The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-02-27
HAD TWO KNIVES.
House Ways and Means Com
mittee Did.
One i'm Each Hand for Gov. and
Atty. General Funds.
and CUT Them BOTH.
Hodges Did Not Want DawsOn's
Fund Cut.
He Should Be Equipped to
Fight Liquor Evil.

(
mittee back up on it's decision to cut
the contingent fund of the attorney
! generals once from $1,000 to $4,000, or
| will it overlook the request of Governor
| Hodges and leave the appropria ton
| where it has now been placed? That
| is a question in which not only a good
many individuals are interested, but
one which concerns Governor Hodges,
members of the legislature and the at
torney generals Office.
The members of the house ways
and means committee stated a week
ago that they had agreed in substance
on the executive and judiciary budgets.
They had. placed the contingent fund
of the attorney general at $4,000 a year
instead of $4,000 They had also re-
duced the governors contingent fund in
the same amount and had trimmed
other funds and salaries until they
were able to report a saving of 100000
in the appropriations for these state
departments as compared with two
years ago. But in making their re-
trenchments, the ways and means
committee forgot something.
In his message to the legislature,
Governor Hodges asked that the plat
form pledge for economy be made good.
| But ne also asked CudC tIl6 legislature
should not be stingy in dealing with
the attorney generals office which has
to do with the law enforcement of the
state. Governor Hodges recalled the
joy of the Kansas jointists year ago
when it was announced that Dawson's 8
contingent fund had been exhausted.
And he didn't want recurrence of that
condition. So with the best of good
faith, the governor urged generosity
with the attorney generals office, rath-
er than the display of spirit of econo-
my. AS for his own, the governors Of
flee, Hodges admitted he was willing
to take just what the legislature ap-
propriated. In fact he recommended
that his own contingent fund be re-
duced from $4,000 to $1,000 and sug-
gested other savings which brought
! reduction of $4,000 in that department.
The ways and means committee not
only made the saving in the COVER
nor's office, but also in the attorney
generals office. In the last two years,
| Attorney General Dawson reported,
he spent several hundred dollars of
his own funds in the prosecution of
liquor cases when the contingent fund
was gone. But this year the legisla-
ture has cut off his fees and it is
hardly probable that Dawson will
finance his own liquor crusadeS in the
future. And yet If the legislature
adopts the committee report there will
be but one-ha1f the money for the
| work of the attorney generals office
in the next two years as there was in
1911-12.
Dawson ought to have more mon
ey,' said Governor Hodges, in discuss
ing the reduction of the attorney gen.
erals contingent fund. 81 recommend
ed that his fund should not be re-
duced, but unless it is put back there
will be but one-half of the money for
that department in the next two years
as there was in the past. I was
willing to reduce my own contingent
fund for the reason that I believe $5,-
900 a year is sufficient and an allow
ance of that amount will not impair
the efficiency of the Office
When asked about the reduction of
his fund, Dawson smiled.
''Of course it isn't enough" he said,
t'but I guess we will just have to do
the best we can with what we get
Members of the committee who
were asked concerning the reduction
of DawSon's contingent fund, declared
that the allowance of $4,000 was all
that the committee believed was need
ed for that department. Still the
mem berS have not filed their report
and it is claimed that some of them
have recommended a reconsideration
of their former action and will urge
that the old allowance of $4,000 a
year be made.
When the new educational board is
appointed, it is generally believed that
one of the changes which will be made
is in the presidency of the Emporia
State Normal There has been much
trouble in the normal schools under the
administration of President Hill and it
is confidently claimed that as soon as
the new educational board is appointed
and gets it's bearings that he will be
removed.
Following on this suggestions is the
report that the presidency of the nor
NAL school has been offered to DR.
Frank Knight Sanders president of
Washburn college. The offer did not
come direct from the administration
but DIR. Sanders was informed that he
might have the normal presidency al
his disposal if he desired the place.
After considering the matter several
DAYS he has declined the appointment.
Governor Hodges admits that there
will likely be a change in the normal
presidency this year. He declined TO
discuss the Sanders appointment, ex-
cept to state that he regarded the
Washburn head as one - the foremost
educators in the west. AS for his ap-
pointment to the Emporia job. Governor
Hodges stated that this matter was
something in which he was taking no
part and that a change would not be
made until the new educational admin
istration board is appointed and be-
gins it's new work
In their efforts to adjourn as soon as
possible and to dispose of as much busi-
ness as can judiciously be handled be-
fore time to go home. the house members
4oved some ten minutes Wednesday night
with the bill to enable towns and counties
to buy and operate voting machines
Then Robert O'Connor ended the agony
tv moving that the enactfng clause be re-
moved from the bill O'Connor's motion
was adopted with but little dispute and a