The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-02
One Providing for State Publ
cation of Text Books.
Calls for appointment of State
Book Commission.
COVERS ALL DETAILS.
Tell just What Steps Must Be
Taken.
Gossip Among the Politicians
and Office Holders.

An act creating a state school book
commission with power to acquire by
| purchase or by condemnation pro-
ceedings the ground necessary on
which to erect building or buildings
additional to the present state printing
| plant, to purchase necessary machin-
cry, type and other printing and bind
ing materials to print and bind school
! books, to procure copyrights for same,
CT to contract for the right to publish
said school books on a royalty basis,
and to provide for the preparation,
publication, purchase, sale and distri-
! button of q state series of school books
| at cost, making appropriation there
| Tor, and repeating all laws inconsistent
| or IN conflict herewith, is the text of
bill already prepared and it is endors-
ed by State Printer McNeal and will be
introduced in the next legislature by
Robt. E. Stone of Shawnee county.
The bill provides for the appoint
ment of q state school book commits
sion by the governor to be composed
of the state Superint endent of public
instruction, state printer and president
of the State Normal and three other
persons. This commission shall serve
| for four years at salary of eight dol
lars per day and transporta, ion ex-
penses. The state superintendent shall
| be chairman of the commission and
secretary shall be appointed who will
maintain an office in the state capitol
and devote all his attention to the
work.
The series of books to be printed
or furnished by the state shall consist
of at least one spelling book; one
primer; one each, first second, third,
tary and advanced written arith-
| metic; one oral arithmetic; one ele-
ments of algebra; one each elementary
and advanced geography; one ele-
DhVSiC9I r
elementary and advanced English
grammar: one each elementary and
/ advanced physiology and hygiene; one
each elementary and advanced history
| of the United States; one history. con-
! stitution and civil government of the
I state OF Kansas; one civil government
and constitution of the United States;
| one elements of agriculture and stock
! raising; one elements of physics; one
system of penmanshiP; one system of
/ bookkeeping; masterpieces of Ameri-
| can and English literature for the
| fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grades
! and such other books as shall be
1 deemed necessary for all grades below
/ the high school.
/ teal system of securing and printing
/ and furnishing the books and courts
| publicity in all its phases and the
| closing section, one of the most i'm
| portant in the measure provides that
| the state shall be partitioned into
school districts and these districts
! themselves may decide by vote wheth-
er they shall buy the books from the
state school book commission and then
sell them by authorized agents to the
pupils at stipulated prices or furnish
them free.
The bill has been drawn with pains
taking care and covers every detail of
the question of free school books. 1t
tappears practical on it's surface wheth-
er studied by friend or opponent.
During the speaking programme that
followed the Saturday Night club ban
quet New Years eve, Senator Long,
who made the closing speech. referred
to the early days of the organization
when it indulged exclusively in intel
lectual pursuits and was not so danger
Gus as it is now to politician who
might be enrolled in its membership.
He declared that at the first club ban
quet each member chipped in a quarter
and that bologna sausage formed the
principal part of the menu
The speaker then declared that there
were three reasons for his retirement
to private life and Tom 1McNeal, who
was listening earnestly, interrupted to
state that he knew one of these reasons
The senator eyed the state printers
shining scalp like a panther about to
leap, but went on with his speech He
said that he first studied law in George
Peck's office and had been branded as
a railroad attorney and hireling ever
since, and for no other reason. He said
further that it was twenty-five years
ago that he was also contaminated by
his acquaintance with the present state
printer of Kansas and went on to tell
of the humiliations and reverSeS he had
suffered on account of that friendship.
McNeal interrupted TO declare he was
ashamed of the intimacy himself.
But retorted the senator. that
friendship has brought you honors and
success while it has wrecked my politi-
cal craft. You have been successfully,
secretary to a Kansas governor editor
for- 7n CT 0rf on
third term as state printer, but 1t is
true that you had no opponent at the
polls last November and it is also true
that you turn over the difficult work of
YOUR office to interiors While you reap
the profit and glory. Now a United
States senator cannot turn his work
over to others; he must do 1T himself"
McNeal as usual, got the last word
by declaring that if the Kansas delega-
tion in Washington would follow the
Kansas state printers example anG
turn some of their more important
d11ties- over to their secretaries and
clerks that the Sunhower state would
make a better showing in legislative al
fairs in the national capital. 1t was all
in fun, of course, and the incident was
greatly enjoyed
Dr Riddle, of the Topeka state hos
pital, will ask the next legislature for
500 900 appropriation on behalf of that
institution for new buildings. In ex-
planning the justice and necessity OF his
reauest DR.. BiddIe said:
.aThe state takes care of it's insane
and it should. but how much bet
ter it would be if we were equipped so
that as soon as a patient entered treat
n1ent to cure him might be begun and
he might avoid being thrown among
the older patients. It would prevent
much of the present day insanity. Just
now. however. We are not fixed to do
this And as a result we get only cases,
generally speaking, which relatives