Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1905-01-12

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such compensation as you may decide.
constituted, removed as It would largely
be from fractional and partisan influences,
would command the respect OF the peo-
pie.
CONTROL OF EDUCATIONAL INsTI-
TUTI0NS.
I am strongly OF the opinion that one
board OF control for all the educational
Institutions would be a decided improve
OF regents for each. 1t would grea,
simplify matters and remove the riVaIr'
between the specific boards which charac-
terizes the present method OF manage
ment.
In the building of a state the work IS
always more or less crudely done. I'M
perfection is not fault-it Is natural
result Of conditions, First, the capitaai
then, as the needs of the people develop,
penal, reformatory, and eleemosynary
institutions are established. Every insti-
tuition thus added TO the system requires
the creation Of new board of manage
ment. or the enlargement of the duties
of some old board. 1t Is easy TO under-
stand under this process OF gradual de-
velopment how In the course of time the
management of these various ana varied
and In need of revision. Add to these
natural causes and effects the additional
defects in governmental AFFAIRS every
where the result Of political mismanaSe,
ment, In which useless offices are created
merely to crafty partisan or factional
interests and provide sinecures WIN
which to reward petty politicians. ana
you have the story of imperfection Whlch
characterizes the evolution OF every state.
Kansas has been no exception to this
rule, and our method of managing the
states institutions. while not so defective
as in some states, sadly needs complete
Overhaullng We now have nearly all the
institutions, In kind, We Will ever nave.
The work of the future will be chiefly
to enlarge these institutions as the
growth OF the state may demand and to
give them the best possible government I
The business interests should be man.
aged by men of business experience anu
capacity, while the. professional interests
should be managed by those who nave
given study to this phase of their char
acter. There should be business board
and a professional board having charge
respectively, Of these diverse interests.
on the commercial side let me call your
attention, for instance, to what seems to
be gigantic defect in the business man
agement Of these institutions: take the
management Of what In plain parlanee
The managers of these institutions, dis
burse nearly one-half of all the ordinary
appropriations made by the legislaatunToee'
aggregating. l believe, about N,OOOOo'
The board has no office and no common common
place of keeping records. Its members
are not required by law to give all their
time to the state but are permitted TO
divide their time between their oHIclai
and private duties. AS matter OF fact,
believe, they give an ineoi,nsi Gn,a,On
/ insist that the state should have
great business office in the state house
In which a complete record OF all the
business transactions with all the institu.
tions Of this state should be kept. so that
any one in authority, or private clu-
zen, might easily ascertain at any time
what 1t costs to conduct any OF the IN
situations of this state. or. what a par
ticuIar article purchased by the state
and paid for with the states money:
costs. The publicity to which this would
be equivalent would be a great check
upon extravaganza and mismanagement'
MISCELLANEOUS APPROPRIATIONS.
At the last election an amendment to
the constitution was adopted authorlz-
ing the governor to strike out any ap-
preparation without invalidating the
whole bill in which 1t was included. For
pass what is known as the miscellaneous
appropriation bill early In the session. to
give the governor time to scrutinize It's
various items. II the necessity for other
thew can be included in a supplemental
bill near the close of the session.
A great opportunity is yours. gentle;
men-an opportunity to initiate needea
rigid economy consistent with the proper
care OF the state institutions; to relieve.
as far as possible. the taxpayers nj the
state, to prove that political promises
are as sacred as personal contracts and
in every possible way to honor the pe3-
Die who have honored you. Your posi-
ton is a peculiar one: of no legislature
have the people expected more than they
expect of you, and am sure YOU VIII
not dIsappoint them. Wishing you a
pleasant and profitable session, promise
'Ou 'O'O'~' e. W. HoCH.
Circuit Attorney oayer, VINO succeeu-
ed Joseph w. Folk in st. Louis, has
begun a relentless warfare on gam
hlAra