The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-31
THEIR EYES OPEN.
Members of House Aroused on
EmplOye Question.
Seems Impossible, However, to
Check the Tide.
DRAIN ON TREASURY.
All Because "Fellows Must Be
Taken Care Of"
Chief Clerks Pay Roll Shows
148 Employees.

The members of the house are begin
ming to have their eyes opened on the
employe question. They have been
pointing the finger of scorn at the SEN
ate and saying, Isn't it just terrible the
way those senators are robbing the
state? It's positively disgraceful-"
Meanwhile the work of swelling the
pay roll of the house has gone cheer
fully on. Nobody in particular has been
to blame. Some home worker comes
to Topeka and insists on his member
getting him place on the pay roll The
member goes to the steering committee
and insists that one more employe won't
make any difference. The steering COM
mittee tries to head him off but he in
sists that he is entitled to it, and SO
the home worker is put on the list
as a doorkeeper and his name is given
to Chief Doorkeeper Mcfarland. And
Mcfarland can do nothing but add the
name to his already long list, although
it is doubtful if he would know the new
"doorkeeper' if he should see him. That
is why the list of doorkeepers on record
in the chief clerks office shows thirty
nine names as far as the bookkeeper
has had time to make a record of them,
and the list is still growing. So far as
the eleven pages in the house do more
work every day than the entire force of
+ doorkeepers.
1t is an injustice too, to the employees
who really do the work Some of them
are exceedingly competent and that
+ class has to make up for the short
comings of their fellows The addition
al employees. instead of being an aid
are in many instances simply a him
drance to those who have experience
I and are really capable
As far as has been checked up, the
state is now paying out $1l7 a day for
I doorkeepers in the house alone This
win amount to $3.50 for the legislative
( session What viii the constituents Of
+ the members of the house who have to
work hard for 50 a day think of paying
out $3.50 for doorkeepers alone in
single house for a single session.
Then there are 27 assistant sergeants-
alarms for Steve Cave to look after
/ They cost the state $Sl a day, or S4.050
for the session.
The house thus far has "a janitors,
who cost So a day, or $500 for the
session.
There might be some excuse for so
many janitors, because from now on
/ they will have the committee rooms to
look after. The committee rooms also
furnish an excuse for the great num-
/ Der of doorkeepers.
You see We want to furnish each
committee with a doorkeeper.'' explained
like to have his constituents know that
he is justifyiDg the employment of so
many employees. Then, you see, the
Z dOOrkeepers can round up the members
of the committees Besides the fellows
/ have got to be taken care of and we
might as we'll give them a chance to get
something out of it,
This is really the bottom of the whole
matter THE fellows must be taken care
of
The common plug citizen does not ex-
actly see why the janitor who looks af-
ter committee room cannot also per
form the arduous duties of doOrkeeper
for that committee room and round up
/ the committees which meet in it. 10 be
sure that might srequire his working
four or five hours some days.
These things explain why the chief
clerks roll Of employees showed 14S en-
/ ployes yesterday. with more still to be
added besides committee clerks. The
/ work Of checking up the steering COM
mittee's list with the list of 156 house
{ employees who drew warrants in the
state auditors Office last week has not
yet been completed. 1t has been sug-
gested that the discrepancy was caused
by the appointment of the engrOssing
clerks by the secretary of state but Mr.
Burrow did not appoint his clerks until
Monday, while the 156 vouchers in the
state auditors office were made out by
Friday of last week
Meanwhile the seven engrossing clerks
appointed by the house are being car
ried on the pay roll. while the three
named by Secretary Burrow are doing
the work.
Representative John King of ottawa
country writes the following:
MY wife is here. I am trying to get
her on the house pay roll don't want
her to be the only members wife who
isn't drawing IS per day. She is per
fectly competent and besides, need the
money. She is here on expense and
xr-f7c RI
easing up on the strained relations now
existing between my pocketbOok and
myself I could do better work If she
4 would go home. She could board at her
fathers house for nothing and 7 would
have more time to devote to the cares
of state
And the saving would be considera bic
Whv = she would go home the saving
on my Glove bill alone would. if placed
end to end ma Ike continuous line that
would extend from New York to San
Francisco. But fear she is suspicious
Now ] wouldn't distrust her that way
would trust that woman to 60 home
and stay until the season is over. What
faith 7 have.
There has been so much objection
raised among the Republicans to the
tax commission bill that its friends
have decided not to try 10 force it
through as a caucus measure. Some OF
the party leaders themselves do not
want it saddled on to the Republican
party as a party measure. and it may
have hard shedding. At the request of
Chairman Francis, chairman of the
I tax commission, it has been taken from
the committee of the whole to which it
was first referred, and it has been re-
ferred to the committee on assessment
and taxation and win take its chances
along with other bills
The fusionists were anxious that it
shall be considered as q party measure
of the Republican party, and they