Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-10-14
sTUBBs AND aBUsINRss.e

following cutting remarks showing
how Senator Curtis forced Governor
stubbs to get busy with his extra
employees:
It has been announced from the
governors office that telegram was
sent to the penitentiary board i'm
structing them to cut the number Of
employees at the prison as low as pos
sible consistent with good discipline
and management. In connection
with this announcement 1t 10 stated
that this movement is directly in line
with the governors long ago ex-
pressed intention that no man should
work for the state that was not CIV
ing dollars worth of work for a
dollar.
The governor has preached from
the text Of business administration
ever since he entered his ONCE last
January. He has had control OF the
penitentiary for nine months. There
we're 101 employees on the prison
payroll to look after 1900 conyicts
when Governor Stubs took charge.
Then the five hundFed Oklahoma
prisoners were returned to that state
leaving only about seven hundred
prisoners at Lansing, yet the months
rolled by, the old Hoch warden was
removed and a new one appointed
and the payroll remained tn same.
Governor Hoch had 105 employees
at the prison to look after 1900
convicts, mad under the business adj
ministration of Governor Stubbs 1t
required 1O1 employees to look after
about $50 prisoners.
No change, was ordered made nor
even suggestion advanced during
period of about six months Of this
state of affairs until last week Sen
ator Curtis gave the facts and figures
of conditions at the penitentiary, and
then Immediately following that
broadslde the governor wires the
penitentiary board to cut the force
at Lansing. And his organ declares
that this act was in line with his
expressed policy. 1t was a belated
policy, prOdded into action by the
shafts of the chief Of the Shawnees.
The man who talks much, from
him much is expected. The COVER
nor will talk loudly and often about
reform and business administration
SO It is only natural that criticism
should arise quicker and sharper
than If he had held his tongue. until
he had acted.
Personally, the governor Is q de-
IIightful man; he has force of char
acter and many attributes to be adj
Imired, but politically he plays too
much to the grandstand. To meet
\ him and talk with him one would not
suspect this failing. The governor
has not an ounce Of personal egotism
but he has ton Of 1t in political
way. May be he cannot help It,
May be this is the only method OF
preaching a reform crusade.
| II the governor had merely an
nounced the cut of the prison pay
roll and let it go at that, no criti-
cism, but rather praise should have
been his portion, but he had to refer
Iagain to that threadbare expression
of a dollars worth of work for a
dollars pay" etc., and this is the
only business administration in cap
tivity. Then naturally thoughts
arise of how Governor Hoch, with
out these business pretentions, cared
for 1900 convicts with the same en-
ployes that Governor Stubs pays
caring for $50 employees. And at
the federal prison 1910 prisoners
are cared for by 81 employees. Then
again as capsheaf to all this talk
of a business administration, there
are a hundred more employees on the
state payroIls now than there we're a
year ago under the rule Of the simple
and unbusIness-like Marion editor
The man who stands on an emil
nence and raises his voice in thun-
der tones always attracts attention
and he has followers who are blind
ed by the light of his greatness, but
when his foot slips there are also
many to see him and he has only him
self to blame II he is target for
many lances. The higher they stand
the greater they fall.