The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-13

have are able to take up their respective
cases and present them. while tne
friendless and unknown man Is without
these opportunities. The board OF dl-
rectors and warden of the penitentiary
under the rules of a merit system to be
devised by the legislature, are best
qualified to place the names in the re-
SpectiVe grades and classes, through
which grades and classes the inmates
could reach the eligible list, and from
which list the governor could parole
j would suggest such legislation as may
4 be necessary to meet these requirements.
The Irvine plant at the penftentiary, in
view of the inexDerience of those
charged with is conduct. has achieved
"a reasonable degree of. success, and 1 be-
+ lieve should be maintained upon its
/ present basis; and suggest that the
1 profits of the plant be set aside until
f s25, 600 is accumulated. this fund to be
used TO protect the revolving fund from
loss. should any occur, which is liable
/ business management.
Oklahoma Prisoners.
There are 1903 prisoners in the peni-
/ tertiary. of whom 276 are from Okla
/ homa- question the wisdom of Kansas
/ longer assuming the responsibility OF
! taking care of Oklahoma's prisoners.
and recommend that Oklahoma be asked
to relieve us of this charge as soon as
/ she can do 50.
Kansas State Soldiers Home.
This home was founded upon the pa
! trlot1c sentiment that it was the duty OF
/ the state to provide for the INDECENT sol
der of the civil war and his family. 1
/ believe the home and its affairs are in
/ Splendid condition. but I call the atten-
4 ton of the legislature to the very Inn
( crta1t need of fire protection at this in
/ stltutiOn- Situated upon the Drairies.
severe! miles from Dodge City. with
4 practically no fire protection. in case d
/ fire should break out during severe cold
! I1Era ~
of life and the suffering that would be
+ entailed upon the inmates many of
whom are nearly helpless, would be
I something too terrible to contemplate.
prlatIon large enough to meet this
emergency.
State Banks.
The report Of the bank commissioner
shows the institutions under the control
| OF this department as being in excellent
CONDITION Perhaps nothing more clear
I ly indicates the prosperous condition of
/ our people than comparison of the
statements made by our banks under
/ the official call in 1900 and again in 1902
1 Comparison made between the calls OF
4 September l. 1900 and November rs
/ 1902, shows the total number of banks
under state supervision a t this time is
I Az, gain of SO banks in two years. The
total capital is now $7,751 600 an in
crease of S113S, 600 during the same
1AO y
IOlS6 gain Of $419 1914. The total
deposits are now $40 1875, 1858. a gain OF
/ $S.508 S41.14. The total loans are now
W, 1855 ,O4698, an increase of ST. O72, 211.42
The total value of all real estate. other
than bank buildings, is 1888, Salts, a de
crease of $279, 1854 in two years. The
banking law does not contemplate banks
holding real estate other than suitable
building for the transaction of the
| banks business and a large proportion
of the real estate now held was acquired
through the adjustment of matured
| loans, and the banks are raDidIy as
mended TIT county treasurers. wher
their best interests viii permit disposine
OF this class Of security, as the decrease
OF nearly 100000 will show The cash
and sight exchange Oegal reserve) al
this time is SIS, 352, 451.44 or 1925 PEI
cent. Of the entire deposits, showing the
banks of the state are upon safe anC
conservative basis.
Handling of Public Funds.
I believe that the law should be SC
amended that county treasurers, Wher
they remit any. funds to the statesfreas-
urer should be required to notify thS
state auditor of the amount RENTED
and the auditor, upon receiving SucI
notice, should be required to charge the
treasurer with such amount
And. I would further recommend thai
our laws be so amended that the ac
counts of the state fiscal agency anC
the state repositories be kept with the
auditor of state and state treasurer il
a more businesslike manner. Undel
the present law, neither the state fisca
agency nor the state repositories ar,
required to report to the auditor O.
state When the state treasurer RENTS
to the fiscal agency or makes a DEPOSIT
with the state depository, he should b.
required to sign, with the auditor Of
state, statement showing that sale
remittance OF deposit has been made
and the auditor of state should be re
quired to charge the state fiscal agency
or state depository with said remit
tance or deposit. and credit the state
treasurer; and when the state treas
uTer issues q check or draft on the
fiscal agency or state depository befor.
delivering said check or draft to thu
party to whom it is issued, the treas
urer should be required to present it L
the auditor of state, and the auditor
be required to cOunterSign said checl
/ or draft, keeping a record of the same
charging the treasurer with thu
amount of said check or draft anC
crediting the fiscal agency or state de
positOry with the amount. Under tn
existing law. when the board of ex
aminers, consisting of the governor
secretary of state, and auditor of state
makes Its monthly examination of tn,
the banks what the state has on de
post with them. and is compelled 4
| take the treasurer'S statement as Il
what amount of money is in the state
fiscal agency, New York, in place o
getting this information from the rec
ords in the auditors office
I find, from the record kept of tn,
examinations made by the aforesaid
board of the state treasury for the yeal
1902 that the average amount of fund:
in the fiscal agency during said yeal
was S51 $50. I also find that the stat
has a contract with the state ffsca
agency whereby the agency pays ths
state two per cent on the average daily
balances of state funds in said agency
which for 1902 would amount to 81, O27. so
I also find from the records of SAID
board that the average amount deposit
ed in Topeka banks, the same being
state repositories, for the year 1902 was
S481 .272.69 If the New York banI
which is the fiscal agency can pay two
per cent on the average daily balances
it occurs to me that the banks of Kan
sas will be willing to pay the same
!. Two nar cent On the avprapa dannsif.