The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-24

striking out this $4,000 item. the
appropriation still 20 per cent
greater than was made by the last
legislature for this institution.
I have vetoed the item of $4,000
for the purchase of land on Steiger
Island, Leavenworth, for the use of
alton was allowed, ten reliable bust
ness men of Leavenworth, including
bankers and real estate men whose
Judgment is good, have Informed me
its actual value and have advised me
to veto the appropriation.
1 have vetoed house bill No. 1109,
which appropriates $4,000 for the re-
voIV1ng fund, Irvine plant, at Lansing.
The business of the plant has been
handled the past year with no larger
balance in the revolving fund than
will be available during the next two
years, and / see no good reason for
increasing the revolving fund by di-
rect appropriation at this time. This
amount was taken out of the revolv-
ing fund by the legislature of 1913
and placed in a general revenue fund.
No great Inconvenience was expert
.enced thereby.
L veto the special item of $4,000
for general repairs and improvements
at Osawatomie State Hospital for the
reason that the general appropriation
for this institution is ample for all
repairs and necessary improvements.
1 also veto the item of $4,000 for
a bridge at Larned State Hospital as
being too large an expenditure for
this purpose.
Why They Are Vetoed.
I have eliminated these items to
save the taxpayers as many dollars
of unnecessary expense as possible at
time when the people of Kansas are
burdened with excessive taxation as
the result of extrava gance, waste and
carelessness in the administration of
public affairs.
That the appropriations at this ses-
sion are not more reckless and extrav-
agant is due to the courageous stand
of the house of representatives, which
in the face of a bitter fight has sue
ceeded in reducing the senate's appro-
priations by 1 k million dollars.
1t is unfortunate that any differ
ences of opinion concerning the finan-
cial needs of the state institutions
could not have been discussed and
settled on their merits. AS citizen,
and as an administrator for the people
of Kansas, 1 am far from wishing to
hamper the work or to impair the
usefulness of any state institution. L
made this Enthusiastically clear to the
members of the legislature in my mes
sage, urging the need of great care
and painstaking economy in expendi-
lures.
A Trick of Politics.
1t became apparent, early, that the
plan of the leaders in the senate was
to embarrass this administration by
loading it with extravagant appropria-
lions. Senators who, two years ago,
gave most grudgingly to the states
educational and charitable institu-
lions, now suddenly became exceed
ingly generous, even profligate with
the peoples money. The senate pro-
posed erecting seventeen buildings
demanding for the states educational
institutions alone, an expenditure
equal to one-fourth of all the money
spent by the state on such buildings
in its entire history. The senate's
proposal would have increased state
expenditures nearly two million dol
lars within the next two years-and
these appropriations would have been
only the beginning, entailing a large
permanent increase in the cost of
and support.
I regret to say several senators who
could not resist the lure of the pork
barrel were caught by the offer of
liberal appropriations for the inStitu
tions in their respective districts, and
senators were persuaded by their lead
ers that it would be good politics to
put the new administration in a hole"
The scheme, however, was so trans
parent and so unfair to the people of
Kansas that 1 appeared in person be-
fore the legislature nearly month
before the close of the session ana
protested with all the earnestness at
my command against this political
raid on the treasury.
my efforts were fruitless. It's leaders
continued recklessly to roll up more
appropriation bills and bombasticalIy
declared their intention Ito fight IT.
out if it took all summer" 1t will go
down in history as the most eXtrava-
CANT legislative body ever assembled
inq Kansas. The house, on the con-
trary, made an earnest effort to keep
the appropriations within just and
limits. But for the stand
taken by the house the scheme of tie
senate politicians would have sue
ceeded and the people of Kansas
would have found thrust upon them
a burden of $2,3OO,0OO more taxes
than they now must pagan imme-
date increase of 25 per cent in state
taxes.
Still They're Too High.
But the appropriations are still too |
high-much higher than they would |
be had the senate manifested a will |
IngneSs to cooperate in a program of |
and sufficient economy, and |
had the reprehensible pork barrel" !
been impossible.
Despite the combined efforts of the |
house and the governor, the total APP |
preparations as finally passed by this |
amount to $9,S66,277 as
against $S,923,919 two years ago-an |
Increase of nearly a million dollars |
the several bills items aggregating |
S229,000. There is at least another |
100000 which I should be glad to /
strike out and should strike out had |
the power to make reductions without |
But while the law gives |
the governor the power to cut out en-
tire items, it does not permit him TO |
nor to decrease any item /
Many of the appropriations for the |
of state institutions as |
we'll as other departments of state |
government are made in bulk. In the |
agreed upon by the two /
houses, the senate forced an increase
IN MANY of these hulk annronriafinn