The Topeka state journal., 1909-02-06
Cunningham Objects to Having
Paid Librarian.
<. u. MAN IN CHARGE.
And All Without Cost to the
State.
One of the Party Pledges to Be
Redeemed.

|
establishment of a legislative library
of reference as a part of the state
library and designed as an aid for the
legislators, came before the house
Friday evening in committee of the
whole However, so much opposition
developed against certain sections of
| the bill that when the house ad-
| journed at o'clock the first section
had not been disposed of. This bill
occupied the attention of the house
| in committee of the whole most of
| the time during today's sessions.
! 1t is an administration measure and
| is calculated to redeem one of the
! party pledges.
Nebraska. Iowa. Michigan, Wis
| consin and New York all maintain
| legislative reference libraries, it is
| said with great benefit to their legis-
| latures and the state at large.
Cunningham of Cowley took the
| floor against that section Of the bill
which provided that the directors of
the state library are authorized to es-
tablish and maintain the new depart
ment created by the Dolley bill. Cum
| ningham moved to amend this section
by placing the new library under the
control of the board of regents of the
State university. He wanted to dis
pense with the services and $4,000 of
librarian provided for in the bill.
His idea was to follow the Wisconsin
plan and have a professor for the
university to take care of the library
free of charge to the state, and he
read long communication from
K. L. professor who had been sent
to Wisconsin by Chancellor Strong to
investigate conditions up there and
the workings of the plan which had
been in force since 1901.
The report of the K. L. man endors-
ed the reported success and benefits
of the legislative reference library,
but it also supported Cunningham s
plea of doing away with the office OF
a paid librarian and have a State uni
versity professor conduct the library
as is done in Wisconsin.
Cranston of Labette and Stone of
Shawnee spoke for the bill as origin
ally drawn. Stone and Cunningham
had a sharp passage at arms over the
librarian matter and the man from
CowIey referred to an alleged parti-
cular interest the Shawnee man had
in securing a place in this new com
mission "for a lawyer who could not
make living in any other way"
Brown of Kingman was opposed to
the bill in general on the grounds that
it incurred a great and useless ex-
pense on the state for the purpose of
creating still more of the endless ar
ray of political Jobs for hungry Re
publican office seekers.
The bill carries with it a mainten-
ance appropriation of about $6,500
per year
New Bills in House.
The following bills were introduced
H. B. No. SIS. By Merrill-An act
to amend section 3072. general
statutes for 1901.
H. B. No. 677. By Haskin-An act
making an appropriation to VIM.
Ochlert.
H B. No SIS. BY Flanigan-An act
appropriating to the county commits
sioners of Decatur county $500 in
trust, to erect a monument to citi-
zens killed in said county in raid of
Cheyenne Indians in September, 1873.
H B. No. 679. BY Howard (By re-
quest)-An act relating to taxation.
H. B. No. $50. BY Feder-An act
authorizing the board of regents of
certain printing and binding.
H. 3. No. 6s1. BY Morrfs-An act
to collect registration fees or mort
cages.
II. n. No. 6s2. By Banker (By re-
quest)-An act to provide for draw
ing additional jurors for court.
H. B. No. 6S3.-By Banker (By re-
auest)-An act providing for pay
ment by the state of fees and ex-
penses of sheriffs and guards in con-
veying prisoners and patients to state
institutions.
II. B. No. 6S4. BY Imel-An act to
authorize the commissioners of coun-
ties having a population over ten
thousand to levy special tax for the
erection of a court house and Jail.
H B. No. 685. BY Stone of Shaw
nee (By request)-An act providing
for increase of capital stock of build
ing and loan associations.
H B. No. 6S6. BY Stone of Shaw
nee-An act providing a remedy for
holders of tax deeds.
H B. No. 6S7. BY Dennis-An act
making appropriation to Peter De-
Beer for school land sold by the state
and to which it had no title.
H. B. No. 6S9. BY Haskin-An act
appropriating money for the improve
ment of State street, Olathe.
Hodgeman-An act providing for the
encouragement of building reservoirs.
H. B. No. $50. BY Cranston-An
act regulating the assignment of
wages.
H r. No 691 BY Cranston-An act
providing for the inspection of plans
and specifications and buildings in
cities of the first and second class.
H B. No. 692. BY Davis of Bour-
8. chapter 273. session laws of 1907. |
H. B. No. 693. BY Davis of Bour-
bon--An act relating to the in
spection of oils.
IL B. No. 694. BY Committee on
Education-An act providing for state
and county aid for school districts.
H b No. 695. BY Committee on
normal training in certain high
schools and academies.
License Advocates to Hold Conventions
Louisville, KY. Feb. 6.-The Nation
al Model License league, an organiza-
ton of liquor interests and collateral
trades. is planning to hold a series of