The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-12-30
POLITICAL GOSSIP
Agitation for Educational MIN
Tax Next Year.
State Schools Have Mapped
Out a Campaign.
STRONG IS IN VANGUARD
Constitutional Amendment VIII
Be Necessary.
OfRcial Program for Big Bryan
Dinner.

The agitation for the mill tax for
support of state educational fnstitu-
tons must be met next year by the
Kansas politicians. Already the state
schools have m .pped out campaign
which they hope will forever take the
schools out of state politics and enable
them to dodge the appropriation hgnts
in the state legislatures.
Speakers are being sent out from
Kansas university this week to wage
q campaign of education among the
voters and the university alumni re-
garding the mill tax proposition.
Chancellor Strong himself will be one
Of the leaders in the fight. Other col
lege heads in Kansas will follow and
before next spring the state may hear
much of the plan to provide for the
maintenance of state schools fnde-
pendent Of political prejudice and in
f1uence and party desire to reduce
taxes through appropriation retrench-
ments.
Under the law in Kansas, a regular
tax levy is made for the support OF
the grade schools and high schools in
the state. But the state schools
Kansas university, the Agricultural
college, the normal schoolssand exper-
iment statiOns-are given only. such
financial aid as the state legislature
sees fit to extend. Every two years
new legislature tries to establish a
new record for economy and the
pruning knife is used on the educa-
tional budgets in a manner that makes
the students and college heads weep.
Need Constitutional Amendment.
In their fight for the mill tax levy.
however the state schools must crowd
through the legislature a resolution
calling for a constitutional amendment
That resolution must receive two
thirds of the votes in either house OF
the legislature and the amendment
submitted to the Kansas voters-some
100000 of them at present-for their
final decision. If the voters approve
the amendment by a majority vote,
then the state schools can receive
their mill tax levy. Otherwise, 1t Is
the old system for the schools.
No relief can be afforded before 1917.
So that allows ample time for the cam
paign OF education which the state
schools will wage in Kansas. Next year
the college students and alumni will
ask to have their pet measure 1ncor-
porated in some of the state pol1tfcai
platforms. Then they will work for the
passage of the measure through the 1915
session of the legislature. Even though
the measure receives the Necessary
two-thirds' vote, the amendment cam
not be submitted to the Kansas voters
before the 1916 election. If the amend
ment Is approved by the voters. the
first mill levy on all assessable property
in Kansas will be made Tor educatlOnai
purposes in 1917.
The State university is now sending
speakers to the students country CLUBS
to urge support for the proposition.
Chancellor Frank Strong will this week
address the Crawford county club at
Pittsburg on the Mill Tax" Registrar
George o. Foster will discuss the ques-
ton at a meeting of the Anderson
county club in Garrett this week and
other speakers are to attend meetings
in January. All of the speakers will be
provided with facts and figures and the
mill tax for state schools be made a
real live issue in Kansas next year.
Hawkes. for District Judge.
Judge s. N Hawkes., first assistant In
the office of Attorney General Daw-
son, will probably be a candidate fol
district judge in the Thirty-fourth dis
trict next year to succeed Judge
Charles w. Smith of Stockton, who has
decided to enter the fight for place or
the supreme bench after % years serv'
ice as Judge of mis- district. Hawke:
has not as yet announced his cand1
dacy, but news from the Thirty fourth
district indicates that he has told hi!
friends that he will be Republican
candidate for the nomination in thu
1914 primaries. .essi.-
Hawkes. Is recognized as one OF tn
most able Of the states trial lawyers
His value as an assistant in the attor
ney generals office has been proven
many times and in the Thirty -fourtl
district. where Judge Hawkes. ha
lived for many years, he is regarded a
most exceptional attorney. Tn
Thirty-fourth judicial district com
prises Rocks. Graham. Sheridan
Thomas and Sherman counties.
Program Is Announced.
The official program and menu 70
the big Bryan dinner in Topeka mex
Monday night. has been announced b
the Democratic club. There are blu
four speakers on the program, Score
tary of State Bryan. Governor Georg
H. Hodges. United States Senator Will
liam H. Thompson and Mrs. Cora c
Lewis of Kinsley, a member of tn
state educational administration boart
Secretary Bryan will respond to tn
toast, THE New Era" Senate
Thompson will discuss THE Nationa
Administration" Governor Hodge
will tell of kansas Democracy" an