The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-10
The Stats Boards Will Undoubt-
edIy Be Consolidated.
Hoch Thinks There
Are Too Many.
PLACE TO FIND THEM.
Would Have Headquarters at
the State House.
Enemies OF Henry Allen Could
Thus Get Rid Of Him.

There Is almost certain to be a con-
solidation of the state board OF chari-
ties, the board of penitentiary direct
ors, the board Of Industrial school d.
rectors, and any other boards which
nave kindred duties. into one board Of
1nree members, having the supervision
or all such institutions of this class.
Such legislation is recommended in
Governor Hoch's message, and is ia
vored by many of the members OF the
I Legislature.
1t is likely that the proposed new
board will consist of three members,
one of whom will be the purchasing
agent. This purchasing agent viii
have charge of all the buying for all
the institutions in the state, and his
duties will be of the utmost import
ance. He will have the expending of
half a million dollars or more every
year, and while his work will prob
ably be made subject to the supervi-
sion of the other members of the
board, 1t will give him a vast amount
of authority
Governor Hoch is not at all in favor
of the present system of managing
the state Institutions He thinks It is
wasteful in the matter of salaries, and
he wants the board to have permanent
headquarters in Topeka at the state
house. He is quoted as having said:
when the penitentiary directors or
the state board of charities have a
meeting, they transact their business
and then vanish into thin air. You
can't put your finger on them any
where. We want them where we can
get at them; we want their records
preserved in such form that they are
readily accessible, and can be called
for and inspected by anyone having
the authority. I understand now that
the records of some of the boards are
not very systematically kept, and
hope that this can be all changed"
The fact that Governor Hoch is per-
sonally interested in this reform Is
shown by his endorsement in his mes
sage
It is claimed that back of this prop
osition is a scheme on the part of the
enemies Of Henry Allen. They are
backing up the scheme in the eNpecta-
ton that it will cost Allen his job. So
far as known, no attempt has been
made to discredtt the work Of the
board of charities since Allen was con-
nected with it. The board has been
tuying its supplies in a more business
| like and economical fashion than ever
before and the bidders are satisfied
that they are getting a square deal.
But this cuts no ice with the poll
Governor Hoch is no doubt sincere
in his belief that the headquarters OF
the board should be definitely located
at the state house, and that some
member should be constantly here to
look after things.
The Democrats are billed to hold
caucus" this evening at the Throop
pIish anything, Of course, but they
want to get acquainted with each 9TH
er. The caucus was called by Baiie
Waggener, and il may fix up list
Of officers for the house and senate,
just to be doing something.
P. H. Landergin, the newly elected
Democratic representative from
Greenwood county, arrived Monday,
Mr. Iandergin achieved a remarkable
victory in his county which went Re
publican on all the other offices by
about 500 majority. Landergin was
running against r. S. Jackson a lead
ing young attorney Of Eureka Ian
dergin is a rich cattleman, and this
is what made hit with the Green
wood county people Moreover, Ian
dergin is a mighty fine man, and Is
irnn ensely popular in his community
for personal reasons. The people
down there thought that Jackson was
too much tangled up with the rail-
roads, and the old Martindale feud
also helped to make some people sore
at Jackson.
Governor Hoch signed his first Of
fetal document at just 2:30 yesterday
afternoon. only half an hour after he
was fnaugurated. A sheriff from Illf-
nois was waiting for an executive
nois on the ground of wife abandon
ment. The man is located down in
southern Kansas, but IS not under ar
rest. It was necessary for the sherin
to hurry to catch his man. and so
Governor Hoch attached his signature
to the paper as soon as he came down
from Representative hall
The clerks for Governor Bailey de-
voted their last half hour in the gov
ernor's Office to tearing up a lot OF
acquisitions, notary commissions and
other documents which had been
signed ahead by Governor Bailey, and
which were of no further use under
the new administration.
Senator F. Dumont Smith has come
out with another explanation of his
10 year marriage bill He says it was
written as a joke, just to show some
strangers what a Kansas legislator
could do in the way of writing a freak
bill. The newspaper men got hold OF
it, and sent it all over the country.
Governor Bailey's Office force scat
ters today. The firm of McNeal,
Smith & Gibbs Is installed as the outer
guardians for Governor Hoch's sane
tum.
Harry Bone, private secretary. TO
Governor Bailey, will return to Ash
land for the practice of law, but he
may stay in Topeka for a few months,
as he and Mrs. Bone are comfortably
settled here, and do not want to dist
turb their household until the winter
is over.
Harry Brent left today for Washing
ton, where he has secured a job
the assistance of Senator
Chester I. Long.
Herbert Jordan, stenographer, will
go back to Seneca, where he will re-
sumo his connection with the Seneca
Tribune. Jordan is an all around
man on the paper; he sets type, writes
and dashes of heavy edi-