Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1905-01-19
trict. and the state Is entitled 10 the best
possible service from its public servants
DEPOSITORY FOR PUBLIC FUNDS.

lated public money. Two plans are pro-
state depository in which the interest
upsn the money therein ueposited snall
accrue to the state; and, IN ane r ennsr
tances from the various county treaSurs
ers 10 the state treasurer shall be held
in county depositorieS until the state
treasurer shall need the money, counties
thus Withholding their remittances TO
receive the benefit of the interest on the
money withheld IS well as upon the
sums already generally deposited in the
local banks The simpler and easier
plan would be to establish a state de-
pository. but a more equitable division
OF the benefits on such deposits would
result from the adoption of the county
plan. II this latter plan should be
ly guarded so that sudden calls from the
state treasurer might not seriously en-
barrass the local banks. The state of
state depository last year the handsome
sum of S42,76s.61. To the wisdom of the
legislature this subject is confidently
submitted.
GOOD ROADS.
Perhaps no modern movement is of
wider significance or of more general in
terest than that which is commonly
known as .'The Good Roads Movement"
Widespread interest in better public tho
rougf1fares is everywhere manifest. Con-
gress has taken definite action in the
matter; the general government 1t lend
ing substantial aid; the public prints are
full of discussions on the subject, while
state legislatures are crystalizing these
advanced ideas into law. The subject is
one of great Importance, especially to
the farmers Good roads are not only
"A matter OF convenience, but of practi-
cal fina2cial value. This matter should
receive your most careful and favorable
attention. -
The platform upon which majority of
the members of this legislature were
elected favored the application of reas-
enable civil service rules to the employees
of state institutions. Every student OF
government must ultimately come to
plication of what is known i'll politics
as THE Spells System" which makes
the public service the mere tool of par
usanship and factionalismi and demands
the wholesale changing of public servants
after every election merely to crafty
personal or fractional or partisan inter
ests, is detrimental to good government.
In the national government civil service
rules have been gradually extended to all
the departments until now the tenure of
office of thousands of governmental en-
ployes no longer depends upon the caprice
of petty politicians This movement for
the betterment of public service was at
first bitterly opposed, but no statesman
who values his reputation now opposes
it. 1t is distinct advance m inteili-
volved l am In hearty accord; and will be
glad to cooperate with the legislature
in any reasonable enactment along this
IRRIGATION.
The subject OF irrigation is constantly
looming into greater Importance. The
president has dignified the subject with
the influence of his great name and
with frequent expressions of his interest
in it, while the national government has
taken advanced steps and is now lend
ing powerful aid to its practical promo
ton. This state. particularly the western
bird of it, is vitality concerned In this
matter, and whatever aid YOU can render
cause, either directly through state legis-
lation or Indirectly by influence upon con
should be promptly rendered.
STATE PRINTING.
\ reform has long been needed in ref
erence to the commercial printing done
for this state. l was imbued with this
conviction during my first legislative eX-
perience 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 use
less stun printed at state expense only
to find an ultimate sepulcher in the base
cles for useless matter. At the last cleo
ton an amendment to the constitution
was overwhelmingly adopted making the
office OF state printer elective by the
people--e measure that should have been
adopted years ago. There is some doubt
to the time when this amendment
will become operative. My opinion is that
the tenure of office of the present state
printer will expire at the expiration of
the term IOr winch he was electeQ, ana
that upon YOU will devolve the election
of q state printer. [ believe 1t would be
a good policy for the state to purchase
a printing plant and put a manager over
it upon a reasonable salary. 1 think
the value of such a plant could be saved
to the state in short time.
TRAVELLING PUBLIC LIBRARIES.
Among the most valuable. though
agencies in this state are the travelling
public libraries. 1t may not be generally
known that there is in existence a dis
tinct department of state devoted to the
circulation of good books from the state
library. The work is superintendent by a
commission composed of five self-sacri-
without remuneration, namely: Mr.. Jas.
l. King, Mrs. Cora G. Lewis. Mrs. Lucy
I9h9isSn NH ENfw ys Te Wildsr Mr. H.
trout as secretary. who has salary. The
commission is circulating over 1900 books
among their readers throughout the
state. These same excellent women
wish to supplement this work by the
circula ton of two Art Galleries of 100
require an additional appropriation of
perhaps $5O0-a very modest request
for so good a cause.
STATE FISHERY.
The last legislature established a state
fishery near the town of Pratt, in Pratt
county, and made Il small appropriation
to fnaugurate that important enterprise.
[ have recently made personal investi-
.
which Is meager in extent, but great in
possibility. The state owns Il acres of
land through which flows the Minnesota
river, small, but beautiful overflowing
stream of pure water. a pond covering
several acres has been made and supplied
with water by windmill. The conditions
other ponds on the states premises, and
all of them can easily be supplied through
pipes comparatively short distance
above. In a word, the natural conditions
are all favorable to a permanent and
valuable institution of this kind. Moth
ing has been done as yet toward the es-
adjustment of hatchery, for lack of
funds. This, of course, is the most i'm
portant feature of the new institution.
and If the plant is to be made of practi-
cal value an appropriation must be large
enough to furnish the necessary equip
ment FOR the propagation of fish and for
their distribution. 1 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 and
killing our game for market purposes is
and as a means to this reform I recon-
mend the enactment of a law imposing
heavy license upon nonresident sports
borders.
SCHOOL LANDS.
The attention of the legislature is par
ticularly called to matter of great i'm
portance concerning our school land pos
sessions. There are yet unsold school
lands apprQximating 100000 acres. To-
Gated chiefly in the western half of the
state. Under the law these lands are on
the market at the minimum price of S1.25
per acre. 1t is a matter of common no.
toriety that lands in that part of the
state we'll as in other sections of the
state have greatly enhanced in value
during the last four or five years, and
especially during the last two or three
advanced the price of their holdings
more than the entire amount at which
these school lands are held These
school lands should either be withdrawn
from the market or the price at-which
they will be sold increased commensu-
rate with the growth and development
of that country. believe 8. oooo geo can be