The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-08

| the Importance of these Recommended
tions would be at once apparent
Labor Bureau. M
| The work of the bureau of labor and
| industry and factory inspection has
been largely augmented by recent sta
| tutory enactmentS as well as by the
growth of the state in popuIation and
| in material interests. These condl11ons
have put an amount of additional labor
upon Labor Commissioner W. L. A
power adequately to perform Mr:
Johnson asks for additional help, ana
he should have it.
Our Museum.
Prof. Bernard B. Smyth, curator OF
the state natural history museum, asks
for a small appropriation for his depart
ment, and should have it. The collec-
ton of birds, animals, insects, ETC., un-
der his charge is rare and valuable
one and the small amount of money
he asks to enable him to add to TINS
splendid collection should be given MIN
for this purpose.
Circulating Library.
In my last message 1 called atten-
ton to the value of the Kansas traV-
cling libraries. This good work mas
been extended by providing small IL
braries for school districts, study clubs,
literary organizations, and other So
cieties throughout the state. This sys-
State Federation of Women's clubs,
and has accomplished much good by
stimulating the reading taste and
creating a sentiment for building up
local libraries. 1t is the purpose OF
the directors of the state library to ask
you to make special appropriation for
completing the catalogue of the mis-
cellaneous department of the library,
in order that the contents Thereon may
become more fully known to the peo-
Ma Of -f1 70 M
use of the books promoted, even to the
extent of permitting citizens living In
localities remote from the capital to
withdraw books from the state library
lations, of course, for their care and
return. In this connection l want to
call your attention to another PROPOSE
ton which will be made to you by the
State Federation of Women's clubs.
They desire to turn over to the state
their fine collection of pictures, known
az the Kate Arlington travelling art
gallery, in honor of Mrs. Kate APP
lington of Council Grove, who has
done a great work in collecting and
of this meets with my approval and
should meet with yours.
Flowers.
The state spends annually many
hundreds of dollars to ornament the
state house grounds in summer with
flowers and ornamental shrubs, and
still it must be confessed that the dis
play has not been remarkable for its
artistic skill or superlative beauty. The
same expenditure of money, or even
less if more wisely expended, would in
a few years result in a much more
ereditable display. I suggest that the
greenhouses at the state hospital for
the insane and at the industrial school
for boys be increased in capacity. and
that a professional florist be employed
to have charge of both of these green
houses, and of the ornamentation or
the lawns of these institutions and of
the state house grounds and of the
governors residence premises. I be-
lieve all this can be done at much less
expense and with much more crafty
ing results than under the present
method.
Those Corridors.
Every patriotic Kansan is pardonably
proud of the state house. In architec-
internal arrangement and in all-round-
excellence it has few equals among the
state houses of the nation G sc ent S
it has an equal in the United States. In
deed it is superior h in all these respects ecss
several times as much. All this is credit
able alike to the artistic taste of its oTigi--
nal projectors and of the integrity OF ITS
successive builders. But it is a pity that
in the construction of. it's wings the first
to the city the east wing is the most
prominent, but it is the least attractive
because it was first built. Ultimately the
state should remedy this external defect,
but for the present 1 only recommend
that the corridors of the. east wing be
made to harmonic with those of the
other wings. These corridors are seen by
more people than are the others and give
visitors a false first impression of our
great state house. I recommend the re-
of these corridors.
The BattleshiD KANSAS
The last legislature made an appropria-
ton of 5000 for the purchase of a silver
service to be presented to the officers and
crew of the great battleship then under
process of construction, in recognition of
the honor conferred upon the state in
naming it Kansas" had the honor
and pleasure, as did my official staff and
other Kansas friends, of Witnessing the
launching of this great battleship in the
yards of it's builders, the New York Ship
building company, at Camden, N. j., a
year ago last August. The ship is now
and is one of the finest in the 4
American navy. Competitive bids for the
silver service resulted in a lively contest,
and in the submission of many beautiful
designs from which to select. The con-
tract was finally awarded to Mr.. Edward
Vail of Wichita, and the service is GER
tainly- a beautiful and creditable one. It
consists of thirty-five pieces, literally
adorned with Kansas scenes and sun
flowers, and is now. on exhibition in the
governors office. have initiated a
to have the ship sent to Gal
weston harbor for the presentation cere-