Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1909-01-22
Kansas SOlOnS Get
tng Down TO Busi-
ness, This Week -.
Each With a Host of
Pet Measures 80.

to select plates, copyrights, etc.,
for an entire common school text
book series. The sum of $780,
600 is appropriated out of the
state treasury for the purchase
of a site and the erection of a
suitable building additional to
the state printing plant and for
acquiring the necessary type, ma
chinery and other equipment for
the school text book printing
and which plant shall also be un-
der supervision of the state print
er. Fifty thousand dollars is ap-
prOpriated by the bill to pay
authors, artists, cOmpilers, stem
ographers and other needed en-
ployes and to purchase plates,
cOpyrlghtS, &c.
The bill provides for the ap-
pOintment of a secretary to the
commission at a salary of $4,000
year. The secretary's term of
office is fixed at four years, and
the sum of $500 is apprOpriat-
ed for office expenses, such as
postage, freight on books, cleri-
cal hire and other expenses.
While the bill does not pre-
scribe that the text books shall
be furnished free to pupils, yet
it provides that the state shall
make the books and sell them at
cost, delivered to the counties or
school districts and a majority Of
the electors of the school district
and cities may vote to furnish
them free to the pupils in their
respective schools. Provision is
also made for the designation of
act for the distribution and sale
of the states text books in the
various school districts, but the
agent shall not be- permittedtO
.chargemore than Is per cent com
mission above the cost price.
Senator c. A. Stananrd Of Ly-
on county has a plan to establish
a legislative reference library in
connection with the state library.
The Lyon senator introduced
a bill appropriating money to es-
tablish this department.
In this library, Senator STAN
nard proposes to have on file the
laws Of this nation and others,
bills that have been introduced at
former sessions of the Legisla-
ture, and reference books that WI
be of assistance to the leglsla-
tors in preparing new measures.
This department would be plac-
ed under the control Of the d.
rectors of the state library.
The bill further proposes to
have a librarian at the head OF
this department who knows how
to draft bills and who would helI
the legislators in this work. His
salary is fixed at $500 a year.
! In this department would also
be kept reference books relating
to present day questions and mat
tiers which have been legislated
upon in recent years.
! One of the most interesting
bills introduced in the senate was
that providing for a commission
form of government for cities Of
the second class in the state. pre-
sented by Senator Brady of
Douglas county. This bill speci-
fies that the governing power Of
second class cities shall be vest
ed in a board of three commission
ers, consisting of a mayor, and
two commissioners, who shall be
elected by the voters Of the city.
The commissioners shall also act
as a board of education. City
elections shall take place the frs
Tuesday in April. At the first
election the mayor is to be elect
ed for one year and the two asso
ciate commissioners for a term o
two years: afterwards one COM
missioner shall be elected each
year for a term Of three years.
Each Of the commissioners elect
ed must have been a resident of
the city for at least two years pr
viOusly. .-.
Under the provisions of the bil
the salary Of the mayor and com
missioners varies according to
the size of cities. In cities Of
from 1000 to 5000 population tt
mayor shall receive $500 per yea
and each commissioner $3.50. Tn,
scale of compensation increases