The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-20
ONE LITTLE WORD
The Senate Saw in 1t a Possible
Graft.
Accordingly "Used" Was Chang
ed to e'Needed."
ARE STILL FIXING IT.
Time Of School Meeting May
Be Again Changed.
Appears That No Date Is En-
tirely Satisfactory.

The county superintendents came
near getting the upper hand of the
boards of county commissioners by the
changing Of one word in Senator Du-
mont Smiths bill, recommended for
passage by the senate committee of the
whole Thursday.
The bill as read said: .'It shall be
the duty of the county commissioners
to provide all blanks, circulars and 9TH
er printed matter used by the county
superintendent in the discharge of his
official duties; provided, that all blanks
shall be printed to conform with the
official form supplied by the state
superintendent of public instruction
The senate decided that the word
used" should be changed to needed
so that the boards of county commits
sioners can have some check on the
superintendent. The superintendent
and commissioners in a good many
counties have clasTed over what the
superintendent should have printed
and payment for the same.
Senator Fulton's bill fixing the sec
ond Monday in January next succeed
ing the election to be the time when all
township terms of office shall begin
was recommended for passage by the
senate committee of the whole. This
will establish uniform terms for town
ship offices.
The teachers Of the state and the
district school boards and county
clerks are greatly interested in having
the date of the annual school meetings
changed to a date later than the third
Thursday in June.
Senator Chapman's bill on this sub
ject, changing the meetings to the third
Thursday in July, was recommended
by the committee Of the whole for pas
sage There was some discussion
whether the date should be changed to
July or May and Senator Smith, of
Edwards, wished cities of the third
class to hold their school meetings in
May. Senator Young, chairman of the
committee on education, thought the
meetings should all be held on the same
date.
Senator Chapman's bill provides that:
An annual meeting of each school dis
tr1ct shall be held on the third Thurs
day of July in each year, at o'clock
p. m. Notice of the time and place
of said annual meeting shall be given
by the clerk by posting written or
printed notices in three public places
within the district at least ten days be-
fore said meeting. Special meetings
may be called by the district board or
upon a petition signed by ten resident
taxpayers of the district, but notice of
such special meeting, stating the pur-
pose for which it is called, shall be
posted in at least three public places
within such district ten days previous
to the time of such meeting"
The legislature two years ago chang
ed the meeting time of the school
boards from July to June. At the time
of the June meetings the boards of
equalization have not completed their
work and the levies for school purposes
can not be made officially.
The senate committee of the whole
also recommended for passage Senator
Brewers bill abolishing the state grain
inspection board. The legislature of 1903
passed law establishing a grain in
spection board. The board meets an
nually and fixes the standard grades of
grain for the year. AS this can be done
by the state grain inspector and his as
sistants, Senator Brewer thinks the
commission should be abolished. 1t
is only a graft. anyway said Senator
Brewer and the senate seemed TO
agree. s
The senate committee of the. whole
recommended for passage Senator
Bakers bill that the actual weight
shall be made the basis for the sale Of
grain, hay and seed. This bill IS ex-
pected to put a stop to the taking of
of 100 pounds of grain from every car
bought by Kansas City elevators. The
elevator men says that the 100 POUNDS
is knocked off for Shriukage.