Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1902-12-13

! KANSAS STATE NEWS. /;

Baker university's roll of former
students contains the names of more
prominent preachers and politicians
than any other college in the state.
Matt Hedrick, aged As years, q for
mer well-known cigar manufacturer
of Salina, committed suicide ut Els
worth by shooting himself in the
head.
The towns Of Atlanta and Latham,
north Of Winfield, in Cowley county,
are to have banks by January 1.
The former is capitalized at $1,000 and
the latter is $1,000.
Hal N. Coffin, state treasurer-elect,
Of Idaho, was assistant state treas
urer of Kansas for ~ years. He
went to Idaho about Is years ago and
engaged in the banking business at
Boise.
The president has appointed
George w. Ellis, of Lawrence, to be
secretary of the legation at Monro-
via, Liberia. Ellis is q negro. The
minister to Liberia is DIR. ]. H.
Grassland, of St. Joseph, NO., q
negro.
Internal revenue receipts for the
district of Kansas have greatly de-
creased in the last year, owing to
the anti-oleo law passed by the last
congress. The total receipts of the
Kansas Office for last year were near
ly 100000, and this year they will be
only about 100000.
A determined effort will be made
during the coming session OF the
legislature to secure an increase OF
the salary of state superintendent
of public instruction from $1,000 to
$500 q year. This will place the
salary of the superintendent on the
same basis as that of secretary OF
state, state treasurer, state auditor
and attorney general.
Auditor of State Cole has estimated
the appropriations the coming legis-
lature will have to make for the en-
suing two years to amount to $4,000
600. The heavy expenditures are ne
cessitated by the proposed erection
of new buildings at the state chart
table and corrective institutions. Two
years ago the legislature appropria-
ted about $4,600,oOO for the two years.
State Superintendent Nelson be-
lieves that the coming Legislature
should not fail to pass u compulsory
attendance law. The present stat
ute, he says, is dead letter, and can
not be enforced. To use his words,
1.-THE state has outgrown it." A COM
pulsory attendance law to be effective
must provide for truant officers in
each city with certain population,
and in each county.
There are too many children in
Kansas holding teachers certificates
and attempting to teach other chill
dren, State Superintendent Nelson
thinks. Under the present law any
one 16 years of age can obtain third
grade teachers certificate. Mr.. Mel
son believes that the age limit for a
third-grade certificate should be
raised to at least II years, and the
limit for second and first-grade GER
tificates advanced proportionately.
+. L. Jewett, warden of the state
penitentiary, is of the opinion that
the next legislature will provide for
the establishment of broom factory
at the penitentiary which will manu-
facture the brooms used in all the
state institutions. "There has been
some talk" said Mr.. Jewet, "of es-
tablishing such a factory at the state
reformatory at Hutchinson, but l be-
lieve that the proper place for the
plant is at the penitentiary. There
are many aged men and cripples in
penitentiary who could work in a
broom factory. but for whom we
have no suitable work now.
The supreme court has decided
against U. B. Sharpless, republican
candidate for representative from
the Third district, Atchison county,
in the mandamus action to compel
the board of county canvassers to
reconvene and throw out the votes
cast by absent railway employees. The
court held that the board of county
canvassers Is ministerial and that its
duties are to canvass returns, make
footings and declare results, and that
it is not within the province of the
board to determine the constitution
atty of the election law or to pass
upon the legality of votes cast under
that law.
The Forthcoming biennial report OF
Frank Nelson, state superintendent
of public instruction, will show that
there are in Kansas 9,106 school