The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-03-01
IN A LUMP SUM.
Senate Ways and Means Com :
mittee Springs an Innovation.
Would Give Board OF Control
Money for Charities.
STARTS EXCITEMENT.
Senator Getty Thinks Gives
Board Too Much Power.
Demand That a Bill Embodying
Reform Be introduced.

/ An explosion occurred in the Kan
sas senate late Thursday night, when
some of the members discovered that
the ways and means committee was
about to report a bill which would do
away with the present system of
| handouts" to the private charities
such as hospitals, orphan asylums, and
refuge homes of various kinds.
1t is the plan of the committee on
ways and means to place in the hands
| of the state board of control lump
| sum of about $4,000 to be distributed
among the private charities during the
| ensuing two years as the board of con-
troll may direct.
Apparently the ways and means
| committee was saving this as q pleas
ant surprise for the members on the
last days OF the session, but Senator
EGetty found out that the committee
was contemp plating this radical change,
and he dragged the matter out upon
the floor of the senate for a general
overhauling.
II understand" he said. "that it is
to be left to the discretion of the
board of control to apportion this
| money to such charitable institutions
as the board sees fit 1 serve notice on
! the ways and means committee right
mere and now that if they present
such bill to this senate 1 will fight it.
L haven't much use for the board of
control, anyway. I don't believe in
giving it this power. For years and
years the legislature has decided how
much should be given to each of these
| institutions. and everybody supposed
the same, custom would prevail this
year. went to the chairman of the
ways and means committee and asked
him if it would be necessary to intro
duce special bills for these institutions
that receive aid at Kansas City. He
said the committee would look out for
them. I feel now as though I had
been up against some sort of a game:
don't object to having the board of
control investigate these institutions.
to see that they are really doing char
ity work, and are entitled to state aid.
but I certainly do object to leaving it
to this board to decide how much
each institution shall GET
Chairman Miller of the ways and
means committee did not go into
many details about the character of
the bill. but he said that it would be
presented as soon as completed.
THE board. of control" said Mr..
Miller, "has advised with us about the
amount of the appropriations for all
the state institutions. We thought it
no more than right that the board
should also determine how much aid
shall be given to the private charities.
We can't investigate all of these in
stftutions, and the last session of the
legislature made 1t the duty of the
board of control to investigate them
and receive regular reports from
them. The board of control is in
position to know what these institu-
for the support of such private chari-
ties is $4,000 larger than the total ap-
preparations were two years ago. We
believe that there are a good many
worthy institutions which have not re-
eeived aid which ought to be aided,
and many of these are in the western
portion of the state.''
Senator 1. d. Young defended the
action of the ways and means commit
tee. He said that the committee was
adopting the safe and proper course
in leaving the distribution of the mon-
ey wholly to the state board of control.
Senator Stewart of Sedgwick county
sided with Senator Getty and thought
that the ways and means committee
should refrain from innovations.
''I understand" said Senator Get
ty, that this bill has been prepared
and is ready for Introduction. Why
waiting until just the last minute,
when the rush OF bills comes over
from the house? =? I move that the ways
and means committee be requested to
report this bill at once
I'VE are going to report the bill as
soon as it is completed" said Senator
Miller somewhat tartly. I'VE expect |
to do that whether this motion pre-
walls or not. The ways and means
committee has been working hard, and |
it puts in all the time it can get away |
from the session of this senate. The |
bill is not completed, but it will be |
offered as soon as ready.
The senators were apparently a lit
tie shy of the whole proposition, for |
when the vote was taken, it carried |
by vote of six to three, about thirty |
senator's not voting. . |
The following is a list of the private |
charities in the state which received |
aid from the last session of the legis- |
lature:
Parsons home for friend1ess S LOGO |
Mercy hospital, Fort Scott. 49,. 1000 |
Kansas Protective home, Leaven-
worth ........... ............. 1000 |
Wichita hospital ..-....--......... 1000 |
Topeka Orphans home me........ 1000 |
St. Margarets hospital. 1000 |
Childrens Home, Kansas City,. 1000 |
St. Vincent's Orphans asylum
Leavenworth -. ........... 1000 |
Pittsburg city hospital 1000 |
Bethany hospital, Kansas City,. 1000 |
Guardian Angels home, Leaven-
worth ...... ........... 400 |
Wichita Children's home. .-...... 1000 |
Orphans home, Pottawatomie
county ......-.-.. .........-... 400 |
Crittenton home. Topeka. 1000 |
Douglas hospital. Kansas City. 600 |
Home for Friendless. Hillsboro. 700 |
Wichita Rescue home. 700 |
Home for Friendless. Leaven-
worth 800 |
st. Joseph's hospital. Concordia.. 1000 |
St. Joseph's orphan asylum, Wich-
Clay Center hospital. ...........-.. 1000 |
St. Marys hospital. .............. LOCO |
worth -. .................. 1000
St. Frances hospital Wichita. 1000 |
St. Johns hospital, Leavenworth. 400 |
Total ....... sz1. 400
Money for the Topeka Asylum.
The senate on Thursday night passed
the hill annronriafine money for the