Free press., 1907-01-12


periodical examinations or banks and /
protection against unSound banking i
AlellOuS SHotiu supplement the enact !
a1ent These ADDITIONAL safeguards az c
needed anyhow.
The report from Mr.. John B. Baker.
livestock SanIUary commissioner. Is n !
spiendgG vinolcaJion or the wisdom or |!
the act Of the last legislature in chang
ing from board OF three members TO !
livestock sanitary interests OF the
state. 1t only remains for this lesisla-
llent De conIInued.
The wise and necessary laws provid-
ing Tor the inspection and weighing of |
grain have been vigorously attacked in
the courts by interests antagonistic, I
think, 10 the interests of Kansas pro-
ducers and shippers me chlei grain m
his contingent fund in defending these
enactmcnts, and called upon 1or ad
ditlonat financial assistance, which ]
promptly rendered out OF my own con-
tinSent eund. This litigation has 6e-
Veloped some weaknesses in the law,
Wmch Eon VIII be asked to strengthen.
which L am sure you will gladly DO.
invite careful consideration of Doctor
Crumbine's report and of his wise sug-
ommendatiOn for revision of our pure
food laws along the line of the new
The great white plague" consunp
Kon claimed In LOG yeaT&G & lso veins IN, IN
OF the state board of health for the
establishment of u tuberculosis sanitar-
ium is worthy of yoGr most serious at
The fish and game law enacted by
the last legislature is working admir-
ably. L commend to your most favor
able consideration the recommends tiOns
| OF the nsh-warden, Mr. ID. Travis
When 1 came into office two years
| ago l was confronted with the duty
! OF continuing an examination of the
| state treasury already begun, growing
! out of charges of Irregularities in that
| department OF state. The legislature
| appropriated SI5,GOo for this investigation.
at once appointed high-class adVis-
! ory committee To assist me in this deli
I cate and difficult task consisting of Judge
| A. w Benson, Judge AnSel r. Clark, and
| eX-State Treasurer S. T. Howe. With
! the aid of these gentlemen, L selecA6
the WeIl-knoWn accounting firm of Has
kins & Sells to make the investigation.
and wit:l them also formulated Ihe in
! StructlonS for the investigation. The T.
| port showed an amount aggregating $7S.-
! 0GO which needed explanation. Every
one familiar with the facts knew that
| there was such real shortage. The
/ total sum included about $4,000 interest
on what are known as Oklahoma war
rants, which the Shawnee county DIS
! tr1ct court as soon as as the question
| reached that tribunal. decided was not
| amount, as every one knew. involved
what are known as clipped coupons
In harmony with my instructions. the
! attorney-general brought suit against
! the present state treasurer for the
! amount covered by his term of office.
/ and, after a lengthy trial, the court de-
| cided that the state had no case against
The treasurer, Mr.. T T. Kelly The
| greater part of the unexplained amount
| was incurred during the adminiStra ton
! of Mr.. Kelly's predecessor. Mr.. Frank
E Grimes. and that gentleman promptly
| paid into the treasury 50, ,3Sl "a.
| The investigation; further valu-
| able in revealing the imperfection of the
! system of bookkeeping which has long
| been in vogue in the business depart
ments of the state government. EX-
perts have since been at work perfect
ing plan for the permanent improve
| nf VTh will no
submitted for your approval, and which
| trust Will be given.
! the status of this whole treasurers bond
matter. Placing the fixing of the
! amount OF the bohd upon the governor is,
in ny Judgment, an unwise provision.
| If monthly examinations of the state
| treasury are wise and necessary, they
should be made by experts who have
! both the peculiar qualification and time
| to make them efficient. 1t seems to
me that quarterly examinations made
| sistants, would vitaliZe such examina-
| tions and make them of practical value.
| Mr.. luIing, commissioner of insurance,
| renews some former recommendations,
| which heartily commend to Your
! SideratiOn. Among these l especially
mention the creation of the office 0r
| fire marshal and law providing for
| the publication in certain state papers
! periodically of a list of companies au-
| thorized % do business in this state.
The work of the Bureau Of Labor and
| Industry and Factory Inspection has been
| largely augmented by recent statutory
enactments as wen as by the growth of
| the state in population and in material
| interests. These conditions have put an
| amount of additional labor upon Labor
| Commissioner w. J.. a. Johnson and his
| assistants beyond their power adequate
! ~ to perform. Mr. johnson asks for ad-
| ditionaI help and ne should have it,
The last legislature made appro-
| priation of 5000 for the purchase of a
| silver service to be presented to the
Officers and crew of the great battle
ship then under process of construction,
| in recognition of the honor conferred
upon the state in naming it Kansas
have initiated Il movement to have
| the ship sent 10 Galveston harl,0r for
| confident the president and secretary
of the navy will grant the request. The
ceremonies will probably occur early
| The law enacted by the last Iegisla-
ture providing for the establishment of
| state and county repositories is yield
ing great deal of interest from pub
lie funds for the benefit of the people.
! 1 wish to reaffirm the opinion in my
| last biennial message, that the three
| state educational institutions should be
| regents instead Of separate board for
| each.
The institution for the reformation of
! Juvenile offenders is doing fine work
! which L am sure you viii gladly grant
il.
| Kansas has the greatest experimental
| farm in the world. The regents wish
inestimable value, and / trust you will
respond literally to their requests.
Acknowledgement j. w. L. Hughes and
| his able assistants have revOlutioniZed d
the affairs of this important depart
ment. They have brought order out of
chaos The department was never in
| Hughes recommendations and requests
| should command approval,