The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-03-09
STOPS The TRAIN.
Senate Opens Throttle on the
Appropriation Bills.
Brady, of Douglas, Puts on the
Brakes.
BUILD 2 ROCK ROADS.
COnYicts to Be Used at Leaven-
worth aud Hutchinson.
DOlley Blue Sky Bill Owes Life
to Quincy.
BUILD 2 ROCK ROADS.

When the senate considered the gen.
eral appropriation bills Wednesday
afternoon. it insisted on attaching a
bunch of Christmas presents for en-
ployees who may cost the state sew
eral hundred dollars in addition to the
regular salary of So a day allowed
each employee. Even pious Democrats
and high minded reformers, who smell
pork barrel weeks before it is
opened, insisted on an opportunity of
giving away a chunk of the state S
money.
The trouble started when the senate
considered long list of general APP
preparation bills. The house had load
ed down number of claims for extra
work done by employees. None of the
senate servants had protested against
the smallness of their pay checks and
did not claim additional Ia BORN fact,
some of them had a hard time ascrib-
ing to their alleged services. Then Sen
ators Anderson and Potter, who are
always against any undue trif1ing with
state funds, presented a claim for $50
for extra work for the sergeant-at-
arms whose main source of labor has
been to cash his pay check. Coming
from a source of moral uplift, the SEN
ate did not question the account and it
went on the list. Then Hodges gave
the document clerks $3.50 each. and
Carey insisted the docket clerk should
have an additional $25. Avery put two
reading clerks on the list for $25 each
and Brewster registered a committee
clerk for an additional SIS. Then Mil
ton wanted the state to pay a little
extra for his clerk, who was dropped
from the payroll several days to the
Windward. Bender mentioned some
thing about revenue for his clerk, who
hasn't been on the job recently, but
did great work in his short stay in
the legislature.
Things were moving alonS in great
shape. Even the pages entertained
hopes of a patriot who would lavish
upon them check for extra work ="
Out in the cloak room the eight col
ored gentlemen who hang I'D the SEN
atorial tiles were aroused from their
slumbers and clamored for extra pay
for extra work"
Suddenly Senator Brady walked up
He came down on the list with both
feet and declared that the loot of the
state treasury was a scandal and a dis
grace. Then Johnny Myers alluded to
the reckless and high handed methods
of the senate. He protested loud and
long. Senator F'agerberg took a few
chips and registered a most vigorous
complaint and asked where the dear
peoples taxes would go next Brady
removed the 50 revenue for Millions
clerk and the Kansas City man was
wrOth and admitted it. Some one
spoiled Bender's dream of extra pay
for his clerk. Then the line held. The
remainder of the list went on the pay
roll. Myers and Fagerberg voted
against the mutual pork barrel, but the
score was lopsided and their protests
carried little weight
The senate said things Wednesday
afternoon about Tom McNeal and the
state printing plant. Trouble broke
out in spots when the senate was in
formed that the state printing plant
was behind with it's work and could
not get the bills printed.
If there is any one thing to which
the legislature takes exception it is to
vote on a bill which has not been dis
tributed. Since about 10 per cent of
the bills remaining on the calendar
were not printed. there was nothing
else to do and the upper house made
the most of it after having first ex-
pressed a few sentiments. Members
asked how the administration expected
to handle the blank book printing, if it
couldn't keep the legislative bills print