The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-10

state Pr1nL1n&-
/ A reform has long been needed in
reference to the commercial printing
done for this state. / was inbued
with this conviction during my first
Legislative experience and made futile
efforts in this direction at that time.
The fees paid to the state printer are
doubtless too high in many instances,
but the chief cause of complaint is
the vast amount of useless stuff print
| ed at state expense only 10 md an
ultimate sepuIchre in the basement of
the state house or other receptacleS
for useless matter. At the last election
an amendment to the constitution was
Overwhelmingly adopted making the
office of state printer elective by the
1 people, measure that should have
been adopted years ago There IS some
doubt as to the time when this amend
ment will become operative My
opinion is that the tenure of office of
the present state printer viii expire
at the expiration of the term for
which he was elected, and that upon
| you will devolve the election of
state printer. l believe it would be
good policy for the state to purchase
a printing plant and put manager
! over it upon a reasonable salary.
think the value of such a plant could
be saved to the state in a short time.
Travelling Public Libraries.
Among the most valuable, though
among the most modest educational
agencies in this state are the travelling
public libraries. It may not be gem
orally known that there is In existence
a distinct department of state devoted
to the circulation of good books from
the state library. The work is super
intended by a commission composed of
five self-sacrffcing persons who give
their time to it without remuneration,
namely: Mr.. Jas. L. King, Mrs. Cora
g. Lewis, Mrs. Lucy B. Johnston, Mr.
Edward Wilder, Mr.. H. G. Larfmer,
with Miss Nellie G. Armentrout as sec
rotary, who has a salary. The COM
mis- Gfn iC Dir LAT inc
books among the readers throughout
the state. The libraries are put up
in cases containing so books and are
loaned to societies and communities
for a definite period upon the pay
ment of a small sum. am personally
acquainted with some of the work this
commission has done and give it my
hearty approval. These good books
reach a class of people, as a rule who
have little or no access to such litera-
ture. This good work was inaugu-
rated by the WOman's Social Science
Federation, which contributed many
of these books. These same excellent
women wish to supplement this work
by the circulation of two art galleries
of 100 very fine pictures each, and
which will require an additional ap-
preparation of perhaps $5O0-a very
modest request for so good cause.
State Fishery.
The last legislature established a
state fishery near the town of Pratt, in
preparation to inaugurate that import
ant enterprise. I have recently made a
personal investigation of the states
property there, which is meager in ex-
tent, but great in possibility. The state
owns II acres of land through which
flows the Minnesota river a small, but
beautiful everhowinE stream of pure
water. A pond COZ ing several acres
has been made and supplied with water
by windmill. The conditions are excel
lent for the establishment of other
ponds on the states premises, and all
of them can easily be supplied through
pipes a comparatively short distance
above, so great is the downward in
cline of the stream. In a word, the
natural conditions are all favorable to
a permanent and valuable institution
of this kind. Nothing has been done as
yet toward the establishment of
hatchway, for lack of funds. This, of
course, is the most important feature
of the new institution, and if the plant
is to be made of practical value an ap-
preparation must be made large enough
to furnish the necessary equipment for
the propagation of fish and for their
distribution. I think the fish and game
interests should be consolidated and
one man empowered to look after both
of them. The destruction of game is
an evil that should be remedied as far
as law can control it. The practice of
non-residents coming into the state ana
killing our game for market purposes /
is one that cannot be too speedily stop /
ped, and as a means to this reform L /
recommend the enactment of law
imposing a heavy license upon non-res- |
ident sportsmen who ply their vocation
within our borders.
School Lands.
The attention of the legislature is
particularly called to a matter of great /
Importance concerning our school land
possessions. There are yet unsoId /
school lands approximating one mill
lion acres. located chiefly in the west
ern half of the state. Under the law
these lands are on the market at the |
minimum price of Sips per acre. 1t is a |
matter of common notoriety that lands
in that part of the state as well as in /
other sections of the state have greatly |
enhanced in value during the last four
or five years, and especially during the
owners have generally advanced the
price of their holdings more than the |
entire amount at which these sch DOL t
lands are held. These school lands |
should either be withdrawn from mar
ket or the price at which they will be /
sold increased commensurate with the /
growth and development of that coun- |
try. / believe a million dollars can be /
prompt action on the part OF the legis-
lature, in this matter.
Juvenile Court.
Perhaps the march of civilization has
not been more marked in any field of /
human investigation and endeavor than
in the field of criminology The rela-
ton of the public to its criminal classes
has been a subject with which every
age has grappled. 1t is an intere%ing /
study to note the changes of thought
in reference to this subject, but suffice
it to say that the old notion Of punish
ment for crime as a mere matter of
retribution has given way to the more
humane and philosophical idea that ali |
penalty should be preventive and re
formatory in its character AS an out
growth of this advancing movement,
for instance, we have a state reforma-
tory for the Incarceration Of young men