Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1903-02-19
rirst Fruits Of Pringlslsm,

IIkUt EkuktS VI AAAMSpfT~T y
The Kansas Lsgislasurs Is gsinlng
. repu.aslon % wide 90 the continenss
We find tAis In the New York Evening
Post making use Of i % "Poins I
moral" apm@misf
A dispatch givss ~ delightful pc
tare Of Legislative activity 10 hansas'
Tbs session 10 nov four weeks oidi
but the sole result Il the employmeny
OF 900 men TO look after the legisla-
tors. Sergeants-at-arms and ..aesis.
ant superintendents Of ventilation
clog the aisles, and thirty doorkeepere
looH after four doors. At the present
rate the session Of fifty days will cost
the state more than slOO,0O0. Inc
conditions may or may mot DO sxsg-
eerated. But they illustrate most
admirably 8 tendency everywhers,
found whom state or the federal
government seeks to carry on . busi-
sess enterprise. There 10 little Or no
differen % between the problem Of
policing capitol and . large once
building. No business man would
however, think Of running his ahsirs
ia such manner. Speedy bank
ruptoy would be the inevitable out
come II he did. The tendency toward
the employment Of unnecessary em-
ployes for short periods Of labor 70
found In every navy yard and every
branch OF the federal service. Does
anyone really believe that government
control Of the anthracite mines would
have any other result than the pro-
duction Of coal at greater cost BY .
much larger number Of emyloyssP
: A Boston paper quotes the above %
can object lesson from Kansas" 10
extravagancs; but the record our leg
islature 10 making 10 not exactly OK
travagance; II Is utter subordination
Of business to place-hunting politics.
II 10 an object lesson for the whole
country, without doubt; but an object
lesson Of contempt for the rights Of
the tax payer whom In conflict with
the necessities Of the political Boss.
The eastern papers referred to lay
the blame on the legislature, where,
Of course, 1t belongs; at the same
time IL 10 impossible to exonerate the
governor from large part Of the
responsibility for this debauch o.
spoilism. The governor deliberately
started In to control the Legislature
whom he brought out an administra-
ton candidate for speaker, excusing
such an unprecedented action by al
leging the necessity Of having o house
organisation that would support biz
policies, whatever these may have
been. When the house surrendered
to this pressure Of the governor II
surrendered once for oil. Everything
else went with the speakership. The
governor got what he asked for. .
house organised to carry ont biz
wishes. Consequently. the RESPONSE
bility for the record Of the house
must rest largely upon bis shoulders
He asked the house to ''knuckle IN
der" to him, for the sake Of his ad
ministration; 1t did 90, and for th'
consequences he naturally holds him
self accountable.
The outrageous robbery Of thu
treasury to End jobs for half a thous
and political workers 10 not the onl.
or the worst feature Of the session
The worst feature Is the complies
subserviency Of the honse, from thu
hour 1t surrendered Its independents
and elected Pringle speaker. II 10 Il
Illustrated every day.-[Capital.
- ii
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