Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1911-02-03
TOPEKA LETTER.
January 28 19


it was deemed necessary to ad-
jOurn Friday afternoon and Sat
urday in order for the commit
tees to catch up with their work.
A total of 655 bills had been in
trOduced in the House up to Fri
day noon This entails an enOr-
nous amount o committee work.
Some of the more important CON-
mItteeS, such as Ways and Means
Judiciary. Charitable InStitu-
lions and Cities of First and
Second Class, have been holding
sessions almost every night. Thus
the lawmakers work both in and
out, overtime, any time and prac.
tically all the time, while the
stenOgrapherS, dOOrkeepers and
pages, drawing an equal salary,
quit when the house adjOurnS
and proceed to get out for a
good time.
|, The committee on Cities of the
Second class succeeded in plac-
ing ON the calendar with a ia
vOrable report, a bill restoring
the poll tax provision for such
cities. Through some mexplain-
able reason, some objection to
the bl" developed in the commit
tee of the whole, but the writer
and other. members interested
pushed the bill through and it is
now referred to the house on fin
al passage.
t. appears that educational
matters will occupy a consider
able amount of attention at this
session. Two bills seeking to
consolidate the heads of our
. ''hOOl mtereS.S into one board
have been introduced. One mea-
sure provides for the election of
this board. and this is a feature
which will undoubtedly prove
very popular. The people of
the state are unqusetiOnably Op-
pOsvd to the inceSSant wrangle
carried on between the various
state Colleges. The boards of re-
gents are frequently actuated by
jealousy and selfish motives, cauS
ing unnecessary expense to :he
state. This attitude and the pres.
ent system leads to a doubling
of courses and department, thus
dividing the forces of the free
educational facilities offered by
the STATE. Were all educational
institutions placed under the di-
recctiOn and government of one
board, with the State Superin-
tendent. perhaps, at its head,
the schools could be classified anC
rendered a credit and benefit to
the young men and young women
CT the state, make it seem imper-
ative that the Legislature get
busy on this proposition and de-
wise some means for a better
ment of existing conditions. The
chancellor of the university and
president o the aricgultural col,
! lege holding membership ON theiI
respective boards of regents is
little shOr-, o vicious. One Oi
the most persistent lobbyists IN
Topeka is none other than
Chancellor Strong of the miver
Sity, who is supposed to have
been imported as an educator tC
Supermtend and direct the actua
work. of inStrueting our young
men and women. These schools
belong to the people, and the fl
naneeS and business of theil
administrative affairs should b,
placed in the hands of a bOarC
of elective directors. Even tht
ways and means committees. wht
handle the appropriation bills
are not free from the nuprOfeS
SiOnal AMI unfair solicitation.
of thee hired men Of our college
The minority side of the house
at; least, will stand for more nor
NAL training facilities, more fund
amen al education, more .practi
cal and business like administra
ton of college work, and stat
aid for rural schools, and a NOR
sensible and equitable recognition
Of country schools and teachin!
preparation.
Democrat readers are undOubt
edly furnished with. the. result
Of the. Eight on the Mercer bill
This measure conSOlidates tn
Board of Control, the penitenti
ary board and the reformator,
board into one board of threI
mh"rS, thus doing away wit
six officers and two sets of of
flee forces. Ii was tOuted an ad
mmistratiOn measure, but tn,
! Democrats lined nm for II IN +.