Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1901-01-10

present state administration equipment
Of the value Of $4,000, and at this
time there are In the. state two reg
iments Of the national guard and two
batteries Of artillery thoroughly organis-
ed and well equipped and disciplined.
The law provides that there shall be an
annual muster and camp OF instruction
Of the Kansas national guard" The ad-
1utant general and regimental 0fiicers
do not believe that It will be possible y
maintain the present high state Of q
ficiency OF the guard unless such eA-
campment can be held. II we maintain
an organized guard at all It should be
an efficient one. and 4 its efficiency de-
ponds upon the holding Of an encamp-
ment such encampment should be held.
especially In view Of the fact that II Is
one Of the requirements Of the law. The
ad1utant general informs me that the aps
preparation required for all Of the pur-
poses Of the national guard. including the
encampment, would be much less than
that Of any other state maintaining such
organization.
Quantrell Raid Claims.
Cy the provisions of chapter 100, lava
OF 1897, the state assumed the payment OF
Gains for losses sustained by citizens OF
the state Of Kansas by invasion of the
state by bands Of guerrillas and marau-
and 1866 and provided that the state
auditor should Issue on demand to each
claimant his heirs or his legal represent
atives certificates Of indebtedness bear
Ing interest at four per cent. per annum
from July l, 1887, for the amount Of his
claim as assumed, which certificates were
made payable In ten equal annual In
OF January, 1880 In accordance with the
provisions Of the statute. warrants Of the
auditor were issued, and the obligations
80 evidenced are entitled to payment ~
any other claims against the state. These
warrants were paid with the exception
OF those maturing February l, 1893 and
February /, 1899. The amount now due
of the state having been pledged to their
payment, an appropriation should be made
for such purpose.
Irrigation In WesternIk Kansas.
The question Of the irrigation Of the
semi-arid lands In the west is one OF
great Importance, In which the general
government has been taking an inter
est, and In which 1t will In all probability
take increased interest In the future. The
question of the natural flow of water In
our Kansas streams is an important one.
| would suggest the passage Of law
making the forestry commissioner by
virtue Of his office, commissioner Of ir-
rigation, with such powers as will erla-
BILE him to prosecute and defend suits
looking to the protection OF riparian
rights along such streams.
Bills Must Not lie "Omnibussed."
The constitution provides that "in all
cases where general law can be made
applicable, no special law shall be
enacted" This provision of the constitu-
ton has been largely ignored, and many
laws of special nature have been passed
at each session Of the legislature. The
people can hardly be expected to have
are supposed to entertain, when law
makers themselves are guilty Of its open
and willful violation. To such an ex-
tent has this abuse grown that another
provision of the constitution, requiring
that every bill shall be read on three
separate days In each house, unless In
case Of emergency, but the reading Of
the bill by sections on Its final passage.
shall In no case be dispensed WITH" has
been openly disregarded: and at the
close of every session a large number Of
these local and special bills have been
'omnibused," passed without any know
ledge upon the part of the members Of
the legislature Of what they really con-
tanned; and In many cases the executive
has not had time to examine them, and
they have become laws without his sig
nature Dy reason of the expiration Of the
three days, within which they were not
returned to the legislature. The legis-
lature should correct this fragrant and
growing abuse. l shall feel It my duty
to veto every local bill sent me after the
18th of February.
Economy In Expenditures.
been any concerted action relative to
expenditures for the maintenance Of the
several institutions Of the state and to
provide for such buildings as from time
to time might be necessary to meet their
ever-increasing requirements. Appro-
priations were made by the last legisla-
ture for the construction or completion
of buildings-embracing the state house.
university, agricultural college, normal,
eight institutions under the control of
the board of charities. appropriations
now asked for like purposes and for main
tenance are largely In excess of those
asked two years ago. The question Of the
erection of new buildings and mainte-
nance of our several public institutions
Is one Of great Importance and calls for
very serious consideration. The state
cannot afford to be parsimoniOus In maxi
ing needed provisions for the maintenance
of these institutions and the care Of
those dependent upon the state; neither
can it afford to be extravagant and
prohigate Boards having charge Of the
separate institutions have entered Into
rivalry over appropriations. Every board
has naturally desired for Its own insti-
tuition its full share, and to such an ex-
tent has this zeal for their institutions
been carried, that for several legislatures
various state boards have maintained
Hobbies at the capital for no other purpose
than to procure large amounts for Thine
institutions In which they were inter-
ested, without any reference to the gen.
eral sum to be expended or the amounts
to be appropriated for othrs.
For MANY years 1t has been the custom
Of the legislature in the matter of APP
proprations to reduce the amount asked
for and those coming before 1t seeking
appropriations have been in the habit OF
asking for larger amounts than vera
-otuamy ,ieeueu with tine expectation
that the same would be reduced, and in
many cases the legislature has cut down
such amounts below the actual necessi-
ties of the case. This has occurred to
such an extent that often the succeeding
legislature has been obliged to make ap-
preparations to cover such deficiencies.
Estimates for the erection or compile
tion of public buildings ought to be
made wish some degree of certainty, and
with an intelligent conception Of the
amount necessary to complete such
buildings, and the persons charged with
the expenditure ought to be held to
strict compliance with the statute pro-
nibiting the expenditure of greater sum
than that fixed by the appropriations.
! hereby transmit to the legislature
estimates In detail as to the amounts nee
essary to meet the requirements of the
different departments of state and the
state institutions, for the two years end
ing June 30, 1929 / believe they are
reasonable and should have the sane
ton Of the legislature. Direct appropria-
tons should be made In all cases, so that
the public may know the exact amount Of
expenditures to be made for specific pur-
poses. The effect Of large appropriations
Is sought, in many cases. to be avoided
by the levy of a certain tax, without fix
ing the amount appropriated An APP
preparation that needs any cover or con-
cealment should not be made. II the leg
islature would make appropriations Of
direct and specific amounts, leaving the
executive council to make the levy after
the assessed value of property in the state
was ascertained, the public would be APP
nriaad of tho sums IN no avpanded 10