The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-12-03
Financial Problem Faces Lexis.
lature This Winter.
DEMANDS FROM EVERY PLANT
More Employees, More Build
ings, Plenty Of Repairs.
Will Legislature Be Able to Re-
duce Taxes This Year9

penal institutions want building I'M
provements at the hands Of the 1915
legislature in an amount in excess Of
q million dollars and probably in the
neighborhood of q million ana a half
dollars. Considering the fact that the
1913 legislature cut out all building
appropriations and still raised appro-
priations nearly half million dollars
above the expenditures In 1911, the
financial situation which faces the
new legislature is just cause for alarm
among the men who are to be held
responsible for any increase In state
taxes.
Not until some me next week will
the budgets Of the various state instt-
tutions be available. This week the
educational administration board is
trying to make reductions in the ap-
preparations sought by the state
schools. The same situation confrOnts
the board Of control regarding state
charities and the demands from the
penal institutions are causing the Pc
nal board sleepless nights. After
these boards have used the knife In
every manner possible, the state audi
tor will look over the budgets and
again there will be a slicing in the re-
quests from state institutions. Then
It will all be up to the legislature:
Two years ago. the budgets OF the
various state institutions and depart
ments were in excess of II million
dollars That was after the auditor
had arbitrarily cut out tho building
items and whitfield the budget for
state departments. When the legisla-
ture finished their work, the appro-
priations for two years were in eight
and half million dollars in round
figures.
State House Suffers.
For four years Kansas has skimped
and saved and tried to cut down her
taxes. She has denied herself until
1t hurt. The state house lawn needed
q beauty doctor in the form Of a
landscape doctor. enough water to
keep the grass green in summer and
lighting service equal to that on Crane
street. But Kansas was trying to
make q record for economy and all OF
these things were denied. The state
charities needed more space. better
sanitation. fire protection. pure water.
lights, a modern kitchen or dairy
barn that would not offend DR.. Crum-
bine. Again. Kansas looked to the
saving of few dollars and the i'm
provements were postponed. The
state schools continued to ETow.S new
patients were sent to the charitable
institutions and more space was need
ed: the penitentiary was pointed to by
the world as the states shame and
disgrace. But there was no money
for betterments.
Now the legislature faces the neces-
sity of spending a vast sum of money
to care for the demands that were
denied through three gubernatorial ad-
ministrations. II the money is appro-
priated, someone will be called pom in
the 1916 campaign to explain for the
Increased taxes. If the demands of the
institutions are denied, the increasing
burden will fall but the heavier on some
succeeding administration and the state
institutions will suffer while they wait
are in Topeka this week to urge a ia
vorable report on their demands for
money for the care and support OF state
institutions.
Penitentiary Needs.
The work Of overhauling the state
penitentiary cannot be started for less
: than 100000. it is claimed. while $780,
900 is said to be needed for building
purposes during the next two years. 1t
it hardly possible for the legislature
to dodge this item in view Of the fact
that various committees have reported
the most unsanitary conditions at the
prison and recommended the rebuild
ing Of the entire prison plant. The
committees plan does not call for an
appropriation for an entire new prison
at this session of the legislature. 1t
asks merely for enough funds to sub
stantially start the rebuilding.
At the Pittsburg normal, 100000 iE
needed to pay bills contracted for par
tial rebuilding of structures destroyed
by recent fire. For this school, it is
probable that about 100000 will be
asked.
Several years ago Kansas planned the
erection OF new administration build
ing at the state university. A sum of
money was appropriated to start that
work. The building was never finished.
Now from $250,O00 to 100000 is desired
for the completion of that structure,
which already represents an expendi-
ture Of an almost equal amount.
At the state agricultural college a
new main building Is badly needed and