The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-12-24
Auditor Cole Wants to Do a Lot
of Pruning.
Would Abolish One Assistant
Attorney General.
AFTER STENOGRAPHER
Thinks Court Reporters Are
Too Well Paid.
Would Reduce Board of Chari-
ties to Three Members.

State Auditor Cole proposes that there
shall be some salaries cut by the coming
legislature, if his recommendation are
followed. The court stenographers
catch it the worst of any from him. He
recommends that the salaries Of both
the stenographers of the district courts
and the private stenographers of the
supreme Justices be cut from $1,000 to
81. 600 a year. There are twenty-nine dis
trict court stenographers and seven
supreme court stenographers affected.
Some officers are Topped OFF entirely.
For instance, one assistant attorney gem
eral is not provided for in Auditor Coles
report.
The extra assistant was created for
the purpose of looking after delinquent
state bonds,' said Mr.. Cole today, and
B. H. Tracy was appointed tc the place.
That work has all been comDlete6 now
and there is no necessity for continuing
the office. so I recommend that it be
abolished
Another place which Auditor Cole
would cut out is an assistant supreme
court reporter. At present T. e. Dewey.
supreme court reporter, has three as
sistants-Harry Williams. of Topeka; j.
Arthur Young, who IS a stenographer II
Mr.. DeWey'S law office at Abilene. ana
William ]. Morse, of Kansas City. The
latter scarcely ever comes to Topeka; IL
fact, his voucher is sent to him in Kan
sas City, Mo. Auditor Cole would cut
off one of these reporters. He would also
cut the number of state house f1reTnen
from six to four.
The stenographers in the various state
offices now get from $720 to $500 year.
Auditor Cole recommends that they be
made uniform at $500 year
In the bank commissioners Office Mr..
Cole recommends an increase for the
Subordinates. National bank examiners
receive $1,000 a year, but the two state
bank examiners are kept on the go all
the time and receive only $1,000 a year.
Mr.. Cole recommends that this be in-
creased to $500 a year When John w
BreidenthaI was bank commissioner ne
recommended this raise, as he said men
who are competent to do the work re-
quired in the examination of banks
could command much higher salary
than 81, 200 year, and Bank CoTnInis-
sfoner Albaugh has made the same rec
| ommendation. The salaries of the build
ing and loan deputy and the office dep
uty are also recommended to be raised
to 81 500.
He further recommends that the state
board of charities and corrections be re-
duced to three members at salary Of
$500 each, to cover all expenses in full.
All the state educational institutions he
would put under single board of re-
gents of four members. at a salary Of
$500 each, with an allowance of $500
/ l.
tiary and Hutchinson reforma tory he
would also put under one board OF three
members with the same salary and ex
pense allowed as the educational regents
An increase is made in the salaries
of the superintendents and higher Off
GERS OF most of the charitable institu-
tions, with the understanding that they
shall pay their own expenses instead of
living at the expense of the state. Audi
tor Cole believes that the state will save
money by doing this.
Recommendations are made for vari-
Gus improvements at the various state
institutions, especially in the way of fire
protection. Among the larger appropria-
tions suggested are the following: To-
peka asylum. laundry building in 1905.
$25. 900; Parsons asylum, new buildings,
$100, 900 in each 1904 and 1905.
Mr.. Cole in his miscellaneous recon-
mendations recommends that appropria-
tions ought to be made for the payment
of $220000 state bonds which fall due
July 1, 1908, and $158.OO0 which fall due
January 1, 1904. which he says ought to