ments into which the controversy had
already brought them
In the meantime additional interest
was added to the situation by the in
PRODUCTION of a resolution in the house
declaring it to be the sense of the leg
islature that college presidents and edu-
Gators at work on a salary paid by the
state in the state institutions, would
please the lawmal<ing power more by
staying at their respective places OF
employment than taking a hand in the
framing of laws.
ing of the house session, during the
presentation of resolutions. At noon the
trains leaving Topeka carried the men
against whom the resolution was di-
rected.
They did not come back the next ses-
sion, but sent new men, who stayed I'M
til the close and in this session, the
one of two years ago, the lobby was the
boss Chairs belonging to newspaper
men, the members, pages and other en-
pIoyeS were occupied by the lobbyists,
representing all interests They sat
near the throne in both houses, attended
sessions of the various committees, kept
busy carrying bottled goods |
to the committee rooms, and when the
sessions adjourned held levees at hotel |
rooms, where there was always plenty |
to eat and drink
Governor Stanley's hint that the col |
lege authorities attend to the business |
for which they are paid will doubtless
have the effect of decreasing the number |
which haunt the legislative halls during |
the sessions.
The effort of the governor to keep the |
lobby representing the state schools and |
state charitable institutions at home is |
endorsed by many members of the leg /
islature, who are at this time very earn !
est in their statements concerning these T
and other reforms, but it is feared that |
the promises and bluffs will amount /
to naught when the legislature convenes I
and that the affairs Of the two houses
will run in the same old extravagant,
haphazard manner
SERvANr CIRL STRIKE