The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-03-08
One Board of Three to Control
All State Schools.
Measure Now Awaits Signature
of Governor.
HAD A LIVELY FIGHT.
Senators Once Before Refused
to Pass Measure.
New Board Required to Meet
Once a Week.

Late Tuesday afternoon the senate
reversed its former decision and by a
vote of % to &c. passed the Keene
house bill providing for unification
of the boards of regents of all state
educational institutions. The passage
of the bill was a hard jolt to the college
town members and they made a despe-
rate fight for the defeat of the meas
ure.
A week ago when the Huffman bill
was under consideration, the senate
turied the document by a one sided
vote. Since that date, the stand pat
and minority members have been busy.
They even borro led a few radical adj
ministration senators for emergency
use These votes were timely, too.
Member after member of the insurgent
wing waded into the hobby of a single
board for the administration of the af-
fairs of the educational Institutions
They pointed with horror and shame
to the Kansas college of tomorrow
which the new board would establish.
They declared the state could not en-
ploy competent men at the meager sal
aries offered in the bill. But the friends
of the bill stood hitched. They even
made few speeches in behalf of the
new plan.
It was Senator Cambern, the official
grammarian of the senate, who abused
the plan with his choicest collection of
highly vanished English. When the
Erie banker saw that argument was
not producing results, he offered a few
amendments thai for a time puzzled
the supporters of the bill to a consid-
cradle extent. He injected the work
mems compensation act plan into the
voting. He wanted a commission APP
70 inv GA 10
of an administrative board. This
would delay the matter two years. But
the senate voted him down.
Then Cambern came back and asked
to remove everything after the enact
ing clause For thirty minutes the
heroes of the upper legislative division
turned loose the best articles in the
breeze department. Brady pleaded-in
behalf of good government and the
high standard of education-to leave
matters Just where they were.
George H. Hodges, of the minority,
took up the fight for a change in the
government of the schools. He quoted
an editorial from Senator Brady's pa
per. which recently said that 49 per
cent of the persons who attend Kansas
university fail. Hodges declared that
the new board would improve this con-
dition, that it could study the situation
in other schools and increase the eff
ficiency and high standard of the Kan
sas college. He stated that IN his
opinion the board would save the state
a quarter million dollars in appropria-
tions the first year and still give the
state as much for its money as it re-
ceives at present.
Raps Educational Lobby.
Senator Carey pointed to the lobby
of educational experts and members or
boards of regents, who We're In Topeka
to land appropriations and defeat this
hi
senate wanted to see a member of
certain board, it was not necessary to
go to the school town which they rep
resented, but they would be found in
the legislative halls as expert lobby
lists. He said these men were receiv-
ing from $4,000 to $4,000 of the states
money for the purpose of spending the
winter in Topeka as lobbyists. Carey
said the appropriations had been cut
to the quick, yet the governor sent to
the legislature a m eSSage deplOring the
expenditures.
Then Senator Price asked how the
governor stood on the question. He
said he wanted to vote at least once
with the administration.
Senator Potter closed the argument.
He saw dire ruin in store for every
Kansas institution if the legislature
passed the bill. He lambasted the ap-
preparations for the new normals and
urged the senate not to lose its sense
of reasoning and pass this insane
m easure.
senator Carey voted against the bill,
although two members Of the boards
of regents live in Hutchinson, his home
town Myers and Quincy of the ipsur-
gents, voted for the bill Huffman and
Hodges led the fight for the measure.
and it was much to their credit and
that of Senator Carey that the meas
ure passed.
The new board is to be composed of
three members, who shall make their
homes in Topeka. They are required
to hold regular meetings at least once
each week and shall-receive actual ex-
penses only while visiting the several
state institutions. Not moro than two
members of the board shall be of the
same political faith. Their appoint
ments are made by the governor and
confirmed by the senate. Two mem
bers of the board shall hold for a
term of two years, the third for a
term of four years. Each member of
the board will receive an annual SAL
airy of $4,000 The new board will be-
come operative July L, this year. The
bill passed the house several days ago.
It is now ready for the governors
signature.
Following is the vote on the final
passage of the bill:
For-Anderson. Brewster, Caldwell,
Huffman, Hunter. Lower. Milligan,
Milton. Myers. OverfelG, Porter. Price,
Quincy, Reed Stavely, Stewart, Still
ings, Travis. Total. 22
Against-Avery, Bender, Brady,
Brown, Cambern, Cooke. Denton,
Fowler, Ganse, Harris, Hamilton. Hos
trup, Murphy, Potter. Smith, Stan
nard Total 16-
The senate Tuesday afternoon
passed the Laidlaw bill requiring rail-
roads to report to the board of rail-
road commissioners the cost of all
equipment, tracks and station build
ings and all sums paid to officials and
certain persons and authorizing the
railroad board to compel the prodGc-
ton of all records.
A resolution which passed the SEN
ate Tuesday night provides for the