The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-24
Bill Proposing a Start Intro
duced i'm House.
First Step Toward Complete
Reform of System.
ONLY OUT FOR CAUSE.
That Is Provision to Govern
Employees.
Proposed to Take School Lands
Of Market.

A mild form of civil service reform il
the state Institutions is proposed III {
measure introduced into the house o
representatives Monday afternoon by {
e. Kirkland, Of Saline.
Under the proposed law, which is very
brief, and which. Mr.. Kirkland says, Is
only the first step toward a complete
system of civil service in state affairs
the various boards in charge of state
institutions are instructed to draw up &
sort of civil service examination. which
all applicants for positions must tax.
and pass before being eligible for APP
pointment. The bill also says:
mo person shall be removed from his
or her position except for cause, the
charges with regard thereto to be made
in writing. The person against whom
such charges are made shall be entitled
to reasonable notice of the time and
place of such hearing"
The proposed law is made to apply to
the state insane asylums, penitentiary,
reform schools and charitable institu-
tons It does not interfere with the
present method of appointing the off,
Gals of the institutions.
Kirtland's bill has been referred to
the committee on charitable institu-
lions.
IF the state school lands had never
been placed on the market but had been
held by the state and rented" says A.
6. Mead OF Mitchell. W would now
have enough income from these lands
to pay all the running expenses of the
state educational Institutions"
Acting apo the theory that it is
better late than never Mr.. Mead has
introduced a bill taking all the school
lands off the market, and putting them
on a rental basis for the benefit of the
chool fund. Mr.. Mead thinks that the
income from the school lands will even
at the present time amount to a consid-
cradle sum-. Mr.. Mead's bill is as fol-
lows:
Section L All lands granted by the
congress Of the United States for school
purposes. known as section Is (sixteen)
and So C~thirty-six), together with all
such lands, as have been granted in
lieE of said sections now unsold are
withdrawn from sale and shall not be
sold.
"sec. 2. All of said schoo ands re-
1erred to in section 1 of this act shall
be leased as other lands belonging to
individuals are leased and the rentals
except as hereinafter provided shall on
the first day of January, of each year,
be paid into the county treasurer for the
benefit OF the omnon school fund of
h state of Kansas
Sec. 8. The county clerk and the
county treasurer of the various counties
of the state of Kansas. having unSold
school lands, shall rent said lands, and
collect the rents thereof, for the use and
benefit of the common school fund of
the state of Kansas
Sec T. The county clerk and the
county treasurer shall each be en-
titled to retain as compensation for
renting said school lands and collect
ing said rents, five per cent of the sum
total Of rents.
'Sec 3. All laws and parts of laws
in conflict with the provisions of this
act are hereby repealed, especially sec
ton 6338 of the general statutes of
the state Of Kansas of 1901, provid-
ing that this act shall not effect exist
ing contracts for the sale of school
lands"
w. P. Hackney of CowIey county
wants to get the legislature to authorize
his town of Winfield to issue $4,000
worth Of bonds with which to erect a
Siverd. c. S. BeekInan of Arkansas
City, Cowley county, thought it would
never do to let Winfield get the start
of his town in that way,so he combined
introduced a bill authorizing each town
to vote 5000 in bonds to erect a statue.
Beekman is not particular what sort
OF a statue he gets; he leaves 1t entirely
20 the local G. A. r.. post to select the
model
capt. Hugh H. Siverd was a civil war
hero. and was murdered some time ago
while discharging his duties as city
A@-2A-- ~ " AAA1A- ~ AE0 q AAEAL ]
friend of Mr.. Hackney's.
The quee patr of the proceeding is
that the bill should be ~roduc as
the joint work of two members of the
legislature.
Another state board is in sight. This
makes about six new ones which have /
been proposed so far. The latest recruit
IS q board to xamine and license the
brick and stone masOnS who build
chimneys. The bill is introduced by z. ,
C. Young Of Wilson count but Mr..
Young was careful to nave it stated
that he did it by request. Under the
terms of the bill. the governor viii ap-
point a board of three masons. who
shall have had not less h 10 years
experience in the business. They will
issue licenses to all masons who can
pass the examination, and pay a license
mason to build a chimney will be sub
5ect to a heavy fine Incidentally, the
members OF the board will get 50 a day
and their travelling expenses.
J. T. Tredway Of Allen a
bunch Of horticultural society bills
Monday. One was to pay the secretary
OF the society, w. H. Barnes, his ex-
penses to the national hortieulturists
convention, a bill which the state au-
ditor refused to allow. Another bill ap-
p~ropriates $500 to fix up the horticul-
tural society rooms with new cases and
shelves.
Mrs. I. Josephine Ritchey and Mrs.
Ella A. McNutt, of Leavenworth, have
asked the state TO appropriate $3.50
to pay them for $4,000 tons of coal
which they claim the state has taken
from under their property
J. W. Bergman has proposed a
good law. It requires that when a
railroad company confscates coal, or
1~x- 04h1r ~ar1ho hfSa ft Chon not