The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-11-18
Would ReVOlutiOnize Operation
Of the Boards.
UNDER A SINGLE HEAD.
Thinks Penitentiary Directors
Should Have Duties Enlarged
Placed I'm Control of RefOrma-
tory and Reform Schools.
Thinks That Very Few New
Buildings Are Needed.

State Auditor Wells today COM
pleted his recommendations to the
governor concerning the changes
which he thinks are needed in the
management of the various state in
stitutions. viewing from the financial
standpoint with which the auditor
deals The report of the auditor on
these matters is generally taken as an
aid by the governor in preparing his
message.
Auditor Wells advises the cOnsolida-
ton of some of the state boards. He
would abolish the board of managers
OF the Hutchinson reformatory and
place that institution, and also the
boys industrial school at Topeka and
the girls industrial school at Beloit
under the management of the peniten-
tiary directors, as all four are re-
fOrmatory institutions. Then he would
cut the board of charities down from
five members to three
The auditor also advises that very
few new buildings be allowed by the
coming legislature for the charitable
institutions. Mr.. Wells believes that
most of these institutions are we'll
provided for for the present. He ad-
ViseS, however, that the state take
complete charge of either the Western
university at Quindaro or the Colored
Industrial and Educational institute at
Topeka and build up a training school
Tor colOred youth along the lines OF
Booker WashingtOn's Tuskegee instf-
tute- He says such an institution is
greatly needed in Kansas.
With reference to assessment and
taxation Mr.. Wells makes very brief
recommendations, simply advising
that laws be passed for the assessment
of express companies and private car
lines, which now practically escape
taxation. and that pipe lines be as
sessed by the board of railroad
SCISSORS.
The report is as follows:
Auditor Wells Report.
1 recommend that the board of man
ayers of the Hutchinson reformatory
be abolished, and the mana cement of
that institution placed under the con-
troll of the board of directors of the
state penitentiary; also, that the boys
industrial school at Topeka and The
girls Industrial school at Beloit, be
taken from under the control of the
state board of charities and placed un-
der the control of the board of direc-
tors of the state penitentiary. The
state penitentiary, the reformatory at
Hutchinson, the boys Industrial school
school at Beloit. are correlative and
should come under one mana cement.
This change would make it possible to
dispense with two of the five members
of the state board of charities and cor
rectiOns. This would result in a net
saving to the state of $1,000 per year
In the wayOf salaries, and the efficiency
of the mana cement of the charitable
and penal institutions in no way i'm
paired.
State Penitentiary.
Under wise management, the state
penitentiary has come to be a self-sus
tanning institution. 1t furnishes all the
state institutions with fuel, manufac-
lures and sells a good quality of bind
ing twine at price considerably be-
low the trust price. and is commencing
to manufacture a fair quality of build
ing brick. So long as the trust con-
tinues to monopOlize the brick industry
of Kansas. I recommend that the brick
plant at the prison be encouraged.
7 wish to urge upon you the import
ance of requiring all state institutions
to pay for their fuel and brick Sc
cured from the penitentiary, out of
their appropriations. 1t is a matter of
economy. Under the present system,
the state institutions can order an un-
limited supply of coal and the orders
will be filed so long the supply is
sufficient. It is no matter of concern
to the institution ordering the coal
whether all of the cars of coal report
ed by the warden to have been ship
ped, are received. as the coal is free.
Cars may be confiScated by railroads
and owing to our defective system of
accounting. the confiscation might
never be discovered I call your atten-
tion to the fact that during the year
ending June 80. 1904. over 400 tons of
coal consigned to the executive council
were lost in transit and have never
been accounted for
/ recommend that the expense of
maintaining the tWine plant be paid
out of the appropriations for the main
tenance of the penitentiary. the same as
all other expenses of that institution,
and that the receipts of the plant be
turned into the general revenue fund
of the state.
The Charitable Institutions.
I recommend that the legislature be
very cautious about making appropria-
tions for buildings for the charitable
ly well cared for in the past. Nearly
every legislature has appropriated Law
ishly for buildings, grounds and i'm
prov ovements, and the time has certainly
come for a halt in these expenditures.
The establishment of a new hospital at
Parsons ought to render present facili-
ties adequate for the needs of the i'm
charitable institutions will convi ce
any interested taxpayer that consider
able money has been Invested in inn
provementS that add very little to the
comfort and security of the inmates. In
nv estimates of appropriations 1 have
included all the Improvements which 1
think are absolutely needed for these
Institutions
Board of Regents.
The law fixing the compensation of
the regents of the educational institu-
tinns is confusing and ought to be
amended Through a very liberal con-
struction of the law, the regents now
receive So per day and ten cents ner
nile in travelling to and from the places
of meeting This compensation IS not